It all started so normal. Pluged in the battery, installed the canopy, allow gyro and 3-in-1 to arm themselves. I gave the right stick a couple of circles to make sure the swash was working. Gave the left stick some left and right to make sure the tail motor was working. I throttled up and the main rotor twiched and was still. I gave the left stick another more throttle and still just a twitch.
I placed the heli on my toolbox. I removed the canopy and just as I was reaching for the battery plug to disconnect it, the heli sprung to life. It throttled up higher and higher until it lifted up 20 feet in the air. Then just as fast as it rose, it fell to my toolbox. It then fell to the floor. It flopped around a little and fell silent. It let out a couple of breaths, filled with smoke and then laid there silently. I rushed over to see if I could save it by unplugging the last of my LiPo batteries, but I was too late. My AXE CP IS DEAD![]


I have no idea what caused the main motor to not work when giving it inputs and then spin up on my when I was no where near the controller. I spoke to the good folks at Hobby Services and they said to send it in. So, now I'm really S.O.L! I'll send it off either Sat or Mon. Then it'll take a week or two. I'll sure miss my AXE CP. The flying three times a day and looking for upgrades. I guess it's just me and my Air Hogs now.

I'll keep you all posted.

Ted

72mhz radios don't like to be near any sort of metal, like toolboxes and metal roofs or power lines. All places where I get some severe glitches on my old 72mhz stuff. GET A DX6 or DX7 !!! I have flown on it over a year and no glitches, twitches period. Add some HS-65HB servos and you are allset.

CH

Sorry to hear Strat. But it'll be back good as new before you know it. And if Chophop is right about the metal interference, then a lot of us newbies learned something from your misfortune. Hopefully you'll have something positive to take away from one of our mishaps someday.

I have never had any problems in the past with glitches or interferance. I've been flying inside my hangar for almost 3 months now.

Hmmm.

Ted

Ted, I feel your pain!
I got my AXE CP working again, if only for 15 minutes, yesterday (9-21-07). Got home and was hovering nice, no training gear, when I saw smoke flowing from main motor (I didn't remember adding a smoker to the AXE, cool effect though), landed and switched it OFF (I added a switch). Motor was toasted!!!
I had a spare 380 motor, made a pinion gear puller at work this morning. Pulled pinion off toasted motor, cut shaft 1/8" shorter on new motor & pressed on pinion, smeared heat-sink with compound & snapped on vented HS. Drove home, installed motor, plugged in battery & NOTHING[:@]! Servos just twitched, get that cooked electrical componet smell from the E-board[]! Now what?!
Should I spend the $75 bucks on a replacement E-board (and add fuse protection to the main), or could I get away with just another ESC for the main? I'm not using the tailmotor ESC or mixer, that's what the GY240 & C-12 ESC are for right?
So I guess were in the same boat, at least you've got your Air Hog to keep you occupied! I'm gonna have to use my imagination, maybe hang it off a piece of fishing line, make RRRRRRRRRRRRR noise, and keep my neighbors wondering!

Rick

Rick,

I shipped my helli off to "Hobby Services" this morning. I should hear something from them in the next couple of weeks. I've seen a few post where folks have by-passed the 3-in-1 controller, put in another ESC and a brushless motor. They seem to be running fine. I still can't figure out why my heli got all squirely on me. All I know is that I'm sooooo missing my little AXE CP. I'll have to steal my air hog back from my kids to take to work with me. [>:]

Have you checked for voltage at the switch? Maybe thet's what fried? Do you think you could still send your AXE in to hobby services for warranty work? I need to look at the manual to see what all is covered under waranty. You might be able to sweet talk them into putting a new motor in for you. Just say please 50 times. After the 49th time they'll be so tired and confused they'll say yes.

Ted

How long will Helimax "Hobby Services" have your AXE CP? A couple of weeks before they can diagnose it, are you serious? I figured out what was wrong with my within a couple of hours. It's just the waiting game I hate now (You want your parts when?)!
I know I couldn't wait 2 weeks just for an answer (and not have my AXE), on what's wrong, nevermind if it's covered "under warrenty."
Tell'em you want a "new replacement" and you'll ship your's back when you get it, that sounds better to me (limited down time), you don't wanna loose that feel of flying.

Rick

Rick,

Form my understanding, I should have my AXE CP back in a couple of weeks. I can always fly my air hogs or flight sim.

Ted

Strat1960-

First, my condolenses for your deceased Axe.

But dude, look on the bright side! It took off 20 ft straight up, and when it came down, it came straight down back to the same spot. I can't do that with my Axe on a good day.

But seriously, I would look for loose connections or wires with internal breaks. They show up as an especially flexible spot on the wire and they're deceptive because the insulation doesn't show any marks. More so on the control connections because the wire gauge is so small.

And yes, large metal objects have a tendency to absorb radio signals.
It will get better in time, at least thats what my therapist tells me.

Ed

Good news. I just got off the phone with the folks at Hobbico. They didn't have any info on what went wrong with my heli, but I'm getting a new heli, ESC and gyro (I think they're also sending me a new LiPo too). I may be up and flying by the middle of next week!
Ted

I had something similar happen. Somehow idle up got switched in the bag and I didn't notice it. Throttle stick was at idle. I set the heli on the ground after plugging it all in. The x-mitter was a few feet away sitting on my tailgate. Well, when I went to set it on the ground I heard the servos start twitching. New batteries in radio and I was literally like 5 feet away. As soon as I got it on the ground the sucker went full throttle and flipped all over the place (left stick down, idle up on) so it didn't climb but it sure wadded itself up all over the ground before I could get back to the radio.

Really irked me, everything I read about a range test says you should be able to close the antenna and walk about 25-50 feet away and still have good control. mine won't get 5 feet.

I threw the axe in the closet. Right now it's got a broken blade grip and landing gear, tails a bit dinged up. I have most of the parts to fix it I just don't care to waste much more time with it. Bought a mini titan and all the gear to run it instead. I got the rebate coming from heli max for the axe. probably use it to fix the heli, then maybe do a stunt like this with it

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GFOZZLRTaYc Everyone should watch that if you haven't already seen it.

DA

Well Folks are you ready for tound two with Hobby Services?
I got an email todays saying they had just recieved my heli. So The fun begins. If they start on it tomorrow AM, test out a new heli, install my upgrades, test fly it to be sure everything works properly, they could be done with it and have it ready for UPS by late Wed or early Thur. So maybe my the middle of next week, I could have my reason for living back in my loving arms.
Going by their track record though, I may not get it back quite that soon. I think I'm going stale with the sticks. I may need to take it very slow at first till I get my groove back.

Take Care
Ted

.

Quotes?
Are you talking abolut repair time? If so, you have to call them to get any kind of estimated complete date.
Ted

Tound two? Did you get hit with that thing as it bounced down from the teiling? Mine's on the bench for a week waiting on a new ESC. So keep myself busy I bought one of these really extremely overly cheap clear plastic scale fuselage thingies. Looks good but can't figure out how you mount it

CH,

Round one would be, the first replacement heli they sent me had a bent spindle and too much free play in the swash plate. They also said they'd install my gyro and esc for me, but that didn't happen either. When I got the replacement heli back they included my gyro and esc, but neglected to give me all my connectors back.
So, I blew a gasket and went off on a few select customer service reps and waited for Hobby Services to respond. Their response was sending me out a UPS shipping tag, getting a new (not refurbished) AXE CP, testing it out for defects, installing my gyro, ESC and connectors needed to use my lipos testing it all out again to make sure everything works as it should and shipping it back to me.

I think this is what they should have done from the very begining. In fact, I'll go as far as to say this is what they should do for all of their customers. You don't win customers over by screwing them over with sub-standard work or product. You go that extra mile for all of your customers. Thats just how you do bisiness. Hobby Services, Heli-Max and Tower Hobbies are loosing me as a customer because they didn't go that extra mile to take care of me properly. Now, my money and business are going to a different company. Once I get my heli back, I'm done with them and I don't mind sending them hand written letters telling them why they've lost my business.[:@]

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.

Ted

duct tape and jb weld should do the trick

Well I'm getting creative, Might be more effort than it's worth. AXE with a POS airwolf with skids! Maybe I'lljust jack the ***** end up and install shackle bars!

.....And another brave warrior goes down...... Man, I hate it when that happens![&o]

Well, it looks like my little buddy may ship in the next day or two. So I may be up and flying by the end of the week to early next week.
Thats a happy smiley face not a heli sucks smiley face!

Ted

Bet you're getting itchy!!

Mike,

Itchy doesn't even begin to describe it. I've flown the heli simulator so much I think I got the high score last night. Oh, wait it didn't say high score. It said aren't your fingers sore?

Ted

If you'll scroll down, you'll see part of my invoice. This is what they did:
Replaced a defective AXE CP
Tested the new/replacement heli for defects
Installed all the upgrades that I installed on the original heli
Tested heli with upgrades installed
Shipped it both ways on their dime.

You might be asking why they did this for me? Because they're supposed to and I called them on their mistake! Thats what good customer service should be like. I paid to ship the heli to them the first time, which is only fair, but the rest......... they should have done this the first time.
Now here's my question for you. Do you deserve the same kind of service?
You'll only get it if you ask for it and follow up on it with emails and phone calls.

Ted

Date Received: 10-16-2007
Shipped Date: 10-23-2007

Ship Method: GROUND Payment Method: Waived


Charges
HMXE0456 AXE CP MICRO EP HELI RTF ORG56 1 2.0 .00
Parts Charge Total .00
Labor Charge Total .00
Inspection Charge .00
Sub Total(labor+parts) .00
Shipping Charge .00
Sales Tax .00
Discount .00
Payments Received .00
Total Due .00