dabigboy

Well I was looking over my ill-fated Walker 22A the other night, and realizing I'd have to replace pretty much all the electronics to get it to operate decently, and I'd still be stuck with sub-par mechanicals....so I decided to just get a new heli. After some research (like I should have done before I got the Walkera....) I decided the Axe CP was a pretty good value, and I'm reading good things about it on here. My main issue with it is the indirect drive tail rotor, but it sounds like plenty of people are flying successfully with it. I just got a used one + new spares off ebay, so we'll see what sort of condition it's in. Sounds like the owner flew it for a while then upgraded, and it doesn't appear used at all in the pics, so hopefully I got a good one....plus, with any luck, it will be reasonably dialed in already.

One thing that's sorta annoying me right now is that I recall last year doing some heli research, and pretty much deciding on a really good RTF mini that I was reading awesome things about. I think it was in the $300-$400 range, and the canopy was red.....but I sure can't remember what model it is! Oh well, it sounds like the Axe will do me well as a newbie. I've practiced up quite a bit on various sims (mostly X-Plane's excellent heli's, including the RC mini heli, also been using FMS a fair bit)....I'm definitely lacking on handling all those axis at once, but I can hover ok and fly around without crashing, and nose-in is no problem. Of course it remains to be seen how well that will translate over to the tiny Axe. I've been flying R/C planes since I was about 12, which I think is helping me with basic orientation (especially nose-in), but I can see I have a LOT of new stuff to learn!

Hopefully I shall have the Axe by next weekend.

EDIT: OK, looking through my old posts I found the other heli I was considering....the Falcon 3D. And it's only $229 now! Hmmmm.....well I guess I should break, errr learn to fly the Axe first before adding another machine to the fleet.

PilotLight

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Welcome to the Machine...

BigTruckDriver

Pilot has a video of some of his flying with out a gyro and pretty much stock.

SureToCrash

I would recomend getting a hh gyro if you have the spare cash. With a gyro you will be flying in no time.
Without a gyro, it will take much longer to learn and cost you more in repairs, in my opinion.

If you like a challenge, keep it stock and have fun fighting the tail.

SureToCrash

dabigboy

Well it's arrived....tomorrow I pick it up (had it sent to my dad's place because I figured I'd be at work when they tried to deliver it). I can't wait!

So the gyro really makes that much difference? Hmmmm.......actually I've been doing some research on the forums here and I do see a lot of stuff about gyros, but it sounds a little finicky to set up. Given my current lack of experience I think I'll just go with the stock setup for now.....the machine has been flown before so it should be more or less dialed in (of course I'll verify as much as I can). I just don't think I want to dive into trying to set up a gyro installation with my current limited knowledge, especially considering all the problems people seem to be having with it on here. I'm used to the tail requiring constant attention in X-Plane (I know, a full-scale sim, but it does have a fairly challenging RC heli). Actually, do you think it's wiser for a beginner to learn on something like this where they can actually see how various motions and control inputs have side-effects on yaw moment? I was noticing tonight that the heli in X-Plane takes quite a bit of fighting/correcting with the yaw sometimes when the heli makes a sideways motion.....which makes perfect sense, it's just something I hadn't really thought about before. Not having to worry about it would be nice though.

Funny side-note: one of my buddies from work, who seems to have some interest in RC (we drive my XMOD and his RS4 mini during the slow times at work, hah), was taking note of my heli endeavor and now wants me to order a set of those cheapy 2-channel IR combat heli's to have at work, LOL. Should be fun.

SureToCrash

A gyro isn't nesissary, but will help alot. I agree you should try it stock at first to learn its basics, but if you find yourself starting to get fustrated from crashes, trust me that a gyro is a huge difference.

I started with a stock blade cp, and after about $160 to $200 worth of blades, upgraded to a direct drive tail (which works awsome btw) and that helped alot. Then I added a g90 gyro and haven't crashed since. About 2 months actually without a crash- knock on wood.

All the bigger heli's come with belt driven tails, so if you plan on upsizing in the not to far future, don't waste to much time learning to control a squirly tail.

If you do get intrested in the gyro, as you have already found, this forum has many great threads for advise and help. My friend Seridium has recently got his gyro working and it flies great.

Whatever you do, laugh before you cry. It makes the crashes seem not so bad.

SureToCrash

dabigboy

Well I picked up the heli today and been checking it out, just now got in the first "flight" (skating around my living room). I actually did get it in the air a couple times very briefly, but quickly ran out of room.....soon as it darted in one direction it would be dangerously close to a box or a wall or something and I had to drop it back down. BUT it was encouraging, I did feel like I at least had some control......I think a sustained hover will be possible pretty quickly once I take it outside where I have some more room. The stock battery sure didn't last long, but my 1200mah li-po from the Walkera (the one good thing I got with that machine) is on charge.

The direct-drive tail rotor is another mod I'd read about. So you're using a belt drive? This is one of the things that initially turned me off to the Axe, actually, so I might be doing the conversion soon. That brings me to the one odd thing I noticed tonight....the tail rotor seems kinda spastic or something. If I barely move the stick right, for instance, the tail rotor gets a huge surge of power and the heli snaps right really quick. As I make minor corrections I can hear it surging and slowing, and the tail moves in a very "jerky" fashion. Is this normal? I'm wondering if the gyro needs to be adjusted. I'm leaving it for now...for all the surging and lurching, it does seem to do a respectable job of putting the nose where I want it (with some input).

SureToCrash

I am not using a belt tail setup yet, just a gyro and direct drive tail mod so far. I am currently having a internal battle on whether I should buy a larger belt driven heli like the blade400 or getting a revo3.3 nitro truck. The battle continues.

I own a blade cp+ and my friend has 2 axe cp's, so I have seen alot of axe cp repair. Check seridium's threads to see some of the problems he has had with his axe's. The tail of the axe has been the #1 issue I have seen with it. From the garbage tail mount (a screw to hold the mount in a high vibration area I ask you?why?) and then the $33 stock tail motor, I haven't been impressed with it. The tail does seem to surge alot and could never eliminate it.Even after spending $200+ for a gyro and speed control, the tail wags and surges. I have read that no amount of tinkering will fix this, you would have to buy new electronics for it. Other than that evil tail, the axe is a fine machine. I sure wish my blade could take some of the impacts my friends axe's have. I have to look out for floating fibers that will damage my blades during flight. You might think i'm joking, but I have honestly put on a new pair of blades, hovered without even the slightest problem, then landed to find the blade covering peeled back and a nick in the blade tip.[:@] I wasn't amused.

SureToCrash