Protos exploding tail update??

[Blades345]

I recently read the thread with the Protos exploding tail, which doesn't sound good. I really like the protos and plan on getting one, but the exploding tail makes me wonder if that is still happening. Did they finally remake it? Is it because people are tightening it wrong? It sucks to think that it could break in flight and cause the crash just because the plastic is crap! If anyone knows please let me know, I really want this heli, but that makes me apprehensive!

[OnTheSnap]

The new carbon and plastic kits have all new tail cases that are much stronger then before. I'm very impressed with mine, and it has already survived a tail strike.

Bottom line, MSH has addressed the issue. My impression so far of my Protos Carbon is that it's tough, light, and nothling flies like it.

[JustPlaneChris]

Also keep in mind that you have read about a very few (less than six, that I've seen) cases of that happening. Considering the many thousands of Protos flying, it's not that common of a problem.

The Protos is an amazing machine. Go for it!

[Ecaf]

Exploding tail? Huh? Where?

[JustPlaneChris]

Exactly.

[jondabear]

Not even once. 150 plus flights on mine. had it less than three months.

Whats up chris. ( this is the guy from the fun fly with the other protos)

Going to Houston in june?

[JustPlaneChris]

Hey! Not sure I'll make that one, but I will try.

[rcmarty]

Sorry to break the record but my tail blew up on me.
updated parts used
401/9257 on the tail. 54% gain on the gear channel.
I'm certain a 401 doesn't hammer sto like a 770 does. Doesn't really matter as it was a gentle stall turn when it let go.

Looking over the pics , the fracures look like broken glass.

Don't get me wrong , i live the protos , i wish i could get the cf kit based parts. Even thought of buying the cf or newer gen kit to get them. Ready heli says 2 weeks for the spring update kit. Just too much to dish out to get flying again. Protos parts are cheap which is nice , but the tail letting go came in over $200 for me I can't afford to do that all the time. So ive grounded it till the spring pack comes in.

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=135266.

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=135389.


Martin

[OnTheSnap]

Martin, just to be clear, you had the older parts from the 1st update. Not the latest update which has a new plastic composite and geometry.

[vicrc]

Still using the first update and 100+ flights, no problem so far.

[Joe90]

13 000 protos has been shipped in april, given this I beleive that there is maybe 50 000 protos over the world, so 6 reported cases is nothing to worry about.

How much RPM these guy used, is their tail correctly mounted ? especially the m3 screws that serve has a spindle ? nothing out of balance ? tail strike some filghts before ? chipped blades that unbalance the rotor.

Remember that this thing spin past 12000 rpm

I have one I a like it very much, not a perfect heli but a greath one that flies extremely well out of the box.

I think that we make a storm in a glass of water. We like to criticise way too much.

Michel

[wespen]

Mate, dont make this marginal issue.
There was a problem with the tail box, it has been strengthened and mold updated 2 times now.

Tail box is (or now was) defiantly a weak spot on the Protos.
Before first update, every light crash or hard landing with tail fin touching the ground resulted in a 30$ tail parts replacement.
Even some cases of tail exploding mid-air which was a 200$ crash.

Havent heard of any simmilar issues on Trex, Lepton or similar helis.
I bet Corrado made a fortune on spare tail boxes

2nd update is much better and I hope 3rd update is the final one and will solve this issue once and for all.
I think carbon versions comes with latest update since there was a major shortage of tail boxes for some time.

Wesp

[OnTheSnap]

Both the Carbon and new plastic kits have the new parts. ReadyHeli only has the new kits.

[rcmarty]

snap .. this was with the updated parts, reinforced bolt holes.

but not the parts used on the new cf generation or contained in the 'spring 09 update pack'.

joe ... true there are alot of protos out there and they fly superb. If the heli didn't fly as wel as it did , i would have dumped it long ago.

My thought is that the tail is till an issue. No one in there right mind would go thru all the expence and hassle of making/moulding new parts if there wasn't an issue.

i followed all the posts about the exploding tails back when they first came out. The solution was thought to be the plastic breaking. When i assembled the tail on mine i made small carefull adjustments to the bolts because i still didn't think it was strong enough (IMO) , so i had just enough tightening to clamp the tailcase to the boom. Any further tightening wouldn't have resulted in any gain but to stress the plastic.
no chipped tail blades. The thing with the protos is that a tail touch usually results in all new parts.
Not taking cheap shots here though. If your going to loose 200g on a heli it has to come from somewhere , with the protos it's a bit fragile, but built to fly. Love it or leave it.

I put 70 flights on my t500 without any issues at all.

Martin

[OnTheSnap]

If it's any consolation, I had a bad tail strike on my CF (rotors hit a rock on landing) that completely destroyed my tail blades. The rest of the tail didn't even twitch.

[Gareth-71]

I've been through 5 tail cases, some my fault for sure, but some are a mystery

[rcmarty]

Originally Posted by OnTheSnap

If it's any consolation, I had a bad tail strike on my CF (rotors hit a rock on landing) that completely destroyed my tail blades. The rest of the tail didn't even twitch.

Sounds like the spring parts (same parts contained in the newest kits and the cf kit) are substantially stronger.
Can i asume the CF kit comes with the msh 3k blades. I bought those for my kit , i found them to be alot stiffer than the stock plastics but very brittle (maby the tailcase is made from the same plastic) .

I hope i can get my hands on a spring kit soon , i want to get some more time on it.

Martin

[CatchmyCorsair]

The 3K blades are out of production until they can figure out how to make them better. The weight/balance was not consistent.

[Ecaf]

I picked up the new tail case last week from RH, and its the spring 09 version (V3).

Im still running the V2 version on mine with KBDD blades. No issues at all (knock on wood).

[jetnc]

I think my tail disintegrated at least 4 times, each time being rebuilt with new parts. This last tail may well be the last. If it's me, I'd like to know what I'm doing wrong, that's all! Every time I went over it very closely. Just tight enough on the screws, blades balanced, everything looking good. My TR450's have landed alot harder on the tail and never burst. Could it be too tight on the belt causing too much stress? That's the only thing I can think of, and since I've never seen another Protos in preson I don't have anything to compare to.