ORIGINAL: crashcrash


Well, I'm sure you accomplished the appeal, and then some. I just did a test flight on my EXI and I put on those composite blades they sent when I bought the ''EXI plastic version'', and I took the woodies off. I had to make 1/2 turn adjust on the tracking...it was that close. I took it out, a little windy and gusty. Must'a got it right because I did a bit of hands off and some slow piros in the wind as well as some nose in, she's smooth as glass. The other night while re-building it after a crash, I powered it up for a test on the bench and somehow I tripped the idleup switch and it went full bore in my hand. I actually grabbed it hard and captured the blades in my arms as it's beating on me, I finally unplug the battery. Well, in grabbing it HARD, the canopy retainer stabbed two nice holes in my right hand (deep), blood splattered everywhere. The blades hit my left middle finger and peeled some skin back, as well as the beating my arms took, the bruises still hurt. The damage to the heli was a set of blades, feathering shaft, and a slightly bent lower rear frame. We fought, I think I LOST...I got beat up worse than it did. Good reason to have that TEST STAND you built. I'm glad I had woodies on there instead of the composite...could'a been a LOT worse. No matter how careful you are, sometimes it goes wrong. I sought to unpower the unit and minimize damage to the helicopter....I didn't think about minimizing the damage to ME. Had I been wearing my leather jacket, I doubt it would have hurt me as bad as it did. The lesson in all this....a 450 can really put you in the hurt locker, possibly kill you, so your stand is ''right on'' for something you need.[X(]