TTMT

Bryan,

I think I understand your experiences and frustrations. I started with a fixed pitch, stick framed cheapy and got what I paid for - a twitchy nightmare. Bought a CX next and at least enjoyed some relative peace not struggling to avoid an immediate crash, but I felt the same way - not challenging enough. Next, I bought a 450-class Thunder Tiger E325. I think it is a fine model, but it's still tough to fly and I have very nervous hands. It's grounded for now while I wait for my Co-Pilot II flight stabilizer to arrive.

I had to come to grips with the cost of my Quark, but I've had no regrets. I wish it were larger too, but it does do well outside as long as the wind stays pretty mild. Short of a flight sim, I can't imagine a better training heli than the Quark. It provides enough inherent stability to give you a chance to learn, but it challenges you constantly - unlike a counter-rotator. You can fly mild bank turns and it is very responsive in its factory configuration. I've read that you can change the config to make it unstable but highly maneuverable. I'm not interested in that. My goals are the same as your - smooth, recreational flying - no need for 3D, though I do practice loops and rolls on my sim and I'm getting the hang of it.

Anyway, I think you'll really enjoy the Quark. I think the model is brilliantly designed - you still have to "fly" it to avoid crashing. Repairs are easy and fast. I've only broken main blades, and they're cheap. Hirobo includes a great little blade balancer - simple but super smart design. You balance the blades with common household clear plastic tape. Comes with a very nice little screw driver and adjustment tool for the all-in-one control unit. Blade balancing is important for smooth operation. Probably takes about 10 minutes or less to balance and replace a blade.

Enjoy the new heli.

theskyking

Love the quark. Here's some footage outdoors. More videos under my youtube username RozFamVids

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4rBjRimjHQ[/youtube]

TTMT

Looks like Big Bear ??

theskyking

Close guess ... Lake Tahoe, CA

TTMT

Must have gotten pretty hard to see the Quark against the forest background - at least I have trouble with busy backgrounds.

theskyking

Normally I would have trouble with a busy background but in this case it is just a piece of crap video camera. Those trees are only 30 feet away. If you were standing next to me you'd see that flight was pretty close. I have the high res video file if you want to watch that. It is a bit better but ultimately I'd need a new camera to do many more videos like this. I'm using a $60 flip video ultra POS.

I'm impressed how well the Quark deals with 6200' elevation. I just added some blade pitch and got ideal lift and head speed. Can't do that with most FP heli's. This thing is a great heli.

TTMT

I see.

Ya, it sure is a great heli.

theskyking

Looks like there are three ways to make the heli more advanced. Someone correct me if there are others I'm missing:

1. Increase rudder rotation speed.
2. Flybar mod linkage movement.
3. Flip dip switch #4.

Just now I performed 1 and 3. WOW. THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT HELI! JUST FLEW A PACK AND IT IS AMAZING. Really does feel more advanced and fun. Perfect timing too, I was getting bored with the stock settings. This is exciting! Whole new experience.

I wonder what the flybar mod does. Maybe I'll go try that now.

...Just tried it and something is MAJORLY wrong. With flybar adjustment, heli tries to roll HARD left. We are talking extreme left roll. Like, before takeoff, just crunched to the left. Any ideas?

EDIT: I think I figured it out. The flybar mod has TWO steps:

First you have to take the flybar apart and actually move the metal balls to the center holes.

Second you attach the linkage to the center balls on the flybar instead of the head assembly. I'm going to go fly and test it now.

Nope, that's not it either. Now, I think you may need to LEAVE the one linkage on the head structure and simply connect the outer linkage to the flybar frame but instead on on the outside hole, move that metal ball to the middle hole............trying..........

OK, now it is flyable. So far my assesment is the "flybar mod" is done by LEAVING the one linkage alone on the head assembly and, with the other linkage that attaches to the flybar outer frame, leaving that one alone too except for moving that metal linkage to the other hole on the flybar frame. I tried other configurations as you can read above (I'll leave the "raw" unedited steps above so you can see what I've tried) but unless I am missing something they don't work at all. Is there another configuration I'm missing? Anyway, the heli does perform *slightly* different (nothing too dramatic) with this flybar configuration. It feels about 10-20% more "advanced" than stock flybar configuration.........any other suggestions observations or comments?

TTMT

How has the performance changed? I've read that the inherent stability is gone after you reconfigure the Quark for higher performance.

What can it do now that it didn't before?

theskyking

I find it actually EASIER to fly in advanced. Sure, you have to have some basic intermediate skills. But advanced makes it fly more responsively and it does what you tell it to do now, not in 3 seconds. We are having a discussion about it over on this thread:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...6#post12072571

You might want to look over the last few pages of the thread to follow a few peoples' observations.

You'll get the idea by reading that. Let's put it this way. I ain't goin' back.

Alliot

I did what skyking did except number 1, which is increasing the rpm of the tail rotor/rudder. With the advanced setting, the Quark is a great flying machine, especially when it is flown outdoor. It can penetrate a 5mph breeze well because of the higher servo travel. Experienced pilots will enjoy the quick 180 degree turn followed by a short skid before straightning out to stay on course. You have a feeling that you fly a 3D machine with a small fixe pitch heli! However, I don't recommend the advanced setting for a beginner because of the sensitivity of the control.

As explained in the manual, I moved the ball link into the center of the stabilzer bar for advanced flying. Skyking mentioned something about the holes on that stabilizer bar, but it is quite hard for me to understand it unless you post a photo.

Also, I do have a question regarding the hovering speed. The manual states that the red LED light should be ON and STEADY when the hovering speed is reached, but the manual does not mention whether or not the Red LED light should be ON during flight. Mine is blinking-then- steady ONLY at the moment when the quark is light on its skid, meaning right before it lifts off the ground, but once airborne the red LED light is completely off. Is it normal? Should the red light be ON during flight? I watched a Quark's video on a YouTube and the red light is ON during flight. I wonder if the pitch of my rotor blade is too high, but my motor is not hot after each flight. It is just slightly warm.

Any input will be appreciated.

theskyking

Someone just posted a picture of the correct advanced head / stabilizer setup over on this thread:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...postcount=1582

Alliot

Thank you skyking for the link. That was what I did, and the performance was better. I didn't touch anything else on that flybar. You don't really see the difference until you fly the quark outside. But, there is also a pro and con for this setting, especially for new quark owners, so be careful. They should start with the stock set up first.

Also, I will appreciate if someone gives me a quick info on the hovering speed as I mentioned earlier.

Thanks

mediclavina

I don't pay attention to the state of the LEDs on the Quark RX when I fly it. But I make sure it hovers at a maintained altitude when the throttle stick is at middle position. I follow the throttle curve setting found at page 39 of the manual.

Alliot

Yes, my quark can maintain level flight when the throttle stick is in the mid position. An experienced Quark's owner in Japan told me that the red Led light MUST be ON and STEADY right before the QUARK lifts off the ground. That light should be ON when only 45% of the full power is applied; it is slighty below half throttle. This is the point where the rpm sensor inside the UNIT reads 1800 to 1900 RPM. If the red light is still OFF at 45% throttle, then the sensor will read a lower RPM and the pitch of the main blades should be lowered. On the other hand, if the light BLINKS on and off, then the sensor will read a higher RPM and the pitch should be increased. Once airborne, when the throttle stick is in the mid position, the Red LED light is OFF because the UNIT is set at the factory to read ONLY a specific RPM at 45% of the full power, he said. That specific RPM is 1800-1900 as shown in the manual. Then, it is normal for the Red LED to be OFF during flight. But sometimes, it is ON/STEADY/and BLINKING depending on the throttle stick position and a maneuver during flight

He concludes that it doesn't matter if the red LED is on or off when you fly the quark. But, the most important thing is that the light should be ON and STEADY when the quark is light on its skid or when only 45% of full power is applied.


Now, everything about the hovering speed is clear for me. By using this forum, we learn from each other. Thanks for the input everybody! Enjoy your Quark

TTMT

Good information. I don't understand the references to increased and decreased pitch, though. Are you referring to manual adjustments made by the user before a flight?

theskyking

Read page 27 of the manual. It is pretty clear. For example, me being at high elevation, I had to add a ton of blade pitch to get the lights to look right. Now the heli flies great. more blade pitch = slower head speet, less blade pitch = higher head speed. The Quark apparently has an optimal head speed and you can achieve this by following the instructions on page 27. Really cool feature. All other FP's I've flown are just that - fp's (fixed pitch). The Quark is variable pitch in that you can adjust pitch for different circumstances. I'm pretty sure elevation is the only circumstance that really would require this adjustment.

willowarune

My Feedback: (2)

Many thanks for all the tips! I love my Quark - no hop-ups necessary to buy. In fact, CF blades are about the only modification that one might want.

For the spring, I have decided to also try planks, so a Firebird Freedom will be the learing machine and a newly released Cessna 182 the fun one.

Willow

az.dsrt

Where's a good place to order replacement parts? I've got an SRB on order, want to pick up an extra battery. I checked ebay, the only seller was in Hong Kong and I don't want to wait 3 weeks. Thx

-Tom

TTMT

Contact Greg Mitchell. He does a fine job. I have three of his batteries - at great savings.

[email protected]

CostaRica1

Hi guys...Do you think this bird could carry a litle video cam...1.5 oz weight.....

TTMT

I would guess that it could. The Quark's main rotor is capable of pretty good thrust. I'd imagine you'll go through your batteries faster.

theskyking

fixing quark blades - a video I just made:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWGbzb6yiXA[/youtube]

willowarune

My Feedback: (2)

Many thanks for this video. I will add some epoxy to my tool kit!!

Willow

willowarune

My Feedback: (2)

The Quark will carry a FlyOne2 which weighs a little over an ounce. The Quark carries this inside with no problem. It is easy to mount.

Now, to try it with a bit of wind...

Willow