E-flite CP+ vs. Heli-max AXE CP

[rcnut143]

Which one would you pick? Any major problems? How easily will I be breaking blades? Mostly how many pairs of blades will I go though before I know what I'm doing?

 

[Candyman]

I don't have firsthand knowledge of either as I don't own either, but I believe the Axe CP is slightly larger than the Blade. Typically, larger=easier to fly, but I don't know as the difference is large enough in this case. They are both collective. Both are dual-motor setups. So I suppose it comes down to how easy it is to get parts. They both seem to have a lot of online support. But if you have a hobby shop nearby, it might be better to get one your shop carries parts for. Because the truth isn't exactly pretty. These aren't easy to fly. You will crash it. And when you do, you will have to replace a few parts each time. So if you don't want to sit around looking at a disassembled heli, local parts support is a good idea.

 

[rcnut143]

I have some experience flying the CX and CX2 (see video in video threads but I'm really not that bad) but i am looking for something I can do a little more with. My lhs carries both heli-max and eflite parts so getting parts is no problem if i can scrounge up the money. Blades are looking a little expense at the moment though so i might just decide to just keeping flying the CX2.

 

[HeartBreak]

I don't have any experience with the CX or CX2, but I do have an AxeCP. Overall, I'd say it's a pretty durable little heli. It's fairly stable in a hover. The only real issue, as with all dual-motor helis, is that as the battery drains, the tail tends to swing around.

Aside from that, it's a great little helicopter. The blades are $15 for a pair on Tower. The most expensive part is about $35, aside from the electronics.

 

[Rolex]

I recently bought a Cx2 from Savagefan04 but I haven't broken anything yet. I have a big nitro Century Falcon .46, so I already have experience with helis.
I do agree, the bigger and heavier the heli is, the easier it is to fly.

 

[rcnut143]

yeah i can see how the heavier it is the easier it will fly. If I hit something with the blades how easy do they break. I assume they are balsa covered in something but with the CX2 blades if I hit anything the right way they shatter. I know I will break some in the beginning but what does it take to break a CP blade?

 

[sweetdiesel]

Before jumping into a CP, I'd try to do more with your CX2. You'll be surpised at how much the CX2 can do under the hands of a good pilot.

I've flown both the Blade CX2 and Blade CP Pro and they are completely different animals. The CPs should not be flown indoors unless it is in a large gymnasium.

 

[HeartBreak]

The blades are usually made of skinned balsa, which means they shatter like glass if they hit something. Also, just because the blades are made of a fairly shatter-able material, does not mean that it is safe to fly it in close proximity (unless of course you are willing to lose a body part, potentially your life).

They don't call these little birds (and the big ones too) "flyin guillotines" for nothin.

 

[rocknbil]

Here's some input on the Blade CP.

How easily will I be breaking blades?

As easily as you get impatient. With the slightest touch on just about anything, they will disintegrate. Yes, they are balsa, and break easily. The first inclination is to get better blades, such as plasti-blades or carbon fiber - do not do this, for two reasons.

The first is safety - the head spins at about 1500 RPM, hit something with a balsa blade and the blade will break. A carbon fiber will slice right through just about anything. Most commonly this is the tail boom. On a hard landing, the rotor flexes down enough to hit the boom and thwack, cuts the boom in half along with the tail wires. It's only $7.50, but you have to completely break down the heli to replace it.

The other is like anything else - the blades break so it doesn't damage something else. Even a balsa blade strike will bend the main shaft, but with heavier plasti-blades or CF it will do even more damage. The best thing is to stick with balsas until you learn to fly, and after you learn to fly you won't need something stronger.

Being that they are balsa, you can get the most out of them if you learn to repair and re-cover them ($18 per set last time I checked.) Info on that here.

I have some experience flying the CX and CX2

This has taught you the controls and orientation, but unknowingly it has taught you some bad habits that will dork a CP every time. Having a single rotor, once the CP starts to dip off in one direction it will begin to accelerate, so the reaction is to jerk it back - which sends it into a pendulum motion, back and forth until you crash. They don't "center up" like a CX does.

The two most important mods you can do on a stock BCP is add the dual tail mod and the fuse mod.

The single tail motor out of the box is just not enough to hold the tail. These motors are tiny, and they burn out easily, and if you step up to 3S packs (which you should) they will only last a few flights. With dual motors on the tail, you connect them in series and this splits the higher voltage between the two, giving you at least 50 flights.

If the rotors get jammed against anything in a crash and the power is still up for even a second, it will almost instantly burn up the MOSFET's on the 4-in-1, a $70 unit. Also true of the tail motor. The fix for these is the fuse mod.

You get some 3 amp and 7 amp auto fuses. De-solder one of the wires on the main motor - doesn't matter which - solder one lead of the 7 amp fuse directly to the motor lead, solder the loose motor wire to the other side of the fuse. Cut one of the tail motor wires somewhere in the middle of the heli chassis, and solder the 3 amp fuse to the wires.

This is a vital mod, and allows you to fly without anxiousness in idle-up mode, which is essential for stability in breezes and for 3D flight. I go into idle up before liftoff, and don't come out until it's back on the ground. Flies 10X better in idle-up.

Some other threads that will be vital reading:
Upgrades, Lipos, Flying - Be sure to check out both the links at the bottom of that post to Radd's School of Rotary Flight and the Electric Helicopter Beginner's guide. These will save you a lot of money and let you in on what you're up against.

Aluminum Head and How to Set Pitch The pitch of the blades is critical. This thread discusses that and why aluminum heads for these littel heli's is NOT a fix for problems you think it would fix.

 

[kwong2001]

The two most important mods you can do on a stock BCP is add the dual tail mod and the fuse mod.

Isn't there a belt driven tail conversion for the Blade CP? To me that'd seem easier than running motors for the tail rotor.

 

[rcnut143]

I think I'm just gonna get a CX2 its fun and will be cheap to play around with

 

[Rolex]

Isn't there a belt driven tail conversion for the Blade CP? To me that'd seem easier than running motors for the tail rotor.

The purpose of the separate tail motor is to eliminate the extra drag of the belt and added mechanical parts. On a nitro heli it's not a big deal, but on a micro machine it puts a lot of strain on one motor and also cuts way down on battery time.