d4a2n0k

My Feedback: (6)

Hi all,

I havent posted here since before RCU changed hands a few years ago. Ive flown planks on and off for 15 years and had a small experience with a Kyosho Nexus a few years back that didnt go so well but I want to give helis another shot.

I just ordered a Hawk Pro combo w/OS .37 ringed from Tower Hobbies last night and now it seems I need to buy some more stuff to get it running. I know I need the starter, glow igniter and all that typical field equipment as with planes but Im not sure what else Ill need. Im going to order the pitch guage, blade balancer, tracking tape and some extra blades and tail booms for the inevitable. I had all this stuff but sold it when I sold my Nexus. I looked through the instruction manual online at Century and it leaves a lot to be desired. They dont really say what it comes with and what you need.

With my Nexus, it had a starter cone that you put the starter on but it seems I need a starter shaft with the Hawk Pro. Does the kit come with this or do I need to order it? If I need to order it, I noticed there are two different versions, part# CN0426 and CN0427. One is twice the price of the other and neither give a good explanation of what the difference is.

Any other ideas of what Ill need?

Thanks

rf_reggie

Consider:

1. Get a spare fan and one-way hex start wand (CN0427) *OR* get the aluminum fan with one-way bearing, this is nice. Just remove the start shaft and bearings from the heli (not bearing blocks). Use a 6mm rod (CN0427WD will work) chucked in cordless drill to start. Do not use a fixed start wand (CN0426) with the plastic fan.
2. header tank. even though "they" say these are for for 3D, the main tank design doesnt allow much travel for the clunk and even newbee manuvers at half tank can suck air.
3. Ball link adjuster and pliers
4. training gear
5. gyro
6. blade holder (i like the large one for 60's)
7. Run-up stand

grouper1

Welcome to heli world. Let me say that we all have our own opinions and that my experience with the Hawk Pro was less than enjoyable. I had purchased one for my son to join me in the wonderful world of flight only to experience the following.

I too bought one from Tower and upon receipt was a little apprehensive of the individual part quality and design with regards to the clutch, frame, pitch servo layout and motor mounting.

I experienced several “ARF” fasteners, already assembled, were loose and or not lock-tigthed. I further experienced the main shaft had some inconsistencies in the diameter and required polishing with some 400 before the swash plate would slide well. As the previous gentlemen mentioned, I too encountered “lean” runs due to the tank design and clunk thus causing air ingestion.

I’ve flown heli’s now for twelve years and would advise you look very closely at the components before you dive into building it. Maybe I received a “Monday” or “Friday” bird but will say I was not impressed with the fit, finish nor the technical support from Century.

I did go back to my local hobby shop and spend the extra $69.00 for a JR Venture CP and glad I did for it is a top quality bird with zero issues. Either way, “Life has choices”, and my decision and opinion of the Century product are just that, my own.

Hope this sheds some light on the product and good luck to your heli experience.

Grouper1

d4a2n0k

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks for the pointers.

rf_reggie-I will probably hold off on the aluminum fan for now unless you say that its really neccesary at this point. Are the stock plastic ones prone to breaking? Is that why you recommended getting a spare? So I will be ok with the CN0427 along with a typical starter? Besides the glow igniter, I wont need anything else to get it started? I will read up on the header tank. I was also thinking about the ball-link pliers but noticed there were so many different price points ranging from $6.00 to about $30.00. The cheaper ones look, well cheap so will go with the heavier duty ones. I was able to hover my Nexus very good so will probably skip the training gear. My problem is nose in hovering but will get a simulator to practice that on. I am getting the 401 gyro that comes with the package which Ive been reading is a pretty decent gyro. Will also order the blade holder. What is a run-up stand? Never heard of that.

grouper1-Ive read a few posts about set screws not having loc-tight from the factory so will definitely go over all pre-assembled parts upon arrival. When I had my Nexus, I bought the kit version and not the ARF so did build it from scratch. I feel comfortable with these helis so thnk I will be ok there.

syclic

d4a2nOK,

IMHO I think you will love your Hawk Pro. They are very popular around here. In my 20 plus years of flying these rotorwing things, I find the Hawk Pro to be a great heli, specially for the price.

I have literally thousands of starts on these plastic fans on various Hawks/Falcons and Ravens over the past 6 years or so. I have never used the metal one on any of them. Using the CN0427 or any other start wand system with a one way bearing is the way to go.

grouper1,

I guess it is all in the eyes of the beholder. A few years ago two flying buddies sold their Ventures to get the predecessor to the Hawk Pro (the Hawk Sport).

Obviously, you did not know that you do NOT have to disassemble the frame to remove the engine. You just have to remove the landing gear and one sde of the lower frame (I think that is a total of 7 bolts) and it comes out the side! I just changed from a 32 to a 37 in mine and it took a grand total of 18 minutes!

I love the tank system. It does NOT cause the engine to run lean, the needle settings on any engine do that. In fact, what I like about it, is that if your HOVER/IDLE screw is too lean, the fuel will faom and tell you that, so you can adjust it properly until it stops foaming. In some other designs the high frequency vibration caused by the per-ignition of a lean engine, can be absorbed by the soft plastic and/or mass of the plastic frame and cause you to run leaner then you should (not good for the engine).

I specially love the Hawk's start system (the start shaft in the frame of the heli stops turning after the engine starts), this results in the start shaft bearings seeming to last forever (I can't ever remember replacing any). Ditto for the clutch support bearings. I can't remember ever replacing these either.

I also like how much hard flying the swashplate can take before developing any play what so ever. Surprised me for a $200.00 kit. Ditto for the oilite riders on the inside of the washout hub, most other 30/50 helis have a plastic washout hub that rides directly on the mainshaft. These wear very quickly introducing play in the control system.

I also liked the fact that the Hawk came with ball bearings on every control arm and bellcrank. Some costing a lot more come with bushings. I also liked the fact that it came with ball joints for the servo arms rather then having to use Z-bends as in some others.

As I also spend a lot of time flying bigger 90 nitros, I found the stainless steel torque tube tail rotor drive to be a plus over the belts. The low drag of this system, combined with the light weight of the heli itself, makes it a relatively easy 30 size heli to auto. In fact I know two flyers who have added the constant tail drive option so that they can do aerobatic and backwards autos with them.

All in all, a great little bird - I am sure you will like it.

rf_reggie

syclic knows what he is talking about. The Hawk pro is only my second heli (like you) and I think its a great bird for the price.

The plastic fan must only be used with a one-way hex wand. The advantages of the al fan is you dont have to buy a one-way wand, it has better balance, it grabs a little more air and it wont break if it comes un-screwed off the crankshaft. The plastic fan will be destroyed if it comes loose, that why I suggested the spare. In both cases, the clutch must be properly locktite'd to the crankshaft by cleaning the clutch and crankshaft threads very well with brake cleaner or iso-alcohol before applying locktite.

A regular starter will work with most starter wands. About the cordless drill, only use one with adjustable torque set only high enough to start. It would be bad to force an engine that is flooded / hydrolocked with a 24V Dewalt.

Ball-link pliers: I'm not real hip on these, I have the $6 and $14 (RVO1005). The $14 are nice but too long to fit some locations where the $6 one will.

A run-up stand is really a nice to have thing. I built and used one because I had little help available. It consists of a rigid post (1/2 to 3/4-inch steel pipe) with a base secured to the ground. The top would have a sort of attachment for the heli skids and be high enough to place the rotor over your head. Its a great way to get personal with the heli at full throttle to tune the engine, set pitch/throttle curves, dial in head speed, check for vibrations, leaks, etc. If you devise the attachment base to spin freely, you can get the tail rotor mechanics set alot easier once the rotor speed is dialed in.

IMHO, a sim is pretty much required and pretty much obsoletes training gear. But t-gear is cheap and helpful if the heli's not trimmed yet, for real nose in hover and 8's especially on windy days.

Gorgok

I had one of the plastic fans get destroyed on me, but there were a couple of reasons. First, i didn't have a one way bearing at the time in my starter. Second the pin on the start shaft in the heli was too short, and only barely made contact with the fan. I replaced the fan the the aluminium one which is when i found the pin to be too short, so i replaced the pin too. Haven't had any issues since.

I never had any lean running problems with my tank, until i was almost out of fuel. I did put on a header tank though, i'd rather it not run lean when i get real low on fuel. Instead now i can easily see the fuel being low (at about half the header) and manually shut down.

I've had my engine out many times, i never realized it should/could come out from the side. But then again i never had issues dropping it out the bottom.

While i do think the manual could use some work, in particular i found the measurements to be less than ideal (for a full mechanical travel setup). I reset each of the links until i got the heli to hit -10 0 and 10 degrees of pitch at bottom, mid and top on the collective.

But I think its a great heli, and even better because of the price.

d4a2n0k

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks for the help everyone! Ive placed two LARGE orders of about 40 different items from the heli itself to G3 to spare booms and main/tail blades. Also ordered the CN0427 starter shaft along with a starter, glow igniter and all the gauges/balancers. I used to have G2 but sold it a few years ago and I was real happy with it, I especially loved the multi-player function so figured I would just get the newer version rather than risk getting a different sim. As I said, my problem seems to be nose in hovering so any sim would help me with that. I had a little problem with G2 in the beginning and their tech support got everything working for me in no time so I like to reward good customer service with repeat business. For some reason I have no problem flying planks towards me. I seem to get shaky at the knees when flying heli's so just need to get over that and I think I will be fine.

My wife is going to kill me when the CC bill comes and she sees ~$1200 is purchases! [X(]

I will probably need help with setting up the radio after I put everything together. I hope you guys dont mind more questions in a few days....