Great info, thanks for the response

Just curious If the bcp runs on a 9.6 volt ni mh when its voltage drops I have still been flying at 7.5 volts why or how would you be able to tell when a li-po has droped to 11.16 or lower when that is still above 9.6 ?

Well guess it's because a lipo has different properties, kind of like a durcell compared to a dry cell. Basically a lipo's current stays pretty constaint through the whole charge and once the current starts dropping only then does the voltage start dropping. It takes the current AMP's to keep the heli flying. That's my take on it anyway. I am sure someone can get more detailed about it but in a nutshell thats why.

When it takes mor than normal power to fly than your lipo is dead.

OK I am going to order a Blade CP this weekend. I flew Heli’s back in the 80’s until I sold all of my RC gear to get rated for the full sized. Now looking to get back in it and this Micro has really caught my attention. Is there any condensed articles anywhere that consolidates these 43 pages of what I need to order and the mods necessary/recommended on the Blade CP?

Thanks in advance

Not really.
There is this thread for general information, and the assembly thread that shows how the blade is put together, but no condensed version.

There is a couple of other very good articles that I would recommend to any new or even experienced heli pilot.

http://w3mh.co.uk/articles/html/ - Read these articles. Fairly comprehensive helicopter aerodynamics site written in terms for the layman.

Radd's flying Lessons - Do a search for it on here. Read them and Follow them.

Thanks

Hello Everyone,

Just thought I would post a reply. I just got my Bcp two days ago and after my first 3 battery runs I was hovering no problem. I am so happy that I chose this heli rather than the fixed pitch Rotofly thing!

On another note, the above mentioned battery runs were not without mishap. I dinged the tips on the blade and bought another pair. I did it again and order two more pair, but after I ordered my last two pair (that have not arrived yet) I thought about Monokoting the blades to repair them since I was having trouble patching since the original covering kept shrinking too much.

Just to let you all know who have never tried this.... It works great. It seems like a thrifty alternative to buying new blades, until I get to the point where blades are no longer my main purchase for the heli. I did em up in Yellow and it looks great with the fuselage!

Has anyone else tried this and if so, do you have any tips for me or better material selection outside Monokote (brand name).

Thanks,

John

A couple of questions about the Blade CP

I bought one about six weeks ago. This is my first heli. I have come a long way in six weeks. I pretty much mastered all aspects of normal flight. As I have started to attempt a few stall turns, I have been trying to go as fast as possible. I have noticed when I have full collective the head speed starts to bog down. I have it set up from the thread by bdavison. I am not sure if I have to much positive pitch. I also am not sure if the positive pitch should be the same between normal and idle up at full collective. Does anyone have a recommended RPM with a 900 Li-po, and should the head speed be constant throughout the range of the collective.

I have also noticed when in a steep banking left hand turn the motor or gyro seems to skip. I at first thought it was a radio glitch but it only happens turning sharply left.

Any thoughts would be apreciated.

I've had some success epoxying the blades instead of covering them. just remove the covering sand them and apply 30 minute epoxy with a foam brush, balance them and go fly. it's easier than covering them. just my .2 worth. Bill

Mine did the same thing, there is a fix for it. All you have to do is turn down the gain ever so slightly. I started with it not holding the tail then turned the gain up to much to where it would skip as you are saying at a slight turn, I found the perfect in between after serveral adjustments. Make the adjustmensts in real small increments and unhook the battery after each adjustment.

As for the other post on mono-coating the blades great Idea as well as the 30 minute epoxy. I just took the covering off mine and put some trim decal on the ends to hold the weights on. I like both ideas though. I really wish they would make some carbon fiber flat blades for it though.

I have a radio question, I am looking at getting a new radio to use with the Blade and want to build a bigger heli next year. Any ideas? aslo, I would like to stay around $300.

Quick question the LHS is out of stock batteries but can make me up a 9.6 700 Mah, battery will this be okay?? Also, for those of you that have a Stryker, can I used the charger that comes with the Styrkey to charge the Blades battery?

Thanks,
James

ckoelliker,

If you havent already, upgrade to the 9T motor.
Its possible you have a little too much pitch on the top end. Unfortunatly, without a programmable radio, there isn't much you can do. You could reduce a little pitch on the blades by adjusting the ball links, but double check all the collective to make sure it still goes smoothly and in the right directions in both normal and idle up modes.

Im assuming you are flying in normal mode......its time to move up to idle-up mode.

bdavison,

Is there a pitch difference on the upper end of the collective in normal vs. Idle up?

When the blade is set up correctly do you have pitch change when you transition from normal to Idle up or is it a seamless transition?

If I read your set up instructions correctly I am to set zero pitch in normal mode with throttle and trim all the way down.

Part of my problem is not fully understanding the idle up mode. I realize that without negative pitch inverted, loops, rolls, and 3-D flight are not possible. But beyond that I must be missing something.

Ok here's how it works

In normal mode the pitch goes from 0 (or slight negative) at 0 throttle position.
As you increase throttle stick, the pitch starts going to positive. 8-10 degrees positive at full throttle. At the same time its increasing motor RPM.

Normally you hover at around half throttle in normal mode. With the throttle stick at mid position if you flip the idle-up switch, the blade pitch should not change or the motor rpms. Once you flip the idle-up switch the heli locks the RPM's at a minimum of 50%. From mid stick to up is positive pitch, and from mid stick to down is negative pitch.

Think of it this way.

Normal mode adjusts head speed and collective together for positive pitch only.

Idle up mode locks the head speed and all you control is collective and the throttle curve adjusts throttle for both positive and negative pitch.

This might help explain it....hard to explain in words with out actually showing someone.


Normal mode.
Stick position: bottom / mid-stick / top
Pitch curve: 0 pitch / 4 deg + / 8 deg +
Throttle curve: 0 throttle / 50% throttle/ 100% throttle

Idle-Up Mode.
Stick position: Bottom / mid-stick/ top
Pitch curve: 8 deg - /4 deg +/8 deg +
Throttle curve: 100%/ 50%/100%

The reason for the +4deg at mid-stick during idle-up is because at 0 pitch, the helicopter would fall out of the sky. You still want to be able to hover at mid-stick even in idle-up mode.

Your perticular pitch levels may vary depending on how the heli was set-up originally, but this is just a "in general" example.

Most people use normal mode for hovering, and idle-up mode for forward flight.
Here's why.....

Say you were flying around in forward flight. Say you pull the helicopter into a fast straight line at level flight in normal mode. The helicopter starts to climb. What do you do. Most people pull off a little power. Now youve taken out pitch and RPM's. The helicopter starts to drop in altitude. Perhaps you over did it, and it drops too much. So you add more throttle. Its going to take a small amount of time for the rotor head to spool back up to speed to take advantage of the added pitch. There's a slight delay in the response. You'll find that alot of times flying in forward flight in normal mode...you either have too much or not enough and its difficult to maintain a constant altitude. This is even more noticeable on FP helis.

Say your flying a fast straight line at level flight in idle-up mode. You have the throttle at mid stick, so there is +4 deg of pitch and 50% throttle. The heli starts to climb. So you pull back a little. Now you have +1 deg pitch and 58% throttle. The heli starts to drop...perhaps a little to much. So you add a little. Because the rotor head is now spinning at 58% throttle instead of 50% throttle youve already got some good inertial speed in the head....ready for the increase in pitch. The pitch goes back to +4. Instantaneously youve got more lift. No delay because it already had the head speed it needed for the increase in pitch with out having to spool it back up. Also because eventually the rotor head speed will return to 50% there's no porporsing or jump up.

If you start flying in idle-up mode, you will actually find a spot in fast forward flight where the heli is moving forward, nose pitched down slightly, and you actually have 0 pitch in the blades, good head speed, and the heli wont drop out of the air, and will actually speed up forward airspeed because the blades arent providing any resistance. Kinda hard to explain until you notice it yourself. Its almost as if the rotor disk becomes a solid wing, and provides lift like a flat foamy airplane or something.

Helicopters are very interesting machines. In all reality based on physics, they arent even supposed to be able to fly. Kinda of interesting thought....Everytime you fly a heli you are disobeying the laws of physics. Ive flown airplanes for years, learning helicopters has totally made me reconsider how I think about aerodynamics. They seem to break every logical or common sense thing you would normally expect from something that flys. You have to think outside the box with these things. Just when you think you understand them, something new pops up that totally messes with your head.

Im still observing and noticing things everytime I fly that completely amaze me. I love flying these things. Its an addiction with me. All I think about is FLY FLY FLY FLY...new plane....FLY FLY FLY....new heli...FLY FLY FLY....

I need RCMA (RC modelers anonymous)...I think I need help.

Or with me.... FLY FLY FLY FLY...new plane and crash....FLY FLY FLY FLY....new heli and crash....FLY....CRASH.....FLY....

bdavison:

Thank you for that explaination. I now have a better idea on what that switch is for. I have asked at the LHS but never got a good answer even from the "heli-pro". He said "you don't need it yet" so I figured ok maybe later.

Thanks again.

by the way, you would not be the only here in "RCMA".

I recommend the JR 6102 radio. It's a breeze to program, 6 channel radio, 10 model memory, PCM/FM modulation, can work with both aircraft and helis (without getting it serviced to change to aircraft or heli settings, a BIIIG plus) and it's got a great feel to it. It's $250, but if you get the radio you'll definately save for now if you get the micro setup so you get a micro receiver for your Blade. You'll also need to get an aftermarket gyro and an Eflite 2-in-1 unit to replace your 4-in-1 unit. I've done this to my Blade and it flies much better and it's more nimble and easier to control in my opinion.

Instead of buying seperates you can take your 4 in 1 apart and remove the reciever. Two channels need extensions to plug in the mixer but it will work the same

I have a few questions on the Blade CP regarding batteries. New to electrics

~ What chargers are you using for your flight packs?
~ How many flight packs do you use?
~ What batteries are you using in your transmitter?
~ When you fly when do you know when to stop flying? Do you stop before you start to loose power? When reaching the end of the battery charge does it slow down gradual or fall off fast?

I'm using Lipo batteries and I use a celectra lipo charger. It takes about an hour or so to charge my 3 cell 1500 Mah pack.

As many as you can afford.

Duracell or Energizers AA.

I'll notice the battery doesn't have as much power as when I first start flying.

I quit and charge up as soon as the batteries goes down, the speed contoller in the CP doesn't have the correct cutoff for lipos.

On the stock Nickel metal battery the voltage drops off pretty fast and you'll notice it when the tail whips out of control on you. On the Lipo's it's pretty gradual, and then if it gets too low the tail will starts acting crazy too.

So that radio can do both PCM and FM? Also, what about the 8103?

I broke the tail support. Does the new one get glued on or can I get the old support shaft out of the housing somehow[sm=confused.gif]

Thanks...

I used a dremell tool to drill out the old one so I could CA in a new one. I used a chunk from one of my broken landing skids cut to length.

Steve