quote:

ORIGINAL: Flying Fiz



Thanks Brian,

I was very close to getting a quality pair of the sunglasses cam, but as I wear prescription sunnies and regular glasses I thought that would be too cumbersome.

I just hope nobody I know, in fact I just hope nobody sees me in the dork cap, as I'm sure it will look dorky.

I bought two different cameras from HK so hopefully one will work, if not I'll get a quality sunglasses cam and knock the lenses out.

Have a good one, I'm going to be chanrging tonight and hoping to fly some on the weekend.

Phil

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flying Fiz



Hi,

Simon, Ingleburn and others who use a key cam velcro'd to their caps, do you locate it on the top or bottom of the caps peak or on the side of your head?  Do you need to make sure you look above or below the heli a tad or is it just trial and error?

Simon, where is best for one on the heli itself I assume attached to the high part of the landing skids where they attach to the frame??

Thanks Phil.

quote:

ORIGINAL: sgbfly

Hi Everyone,

I've made a start on a video series I intended putting together describing the conversion of my HK-450GT to Flybarless. The videos are aimed at those considering their first FBL project.

This is the first part of a 5 part video series describing the conversion of a HK-450GT (Align V2) helicopter to flybarless using a RJX type FBL head and the Tarot ZYX 3-axis gyro. This video is not technical and the actual build begins in part 2 where I will construct the rotor head. I will not get chance to build the rotor head until early next week (w/c 16/4/12) but I'll aim to part 2 to this post by the middle of that week.

Part 1 = Introduction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGpRUQZB0ag

Part 2 = Building An RJX type flybarless rotor head
Part 3 = Mechanical Installation
Part 4 = Installing the software and setting up the Tarot ZYX
Part 5 = Advanced tuning

I hope this will become a useful resource to those interested

Simon

ps. The series may well swell to 7 parts total as I will have a before and after flight video  

quote:

ORIGINAL: aircrash

I hope I won`t crash it in just a few seconds...

quote:

ORIGINAL: rikybob

Damn you Horizon Hobby!

Damn you to hell!

b
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7fiC5NrtzA&feature=player_embedded

quote:

ORIGINAL: aircrash

quote:

ORIGINAL: aircrash

I hope I won`t crash it in just a few seconds...

This piece of crap did not wanted to go flying.
As soon as I decided to make the extra final fine tuning, check flybar and blade tracking, it decided it would better suicide than let me flying it (not that the result would differ anyway).
Although I was holding it by the tail the esc`s slow start up kicked in and it slipped over the table.
Main gear stripped, feathering shaft bent, feathering shaft dampers broke and maybe there is more damage, as I have not checked them all.

I`m quite fed up with this kind of crap.
I may start forgetting about it and enjoy other helicopters, as the BOL...

quote:


I hope I won`t crash it in just a few seconds...


This piece of crap did not wanted to go flying.
As soon as I decided to make the extra final fine tuning, check flybar and blade tracking, it decided it would better suicide than let me flying it (not that the result would differ anyway).
Although I was holding it by the tail the esc`s slow start up kicked in and it slipped over the table.
Main gear stripped, feathering shaft bent, feathering shaft dampers broke and maybe there is more damage, as I have not checked them all.

I`m quite fed up with this kind of crap.
I may start forgetting about it and enjoy other helicopters, as the BOL...

quote:

ORIGINAL: aircrash

I`ll watch better next time ingleburn.

I just went mad cause it did not crashed actually but there was a lot of damage. All parts I mentioned plus the balancing pole broke.
The main shaft is intact though.
I have lots of parts for it (except of main gears) but it takes some time to repair it. Not to mention I was about to fly it but it did not made it more than the test run... so I was frustated.

I lost a washer for the feathering shaft and so I used some larger ones that do not let the feathering shaft tilt (through the dampeners). And the dampeners are harder too. So now it must be more twitchy or at least less stable.
I did not paid much attention to blade and flybar tracking this time. Last time I did... I wrecked the bird... anyway. I just set the linkages the same and eyeball the flybar paddles.
I set some values to throttle curve and made a wish they are the proper ones.
It seems it is OK with it.
I did not messed with the gyro gain, just set it somewhere and left it there. Neither with the tail slider, just left it as it was set when I build it.
Actually I made the least effort to make it flying.

Here is my first attempt with it, and my first ever attempt with no training kit.
The bird had to be trimmed and this was harder for me without the ''safety'' of the training kit.


Enjoy a beginner`s adventure.
I was nervous, if I was not then it may be better than this.

quote:

ORIGINAL: aircrash

Hi Ian,

Thank you !
I fly coaxials in a windy environment for a couple of years, so it should be easier to get to the CPs. Although I have not made many flights on them (coaxials) as I don`t fly frequently, I have mastered them and my thumbs have started working.
They are not in the best shape right now that I have made only a dozen of flights the last 6 months but still it is almost like riding a bicycle, you never forget but all you have to do is to get the feeling and thumbs will get better soon enough.

Well, you must start practicing on the coaxial. Start getting used to the sticks and there you`ll be ready for the next level. As long as you can get all the stick inputs the same time with no effort and have got the feeling of the helicopter then you have got there you should be.
Choose a helicopter that you can control it easily so you can get used to the sticks. I mean the coaxial is easy but do the same to the SIM. Although I don`t use the SIM I have seen there are models there that are too twitchy and unsuitable for learning.
Also forget about having to adjust and tune a heli so to practice with. Or it is complex to repair or breaks in parts in the slightest failure. Get something that it will be OK and all is needed is a pilot. The CX2 must be OK with this but don`t fly it outdoors if there is not dead calm.
Just get a couple of blades for the CX2, most probably you`ll need a couple of sets.

I like I got rid of the training kit. The incident with the Belt-CP suicide helped me decide it was the time to get rid of them. It was damaged badly even if I did not tried to fly it anyway. So I got the decision it was the time.
Now I can store them more easily as they need less room and most probably they fly better without it (actually they do).

It is like you described it. A failure, a success, couple of failures and then again with this hobby.
The good thing is that the maiden went OK. As I had gone mad with the incident and a crash would make it worse. Now I am quite happy that I can stand a couple of bad luck times till the next success.

Start practicing!

Spiros

quote:

ORIGINAL: pushinoldrc

Hi all!
Just got back from a great day at the field.  I did manage to crash the flybarless Gaui 425, but it wasn't too bad, and I expect it back in the air in no time.  We flew mostly planks, and I had the opportunity to instruct both my sons on a Kadet LT that belongs to my oldest.  Hugh flew his Piper Pawnee, and his Swift NX 550 which was sporting new EDGE 520mm blades.
I included a pic for Brian to eat his heart out on, and a short video of the maiden flight.  The Leaders Hobby 520 gyro fell off it's perch so the tail was quite a hand full.

Please enjoy the video
[youtube] http://youtu.be/okGN0Ff_1Jc[/youtube]
Bryan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flying Fiz


Very cool website thanks Brian. And all in the 1960's very smart guys no doubt about that.

Hey Spiros, your slowly getting there. I still think the MCPX OVER GRASS is the way to go buddy and then you will be flying the 450's all over the place. Good work though!

I had my local (300 metres away) oval all to myself for a good hour yesterday afternoon before the friendly dog walkers showed up. There was no a breath of a breeze and the heli visibility conditions were good. I put my two Align 450's through therir paces, along with my Gaui X5FES. I didnt have any batts charged for my 500 and I was pissed with myself for that.  The most interesting thing was the comparison between the two Align 450's one has a 3G and one has a 3GX (pro) both are TT, same motor, same DR and expo, BUT the pro does a FF loop in about a 20 foot circle (if you want it to) whereas the tightest you can get  the Sport to do a FF loop is about 60 foot. If you were learning to do loops on just the Sport it would scare the begeezers out of you as you would probably nose plant it in the turf or just miss it unless you had some serious altitude, or managed some throttle at about 8.00 O'clock on the (backward) loop, when the heli would be nearly upside down - not easy when learning loops.

Speaking of altitude I shot the Gaui so fast so high in the air it became a dot real fast and I had difficulty working out orientation, luckily I trusted what I thought should be the case and it was, but I need to be careful doing big air stuff (which is the way I like to fly)  with this heli as it is just way way faster than the 450's and its power to climb is insane. As everyone says they have the best power to weight ratio on the market, (read way over powered) and it is very easy to shoot it into the stratosphere after doing a big steep turn and then giving full power on the dive back to earth and sling-shoting it up again. Holy crap I had me some slightly nervous and exciting but serious fun.
I had a battery casualty though, on my last flight of the Gaui of about 5.30 mins (meant to be 5.00mins) I took off the canopy to reveal one very hot Nanotech 4000 doing an impersonation of a startled puffer fish. I left it outside on concrete for the night and it's settled back down and all cells are at 3.7v. Not sure what to do, either responsibly dispose of it or charge it and see how we go. I also have another nanotech (3,300) that has one of its 8 cells way down on charge. I might run it through a few cycles and see if it picks up. Otherwise another nanotech bites the dust. This is getting expensive. at around $60 a pop.

Best to all,

Still smilin Phil