Swashplate Fix

I was given a 380-class helicopter and am very impressed with it. Like any novice, I expected some crashes, and I wasn’t disappointed! The instructions about making repairs with new parts are very clear, but I thought I’d try to fix a part myself. The antirotation pin on my swashplate broke off cleanly when I landed the heli on its side. I don’t have a convenient hobby shop, and the stresses on this part do not seem to be too high. Using a no. 53 bit, I drilled a hole in the bracket where the pin was originally attached. Then I threaded a 2-56×3/4-inch screw through the hole. I had to remove the screw to reassemble the swashplate, as the screw head is too large to pass through the guide on the helicopter. So far, my repair has held up well, and I have not had to replace the original part.

Submitted by Mike Stefanick, Port Orange, FL

Illustrations by David Baker davidb@flyrc.com