My .02 sense for those thinking of getting an Axe CP:

I think the AXE CP is 1 helluva bird, for $200 it cant be beat for durability, quality and performance. I checked out a Blade CP, Walkera/dragonfly, and many other birds and their main frames look about as fragile as toothpicks super glued together. Axe's unibody frame is built like a brick ****house w/ lots of room for upgrades.

The quality of the electronics in $200-$250 helis are on par or below that of the Axe's. I think the Axe's electronics are superior to the stock Dragonfly/Walkeras, and about equal to the Blade CP's.

I'd rate the mechanics of the Axe about the same as I rated the electronics. 20 minutes with some 600 grit sandpaper on the ball links where there's flash(a high spot/line on the balls from the plastic molding process) will really smoothen up the head's linkage. This would give you smoother/more responsive control, longer servo life and longer flight times. A pilot giving "over-corrective" input due to a binding linkage on a heli this size can put the bird in a world of hurt REALLY quick!

I think one has to ask themself prior to purchasing any micro/mini heli: "How much am I gonna like flying a heli, and learning about how it flies, and learning how to fix it (and you WILL have to fix it!!!)?"

If you can answer YES to those 3 questions and you don't want to spend more than $260-$275 to get started(add $60-$75 onto $200 for a 900mah Li-po battery and charger), the Axe is an EXCELLENT choice.

Thanks for the information. Great tips! Getting my axe cp this week. First time for helis.

About the hopping indoors,its not wind.Just above 5 feet you have room to correct it.I am also running a lipo battery.Guess I just won't fly it the house.

Great tips. Thanks for you input. Heli Max to arrive this week.

Yep I can understand TEX going directly to the TREX. Going from a Blade CP to an Axe would be going sideways, not forward. I am coming from Blade CX2 which is an awesome trainer, but I figured Axe CP would be a good stepping stone to TREX - pretty tough, reletively cheap. I plan to log lots of hours on the Axe CP but yeah I'll move onto TREX at some point. Hopefully not because of a CRASH@@@!!!

Hey BoysToys - great job with the nose-in hover!! I totally puke at that!!! I would never try it with real model until I know I can do it the sim, and I totally puke at it!!

In the sim I do FF at myself and fly by, turning through nose-in is all no problem, BUT if I hang around too long anywhere too close to nose in I just loose it - serious mental block. I am practicing it with the Blade CX2 and its still hard for me. Just gotta keep grinding at it...

For all nOOBs getting into the Axe CP as a first heli - Sim is mandatory!! - don't try anything until you can at least hover in the sim!!

And Rotor13B, sorry I just have the full servo set up for auction. It all needs to go since I got HS-55's and Spektrum installed.

Ok before I go and crash here, for posterity, are pics of my current Axe CP mods.

AR6000 receiver, HS-55's (newbies note: swashplate should be level when all servo arms are at the '90 degree' postions as shown. This condition should be at the point where collective pitch equals Zero or "neutral pitch". The Radio can acheive this condition in three ways: Normal Mode, with left stick at about 1/3 up. Stunt mode, at mid-stick EXACTLY, and in Throttle Hold mode, at mid-stick EXACTLY. Experts confirm?) and TP 1320 LiPo Pack with Ultra Dean's connectors all around.

Also note the extra time spent on the neat routing of the wires. Every wire can be traced visually - no rats nests or tangles.

And the Velcro Straps not only are quick and easy and secure the battery pack very well, but they also provide a cushioned insulator between the motor and the battery pack.

Also, a dab of hot glue around the top receiver wire helps protect it because the canopy bumps it all the time.

Also I see a a pic where a servo is not in its 90-dgree position - it got nudged in handling. [:@]

And another plug for DSM - I really heartily recommend Spektrum DX6 or DX7 or Futaba 6EX radio for this and all models! Its really a good investment - the receiver can be carried over to another model (when the time comes), and already you can have up to 10 models (or more I think) going from one radio. The cost averages down when you get more models hooked up

The benefits are HUGE! In particular you can program the radio to make it easier to hover than stock - a great plus for nOOBs. Then you can tweak up the agility as you get better!

Also, FREEDOM from interference and channel worries!!! JUST FLY!!!

No I'm not a sales guy nor have any stock in Spektrum or DSM but I really think its the BEST solution for RC radio gear.

When considering the cost, consider the money lost from crashes because the stock radio is a bit squirrley (i.e. really its set up for a more advanced pilot and its hard wired that way) and you'll find its a good cheap insurance policy as well.

Steppin off the soapbox now!!

Markind,
Here's a "tip" for nose in FF and nose in hover flying. When your heli's cyclic "disc" is tipping left side low, imagine the radios aileron stick is a magic finger you can use to point at low side of the disc to push/tip it up in a corrective fashion. So if low side is left, push stick left and vice versa.

Before long you'll be performing nose-in hovers better than tail-view hovers. For inverted flight it's the same for aileron, but the elevator controls get reversed.

PERFECT FLYING DAY,

until...


Yep, I guess crashes are inevitable. But they can be minimized!

I was just launching after I put in my 3rd pack fresh. My tail was quite a bit off she spun around a bit. I tried to compensate and almost did but I got into an overcorrection back-and-forth cycle on the cyclic.

Probably, I should have hit throttle but that probably would have made a bad situation worse - bolting up without being in control crossed my mind as being a bad thing.

As it was, I came down on the thick wet grass and broke just one main rotor blade. No other damage!!

Woo hoo!! I still have a great feeling about this run!! It was a perfect day, DEAD CALM and I mean DEAD CALM!!! And a bit cool too - PERFECT!!

The first two packs were beautiful! I was doing huge, sweeping circles out to a 100' out, got tons of altitude (up to maybe a 80 feet!), got LOTS of speed runs!! It was FREAKING GREAT!!!

Got LOTS of pretty passes right in front of me, too! So totally cool! Lots of pretty, totally controlled and coordinated turns!

So hey!! I broke my first rotor blade but man, I have made HUGE progress!! I was having a super ultra BLAST!!!

I checked carefully for any other damage - can't find any. I will happily pick up another set of blades today!

I did that once too. Yhe Only thing that made it worst is my son caught mine on video LOL
idle up thakes the engine to full and the left stick just makes the pitch different. for example if the the chopper is on the ground and the left stick is all the way down and you hit idle up the chopper will suck itself to the ground. Just don't move it up or she will leap off the ground and you could crash.

That had to be a pretty hard hit. I hav ehit steel poles at full throttle and have not snapped a blade like that. You got off lucky that time.

I,m out of comition until thursday when my tail boom and tail motor mount come in.

Sorry to hear about your crash.[:@] Just look at it as a learning experiance and get that bird back in the air!

That velcro battery strap thing is a pretty good idea. Currently, I am using the Heli-Max supplied "hitech" rubberband mounting option. However, I did use some double stick servo tape to tape a small piece of foam to one edge of each lipo. I did this in attempt to keep the heat from the motor off my lipo packs.

I also practiced nose in hovering for 3 more packs today. I must say I am getting better and not intimidated by it at all anymore. I can almost do a complete slooow piroete while keep the heli totally stable and in the "box", as Radd would say.

As far at the quality of the Axe, I am impressed. For less than $200 I was able to get a CP heli to learn on that flies well, is inexpensive to fix, and in my opion is very stable right out of the box. However, I already have my eye on a T-Rex 450 down at my LHS and will more than likely pick one up in the very near future. Because of this I am going to leave my Axe stock and save my pennies for the future T-Rex.

As for the T-Rex being expensive, I don't really agree with that. It is all realative. A new Traxxas Revo or Losi Muggy RC monster truck will set you back over $500 before you purchase any support equipment. And I have enough money tied up in my Losi XXX-T/Mamba Max 5700/ 3s lipo to buy a very nicely optioned T-Rex 450. As I add it up, one could almost get into a 600 for the money I have in that truck. [&:]

Keep up the good work everyone.

Here is a pic of my batteries with the foam insulation attached. And one pic of my Axe with my other RC toys.

Nice post, nice pictures. Nice work area, you must be some kind of a neatnik. Thats a good thing!

Hey guys (yep, I don't think there are any gals around here...),

I got my Axe ready for testing again!

BUT, I went and installed the Flat Bottom main rotor blades from the Blade CP. My LHS doesn't carry Helimax in stock (but they offered to order anything I needed). I removed the top plastic shim, and they went in pretty well.

The hole is a bit bigger than the screw though. My thought was to get the bit from the shim that actually goes in the hole, then it will be a snug fit top and bottom.

Any other tips or dangers to be aware of when going to Blade CP main rotor blades?

Thats exactly how I fly my Axe CP.... with Blade CP main rotor blades. I removed half of the black shim and kept the other half on. She flies really nice. The shorter blades force you to use a higher throttle setting to produce the same amount of lift than the stock blades (since the stock blades are longer and produce more lift at the same speed) and as a bounus the higer head speed will also help stabilize the Axe along with giving crisper cyclic response!!

pics of cnc and pics of lipo setup. note just over 1hr to charge 2 packs at same time.

ps i do have all the cnc parts on order 3 more to go just waiting for them.

That's interesting - I ended keeping both the top and bottom bits of those BCP shims.

They needed sanding down to fit, but fit good and allow some swing just like the stock setup!

I think she is ready to try to hover again.

It was VERY tedious getting the blade tracking correct - but I finally got it pretty close. I see no obvious bad vibration in the system at any power / pitch level. whew!! Bench testing - PASS!

What I did was modfiy the plastic grippers that come with the Blade CP blades. They needed sanding down and trimming quite a bit to fit well in the Axe blade grips. They are needed because they have a plastic ferule that sizes down the big hole and fits the Axe blade screw perfectly, BUT they are too thick to fit in the Axe grips along with the blade.

Also, I had to sand down the inside of the Axe grips just a bit.

Getting the tracking close was so tedious I was thinking, oh rats, do I gotta pull everything and go through that tedious blade balancing procedure?

But I was only going to do that if I ended up with an undesirable vibration and once the tracking was dialed in she sings again in perfect tune! At all levels of pitch and throttle, everything looks pretty good.

I'll fly her again tomorrow at work - VERY timidly!!! Basically, she's an experimental aircraft all over again - can't take anything for granted until she's proven herself again.

Gamemaker you got a nice setup! Now that you have CNC parts, can you describe the improvement? Does she really run smoother?

its smother in hover and overall feels better

Well here's what I decided on so far, hope you guys don't mind me hijacking the thread. It's still a helimax...LOL.

Helimax MX400
Align 430L BL motor
Align 35A BL ESC
Futaba FM 6CH with HT micro servos
1500MaH 20C 3S Lipo

That is what I was looking to upgrade to in about a year or so when I master the Axe completely and an able to go inverted and all that stuff. Figured I didn't what to step into a $500 dollar machine with out any experience though.

If you don't mind me asking; How much did all that cost you?

Well I may have an unfair advantage, I work at a LHS.

MX400-$77
Futaba 6CH-$135
Align 430L and 35A ESC combo-$80
Lipo $30
Futaba HH gyro from Tower $95 after coupon.

Way to go TEX!!! Congrats on all the new gear!! Super jealously rages here!!

But, why no DSM (FASST) radio?!?!?!? AAAhhhhhh!!! [&:] [:'(] [&:] [:'(]

When I get to that stage...I wanted a DX7 but for $350 just for the TX and RX it wasn't happening.

Did anyone els notice that the HS-55 servos are a little slower than the stock servos? Is this maby why it seems a little stabler in flight, less reaction, I dont know works for me. I got all 3 servos in yesterday, and took it outside for test flight, keep her up in a hover till she ran out of juice, first flight with new servos. man

Did some hover practice in the garage tonight. I'm makeing steady progress and getting higher each time.
One thing I noticed is that the tail occilates terribly when I get off the ground after a couple seconds.
This may have been there since day one since this is the first time I've had it airborne for more than a few seconds.
Should I try reducing gyro gain?
It says the heli should remain stationary until the gyro initializes, but it's darn near impossible to plug in the battery without jarring it a little. Could this be my problem? I set it on blocks when I plug it in so the training gear doesnt cause it to bounce, but it still get's jarred slightly.
I did by a blade cp tailrotor today, and noticed it was ever so slightly looser fitting than the axe cp tailrotor. I'm starting to think it could be throwing it out of balance.
It's not the tail twitch everyone is talking about, but occilating up and down as well as left and right.