electron

My Feedback: (1)

Sal98,
Well after a lot of trial and error I finally got it working right Yea! Funny thing is I am not totally sure which thing fixed it. I cleared all my settings on the radio then unhooked all the servos and then one at a time I hooked them up while moving the sticks to verify it was the correct servo when I was done the only thing I had to change was channel 2 reversed and -65 on the elevator. I did a little test hover in the living room and I still need to do some radio tweaking as it seems like it has too much neg collective in normal mode and the tail wanted to drift. What did you do to get the tail to hold good? I have a 401 and now thinking about maybe installing that on this bird... I bought the 401 for a Trex 450SE I already had, but I have no intentions on flying that bird till I am up to speed on a lot less expensive setup... The good points are that I am learning a lot on the AXE 400 before I jump in on messing with the SE bird, from what I can tell all the radio programming I am learning now will be the same... I am using a pitch gauge what should the pitch be in normal mode I have it like at -5 to +15.

Electron

RCForever

My Feedback: (8)

Hi guys! I've been following this thread with great interest. Sal98, great info and videos! I have my RxR sitting on the bench and I have been "flying it" daily on my RealFlight 4.5 simulator. I am waiting on delivery of the RTF with Futaba 2.4 radio. I plan to get a matching 2.4 RX and run both helis off the RTF TX.

I've flown planes for many years but electric helis just this last year. I tried an Axe CP which I became frustrated with, then an Axe CP-L which wasn't much better. I sold both and just got an Axe CP v3 which is a big improvement but still pretty squirelly. With these RTF helis, I think I've been bypassing really learning the proper setup and adjustment of these complex machines. I ordered Ray Hostetlers 5 hour video on electric helis. I've also invested in some proper tools, blade balancer, pitch gauge, etc.

Good luck with you Axe 400s and I'll let you know my experience when I fly mine later next week.

ironbadge

Hi Sal98,

Thanks a lot for the videos. Your cameraman is skillful too.
I also thank you for posting the tutorials from Finless at Helifreak.

Your flying is very "human" and encouraging especially to a newbie like me I am always intimidated by 3D professionals. Don't get me wrong They are definitely great. It's just me hopping around with my poor Axe CP and wonder how these pros did their "fish dances in the air" and I never dare to come close Oh yes I know I have a whole lot to learn

Do you think the Axe 400 is good for a beginner?

Thanks again!

Ufoman51

Hi !

Now my gyro (hm 4000) is no more functionning... it does not turn into heading mode... the servo doesn't react when I rotate the heli... but doesn't center like in normal mode... so it's a mix of the two mode...

Do you know if there is a reset mode or something I could do ?

This gyro is not good quality I think... And heli-max didn't provide a detailed notice...

This axe 400 seems to be bad finished. I had to tighten screws on the tail blades ,they were loose so I think it was a probable cause to my gyro being unable to lock heading, when it was functionning :-(
and some others...
tail servo was not set properly etc...

So I'm disappointed with this axe 400...

So now I will buy another gyro (a real one...), even though I have emailed hobbico to know what they say about this issue...

Regards,

SAL98

My Feedback: (6)

I hear you, I think the gyro is a piece of junk as well and what really bothers me is the heli hasnt been out more than a month and almost everyone so far is having issues. Not to mention Helimax support never answers there phones or messages. But like i stated when I bought the heli I new what I was getting into when I descided to get it.

Hopfully they will have a recall on the gyros or something, Mine is working even though I had to set the subtrim to +70 on the Rudd channel to make this happen. and with it set like this it is holding the tail really well.

Hope you guys get your problems sorted out.

osterizer

I've always had excellent customer service from Helimax, so it's a bit surprising to hear complaints about them. The products, sure, they've had some issues, but the CS people were good and helpful.

ironbadge

Looks like I should save my hard earned 600+ rupies for another project for good

Thanks for the heads-up!

douglas4

I have a eflite G110 HH gyro do you think that would work...?...with a Digital servo of course.

electron

My Feedback: (1)

Just my thoughts on this subject it's a 50 dollar gyro and from what I can tell it's not that bad look at SAL98’s video it seems to hold pretty well, it's about what I would expect on 275.00 Rx-R bird.. BTW go read the Blade 400 forums and the e-flight gyro they include is not any better in fact from reading on there it might even be worse. But it's the same thing as I am not out to bash the Blade or the e-flight gyro because the facts are the same it’s another 50 dollar gyro. I bought this heli to practice on and I from what I can tell so far it’s not a bad heli, in fact I think the servos are better than e-flights and parts should be really easy to get including upgrades if you want. My only complaint so far is the lack of support from Helimax on the settings for other radios besides the one they package.

electron

My Feedback: (1)

Does it have a soild red LED lit on it? If not then you are not gaining lock which is probably a radio setting...

SAL98

My Feedback: (6)

By switching from hh to rate mode you will not see a light turn on and off like the 401 gyro. to check for HH settings you have to visualy look at the servo and see if it goes back to center when you realease the stick.

Electron you are so right, this is a really low priced heli and you get what you pay for. If i wanted the best I could have purchased thr Furion from tower as well. Donlt get me wrong, as i said previously i am satisfied with it and she does fly just klike the videos sor what i am using it for (oreintation, basic aerobatics, mild 3D), it's perfect.

Ufoman51

Yes the LED is steady red.. the servo doesn't return to center...SO you would think it's in heading lock mode...

BUT... when I rotate the heli the servo doesn't adjust (move) to compensate... it just stay at the same position !! I don't know why !!

The thing is... I think that when my gyro was functionning, there was 2 lights that were steady red (STAT and GAIN) ??
Can you confirm that sal98 ??

Thanks a lot for your answers !! I'll let you know the responses from Heli-max if any...

Have a nice day ! Greetings from Switzerland !!

electron

My Feedback: (1)

Just a shoot in the dark but does the servo move at all even with stick input?

Electron

Ufoman51

Yes it does...in both normal and heading mode...

Ufoman51

I don't know if that can help but in HL the servo always go back to a weird position (as if I held the rudder stick almost completely to the left)

SAL98

My Feedback: (6)

I just finished making the video explaining how the HH works but Im at the job so I have to wait to get home and hook up the firewire cord to my computer to upload it.

My gyro does the same thing so what you can try is to go into your subtrim menu and bring up or down the settings until you see the servo arm move to the same position as it is in Rate mode. On my gyro using either the JR or Futaba radios, my subtrim was set to (Right) 70% to get the servo to center. Know when I toggle the gear switch the HH stays centered just like the rate mode, and when I move the heli in HH mode the servo moves to a set position and not until I bring the nose of the heli back to its original heading will the servo move back.

johrich

SAL98

I think you hit the nail on the head, you get what you pay for. The AXE 400 and the Blade 400 are relatively inexpensive RTF CCPM helis. My 14 year old son has a Blade 400, which he is quite happy with. I normally fly my Mini Titan with the GY 401. I rarely fly his blade and it is almost only when I have to work on it. The Blade 400 flys much better than anything my son has ever had before, (Axe CP, Esky HBFP), but I notice the tail does not hold quite as well as my Mini Titan, and actually doesn't hold as solid as my Axe CP, which has a GY240 on it. But then both the Blade 400 and Axe 400 have $50 gyros rather than a more expensive GY 401 or similar gyro. I think the best way to put it is that either the Blade 400 or the Axe 400 is a good buy for what you get and what you pay. But if you put a little more money into it, later, and upgrade the gyro and possibly the servos, it will fly even better.

johrich

nscradar

+1 johrich. I totally agree.

Ufoman51

I agree too. That's why I'm gonna buy a GY401 this week !

Sincerely,

aviateac

Hello!

From what I have learned about the "CP class heli's, they are pretty much squirrelly. I have the discontinued Axe CP and let me tell you, it has been mind expanding... BUT, I had helimax send me the upgrade Hiller head and it's more manageable. A pilot really has to get in and fly the the Axe CP or from what I hear, most any CP class.

I think the Axe 400 is going to be much better from what I'm seeing on the forum. With better equipment than the Axe CP, CP L or V3, it should be a nice aircraft.

I hope to get one soon. (RTF maybe)
Good luck

SAL98

My Feedback: (6)

Finaly made some time to put up my vid. A lot easier to show what you mean when you use video.

[link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgJ-bAgf6i8&feature=channel_page[/link]

like I stated, she's not suppose to act this way but it does lock in at HH mode.

SAL98

My Feedback: (6)

Electron, I saw your video. Nice man, It sure helps hearing and seeing someone talking about a subject rather than just reading up on it. It did show up a little dark but what I've been learning is to use a really light background if the subject your shooting is dark. But I can't wait to see you flying videos next. Also stop apologizing for how you sound or where your from, Your a heli pilot and thats all that matters.

electron

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks SAL98,
I am new to the YouTube thing and those were my first videos so I some have major camera practice to do... I agree next time I am going to get a backlight so the object I am recording can be seen better... Thanks on the understanding of my accent, I really don't notice it until I hear myself then its like dang I really have a southern draw LOL... I am still fighting my gyro; it wants to drift really bad on me. I have it all centered but it still won't hold. I think it's a radio setting because I noticed tonight that when I look at their servo movement screen my TX the gear switch is not changing anything, I then changed the TX setting from gear/gyro to gear/gear and it showed movement servo screen, but now it just throws the rudder one way and locks which makes sense it thinks it's a retract servo, but it did prove to me that the RX can talk to gyro just not in the gear\gyro setting.

I tell ya I got spoiled to the blade CP it was just plug and go, all this heli programming is a lot of trial and error... Even on my 30% Extra 300s I have was easier program and that was with a pile more channels and servos... Back to the heli programming, I am getting really close to just putting the 401 in there and see how that behaves...

Electron

SAL98

My Feedback: (6)

If your using the DX7 I would really recommend you looking at Finless videos over on Helifreaks. He goes over setting that radio up step by step.

It really depends on how you want to use your gain control, either with endpoints or using the Gyro menu which is available on channel 5 for your radio. My Gyro menu is only available on channel 7, so Im forced to use the travel adjust section to control my gyros HH and Rate mode gain settings.

When you first turn on your radio and go into the setup menu, you will need to go the the device select screen and allow the gear channel to use the gear switch. Also I beleive that channel should also say Gyro instead of INH. Then when you go to your gyro menu, hitting the switch will toggle between your rate mod ( a number lower than 50) and Heading Hold (a number higher than 50).

Look at my video and you will be able to tell when your in HH or Rate mod. Leave it in rate mod and try to hover the heli until the tail stay relatively centered. You should adjust the length of the controd rod for this, or even moving the servo back and forth on the boom. Onced it stay's stationary in a low hover, land and switch to HH mode, the servo arm should not move because it has know locked into the heading you just had in rate mode. With the gyro working in the right directions the heli should hover with the tail locked in as it was in rate mode.

RCForever

My Feedback: (8)

I just received my RTf today. Put in a battery and put on training gear to test in the living room. Only hovered it for a few seconds but everything seems OK. When it stops raining here I will take it outside where I have some room to really get a feel for it. This heli is actually too sensitive for my current skills but I will keep flying the simulator until I feel comfortable. When my 2.4 RX comes for the RxR, I will create a second setup on the T6EX.