AAARRRGGGHHH! My first plank!

I have been bit!  My addiciton to RC aircraft has spread to airplanes, called planks a both pejorative term and a term of endearment. I purchased a 40" Exceed J3 Cub from nitroplanes.com, and I can't wait for it to get here! I have been flying the J3 on my Phoenix RC flight simulator, and flying it quite well. Planks are gnerally easier to fly than helis. They are also easier to maintain. Kits can be far more challenging to build due to incredible details in structure. I like the e-planes as I can use my heli batteries (I hope they are the same size).

CopterX 250 not entirely Trex Compatible

I replaced the faulty tail gear (first pic) and axle on the CopterX 250 today. I was having tail control problems that I had isolated to a lack of headspeed. Inspection revealed that the pulley gear spun freely on the axle. It slides freely as can be seen in this first pic. Apparently the cross hatch marks on the axle pressure fit the pulley to the axle. The middle pic is what its supposed to look like. I replaced it with an Align Trex 250SE tail rotor axle and pulley (the black one) but had a problem screwing in the rear screw. The tail case was spread about half a millimeter, just barely deforming the casing, as you can see in the bottom pic. The sides of the gear pulley have a small flange edge on them, and on the Trex part it is noticeably bigger than on the CopterX part as you can see in the middle pic. It worked just fine in spin up, and I have solved the loose gear pulley issue (the tail has some great headspeed and control is powerful now). I am not sure this is the way to go. I have CA'd the original pulley and may try it, but am not sure how it will respond to the, friction heat. I have found a US distributor (no long wait) for CopterX parts at Machinaria.com and ordered the proper part. I'll replace that when it comes. Of note, all the other parts have been Align compatible, such as the featherng shaft and main shaft.

I broke off the tip of the port skid pipe trying to get the screws on the tail assembly off. (They are those damn star ones and they roundoff the tool easily. Dremeled down the rounded off tip and got the screws off easier). I stuck some Goop and a toothpick in the pipe and put it back together, but eBay'd some replacement pipes from gogo.rc, one of my favorite Chinese sellers. Machinaria was NIS on the pipes.

Tomorrow I want to fly the EXI 450, though I am tired of crashing and breaking them every time I take them out. I also want to try to fly the 250 as well, having repaired it, but may wait until I can get the original tail axle back on.

In regards to the ERazor... Yesterday one of the small main grip bearings was crushed when the head spacer popped into the grip while screwing the feathering shaft back together. I have to wait for more parts from Heliporz. The Erazor is still down.

Frankenheli is delayed waiting for a few more part to come from Helidirect. May put the servos, ESC and motor in while I wait.

Where are the kids?

Looked back at the beginning of this blog, and it was going to be about me and the kids learning about helis... But I find myself alone. Black Ops and Dead Space/Dead Space 2 happened. The kids movved on...

Flight Status 1.25.11

EXI 450:  UP. Completed repairs to the rotor head, replaced the main gear and the servos (with EXI D213F). Reset up the CCPM and re-centered the tail rod; was very anal about the alignment. She is set up to fly, hopefully tomorrow.  Had issues setting up the pitch/swash. Could not get consistent pitch, and the neg did not match the positive (full down and full up throttle). I had this problem before, but had forgotten how I had dealt with. I put a bubble on the flybar so it was level and voila, matched perfect -10 -0- +10. Looking forward to flying, but nervous since it took so much time and effort to redo. Sim time!

ERazor 450: DOWN. I have all the parts, tomorrow will look at putting the main rotor back together and setting up the CCPM on it. May wait a day or so, kinda burnt out on CCPM setup after working on the EXI.

Frankenheli 450: BUILD IN PROGRESS. Had to order some parts I found I did not have in the repair locker, like paddles, tail stabilizer stays and fins, and some replacement grips (after the frozen bearings could not be removed... in the salvage grips that came with the rotor head). I have many of the parts, enough I can start working on it again. Maybe later this week?

Pics of Frankenheli in progress.

Frame is good, replaced some missing bolts and a frame support. The tail boom is new, and there were no issues when I rebuilt the tail assembly and re-greased the bearings.

The original rotor head was badly bent, feathering shaft, main shaft and flybar. The Grips were not salvageable as the main bearings could not be removed, but the thrust bearings are fine. Have the parts, will fix.

CopterX250: Down.  Ditto the ERazor ... Have parts for the rebuild of the rotor head (feathering shaft), just need to do it. Can put that back together and re-setup the CCPM on that pretty quick.

CB180D: UP, no issues.

UFLYS: UP.  In theory. Still very unstable. Might be fun to spend a day just sorting it out...

CB100#1: UP, no issues.

CB100#2: UP, no issues.

Posted on a gyro question on HeliFreak, not sure I understand some things about these "gyros" that I thought I understood pretty well... Interesting read:  http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=273989

Newbie Creed (Posted on Helifreak)

It has occurred to me as I reflect on my whining, the laments of others about our lack of progress, and on comments reminding me that there is a path which I will have to walk within my flying talents, I realise that my agita comes from unrealistic expectations I have for how quickly I should learn to fly.

I am a Heli Newbie. I will fly, build and setup helis well in due time. I have to earn it within my abilites. It will take as much time as it takes. There will be setbacks, there will be success. There will always be someone better, more talented and gifted, who will proceed faster than I will, and I am okay with that, because for someone else I am that pilot. I will contribute to our hobby whenever I can however I can and value that contribution, big and small.

I resolve to be patient with myself and continue to enjoy this incredible hobby right where I am in it, and look forward to the day I fly and build focused, fearless, happy, safe, and in the zone!

FRICKFRACKINFRICKINPIECEOFFRICKFRACKFRICKENFRACK !!?$#@*!#!

(Deep cleansing breath...let it out slowly...)

The Wall of Shame

The Three canopy-less helis, my EXI 450, my ERazor 450, and today, my CopterX 250, all in the hurt locker for the same damn thing... Bent main rotor systems. Though the 250 got off light with just a bent feathering shaft...

I re-examined the gyro and tail setup on the bench this afternoon, then took the 250 to the driveway for a spin up having tightened up the tail rotor drive belt. The torque yaw was still there. Kids were getting off the bus, so I moved to the back yard not wanting to end up on the headlines for maiming them. I decided to reverse the gyro just to see if I was mistaken. Well, I wasn't until I reversed the gyro. The thing super spun to the left (tail right) so fast it ground looped, hit TH, but it was clear there was carnage. Inspection revealed a badly bent feathering shaft. Took the rotor grips off and checked the main shaft, and its okay, as is the rest of the cage. Helidirect gets more of my money. Good thing I like them...

I took another look at the tail assembly. I noticed that the belt gear spins freely on its shaft; there is no catch or anything, likes it free wheeling. Well, not like it is, it is. Both directions. That can't be right... I check my other helis and they are not. Could this be my problem? I added tail shaft rotor to my Helidirect order and will just replace it. It was this way when I got it... curious what I will find when I get it taken apart.

Well those who can't fly build. Time to start on Frankenheli 450!

To make me feel better I comforted my kitten by napping with her. She had her routine well check exam today, shots and a q-tip up her butt to check for parasites. Seems both of us got it up the ass today :-P

ERazor 450 and CopterX 250 Maiden Flights (Posted on HeliFreak)

I took the ERazor 450 and the CopterX 250 out today, both for their first flights. Spun up the 450, ran sweet and smooth, very little tracking issue. Hovered sweet, though I noticed it took about 75% throttle to rise into hover from normal mode (never flipped it into idle up). It was nicely controllable. I had a couple short hovers, and on the last one I ground rolled it a little and the rotor hit the grass. It was an unimpressive rotor crash and I am very good at hitting TH, but it ended exactly like the EXI 450 maiden flight with a bent main rotor and feathering shaft! I am surprised how little it takes to bend the shafts.

Incidentlly, both the Erazor and the CopterX motors ran backwards...I checked and the wires are all aligned properly. I reversed two of them and it then ran fine. Marked them with electrical tape... The 250 also yawed with torque, not gyro reversed yaw, but just couldn't compensate. Travel is good. The belt was a bit loose, so I ended for the day and pulled the tube back 1mm when i got back to my shop. I will likely fly it tomorrow.

When I got home I broke out the spares that Flying Fingers sent me, only to find that the Dynam ERazor is not a true Trex clone and none of the parts are compatible... so xheli WITH ITS NO LONGER FREE SHIPPING got $40 more of me money!

So both 450's in the hurt locker. Got the 250 and now have all the parts for my Frankenheli 450. Franky will be my last build until I master flying the ones I have.