As an older RC pilot without the best eyesight, I've found that 450 size helicopters can become small and difficult to see at a distance. As my piloting skills improve, I also found myself flying the heli farther and farther away. At times, I was beginning to question it's orientation. This was becoming a sure fired recipe for disaster.
In an effort to increase the visibility of my Trex Sport, I made a couple of modifications to the stock kit that really helped with my ability to see it's orientation at a distance.
First was the addition of High Profile Gorilla Gear made by MSH. These floresent yellow gear struts not only stand out visually, but are practically indestructible. They tend to flex and not break even under really heavy impact.
The next mod I made was to to add light weight foam adhesive backed sheeting to the Align skid pipes. I found this material at the local craft store. I cut strips to fit and wrapped the pipes to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. The pack of foam came in an assortment of colors but I chose the bright orange and it really helps me see this bird.The video below might give you an idea how well the skids stand out with these changes.
I'm still looking for ways to improve visibility, such as colored flybar paddles and tail blades, but for now, I'm really pleased with my birds improved visibility.
I'm still looking for ways to improve orientation too. I've lost the bird a number of times because if it (I'm almost 49). I'll try the skid coloring - I have some yellow monokote for that. Since my landing struts are white on my Blade 400 (which I have more trouble with than the T-Rex 450), I'll use a green sharpie to color them in. On the 450 I'll put the monokote on the vertical stabilizer, as well as on the skids. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDelete