Well, the difference a few hours make...

Started the build, and a few hours later, here's where I've gotten! All that is left is to install the mainshaft and gears, in the process set up the tail boom and tail controls, install the electronics (BEC, ESC, receiver), install the tail servo and program it, replace the fly bar (its a longer one than the stock, as its for a Trex 500, but that should just increase the stability), then set up and fine tune the CCPM. Then the fun begins! A flight test. This one will also get a Trex 500 canopy from Turnigy.
 
At this rate I may have this thing done in the next couple of days.
 

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We can rebuild her! Eventually.

Back in September I had a bad day. Part of that day was taking the HDX500 up, losing power and watching as her frame split in half. I knew there were some cracks, but they were mild, so as it happened I knew what was going on. It was an old frame, maybe 5-6 years old, and it was brittle. Needless to say, she did not land well.
 

Split frame held together by the wires and skids.

 

Back half.

 

Front half

 
I have spent some time, from time to time since I really wasn't looking forward to the amount of work this is going to take, taking the HDX completely apart, piece by tiny piece. I had purchased the new frames a couple of months ago. I LOVE this heli, and really want her back together. I finally have everything apart.
 

All the parts pieces.

 
Today I will start putting the HDX back together again, piece by piece... I really want to make sure each piece is clean, and plan to rinse everything in acetone, and re-lube the moving parts with silicone. That part I am looking forward to.
 
But for now, a cozy blanket on the couch and some NCIS episodes I will watch for the hundredth time...
 

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A space for the HDX500, but no HDX500 in the space...

Well... I have three months to get the HDX500 back together in its new frames before I move.
 

 
I start tomorrow. Actually, I started when I deconstructed much of the old frame (the cetner part with the servos, shaft and shaft bearings is still one big chunk in the upper right), but tomorrow I start the new frames.
 
Until then, there is still one hole on the wall!
 

 
The purple lanyard where the HDX lives...
 

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Return of the HK500

Back at the end of September 2012 I described how I dumb thumbed my HK500 into a hard crash with a devastating boom strike. Of late, with my overly busy schedule, I just haven't had time to put her back together in one fell swoop like I used to do. So its taken a bit of time because I did it one small step at a time, but I finally have her back together. The frame was fine, as was the rotor head, but I had to replace the tail boom, tail blades, the boom supports, the servo control arms (the servos had no damage but a couple fo the amrs snapped off) and the canopy (the original green one was cracked, easily repaired but everytime something stressed it the paint cracked and chipped, so I opted to just replace it).

 

 
I have given her a Trex 500 canopy. She is still ginormous and beautiful! Once I tune up her CCPM again, she will be ready to fly. I can't wait to get her up on a test flight!
 

 

 

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Lookin' for that lovin' feeling...

As I scrolled through my blog I realized I haven't done much of anything related to flight. Getting tucked into a new job with a lot less free time, weather windier than down south, and a general funk. This adds up to a pokey attitude and a whole lotta nothing going on. I've lost that lovin' feeling.
 
I went looking for it today. I put the EXI450 FBL on the lab table and let it sit there for a few hours this morning, waiting for the return of the love.
 
I thought I had mentioned that I had taken the EXI450 FBL out, was flying it and it started to spin down despite high throttle, and I had to auto to land in a thick weedy field. (I think it was on the same day I dropped my HK500 being stupid). Bent a swash control rod when a weed wrapped around it, and stripped a few teeth on the main gear. I hung it on the wall for several weeks during the funk... I took it down today and inspected it. I found out that, as I suspected, the main motor pinion had come loose and was spinning freely. Replaced the main gear, rolled the main shaft (no bend), reset and snugged the pinion, put it all back together.
 

The pic shows it displaced. Fixed the heli. Rezeored the blades. For giggles, I spun her up about 10-20% in my living room to check the disk, flat, vibration free, flight ready. Yeah, I was bored, glad it didn't get any more exciting.
 
Flew the sim today. Flew great. Now if I could just duplicate the hand shaking that accompanies real flight I would have the whole experience.
 
Stlii lookin' for love in all the wrong places. Noticed later my badly wrinkled HK500 found its way onto the lab bench.
 
Maybe I'll get lucky tonight?
 

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Old Friends at MCRCC Fall Fly-In

I was fortunate to be home this weekend when MCRCC held its Fall Fly-In at Bob Miller Field in Gulfport, Mississippi. Kenny Chandler and the MCRCC boys put together a nice show. The field was gorgeous, the planes beautiful, and the weather could not have been more perfect! Luke, Aidan and I went by and I ran into a lot of my old friends. Kenny Chandler, Ron Johnson, Bill Page, Greg Reed, and Dickie Ober. I saw Jerry Gollott, Paul Verger, Al Warburton making rounds. It was good to see these guys.
 
Kenny, you did awesome! Bravo Zulu!

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Syma Saga: Replacing battery and motors

My original, now about three years old, Syma S107G was having power problems: it had enough power to hover a few inches off the ground and that was it. I bought a replacement 1S 240 mAh battery, and removed the stock 150 mAh battery installing the new one as it was a cheap and easy repair. Its really easy if you can solder. I removed the canopy by unscrewing the two side screws on the canopy. Identifiy the battery wires and cut them close to the battery one at a time (so as not to short the battery and risk explosion), leaving the wires into the circuit board long. I soldered the new battery leads, covered the solder points with shrink wrap, stuffed the wires and battery in, and replaced the canopy. Charged it, flew it... This didn't solve the power problem, still couldn't get out of hover.
 
I figured it might be the motors... I found a pair of replacement motors for about ten bucks on eBay. I removed the canopy again, and examined the frame. I could see that the were a bunch of wires from lights going to the canopy and the motors from the circuit board. The board is attached to the bottom part of the frame, and the shafts, gears and motors are attached to the top part. Two screws, one fore and one aft hold the top to the bottom. I removed these and without cutting any wires I found the motors and their wires. The front main motor has a blue and red wire, as does the tail motor. The back main motor has a black and a white wire. I cut the wires close to the motors. The motors are held in place by a tab on the frame. I slightly pried the frame apart and using a pair of needle nose pliers easily pulled the motors out one at a time. The new motors slipped right in (they each have their pinions in place, came that way) and fit nicely under the tabs. I carefully soldered the wires back together, rather long now since I cut them long from the circuit board and the new motors had long wires. Easily done. It might have been easier to solder the wires, then install the motors. Stuffed the wires in, taped the battery in place, and replaced the canopy. Charged the battery and away she went! Flew perfectly! Problem solved!
 
Pictured above are the old motors. The black and white wires are the back motor, and the wires were very long to start with. Their magnets make them stick together.
 

 
Here's a half way done pic. Wires to the lights in the front of the canopy limited how far it could go from the frame, and the frames had their wires. The red and blue wires have been soldered and I used a small piece of electrical tape over the solders as I didn't want the heat from shrinking the wrap to part the solders, the wires being so thin. Here I am about to solder the black and white wires, jigged in the hemostat. You can see that the parts are all leashed to one another by wires. This looks hard but was incdibly easy!
 
I have two of these now, and they are so much fun to play with! Check them out!

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