Full nest: EXI 450 Sport Completed!

I completed the recycling of the Dynam Erazor, though I did end up putting new Solar 11g digital servos on the swash of the new EXI 450 Sport. Over the course of a couple of days she came together. Yesterday I dismanteled the Erazor, my old friend. She taught me to hover and to embark on my first forays into Fast Forward Flight. She took a beating, as you can see, but was pretty tough. I abandoned her because I want to stock parts for one make, and since her parts were unique and not Align compatible, as she aged it was time to decide to let her go. Hello new friend, good bye old friend, hail and farewell.
 

 

There were a couple of issues with the EXI 450 Sport I received from Xheli.com. The landing gear are one piece, which is fine, I will replace it someday. The issue was it was molded for a single midline screw attachment to the frame, not the 4 corners the frame base was molded for. I had to drill in the new ones. No big deal, but odd for a quality make. A second issue, a bit more perplexing and possibly significant was discovered when I set up the swash pitch. It tops out and bottoms out mechanically at the hard stops of the head and the frame at +/- 11 degrees of pitch! I usually fly 12 degrees, with a lot of room to spare. The main shaft is exactly the same length and drilled the same as a genuine Align 450 shaft I have on hand, and the rotor head, linkages and swash are also all look standard (maybe the rotorhead on the Sport is a pot longer that the Pro, and that could explain it). I plan to keep this a flybarred heli, so maybe at some point I will replace it.

 

Introducing my newest addition to my heli nest, my EXI 450 Sport! Excited for the maiden flight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The entire hangar is all ready to fly!

 
UPDATE: I just learned on the interwebs that the Sport does have a shorter Pitch range of motion by design. While capable of 3D it is designed for the less aggressive pilot.
 
Had to make one alteration to the canopy to fit the main gear, just on the left side, much like I did on the EXI 450 Pro. Also added some stickers.
 

 

 

 
UPDATE: Just maidened her in the driveway! She is quick, snappy on pitch change. A couple of small tweaks, and she is flying sweet. I did have an odd problem where a tail belt seemed to shred off layers of fluff that spindled on the tail shaft and the power takeoff from the main gear. I had to unbuild the tail, pull all the fluff that had wound itself on and around both tail gears (power takeoff and tail shaft). It covered the power takeoff such that the gear teeth no longer engaged the belt. Changed out the belt too. Problem solved.
 

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