Cold feet syndrome after mysterious crash, am I alone?

[Roger Ramjet]

It is not the below freezing temperature, it is not because my excitement is declining, it is not because I am tired it is just...... that I seem to have developped a cold feet syndrome about flying my MRs (F550 and F450 all dressed). I guess since the last crash for which I was absolutely helpless, (felt like a spectator watching the unavoidable) I seem to be afraid to go flying and it is driving me nuts!

Of course, a total motor failure (all 6 props) caused by a weak and faulty Y connector (fake Dean from China...) has made quite an impression on me. Specially with a good 6.4 amps battery pack which tested charged at 84% after the crash. I tell you, I see my ship going down, in slow motion like in the movies, and this seems to be haunting me now and scaring me from flying. I really hate this feeling, but it is there...

I consider myself lucky, it crashed in an open field, nobody was hurt, and, eventhough 2 arms, 1 motor and the top plate were broken, I was flying again 3 days after. But the feeling had changed.... Maybe it has to do with my previous RC aircraft experience where I flew 2 seasons with the same aircraft (pattern/tuned pipe and retracts) and never experiences a crash. Of course a few dead stick but always glided back OK. I guess, can't expect that from a MR...

Just like a cowboy falling off a wild horse, I realize I will just have to overcome that unpleasant feeling, get my stuff in the snow and go flying again. I am certainly hoping that I renew with this crazy passion from the first flights and put that negative experience far behind.

Just thought I would share this with you and find out if other pilots experienced a similar situation.

 

[tstrike]

Try stripping your 450 down to the stock naked, no landing gear, no camera, no extraneous gear and just fly. In their bare bones form the dji frames are pretty rugged.
Get back on that horse dood!

 

[PeterLester]

Ben dar dun dat!!! You need some positive reinforcement by means of a dozen or so good flights....then you will back in the saddle.

 

[OneStopRC]

It is a lot of money to wreck, I am like that every time I take off... Mind you it gets easier as you know. I am still a beginner, and it bothers me every time I get off the ground. Sure it will go away soon.... I hope.

Keep at it buddy, you can rebuild at the end of the day, but I know we don't want to keep feeding the beast.

 

[Dale UK]

It is not the below freezing temperature, it is not because my excitement is declining, it is not because I am tired it is just...... that I seem to have developped a cold feet syndrome about flying my MRs (F550 and F450 all dressed). I guess since the last crash for which I was absolutely helpless, (felt like a spectator watching the unavoidable) I seem to be afraid to go flying and it is driving me nuts!

Of course, a total motor failure (all 6 props) caused by a weak and faulty Y connector (fake Dean from China...) has made quite an impression on me. Specially with a good 6.4 amps battery pack which tested charged at 84% after the crash. I tell you, I see my ship going down, in slow motion like in the movies, and this seems to be haunting me now and scaring me from flying. I really hate this feeling, but it is there...

I consider myself lucky, it crashed in an open field, nobody was hurt, and, eventhough 2 arms, 1 motor and the top plate were broken, I was flying again 3 days after. But the feeling had changed.... Maybe it has to do with my previous RC aircraft experience where I flew 2 seasons with the same aircraft (pattern/tuned pipe and retracts) and never experiences a crash. Of course a few dead stick but always glided back OK. I guess, can't expect that from a MR...

Just like a cowboy falling off a wild horse, I realize I will just have to overcome that unpleasant feeling, get my stuff in the snow and go flying again. I am certainly hoping that I renew with this crazy passion from the first flights and put that negative experience far behind.

Just thought I would share this with you and find out if other pilots experienced a similar situation.

Roger - read this ......

It's the financial implications of the 'oops' that are worrying you - nothing to do with your confidence in flying your machine !!

It's like playing the Stockmarket - think of it in terms of 'don't invest more than you can afford to loose' and you won't go wrong - your'e confidence will return !!

If your machine is expensive, like 'tstrike' suggests - strip it down to become a more expendable asset .......

There is always the possibility of total loss - so less than that is always a bonus :nevreness:

Dale UK

 

[Droider]

Its all about confidence in your build. One thing I just cant understand is builds that have taken time, effort, hours of investigation, ponderings over where to anf how to get the bits and bobs needed, hours on forums deciding which are the best for this tat and the other then forgetting one og THE most important components. The batteries and their connections. I guess over the last coulle of yeras I have a simple golden rule, best batteries you can afford for the crafts requirements, the best charger to maintain them, ALLWAYS in parallel (on the bigger /expensive machines) independent alarms on each pack & the best suitable connector to yoyr crafts power system. WHY would you use a 50 cent counterfeit connector over a 95 cent one when the 95 cent one comes with a rating tried and tested by the genuine manufacturer. The mind boggles.

I REALLY FEEL for guys with downed craft, from little 350 Naza'a to huge Octo SkyJibs. I have been there in the past but on really anylising what went wrong not once could I hand on heart say it was anyone elses fault but my own.

From checking props, frame screws to the solder joints on battery connectors, its all down to the pre and post flight checks that are THE number one craft saver with these flying bricks.

Roger I hope you get your confidence back ok and move on. To do that you need to strip the thing down and understand what happened, once you really understand the chain of events I can assure you confidence comes back in huge waves.

Dave

 

[araines2750]

I think that I have seen that same advice 1000 times.
Build one for "fun" & "cheap" and build one that is for "work" & "expensive".
I however feel that it is always a gamble. Why would I want to spend time flying a stripped down POS and leave my "favorite" aircraft just sit.
I spend considerable time with a "shake down" on each aircraft. Once they have been thoughly set-up & tested.....it usually comes down to pilot error.
If you do not trust your aircraft, than maybe your not done with the shake-down.
The true test for me is when you load a waypoint flightpath & let it rip. with no video downlink. That is trust that the equipment is "right".
Additionally, knowledge of your machine & frequent checks & maintenance are vidal. If you are checking things frequently, loose hardware or connections can be caught."
Finally, acceptance & knowledge of the "dangers" of this hobby are required.
If you crash an aircraft....it can happen...it's a risk we all take, but doing it where and how that no one is hurt or injured is the MOST important consideration. Even experienced and prepared pilots can crash, with that knowledge, make sure that only your property is damaged.
Now...have fun....this is supposed to be fun!!! Remember???
Andrew

 

[Roger Ramjet]

Thank you for you thoughts Droider, I absolutely agree with everything you mentionned and, in fact, have dilligently performed every single inspection you have mentionned, time after time. You see, as a former professional pilot (military) and a current Aviation Technical College teacher involved with the training and certification of aircraft technician, I am well aware of the utmost importance of a meticulous preflight inspection. I have been flying RC for 34 years now and seen first hand the consequences of a sloppy set-up.

All this to say that I got sucked in, despite my knowledge and experience, by a very basic rule. May this experience be helpful if anyone feel overconfident or has not experienced unpleasant flight situation and feel that they are untouchable. If you think that accident are for the others, this hobby will wink at you, sooner or later...

As for the actual postmortem analysis of this crash, I was convinced that I had a Dean T connector as I purchased it at my usual LOS which only carry REAL DEAN connectors. All my DEAN connectors always worked great and I did not see any threat from using a T configuration connector vs standard connector. In fact, the packaging showed ''DEAN type connector'' and that got me. After the crash, I dug up the label in my hobby shop garbage can and I saw, in small print.....made in China. Damn I was upset!

Prior to my flight, I verified the current drawn by the new DJI video Transmitter (605 mah) and determined it would minimally affect my flight time as I fly with 5000 to 6400 mah batteries. I was concerned about the additional current that my ''new'' configuration would draw and not the fact that my main power lines' integrity had been breached by a new connector. Additionally, after the first flight, I noticed for the first time (after more than 120 flights) that my battery pack appeared to have swelled a bit but decided to proceed with another flight, keeping a good eye on the new pack. THAT WAS THE FATAL ERROR. If you notice an abnormal situation, investigate and determine the cause BEFORE your next flight. Hell I know that but I got sucked in, thinking it would be okay... If this helps only one pilot and saves his ship from a crash, I would be happy. Nobody is bullet proof, even after many years of experience.

 

[Dale UK]

Thank you for you thoughts Droider, I absolutely agree with everything you mentionned and, in fact, have dilligently performed every single inspection you have mentionned, time after time. You see, as a former professional pilot (military) and a current Aviation Technical College teacher involved with the training and certification of aircraft technician, I am well aware of the utmost importance of a meticulous preflight inspection. I have been flying RC for 34 years now and seen first hand the consequences of a sloppy set-up.

All this to say that I got sucked in, despite my knowledge and experience, by a very basic rule. May this experience be helpful if anyone feel overconfident or has not experienced unpleasant flight situation and feel that they are untouchable. If you think that accident are for the others, this hobby will wink at you, sooner or later...

As for the actual postmortem analysis of this crash, I was convinced that I had a Dean T connector as I purchased it at my usual LOS which only carry REAL DEAN connectors. All my DEAN connectors always worked great and I did not see any threat from using a T configuration connector vs standard connector. In fact, the packaging showed ''DEAN type connector'' and that got me. After the crash, I dug up the label in my hobby shop garbage can and I saw, in small print.....made in China. Damn I was upset!

Prior to my flight, I verified the current drawn by the new DJI video Transmitter (605 mah) and determined it would minimally affect my flight time as I fly with 5000 to 6400 mah batteries. I was concerned about the additional current that my ''new'' configuration would draw and not the fact that my main power lines' integrity had been breached by a new connector. Additionally, after the first flight, I noticed for the first time (after more than 120 flights) that my battery pack appeared to have swelled a bit but decided to proceed with another flight, keeping a good eye on the new pack. THAT WAS THE FATAL ERROR. If you notice an abnormal situation, investigate and determine the cause BEFORE your next flight. Hell I know that but I got sucked in, thinking it would be okay... If this helps only one pilot and saves his ship from a crash, I would be happy. Nobody is bullet proof, even after many years of experience.

Again Roger

wise words from Droider - but it all boils down to finances - don't fly what you can't afford to loose !! - and by the way - nearly everything in our hobby is made in China, so don't loose any sleep over that one !!

Dale UK

 

[Dale UK]

Droider

I agree about confidence in your build - but on my last occasion of a big 'down' it was a technical problem - DJI motor came apart - so, some things are really beyond your control or build capabilities, or pre-flight checks - hence the quote of 'don't fly what you can't afford to loose' !

Dale

 

[Roger Ramjet]

I understand your point Dale, but it doesn't really apply in my situation.

The truth is that I can afford to loose all my ships (financially) and this really would not change anything in my life except a broken dream, a dream that I love and that I live all the time.

Every time I drive in a scenic environment, near a cliff or close to mountains I think to myself wow, imagine the great aerial video I could get over here. I always have the MR video camera in mind and I am fascinated about all the breathtaking photo/video possibilities that jump at me dozens of time aday.

It all starts the day before the flight, I have a battery charging routine that allows me to watch every cell going up on my monitor while I do something else on the computer. Doing so informs me on the state of my batteries and I enjoy watching the computerized charger equalizing the charge for every cells. Then the flying, always exciting, followed by the download of the raw material, the editing, music selection and the release of the final product. This is all exciting and very enjoyable for me and this is what MR flying is for me.

One crash and it is all gone. Sometimes, even if it doesn't make sense, I feel that if I do not fly today, all is possible tomorrow, but if I crash today....the dream is all gone.

Nobody said we have to be totally sane to get addicted to MR, but it surely helps! Ha! Ha!

Just sharing a down time in my MR career, do not worry, I will bounce back and live the dream again soon. At least, if someone, sometimes, feel that way, you will know that all is OK and more exciting times are waiting ahead!

Guess the darn snow storm isn't helping my recovery now....

 

[tstrike]

These things make you feel like Sisyphus sometimes.

 

[Roger Ramjet]

These things make you feel like Sisyphus sometimes.

Exactly like I feel!

Thanks for this great diagnostic, I feel better already!

Takes a pilot to understand a pilot.

 

[Dewster]

lol. I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing because I know all too well what you are talking about. Nope, you are not alone. I built an Xaircraft DIY flat hexa with 6 Avroto motors, FPV gear and gimbal. It flew perfectly. It flew so well that I had the utmost confidence in flying it and had no care in the world. It was stable, looked nice, no problems. I wanted to upgrade the looks of my craft with the latest trend, thinking that I would improve something that was already flying perfect, so I bought some carbon fiber props. I test flew my craft and noticed that it was more responsive with the carbon fiber props. The next day, after a strong summer storm blew through, I wanted to get some aerial photos of damage in the neighborhood. I put my craft up and in less than five minutes total flight time with these new props my craft came down. It came down hard and fast. I heard a snap on climb out as I was approaching some trees and saw my reliable bird go into a flurry of activity, roll 90 degrees, and drop from the sky. The sounds were snap, crazy throttle of the craft trying to recover from loss of a prop, and crunch as my expensive hobby hit the ground. I spent a solid hour trekking through woods in 90 plus degree heat looking for my wreck.

So when I decided to rebuild my craft after finding out the cause of the crash (brittle props) I decided to build again. I purchased Graupner props (either that or APC props), and configured my new craft into a Y6 hoping for some redundant features in case of another prop failure, motor failure, esc failure etc. I was lucky when my craft crashed because it didn't cause any property damage or worse. I crash landed (not under any control) in a clearing of the woods.

So the Cold feet syndrome... Even with my redundantly built craft, I still have cold feet when putting all of this weight in the air. I fly over open fields and I don't take it as high as I used to. I don't even like to fly within eye sight of cars etc. I'm really glad that DJI engineered some recovery features in the event of prop loss etc., but to be honest.... I don't want to see it in action and despite the claims...I'm not putting faith in the craft staying in the air. So do I have cold feet? I have a renewed respect for what I'm putting in the air. I really think that smaller, and lighter is the way to go. My crash has curbed my flying a little. I am still adjusting gains to get spot on stability of my Y6.

I think of every possible reason for the craft to fall from the sky. I have the Y6 configuration, two batteries in parallel (in case one dies mysteriously mid flight), & good props. Only problem now...is cold feet. lol.

 

[PeterLester]

There is a relatively low cost and low weight device that will automatically deploy at a preset altitude, of your choice above ground level. Simply a matter of getting the props stopped before the chute deploys and avoiding a tangled mess...
http://www.featherweightaltimeters.com/The_Raven.php.
I've used it multiple times for HPR with success. Something to consider for the bigger/heavier/costlier MRs.

 

[Roger Ramjet]

Thanks Peter, I will definiteky have a look at it. Also, tell me, was is HPR?

 

[PeterLester]

Roger,
HPR is High Power Rocketry.... You can also use a simple pololu switch connected to your RC receiver spare output to activate a ematch inside a gunpowder charge to deploy a parachute from a tube as done in HPR...

 

[meme]

I come from paragliding, and what i've learned there: If you had a rescue drop or a "hard" landing you have to go back flying as fast as you can instead of thinking to much on what happened. You know where your crash came from, so fix that, double check all the rest and get back in the Air asap!!