Originally Posted by Thekid3418

I had my first bad encounter with my Siren this weekend. I took it to the park to try our some new power systems. I started with the new set of RFM 14.5x14 blades that I recieved a couple weeks back. These worked well, but to my untrained eye didn't offer much of an advantage over the Aeronaut 14x12 blades. The initial acceleration was slightly less, while the top speed was slightly higher. Both props drew nearly identical amps according to my ICE 100 Lite. This flight went off without a hitch, and I was very pleased

After this flight I switched back to my Aeronaut 13x11 blades with 4s-2500mah 30C batteries (very very tired old cells!). This netted me a prop rpm of about 9900 according to the ICE once again, it also was around 105A and 1450W. I told my dad to hold on tight and we went for the launch. My first impression was "this is AWESOME!". Absolutely fast climb as well as a very high top end speed. The first climb went off without a hitch, but when I came back around to climb for the second time, this is when things went wrong. At the top of the climb I shut off the motor and there was a strange "popping" noise. Just after the noise, I saw something falling away from the nose of the plane, but I wasn't sure what.

My initial reaction was that I had either
1) Thrown a blade
2) loosened the pinion in my GB

I guessed (2) because the prop was free-wheeling on the way down. After a stressful landing attempt I managed to set the plane down with just a small tick in the leading edge of one of the blades. Upon further investigation, the spinner cone AND prop-nut had come off, meaning the collet prop adapter could slide right off! I am very fortunate to not have lost the yoke/blade assembly that day.

Now, to diagnose what happened. What I believe happened is because of the aggressive brake (in hind-sight it was on "Hard/.1 Delay/fast ramp"), the prop nut spun itself off, taking the spinner-cone with it. This seems very unlikely, but it is the only explaination that my pea-brain could come up with. Because of this I have changed the brake settings to "Hard/.2 Delay/Medium ramp". Hopefully this results in no more issues. We searched for some time for the spinner cone, and alas could not find it again. This is not too critical though, as I already have an RFM 38/6 Spinner waiting to be used with my NEU P32 and RFM 14.5x14 once the GB arrives

All the best,
Kid

Seeing that I only have "brake or no brake" option, I am going with no brake. With my luck the brake will yank the firewall right out the front. If the folder never stops turning so be it.

The prop will be acting like a giant airbrake.
..a

Originally Posted by Andy W

The prop will be acting like a giant airbrake.
..a

It will have to be, until I can get an ESC with a soft brake.

If there is a potential in-flight disaster, it will definitely happen to me.

Robj, want to chime in?

Definately run a brake! If you're using a Turnigy ESC or similar the brake will not be aggressive enough to cause any problems! I can tell you from a brief experience that flying with the prop windmilling is no fun at all!

Originally Posted by johnnyrocco123

It will have to be, until I can get an ESC with a soft brake.

If there is a potential in-flight disaster, it will definitely happen to me.

Robj, want to chime in?

Kinda what the kid said. The turnigy brake will still allow some freewheeling on a fixed blade prop, at least mine it does. I don't know anything about the folding props but it would seem once they fold back they would not freewheel even with the turnigy brake. Maybe it takes more to push them back than I know.

Originally Posted by Thekid3418

Definately run a brake! If you're using a Turnigy ESC or similar the brake will not be aggressive enough to cause any problems! I can tell you from a brief experience that flying with the prop windmilling is no fun at all!

Well I will try it. But....if my motor breaks off....ARRRH!!!

Originally Posted by robj

Kinda what the kid said. The turnigy brake will still allow some freewheeling on a fixed blade prop, at least mine it does. I don't know anything about the folding props but it would seem once they fold back they would not freewheel even with the turnigy brake. Maybe it takes more to push them back than I know.

I meant chime in about my mid-air disasters.

Originally Posted by johnnyrocco123

I meant chime in about my mid-air disasters.

Oh, you've had 4 in 2 months, I was number 3, lastest at TEFF in Austin. You also had 2 other crashes at TEFF.

How about that!!

Originally Posted by robj

Oh, you've had 4 in 2 months, I was number 3, lastest at TEFF in Austin. You also had 2 other crashes at TEFF.

How about that!!

I have crashed 3 planes due to pilot error in the last year, two strykers and one electrostik.

Everything else has been a mid-air or spontaneous combustion.

Originally Posted by johnnyrocco123

I have crashed 3 planes due to pilot error in the last year, two strykers and one electrostik.

Everything else has been a mid-air or spontaneous combustion.

hehe, and 27 due to "non pilot error"?? Not counting running into Howard while landing!! That was a hoot, but very glad the plane made it through with only minor damage.

Johnny
Set the brake hard,and spool it up on the bench,cut power..Do this a few times and see what happens..When you do go for the maiden.Apply power slowly,and roll out of the power slowly...this should give you a softer brake...

Originally Posted by flightmare

Johnny
Set the brake hard,and spool it up on the bench,cut power..Do this a few times and see what happens..When you do go for the maiden.Apply power slowly,and roll out of the power slowly...this should give you a softer brake...

I'll give it a shot, I only have one brake setting, on and off.

I just held a 5S Absolute in hand while the owner powered it up with a 16x17 prop. Neu motor pulling 150+ amps. Castle 180 ESC on board.

I thought I was going to take off with it. Kind of scary!

I didn't want to hold that thing!!

**** WITH A BUDGET OF 150 FOR BATTERY, ESC AND MOTOR****

I want it to go FAST and have close to unlimited vertical. I plan on runing either a 3s or 4s. What combo do you recomend? Preferably something somewhat cost effective.

Looking for recomendations. If you can provide a link to HobbyKing or whatever it would be helpfull. I'm still learning the lingo for the various motors and such.

ttt