FlyinAmos

Has anybody had a problem with thier axe going left in a hover? The tail stays pertty much stable . I have to keep feeding right ailrn. to try to keep it from going to the left.Need help.

Heliko

It's called Tail Rotor Drift. It's normal. The thrust from the T/R pushes the heli to the left.

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

Try moving the aileron trim to the right. If you go nearly all the way to the right, you will have to adjust the length of one or both servo connecting rods. The swash plate has to "lean" abit more to the right on yours, so lengthen the left rod and/or shorten the right by one turning one end of the rod and then center the trims and try again.

Start with the trim TAB (on the transmitter) first, though.

Heliko

PilotLight adjusting the trim on the Tx is a good idea, but adjusting the linkages wouldn't be a good idea. Tail Rotor Drift is only a problem when the heli is in a hover. Foward flight is not effected by TRD so the heli would then have to be retrimmed for foward flight or it will veer to the right. This would mean when your ready for foward flight you'd have to retrim the heli and learn how to hover it again then make the transition to foward flight. Overall the best thing you can do FlyingAmos is be aware of it and fly around it. You'll get used to it.

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

I have experienced TRD myself and agree with you. The question is "How much is it going to the left?" If FlyingAmos leans the heli to the right slightly to counter TRD, and the heli stays in one spot, and the cyclic stick is near center then it doesn't need trimming. If when the heli is in a stationary hover and FlyingAmos has a bunch of right aileron stick to hold it there, it will need to be adjusted.

Heliko

Your dead on PilotLight. I was assuming the heli was trimmed. One thing in particular I've noticed with TRD is it's much worse just before take off. In fact I cut up some windshield washer hose and put it on the skids so it would stop sliding.

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

Carefull! Look up the term Dynamic Rollover.

Heliko

I know what that is! I actually waited till I knew that wouldn't be a problem before I put on the helis rubber feet. I'm not worried though I'm taking it slow and though they have some minor damage to the edges I'm still using the first set of blades. Don't think I don't have a couple extra sets in reserve though.

alienteabagger

When I first got into helis with my Piccolo TRD was the most annoying thing until I learned a neat little trick to counter it. I adjusted the skids on the right side (tail facing you) of the heli so that they were about 1/4" shorter than the ones on the left by cutting the mounts.

Now Im pretty sure you don't want to go cutting up your airframe so heres an alternative: Cut a few strips of foam tape and stick it to the bottom of the skid to make the heli lean right when at rest. Otherwise learn to counter it manually with some rudder input just before take-off.

Heliko

You have to use right cyclic to counteract TRD.

Sevenrats

I have an AXE EZ. I landed mine on an ottoman and it because it had the training gear on it, it slid off and landed directly on the rotor head which broke. I brought it in to have it fixed and when I got it back it was pulling to the right. The control trim is all the way left and it still has a little right pull to it so I have to compenate with 1/4 or so left cyclic. The LHS that fixed it say this is not unusual to have the trims pinned over one way and still have to compensate some. It does fly ok. Is it possible to adjust the cyclic arm lengths or turn the little screw on the cyclic servo to make an adjustment???? I looks like you could loosen the screw, push that little arm down a couple of mm. and retighten the screw to bring the cyclic more left then retrim the controller and it would need less compensation when flying.

Should'nt I be able to trim it out to zero so that the cyclic is very near center while hovering?

As it is now I hold 1/4 to 1/2 over left cyclic and that achieves balanced hover. If I bring the cyclic to center it zooms right.

Help!

Rotor13B

I'd probably just live with it. If you ever get a cp heli you're gonna have to do that kind of thing anyways, lol. Really though, If the arm has a threaded link on it, You can thread it in or out to level out your swashplate and bring the trim back closer to center.

Sevenrats

I fixed it. I put one turn on each cyclic control rod shortening them. Now I can trim it either way and the cyclic is very near and around center when hovering.