03fatboy
Posts: 6
Joined: 12/29/2005
From: Ft. Worth, TX, USA
Status: offline
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OK, parts problem solved (somewhat). Ordered blades from helidirect.com at $8/pr (5 for $40). Grabbed a set of sym blades to boot. I'm betting that will carry us thru the learning curve. Yes, I did say us. My 2 sons and myself.
Here's what we've done and learned...
First thing we did was balance the blades before the first flight which was needed! We run the blades rather loose (like a finger snap will send them 4+ inches).
Next we took a 3' x 1/8 CF rod, cut it in half and tye wrapped them to the skids. Once I wore off a tye wrap and didn't replace it, broke a skid, won't do that again. No ping pong balls, just sharp edges for minimal drag.
Swapped out the stock pinion using a gear puller and replaced it w/a 11T from the micro car parts collection for the half dozen or so 2 cell li-pos we don't use much anymore from the aircraft parts collection. Times range from 10 to 20+ minutes. Everything seems to run way cooler than compared to aircraft temps.
Adjusted the mains and found 75% throttle was required to hover, added some pitch to get her light at 50% (which I know is a bit low in the throttle dept, but the main motor still runs only warm). The gain and proportional adjustments are probably all screwed up now that we screwed w/them.
The flying area is about 30x30 fenced w/6', 8' wood privacy fence and 4' rought (sp) iron fence. We found after and hour or so moving 3 cars off the driveway is better for us - which might be part of the problem now - no cars to hit so we've gotten brave. The fences are actually heli magnets.
For the first 3 hours (or should I say about an hour for each of the pilots) the CP runs around looking more like a car than a heli. Gotta learn some of the sticks somehow. All the strikes have been minor doing it this way but once the leading edges of the blades get bent up and tips torn up the performance and stability goes to, well you know where. The tail strikes have been eliminated by adding fuel line tubing to the boom stake and extending the length a half inch. This might be a problem w/liftoff, but we don't know the difference and seemed to overcome it if that's the case.
The leap past ground effect has been a major jump with more sticks to learn and more movement with the ones we have a little experience with. "Landing" on the rotor head once or twice cost a main shaft. Perhaps it could have been straightened but at this point our best bet is to keep everything as well balanced as possible, again stability, vibration etc has considerable impact on performance and learning, right?
After 3 sets of blades now my youngest son can hover well if the nose is pointed in the right direction - he "backs" up well. Highest hover is 6 or 7' and a couple times over the 4' fence to land in the grass/yard (coming back is another story).
I've done better at the 1' height running around in 20' circes while keeping the nose pointed in the center. I have had a couple 3' hovers take place without incident.
By the time my oldest son gets to try his fingers the blades have a few scars so he does need more time w/pristine blade to catchup to our skill level (or lack of).
Helis react slower than aircraft so we all have a tendency of over reacting.
The gyro doesnt hold the tail as well as I would have guessed and seems to be effected by dropping voltage requiring constant, one click only trim to fly "hands free" (which BTW, I'm coming to the conclusion isn't real practical w/a heli). Only a few occasions have we acheived this hands free status in a few hours combined.
5+ mph wind whipping around combined with flat bottom blades and GE makes your knees knock.
The adjustments of the 4-in-1 has been hit and miss at best with no real concept of the best practice for adjustment.
These things like to jump a foot or 2 up for reasons beyond our comrehension (the head isn't sticky from what I can tell). Perhaps ground effect in combination with efficient lift or drop or???
After 3 or 4 hours we should be in better shape than today.
Overall, for 3 guys that never even looked at a heli, let alone understand how it can ever get off the ground and fly around, it's great fun - as we stand around scratching our heads.
Keep your wallet handy.
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Blade CP = Expensive! - 
