brianm72

Until now I've mostly been practicing hovering and flying within a smallish area. The last couple of flights, though I've been trying feeling more comfortable with it and have been flying in a bigger area.

When I try to fly forward I'll push the stick forward and it will tilt forward go out about 25 feet, but then it will swing back, tilting its nose up, and will then fly backwards towards me. This is all while holding the cyclic stick forward, It is kind of like it is penduluming - flying almost like it is hanging from a long string.

Is this normal? Is it just how this heli is going to fly or can I adjust this out somehow? Is it an FP thing?

dknovick

No, that's not normal, or a FP thing.

What main blades are you using?
How is the balance (front to back) of the heli?
And wind in the area?
How do the servos move the collective? Unplug the main motor (and tail) and on the bench, give it full forward, what does it do?

-Dave

brianm72

Good point, I should have mentioned the main blades I'm using, especially since they aren't the stock ones. I'm using the SuperSkids EZ300 blades. They claim to be nice for hovering - maybe they are causing this?

The balance is good. Whenever I put a battery in I rotate the blades until the fly-bar is perpendicular to the heli - then make sure the heli balances evenly on the fly-bar.

No wind while it was doing this - early in the morning - very calm.

I'll have to check the servo movement when I get home. I'm fairly new to this, but it seemed to work normally when hovering and moving around in a small area. It wasn't until I actually tried to get it to fly out away from me that I noticed this unexpected behavior.

dknovick

Bingo!

The EZ are great for hovering, but cause what you describe when you go into FF. They should be ok for really slow FF, but if your comfortable hovering (with all the orientations?), then you should switch blades.

-Dave

brianm72

OK, thanks a lot for the replies. Definitely not comfortable yet with hovering in any orientation other than tail-in. I'll stick with these blades for a while and move on to something else when I'm more comfortable with all hovering orientations.

pgroom_68

Hey Brian,

Can't help adding that the Super-blades XP are your logical next step. They are nearly just as stable in hover, but are made for FF....... What you describe is exactly what I experienced also - so I ordered the XP blades and were not disappointed

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]
P.S. I was just like you and, in hindsight, think[sm=72_72.gif] I should have bought the XP blades in the first place!

brianm72

Hey, thanks for the follow up, Peter. Yeah, maybe the EZ300 blades weren't the best choice if the heli isn't going to fly correctly with them.

I was able to hover OK with the stock blades, but wanted to buy some extra ones when I first bought the heli to try and minimize down-time as much as possible in the event of parts damage. Heard people weren't too happy with the stock blades, so bought the EZ300 blades as backup instead.

brianm72

Oh, and another follow-up question. With the EZ300 blades you can trim them down a little - there is a molded in cut line on the bottom of the blades. I believe this is supposed to give you a little more performance and a little less stability. Anyone ever try this? Does it improve the FF characteristics of the heli?

pgroom_68

Hey again Brian,

Y - I tried that also - and it does improve FF quite a bit after you trim along those lines. Well, actually it adjusts the flight characteristics of the blades - and this creates a different pattern of similar swinging (if that makes sense). You can try it of course - but remember it is irreversible, and you will have to buy different blades anyway.....

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]
P.S. Here is a pic with trimmed EZ blades on my bird....
P.P.S. Do you find these blades are hardy also? After a crash that shattered a "double" head stiffener, there wasn't a nick on the blades

Tinkman

I had the same problem with my HB when I finally got the nerve to try FF. I trimed the EZ blades and it helped a bit, but not much. Then I switched to XP blades. The problem is still there but not to the same degree as with the EZ blades. It's really noticable when I fly my CP FF outdoors. Absolutley no pulling out with symetrical blades.
I know there is a mfgr out there who makes high performance FP blades. I don't remember where I saw them, but the idea seems to be a lower pitch and higher head speed. I've seen video ofa HB doing some pretty amazing things with those blades.
Joaquin

pgroom_68

Hey again Joaquin,

I would love a link to those advanced if you find them again.........

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]
P.S. You are correct re. the XPs - even they do a bit of "a dance" - but it is a lot less pronounced than the EZs. Maybe I have even outgrown the XPs now?!?!

Tinkman

Hey Peter,
I'll see if I can find the site I saw them on and post it here.

Joaquin

Tinkman

Hey Peter,
I found the blades. They're Kyosho M24 blades. I don't know where to get them, but here's a link where a guys talking about them. And anotherwith a guy flying with them. I must say, I like the idea of my HB flying like a CP. Looks like allot of fun!
Joaquin

pgroom_68

Hey again Joaquin,

Are they the blades that are so rare that there was a rumour they were no longer available?? If you DO find a seller can you provide a link a.s.a.p. - and even a PM. I would be ANXIOUS to try them for myself. Ta!

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]
P.S. I found [link=http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Kyosho-EP-Caliber-M24-Main-Rotor-Blade-White-KYOCA1015-/360185053633?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Radio_Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53dcb3c1c1#ht_1735wt_774]THESE[/link] after searching ebay Australia -

Tinkman

Hey Peter,
Yep, I noticed that those seemed to be sparse. I went ahead and ordered some of theselast night. I'll let you know how they perform once I get them installed.

Joaquin

pgroom_68

Hey again Joaquin,
They were the last wooden blades that I tried - Extreme 8º - and before that I tried Extreme 10º - both on my HBFPv2. I have so many projects on the go ATM that I really can't remember how they behaved on my bird ([sm=50_50.gif]although I do remember thinking there has to be better blades out there!?)........but the Kyosho M24s are worth a look for me anyway! Now I just have to W-A-I-T[:'(][&:]

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]

Tinkman

Well, you're going to have to let me know how they fly. I've read some good and some bad about their handling. Of course it's all relative to how you like to fly I guess.

Joaquin

Flying Fiz

Hi Guys,

I too found the Superskids EZ blades great for hovering but wierd for forward flight - yes the see-saw pendulum thing.

I tried the stock Walkera blades that came with the UFly and found them very stable but better for forward flight, they look good and are fairly cheap, so maybe woth a go.

pgroom_68

Hey again guys,

Tracking says that my M24s are in Australia - yay! I hope to get them Monday......

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]
P.S. It was alluded to earlier that Walkera UFLY blades are OK to use in this model. Could you compare the lengths of them with standard Esky's for me? Ta

Tinkman

Hey Guys,
My new blades arrived the other day. They needed to be ballanced, but other than that I think they fly pretty well. They definately don't pull out of FF as bad as the XPs. I think the head speed is a litter faster too, so you get a fairly stable flight. I haven't had a chance to fly them outside yet, but I like them.

Joaquin

Kelownan

My Feedback: (1)

i foresee a down side to the Xtreme woodies, if you crash as often as i do then your going to go through them like they're going out of fashion. of course i have been known to be wrong.

Tinkman

Yes, you're right. At this point I'm just trying to find some blade geometry which gives me the results I want. I know the first time I hit something they'll be history. I still have my XP blades as a backup 8-)

Joaquin

Kelownan

My Feedback: (1)

I would have toasted 3 pairs today ha ha but then im still on stock blades, will have to check the xtremes out though.

pgroom_68

Hey again Kel,

Did you get some Superblades XP?[sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=49_49.gif]

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]

karlik

I'm not ready for them yet, but getting close.

They may be more expensive from here, but the kyosho m24 caliper blades appear to be available from kyosho. [link]http://shopkyosho.com/products/category/410.0.1.1.25387.25472.25514.0.0?pg=3[/link]