RC BLog: Pretorian 435: Heli up, heli down, heli up!

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Heli up, heli down, heli up!

I brushed off the Align Trex 600 EFL Pro, and programmed it into the iX12, an easy process on an FBL system that is already set up and programmed, as is the case with this heli's Spektrum AR7200BX (since discontinued, an AR 7200 receiver with a BeastX FBL system). Create the model in the transmitter, make a reversal here and there, the usual model programming and she was all ready.

I fly her 10 to 12S, Sport. So much tech!

Once I set her up took her out and flew her, tuned the tracking one turn, perfect. She flies wonderfully. I was pretty nervous, and brought her nose in to land. She came down sweetly but the tail landed first and the tail blades caught in clumped grass. The tail blades delaminated and the front torque tube gears stripped. One tooth on the auto-rotation gear split. There is no other damage. Pictured above is after I removed the tail assembly, so it does look like devastation! I have to replace the front toque tube gears set, the auto-rotation gear, and the tail blades. Since this is one of my two pure Align helis I searched for all Align parts. Medusa Heli on eBay had everything I needed, ordered and parts are in their way, $50 later!

UPDATE: Turns out I have the Front Torque Tube gear set for a 600 heli, so I went and installed that. Now waiting on the replacement auto-rotation gear and the new blades.

I turned my attention to the Align Trex 600e PRO with its beautiful flybar cage! Programmed it into the iX12, and reset up the entire cage from servo control arms to the blades, all 90-square now! I increased the pitch from 11ish to 13ish, and aileron/elevator to about 7.5ish. Oiled the bearings, re-balanced the blades and ran her up on the bench at low speed to make sure everything stays put and runs balanced and smooth, sans main blades.