RE: axe cp thread
 

Check that the swash plate is correctly setup and the balancing of the main blades was key to getting my Axe CP flying. The blade tracking was off. It took one complete turn on the low tracking blade linkage to get it in the correct plane. Double check the fly bar paddles as well. I noticed right out of the box one of the paddles was warped. It was easier to just go to the LHS and pick up replacement ones.

By all means get a LiPo battery. I got the ThunderPower-Batteries 1320 packs. I also use a radio shack 12v 3.5A power supply, works great. I only use the stock battery for bench testing the heli. The weight difference between the stock and the LiPo batteries is night and day. You don’t want to keeping trimming the heli when you swap batteries.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Thanks for the reply Johnny. The more I looked into LiPo's the more things I find I need to buy. I'm getting ~5 minutes from the stock NiMH and that's about $20. If I upgrade, I get 2.5x, maybe 3x, the flight time for what seems to be 5x the cost. LiPo upgrades doesn't seem worth it at this point, in spite of the performance. Someone set me straight... [sm=confused.gif]

EDIT: Thanks guys. I'm not finding the power supply on Radio Shack's site so I'll drop by their store after work tomorrow and get the scoop. I'll start bargain shopping soon and see if I can compile a reasonably priced LiPo upgrade "package".

RE: axe cp thread
 

You can get a lipo battery, charger, AC wall pluggin, 12volt battery pluggin for around 42 bucks on ebay. It will be a big difference from using the stock nimh battery plus you will have more power which translates into a higher headspeed which equals more stability. It's enough to get your feet wet without having to spend alot of green and it works well with the stock motor.[8D]

RE: axe cp thread
 

Anything around $50 (let alone $42) is a great deal. Haha...I just came back from a hover session. 4 minutes. It was great. :eek: Off to eBay I go.

As for a LiPo balancer...is that only for charging two or more LiPo batteries? From what I can gather, seems like it makes sure that each battery is getting enough charge and prevents overcharging. Is this right?

RE: axe cp thread
 

In my case, I have a DN Power 1350 3 cell pack.
It's not even comparable to the stock battery. The added power of the lipo gives way more stability and responsivenes.
The balancer makes sure the voltage between each of the three cells remains within a certain limit.
I bought a parkzone balancing charger that'll go up to 2 amps charge rate for 35 bucks at my LHS.
The Dn's charge up in less than an hour at one amp.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Get the Lipo's. It's the single best investment you can make. At 5 minutes a shot you can't learn anything.

RE: axe cp thread
 

A lipo charger with cell balancing makes sure the individual cells stay withing a percentage of each other and prevent overcharging. Also you will have better run times as on or more cells aren't "shortchanging" you out of your flight.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Yes, the 10x does. I already checked to make sure it would support 120 degree ccpm.

RE: axe cp thread
 

S McFlurry,

As far as the power suppy goes. You don't have to get one right away, just charge it off you're car battery for now.
My charger came with a plug for the cigarette lighter/aux plug in the car. I bought a cable at radio shack that goes from the two red and black battery clamps to an aux power outlet for 6 bucks; I just feel safer charging the sucker under the hood than in the car for fire hazard reasons. (I also put the charger and batt in a .50 cal ammo can while charging, so if it does go up, I can slam the lid and cut off the O2 to it.)
I also charge off my batt off my flight box; it has a motorcycle gel battery that I charge up from time to time.
I've also heard of people using old computer power supply's. They have a 12 volt tap built in. I have'nt tried this yet, since I just took a load of old computer stuff to the dump.[:@]
My charger requires a minimum of 3 amps, and I havent bothered to do the watt's to amp's calc yet, but that's the route I'm going when I do get an ac power supply set up.
I have'nt heard any good remarks from people using the battery you listed, but all I can say is good stuff about the DN pack. I hear alot of good about the thunder packs as well; which is what I intended to buy, but the hobby shop was out of them, and my lack of patience got the best of me.
In my opinion, it's the best and first upgrade you can make.
I'd also switch to the deans ultra for the heli, carries more current than the micro.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Oh no! Don't pin your crash on me! [:'(]

I haven't been posting much but I have been getting in some stick time - and not crashing!!! :D

I have got the hang of the Nose In Hover!!! In the sims, anyway! :D I'll be trying it with my Axe CP soon!

I bit the bullet!! I sold my DX6 on eBay and picked up a DX7. My wife won't notice!!! hahahaha!!! ;)

Now, I'll get back to reading the last hundred posts or so... [&:]

RE: axe cp thread
 

What hundred posts? Maybe more like a dozen or so!

A few posts hit on the endlessly re-curring battery/lipo/charger/balancer discussion. I can see that some people take it up as sort of a secondary hobby, but I don't take any joy from watching batteries charge - I just want them to work.

It should be accepted to all Axe CP users that the stock pack is totally lame. You gotta move away from it as soon as you can. Everyone that does, never goes back to the stock pack - its makes the Axe lame, heavy, tired, and short-lived.

I stumbled on what appears to be the cheapest, best way all-round. For each LiPo pack, pay another $15 for its own charger-balancer ( E-Sky, little orange box thingy, takes 12V ) and a little $2 - $3 adapter/wire thingy. It takes about 2 hours to charge a TP 1320, but hey, you plan ahead and charge all packs at once. And from what I understand, you want a slow, gentle charge to extend the service life of the packs anyway. And, the little E-Sky balance at the same time, every time.

Everybody has their own take, but IMHO this is the simplest/easiest/bestest/coolest/cheapest/estestesetsetse

RE: axe cp thread
 

Hey Mark sounds like your last post belongs in the Li-Po/charger thread :)

Seriously though that thread's not about watching Li-Po's charge, but about finding decent packs for decent prices that work well with the Axe as well as a reliable charger set-up. Believe me we'd all rather watch them work than charge too, but you have to figure out what's going to work first ;)

RE: axe cp thread
 

This the same charger that i've been talking about that comes with that combo deal in the battery thread.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Ok, I am lazy. I don't want to look back through this thread. Could you please let me know what batteries you are talking about. I think that I am already covered on chargers. I am just looking for the best deal on good lipo batteries.

Thanks in advance.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Has anyone used they Mega Power 1350mah lipos from helidirect? $28 seems to be a great price, I wonder if it's too good to be true. They are set up to work with align chargers. Helidirect has an Align AC balance charger for $45. I'm curious to see if someone's using these. Thanks for any replies!

Stevo

RE: axe cp thread
 

Those Megapowers look just like the DN powers I paid 50 bucks a piece for. [sm=confused_smile.gif]

RE: axe cp thread
 

well 2nd day in Plowed her in to the ground doing stall turns was on the 3rd pack that day wow. pics below and link to post.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5672161/mpage_3/tm.htm]RC Universe t-rex page[/link]

RE: axe cp thread
 

I just picked uip a copy of RealFlight G3.5, and after having to try it on three diferent computers and ending up 'borrowing' a spare 'new' PC from work, I was finally able to get it up and running at home.

After about 30 minutes screwing the Axe into the ground, I went to the Bell 222.... umm.. can we say Night and Day? Holy Crap. I need to figure out the weight and class of copter that the Bell body was running on because it was SOOOO smooth. I was able to pull side in hovers so easily with the Bell, then went back to the Axe and again, dirt nap. Plus those articulated landing gear wheels rock. Now if I can just get an Airwolf Skin for it... bwahahahaha.....

I have found though that, during SIM time, if I go right to idle up from before takoff and maintain constant RPM on the head, learning the fluidity of the bird seems more intuitive... just my .02$ though...

OH.. and since I'm getting the CF night blades for my Axe, I've already tried the 'Night Mode' fields in RF3, and my hunch was reasonably correct: Seeing the rings of light on the main rotor disk definately helps in keeping the bird in check.. I just wish the lights would work on the blades during daylight too on the SIM.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Stryker,

the Bell222 is my absolute favorite to fly!! I'd love to have one but don't think the wallet will be able to help on this one :D

there's a Bergen Gasser in the 1st Expansion Pack also, it's very nice to fly.... but in reality this one will never make it home with me either :(

RE: axe cp thread
 

I had the same experience with the Axe CP (I own one) on the simulator. Couldn't fly it worth a darn, but I'm a total "newbie" and that was my first attempt. I moved to the trainer heli and quickly found out what it's all about. Moved on to the Dominion 90 3d and had a ball. Went back to the Axe and hey! I can fly the darn thing with no problem. I only wish my real one would fly like that! I have several flights on the new one and finally got the tail rotor but no other damage. Now I almost have my T-Rex 600 ready to go and that will be a whole new world for me! My friends say I won't be disappointed. I've seen that one wrung out HARD and what a machine!
Can't wait to get mine in the air. I think I'm ready for it cause I can fly the Dominion 90 inverted for a few minutes and autorotation is no problem with it. Ooorah!

RE: axe cp thread
 

Guess what kiddies..... I got my mitts on a copy of RFG3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I havent installed it yet though becuase I dunno... Just haven't.

I hope I like it as much as all you guys do. But like I've said before, money is a great motivator! No crashing = no spending $$ for parts = happy pockets = happier wife and/or girlfriend ('cause u have more $$ to spend with them) = happier pants 'cuz the wife/girlfriend is happy (lmfao).

Besides there isn't a reset button in real life ;)

RE: axe cp thread
 

Looks like its time to say "Hello Checkbook". Nice bird, sorry about the crash. You still got the Axe?

RE: axe cp thread
 

Sorry to hear about your crash. I hope you get it repaired quickly. I have read that there are some issues with parts availablity on the newer SE V2 version. Hopefully you will be able to get everything you need quickly.

That crash is the exact reason that I did not buy a T-Rex yet. I made a list of things that I need to be able to do with my Axe before I go and drop all that cash on a nicer heli. I just need the weather to cooperate with me so I can practice. It has been very windy for the past 3-4 days and I have not had a change to fly the real thing. I am still using RFG3.5 and it is helping but nothing beats the real thing.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Does anyone have problems replacing the main shafts? It seems that I bend them relatively easy, but come time to change it, I have to beat the old one out and then beat the new one in, what gives? I sanded one down a bit last night to see if it'll fit without so much beating, haven't tried it yet..

RE: axe cp thread
 

Try freezing it. It's aluminum so it will shrink pretty easy. I'd start with about 30 min. in the freezer and go straight from the freezer into the heli as quick as you can. Aluminum is very sensitve to temp. Hope this helps.