Piccolo Pro setup
 

I just got a Piccolo Pro today from Helihobby. The kit is beautiful, if complicated, and while I am a very experienced modeler, and a former military pilot, I find it a bit daunting. The radio setup is sketchy at best. I got a pico pro board with an Eclipse 7 transmitter and three servos. Just exactly how do I hook up the throttle and collective. Pitch, yaw and roll are not a problem. I need professional help :-)

RE: Piccolo Pro setup
 

Are you a heli newbie? If so, I HIGHLY recommend that you put the pro up on a shelf, and go buy a Piccolo Fun kit. The Fixed Pitch version is much more robust, much less complicated to set up, easier to troubleshoot, less sensative to a 'perfect' setup, and oh so much cheaper to repair. You will blow much more than the cost of a fun kit in just the cost of replacement pro blades.
After you have learned how to setup and adjust the mechanics on the FP bird, and After you have learned to troubleshoot various problems like vibration, and after you have learned to hover, and to fly nose in, and to fly circuits, only THEN should you consider taking on the challange of the CP machine. All the electronics from the pro will be useable on the Fun.
Read up. There is a lot of good information on this board. There is a big group of people with more information on the Piccolos over at the Ikarus board. Paul Goelz's site is a wealth of information. RADD'S SCHOOL OF ROTARY FLIGHT? is a good resource for any micro heli newbie.
You have a great bird. Good luck. Let us know how you do.

RE: Piccolo Pro setup
 

Well, believe it or not, this is my fourth helo... over a period of 20 years. The first had a belt driven tail rotor (doomed from the outset). My latest is an Areo Hawk, an I have gotten really good with it. I figured it was time to upgrade to a heli with collective pitch. So... I need help with the collective pitch part. There doesn't seem to be a collar around the throttle on the transmitter and an N2 indicator. :-)