HeloHurtz

Forgive the ignorance but, are RAPTORS supposed to put out that much smoke?
Rremined me of my 4-door Mercury Marque from dayz gone by

USMC2111

Yes, it's suppose to smoke. It's a 2 cycle engine, so it's burning oil with the fuel. Besides that, he is probably still breaking in the engine, and is running it rich right now.

Mike SVOR

My Feedback: (1)

I had her running extra rich.
Since then, I've leaned her out.

HeloHurtz

Question was 'smoke that much' and I appreciate the replies

USMC2111

It's common to fog up the whole yard with smoke if you try hovering at home! As long as the engine is running good, there is no need for concern, unless you can't breathe!

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Also heli fuel has a higher oil content to deal with the cooling difficulties encountered so yea, that smoke alot.

Mike SVOR

My Feedback: (1)

I notice that I get a little tail wag from the motor. You know, when 2 strokes have that 'ding-da-ding-ding-ding-ding' sound. The torque of the motor pops the tail boom back and forth an inch.
I guess it's common for this to happen at lower rpms like I'm running.

USMC2111

Hmm... it is common to have a little tail wag with a really rich engine. But another problem is running too low of a head speed. The tail rotor runs off the mainshaft by the belt (im sure you know this, but im just explaining), and if your headspeed is really low, then your tail isnt producing enough thrust to hold the tail still. At the same time, it could be your gain setting, however, if you havent touched the gain setting since Andy messed with it when you visited him, then the gain should be ok. It is probably a combination of the first two i gave you. A rich engine and low headspeed. Try increasing your headspeed to about 1500rpms. If it is already close to that, try 1600.

Something else i just thought of, make sure your belt is still tight. Belts will stretch a little when they are new. If the belt has a lot of slack in it, it can cause the same symptoms.

Mike SVOR

My Feedback: (1)

I'm 95% sure it's in the tune of the engine.

If I richen up the mixture, it kinda loads up and will go away, but it's toooo rich at that point. (smoke POURING out of it) Way too rich.

She sounds better lean, but I haven't had the chance or the want, to lean her out yet. I wana keep her fat till she has a full gallon through her.


She's probably on the low side of rotor rpm, but not that low. She can still climb very well. It's not like she's at full pitch and barely climbing.



eh, just another reason to get a governor.
With a governor, you can run fat or lean on the tune and the motor goes to the same rpm every time.
Right now, when I mess with the tune, I gota go back and reset my throttle curve.



but for the headspeed, I think she's perfect for a beginner's level. She's totally controlable.

I'll get a movie of her soon. (been working from 8am to 8pm every night)

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Thats not really true. You dont want to run a governor UNTIL your engine is broken in and leaned. If a motor is too lean your gov will keep adding throttle and you wont know till it quits whereas if you dont you will feel the power decreasing for a given pitch setting. If on the other hand the motor is rich the governor will hunt and it will sound like the jaws of life.


Lean the motor a few clicks and the tail kick should go away.

Mike SVOR

My Feedback: (1)

I took her out yesterday and flew 6 tanks of nitro on 12 minute flights.
She flies great.

I bumped the throttle curve up a little.
Then I did my first forward flight.
Then I did my first piroette (5 circles one way, 5 the other)

Then I played around on both sides of this huge water retension pond (dried out), blowing the tall grass sticks around, then popping up, landing on the hill, and blasting off again.

I made so many passes by where I was standing and was loving every minute of it. The blade sound is killer. I love the chopping sound they make when the wind blows.

I went through 6 tanks of nitro while flying 12 minute flights a piece today. After that, I decided that I had enough and without a battery voltage meter on my helicopter, I wouldn't chance it.
Then I realized that I emptied my first gallon of heli fuel. Time to go to the store to get a few gallons.

Now I know how to tune the motor and it's another notch on the belt for me.

By the time I was done flying, and during, there was a crowd of folks standing about an 1/8 mile away watching and pointing.

It was a blast.

Mike SVOR

My Feedback: (1)

This is probably getting to the last posts of this thread, since I have everything under control.
It's been almost 1 month from the day I got the box till now, and I'm flying extremely well.

I'll keep ya posted on any major failures or what-not.

Thanks for all the help!

Flying Geezer

My Feedback: (14)

Sounds like you're doing great, Mike. Is this your first heli of any kind? If it is, you have learned fast, and that encourages me.

Mike SVOR

My Feedback: (1)

thanks!

Yep, first helicpter ever.

Flying Geezer

My Feedback: (14)

I'm impressed!!!

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

You're doing good, making your instructor proud.

Mike SVOR

My Feedback: (1)

ok, finally got someone to hold my PowerShotA60 camera and take a movie with it.
The image quality sucks, but it's all I could get.
I wanted to show that I could fly.

http://s95974389.onlinehome.us/RC%20...s/heli0010.AVI