Greetings heli guys,

I've been in R/C over 20 years and have also been a professional model maker for as long but I'm a bit of a newbie to choppers.

I bought a Hirobo Sceadu a few weeks ago and put it together, it all went well, it seems like a well made model for the money. Anyways I'm using a JR 8103 because my 10X is the aircraft model and it has ZERO heli functions (you'd think a $1200 radio would have at least as many features as the 8103 ... but that's a different topic). Anyways I set everything up by the manual including all the radio settings for the 8103.

Here's what happens. When the chopper is running I push forward on the right stick ("elevator") the rotor (if viewed as a solid disk) tilts forward as it should but also tilts to the left ... it would seem to be pointing at a 45 degree angle between forward and left (if that makes any sense). All other stick positions have similar 45 degree off-phase type reactions. I
have checked that when I push forward on the right stick only one servo is moving so there does not seem to be any evil mixing going on. I've checked all linkages for proper length and placement. I've checked the (forgot the name) collar thing on the main shaft that sets the phase and it seems right.

I'm at a loss as to what is causing this strange behavior. One of my model builders at my company is a big-time chopper nut and has several Hirobo birds, he has looked it over and found nothing wrong.

Has anyone else experienced this with the Sceadu? Is there an easy fix?

Please reply to me directly at [email protected]

Thanks,

--
Allen Rockwell
www.silentflightonline.com
R&D Technical Services
http://www.rdtechservices.com

The most likely suspect is that collar widget.
That is called the radius block/pin and as
you can see, is absolutely critical to correct
phasing. You might want to disconnect
the 4 ball links from from the swash and see
if the swash is moving correctly. That way,
you immediately see if the problem is below
the swash or above the swash. Otherwise,
check that you built the washout correctly.

Loosen and align the radius block so that the balls on the inner ring of the swashplate align with the balls on the outer ring of the swasplate at the four ball positions. Turn your radio on and see if a pure forward command on your right stick moves the swashplate forward only and left stick command on the right stick moves the swashplate left only. If the swashplate doesn't move in exactly the same way that your right stick moves when the heli and transmitter are pointing in the same direction then you have to readjust the radius block thingy with the pins sticking down until the movements of the stick match teh swashplate.
I have read somewhere that there were some swashplates on the skiddy that were "out of phase" from a manufacturing defect or something like that. If your radius block is setup correctly and you still get the control interaction then you'll need to get a new swashplate. I saw in a post on one of the forums that MRC/Altech will replace a defective swashplate free of charge if you send it to them. I doubt that yours is defective but I thought that I would ley you know of the possibility just in case.
VD

I have the Scadeau 30 and I was a bit confused by the instructions on Page 16 of the manual regarding the alignment of the radius block. I won't try to explain it here it would be no clearer than what the book says. You will have to look at the figures at the side to see what they mean by lining up the swash plate's lower and upper pivot bolt and setting the radius block. It is a bit confusing but becomes clear once you reread it several times and try to match the figures on the right with the actual view from over the main shaft.

I believe this is where your problem originates.

Good Luck!

<<...you would think a $1200 radio would have at least as many features as an 8103...>>

You would, wouldn't you? I have had several discussions with shall-remain-nameless Horizon employees about this. My gripe is opposite of yours. I have the heli version and I miss some simple airplane functions.

Anyway, the company line is that nobody wanted dual functions when the 10-series radios were being developed. The real story is that they never increased the "computing ability" of the radio once the PCM 10SX was released. All they have done is move features around. A quick look at the menus of the 10SX, 10SX II, and 10X will reveal that clearly.

Welcome to helicopters.

Steve

First of all, thanks a lot to all of you that replied.

After reading all the replies I re-read the instructions a few more times, re-read the addendum and mades some very minor changes to ball link lengths that might have been a bit off. Then I sparked up the chopper again and observed the same strange behavior. Later that day I went to my local flying field to fly my Extra 300 and I met a heli guy there that has been flying helis since Christ was just a pup .. he was a top competeror "in his day" and I explained the problem to him and this was his reply "Oh, that's normal, it will all straighten out once you get the heli off the ground". It the back of my mind I said "yah, sure ... you're an idiot".

Later that day went back to the shop and started the chopper and decided "what the hell.. lets give it a try" ... I trottled up and go the chopper a few inches off the ground started maneuvering around and everything seemed to be working great. I continued expanding the envelope little by little (remember I'm still a heli novice so I didn't get too brave) .. eventually I was getting up to about 5 feet off the ground and the damn thing was behaving exactly as it should.

Go figure ... he was right !

SO in other words it was a thumb alignment issue?
glad it worked for ya!