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Micro Heli's - 3/16/2003 6:06:23 AM   
climo


 

Posts: 25
Joined: 3/12/2003
From: Lakewood, CA, USA
Status: offline 		There are so many new micro helis on the market one doesn't know which one to choose. Which one would be the easiest one to get up and running? I tried the gas helis and was successful on hoving and forward movement. But they are so nerve wrecking. So I know a little. I was thinking about the fixed pitch units to start back into with and maybe later upgrade to the CP.

I'm leaning on the Hummingbird ...its cheap and I can reuse my TX and RX from my gas heli. I'll need the rest like gyros and servos.
I just want to make sure I can have more fun flying instead having it sit on my floor collecting dust like my Raptor. For this reason I was considering a slow park flyer. Low maintenance and more air time.

Should I come back to the DARK SIDE of Heli's?

_____________________________

Can't think of anything. :)
       Post #: 1

Micro Heli's - 3/16/2003 6:47:02 AM   
dirtkiller



Posts: 126
Joined: 3/18/2002
From: Gladstone, OR, USA
Status: offline 		climo,
I have had a FP and CP hornet and piccolo. I would recommend the piccolo FP as it is a lot easier to set up than the hornet FP. I currently fly both the cp and fp piccolo. there are a few mods you can do on the piccolo to make it fly much better here is a link to a website for piccolo info http://www.pgoelz.com/

as far as should you go with a micro heli just keep in mind heli's do require some fiddling.

personally I find heli's very rewarding
whatever you choose just remember to have fun

_____________________________

RC Pilot - One who can do 3 simultanious control inputs.
RC Helicopter - Model requiring 4 simultanious control inputs.

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 2

Well... - 3/16/2003 7:41:37 AM   
climo


 

Posts: 25
Joined: 3/12/2003
From: Lakewood, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I've always been a little skeptical of the Piccolo because of the special Piccolo Board that is required to use it. I heard bad things about it over the years. Rather expensive to replace.

Yeah, I know they require more tuning than planes but so long I can have fun. My LHS carries the all the electric helis and they suggested I try the Hornet. What about the HummingBird? Is it worth it?

_____________________________

Can't think of anything. :)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 3

Micro Heli's - 3/16/2003 9:16:18 PM   
dirtkiller



Posts: 126
Joined: 3/18/2002
From: Gladstone, OR, USA
Status: offline 		actually I fly mine with separate components
all the board is a mixer 2 speed controls and a gyro.
If your radio can do revo mixing you don't need a board
If you get a hornet take your time putting the tail together it has to be perfect or it will shake
as far as a hummingbird if your local shop carries it in stock and has parts in stock buy that.

_____________________________

RC Pilot - One who can do 3 simultanious control inputs.
RC Helicopter - Model requiring 4 simultanious control inputs.

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 4

Micro Heli's - 3/17/2003 11:15:04 AM   
smokingcrater


 

Posts: 2353
Joined: 9/20/2002
From: Up north, ND, USA
Status: offline 		from what I understand hummingbirds are piccolo copies, quite a few spare parts work on either, but pics seem to be more durable also.

as far as the pic board, someone already mentioned it isn't required, you can use separates if you want. the pic board is just a gyro, mixer, and two speed controllers all wrapped up in one board. it isn't propietary either, it will work on any micro heli. also, the mixer can be disabled, and you can also work around either speed controller fairly easily if you want to add a high freq tail controller or brushless motor.

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 5

Ok - 3/17/2003 12:50:37 PM   
climo


 

Posts: 25
Joined: 3/12/2003
From: Lakewood, CA, USA
Status: offline 		So the mixer board is only needed for 'out of the box flight' so to speak. Most advanced users do directly to seperates. I could use the mixer board until I get it all dialed in. Then switch over.

I'm leaning on the Hornet right now. Once place has them for $138 for the basic kit. I found lots of web based info that should help when setting it up. Upgraded instructions and such.

But there is the H-bird that almost flies on its own with very little tinkering. Either one should do me fine. Deciding on which one is going to drive me nuts.

_____________________________

Can't think of anything. :)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 6

Mini Heli - 3/19/2003 5:14:53 AM   
tp777fo



Posts: 906
Joined: 2/25/2002
From: Schertz, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I got a Hornet FP for my first heli. Built it by the instructions and had few problems. "Crow hopped" around the garage for a couple fo days then off the Highschool gym. Flew great!!! had it hovering almost hands off in just few minutes and eventually hovering above the basketball goals. Its a good little machine.

_____________________________

Tom Perry
Check six!

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 7

Yeah.... - 3/19/2003 10:31:39 AM   
climo


 

Posts: 25
Joined: 3/12/2003
From: Lakewood, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I've heard some good reviews about it. Ok, so it does take some time to get dialed in but after that it's great.

Do you have any of the upgrades? I guess I should factor in the amount for 'necessary' upgrades. Main shaft and collar. Is there any more?

Question: How does the H-bird get away with only using two servos while the Hornet requires three? Does this give the Hornet more control?

_____________________________

Can't think of anything. :)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 8

2 motors - 3/19/2003 8:12:31 PM   
Aracan


 

Posts: 23
Joined: 1/16/2003
From: Vienna, AUSTRIA
Status: offline 		The Hummingbird and the Piccolo need only 2 servos because they have a 2nd engine for the tail rotor. The tail rotor is FP. This saves the 3rd servo, but a 2nd speed controller is needed instead (integrated on the Piccoboard).

The Hornet has a more conventional setup, where both rotors are driven by one engine, and the 3rd servo is used to control tail rotor pitch. Of course, if you upgrade the Hornet to CP, you'll even need a 4th servo.

< Message edited by Aracan -- Mar 19 2003 3:17PM >

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 9

Micro Heli's - 3/19/2003 10:03:43 PM   
Adam T



Posts: 357
Joined: 1/30/2002
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Status: offline 		As for the "essential" upgrades/mods, I would group them in a couple of categories as follows:

Must Have (CP version)

1. JohnK V2 tail pitch slider with ball bellcrank
2. Walt's low profile shaft collar
3. Home made adjustable tail servo pushrod
4. Setscrew rather than CA for boom and tail gear box
5. Home made CF/Balsa avionics mount
6. Home made CF velcro battery mounting plate.
7. Extension of motor mount holes
8. Home made Walt canopy attachment method
9. Swash ball mod
10. Home made 120 degree "lay down" CF servo mounting plate.
11. Walt's hollow main shaft
12 Walt's retaining clips to replace the pins that go through the main shaft at the head and the gear hub (believe me, you will REALLY appreciate these EVERY time you have to disassemble)

Really Good To Have

1. JohnK V2 swashplate (in which case you can cross off #9 above) (you will also need to modify the A/R support, which is an easy home made mod)
2. JohnK delrin speed-up tail gears
3. Home-lightened flybar paddles
4. JohnK one way autorotation hub (it's not just good for autos, and it's also great of you have the FP version).

Do yourself a favor and get some CF plate, CF tow, and music wire.

Go here: http://microhelis.homestead.com/

< Message edited by HelicopterHead -- Mar 19 2003 5:14PM >


_____________________________

Adam - West LA CA
Sceadu .50 (JR XP8103/GY401/OS .32SXH/KSJ tuned muffler)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 10

WOW... - 3/20/2003 3:00:58 AM   
climo


 

Posts: 25
Joined: 3/12/2003
From: Lakewood, CA, USA
Status: offline 		thats alot of mods for a 'flys out of the box' heli. We all know factory is good but aftermarket is better, so upgrading to the parts listed will not only improve perf. but also longevity.

Since I'm going to start with the FP version should I get any of theses mods? I was thinking of the main shaft and the collar. Some shops offer these mods when purchasing the hornet. Just want to know if their actually needed or just a sales pitch.

Another is the auto rotation hub. I read that is solves the stripped motor pinion when crashing. True?

I don't mind picking up a few mods so long they help with the overall performance. Mods because they look cool.......umm no. Maybe later.

_____________________________

Can't think of anything. :)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 11

Micro Heli's - 3/20/2003 3:45:59 AM   
Adam T



Posts: 357
Joined: 1/30/2002
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I would say you want everything but #10. Note, however, that most of these mods are things you do yourself, not things you buy. All of them improve performance except the canopy mounting thing and the retaining clips.

Still, if I were you, I'd get the thing flying first and then start your mods. It will fly out of the box fine.

I would get the shaft and collar for sure. The stock shaft isn't very strong, and sometimes they don't run very true.

The one way may save your pinion under some circumstances, but generally I would think not. Piece of advice: Get a bunch of extra E018 pinions, an extra main gear, a couple of extra conical tail drive gears, and some 1.5 mm rod from Hobby Lobby at .20 a piece (instead of the "flybar" relacement from MS). That way, you will have most of the spare parts you need to recover from most crashes. Also, you might want to do the tail boom mod that protects it from tail strikes. Otherwise, pick up a couple of spare booms as well, or you can search the hornet forum for the arrow shaft replacement, which is much cheaper.

By the way, it's GOOD that the E018s fail. Better them than your main gear. If the mesh is right, the E018 will last a long time unless you crash.

< Message edited by HelicopterHead -- Mar 19 2003 10:54PM >


_____________________________

Adam - West LA CA
Sceadu .50 (JR XP8103/GY401/OS .32SXH/KSJ tuned muffler)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 12

Cool... - 3/20/2003 10:46:17 AM   
climo


 

Posts: 25
Joined: 3/12/2003
From: Lakewood, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Ok for now I get the shaft and collar and follow the tips you have listed.

I'll go ahead and order some extra pinions and T/D gears also.

With all the tail problems I was thinking about getting JohnK's tail pitch slider anyway.

I just got the lastest issue of Airplane news and it has an article on the Hornet with CP. I found this interesting:

"I have since installed another revised slider from MS Composit that consists of a two-piece brass sleeve that passes through the slider and rides on the tail-output shaft. The sleeves are tightened until the slop is gone, and acts as its own bushing when it's spinning. This new slider has solved all of my problems with the tail; it's now powerful and solid, with no hunting or centering problem".

I wondering if that will be in the kit later on.

_____________________________

Can't think of anything. :)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 13

Micro Heli's - 3/20/2003 8:50:35 PM   
Adam T



Posts: 357
Joined: 1/30/2002
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I'd like to read that. Is that Model Airplane News magazine?

This may be the design pictured here: http://www.hornet-heli.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/004112.html

I just quoted you post on the Hornet board to see if anyone has any experience with it.

< Message edited by HelicopterHead -- Mar 20 2003 3:58PM >


_____________________________

Adam - West LA CA
Sceadu .50 (JR XP8103/GY401/OS .32SXH/KSJ tuned muffler)

(in reply to climo)
       Post #: 14

Yes.. - 3/21/2003 7:36:38 AM   
climo


 

Posts: 25
Joined: 3/12/2003
From: Lakewood, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Airplane News April 2003 Page 72. No it wasn't the servo on the tail boom. It was more of a upgrade to the sticking tail pitch slider.

_____________________________

Can't think of anything. :)

(in reply to climo)