Mr. Editor. Please feel free to remove this post if it is a repeat, but I feel the need to share this with fellow I1 pilots. Specially those that are new to I1 commercial ops.
I was playing around with my I1 indoors. Had the Low Battery warning set for 20%. On this particular flight I was testing weight and balance for a light installation on my I1. I was well within the low battery warning with no concern because the aircraft was right in front of me. What I experienced was the control lever inputs change due to varying current to the engines. I landed with only prop damage, but lesson learned. Can't wait for comments on this one.
Now with the previous incident in mind, I was checking for camera vibration for a prop adjustments. I would start the motors, increase power, but never come to a hover. I got the appropriate low battery warning, but ran the I1 past the low battery warning only for a few minutes. Lucky I was on the ground because the battery went from 20% to 3% and the engines shutdown. Thank the heavens I wasn't flying.
I pass this on because we want to maximize our flight time for the sake of getting that video or picture. The lesson for me is to monitor the battery level while in flight, check the winds for the return leg and most importantly, when I hear that low battery warning, make a beeline home.
I was playing around with my I1 indoors. Had the Low Battery warning set for 20%. On this particular flight I was testing weight and balance for a light installation on my I1. I was well within the low battery warning with no concern because the aircraft was right in front of me. What I experienced was the control lever inputs change due to varying current to the engines. I landed with only prop damage, but lesson learned. Can't wait for comments on this one.
Now with the previous incident in mind, I was checking for camera vibration for a prop adjustments. I would start the motors, increase power, but never come to a hover. I got the appropriate low battery warning, but ran the I1 past the low battery warning only for a few minutes. Lucky I was on the ground because the battery went from 20% to 3% and the engines shutdown. Thank the heavens I wasn't flying.
I pass this on because we want to maximize our flight time for the sake of getting that video or picture. The lesson for me is to monitor the battery level while in flight, check the winds for the return leg and most importantly, when I hear that low battery warning, make a beeline home.