First real Heli Novice FP

[mikegigabyte]

EDIT: NEW HELICOPTER!! ///First real Heli Novice FP

Just got a real rc helicopter, nano sized. Only have experience flying those cheap 2 channel ones, but with a single rotor not the cx type.
Guy at hobby store got it trimmed out in 1 min, took it home and lost the settings trying to get the stupid battery pack in the remote. The trims are super loose. Then I'm trying to fly it in a room with about 5 feet by 3 feet of open area, which is super hard having no experience. Had the tail boom come loose which caused the rear to twist slightly, and saw I had the battery back to far, and the receiver came loose and was sitting sideways so after fixing that my trims are almost all centered.

Had it in a bigger room and can get it to hover but I run into problems with it either lifting or dropping, slightly but enough to loose control. It doesn't fly as good as the hobby store guy did it, he used mine but he was in a big space. can't do it outside as we have rain and alot of wind, but I can see this being fun outside in a grass field.

I'm now thinking I should of bought the CX type, he had it hovering without touching the remote. I wanted to fly this in the house but I'm wondering if I got the wrong type. Of course I've only flown it maybe a dozen times and can maintain hover for 1 min, go forward and sideways but only with the tail facing me, and in a room its alot harder to control right now. Still sort of goes in a wide circle but with the tail facing me, and the slightest adjustment really throws it off.

Already broke the tail rotor blade, cracked the main rotor and cracked the canopy. Luckily I bought a new tail rotor at time of purchase, and it came with an extra rotor but I glued and taped the cracked one for now, same with the canopy.

Here is a pic from the website

 

[HPIguy]

Single rotor helis are a big jump to learn with, especially one that small. No offense, but I think for what you're wanting to do, you'd have been better off with a co-axial. Personally, I wish I had went with a co-axial myself. I just don't really enjoy my heli all that much, and think I would have more fun with CX heli.

 

[mikegigabyte]

Single rotor helis are a big jump to learn with, especially one that small. No offense, but I think for what you're wanting to do, you'd have been better off with a co-axial. Personally, I wish I had went with a co-axial myself. I just don't really enjoy my heli all that much, and think I would have more fun with CX heli.

well the only good is that I can crash it a ton and not really break anything compared to a bigger one. my dad has a brnad new never flown .30 nitro helicopter he has been trying to sell for a while, maybe if we can master these little ones we can get the big one for at least one flight until it crashes. Its all ready to fly and we attempted years ago to hover it, but couldnt.

I do think I got the wrong type, I wanted it for indoor flying and after seeing vids on you tube it looked possible with mine, but I'm sure more practicing and I can get it. I did get longer hovers today, still figuring the trim. My problem is the tail rotor stick, I move it opposite of what it does, to bad the remote doesn't have a reverse setting because I may do better that way, I dont like to think what to do, and if there is a way to flip that channel it may make it more easier for me.

There is a whole row of dip switches, and only number 1 is on. Can I reverse my tail boom setting this way?

 

[HPIguy]

I do think I got the wrong type, I wanted it for indoor flying and after seeing vids on you tube it looked possible with mine, but I'm sure more practicing and I can get it. I did get longer hovers today, still figuring the trim. My problem is the tail rotor stick, I move it opposite of what it does, to bad the remote doesn't have a reverse setting because I may do better that way, I dont like to think what to do, and if there is a way to flip that channel it may make it more easier for me.

There is a whole row of dip switches, and only number 1 is on. Can I reverse my tail boom setting this way?

Good for you man, that's great you're getting better at it. Anythings possible with enough time invested. I went right to a single rotor, and collective pitch right off the bat. I can hover my CP all day long, flying it, not so much LOL. I have no idea about the dip switch to be honest with you.

 

[Rolex]

Just to make sure it's your tail rotor that's reversed, moving the stick to the right will move the heli's nose to the right.
If you're not familiar with that, you'll think stick right is moving the tail left.

 

[mikegigabyte]

My only hard control to do is the tail rotor. I'm going off of instinct, so I figured if I can make the control do what I naturally do it may be easier to fly. I did do alot better today, my dad also bought one so I got his all trimmed out, he can't take off at all yet and has a hard time figuring it out but he pinches the control sticks.
I originally told him to get the easier and cheaper type, but he is stubborn. I still have my tail rotor motor clamp twist, even though the screw is super tight, its on a carbon rod and I believe that may effect my trim and flight angle, my dads is tight but the little black wings on the rotor are loose so once we figured that out and got the right angle it flew alot better. It does seem to fly easier now after about 30 flights, I can still only hover and go sideways and forward.
I'm in a living room doing this with a low ceiling so I'm limited severely and have to drop it alot when walls and lamps block my view. I'm feeling alot better now having this, and I'm sure with alot more practice and hopefully having more space to fly it will be worth the money.

I may do a video soon too. To bad its raining because it would be fun out in the backyard.

 

[bergoff]

If you don't mind me asking how much did those cost? I'm thinking of upgrading for air hogs helis.

 

[mikegigabyte]

If you don't mind me asking how much did those cost? I'm thinking of upgrading for air hogs helis.

The model I got is $150, but the yellow one with 2 rotors is on sale at hobby people for $99

 

[Scrogg]

Those air hog heli's are super sensitive to airflow. An A/C duct will make them crash. They are pretty tough and a nice challenge to fly in the house. Cats love them too!

 

[mikegigabyte]

Found the dip switch settings online, switched the tail rotor. Next time I fly it I will see if it helps me. It was set before if I move the stick to the left the nose goes left. But I was flying my dads most of the day and I can remember having trouble with his, not sure if his was wrong, maybe mine has been correct but it just takes a flip of the dip to go back.


Here is the dip settings

http://rc.runryder.com/helicopter/t558819p1/

 

[mikegigabyte]

Well switching the tail setting helps, now it goes the way I want it to. I've mastered takeoff and almost mastered hover. Flew it at my dads house and he has alot more room and can hover it really good. He also has a big table and I can hover 1 inch over it, and if it slides off table you need to power up fast so it wont fall. Finally I'm moving the tail around but I still keep the tail facing me. Bought some super small carbon fiber rods and I'm going to make those training bars and practice flying on the ground with the front towards me.

My dad has the same one and his has had so many screws come loose, on almost every part. Mine only had 1 loose screw. Of course they take a 00 phillips so its micro screws and hard to see.

 

[malkore]

do not take that heli outside. even an e-flite Blade MCX is indoors only and is larger than your nano heli.

coaxial is a lot easier to hover and learn on, but a little less responsive once you get a lot of time under your belt. still a lot of fun though, and you need a larger room. my MCX wants you to have a 10x10 room, so 3x5 isn't going to cut it (are you in a closet?)

 

[PaulC]

Well switching the tail setting helps, now it goes the way I want it to.

Put the dip switch back. You will just train yourself into a corner with it set that way.

Repeat after me:
NEVER FLY THE TAIL!

FLY THE NOSE!

Imagine you are in the helicopter cockpit, if you want to 'turn left' you would push left rudder. You will NOT think "I want to turn left, so I need to move the tail right."

You may think it will help you now, but once you are beyond hovering the way you "fixed" the tail control will cause you much pain. You'll need to start thinking about it again.

So..... start flying the nose of the heli, and not the tail, quickly! before you learn too many bad habbits.

As to nano single rotor helis... They are really kinda too small and light for outdoors. Too and responsive nimble indoors until you are really good at it. (A month of two).

Coaxial heli's are much the same, but much easier indoors. Outdoors they either blow off in the wind or clack their blades together in wind and windmill out of the air. They don't fly very fast. Even indoors they become 'boring' fairly quickly. I mean they don't do anything BUT hover. Forward flight is... is a sedate affair. Any wind more than 3-4mph and you'll never get it back up wind.

My approach is to use my CX3 for indoor training, particularly hovering while changing orientation to side in and nose in and trying to do figure of 8s and spot landings.

For outdoors I bought a Trex 450 Clone (Video in previous post). Cost was about $260 + a few LHS items during the build.

Paul

 

[mikegigabyte]

Made a video, looks bad because of the lighting. Did some flights and crashes, broke my glued tail rotor blade, so I had to put the new one on. Got a good 1 min flight but then the tail rotor motor comes loose ( happens alot ) so it crashed into the lamp. 2 more short flights with the loose tail motor because I didnt have my screwdriver to tighten it up.
Thats the only thing I have trouble with, is that motor loosing up on the carbon tube. Not sure if I'm ready to glue it, incase I have to take it off one day.

Next video will be in the garage, hopefully better lighting. I had it hovering with one hand today in the garage, little more room in there but still not enough height.

 

[mikegigabyte]

Uploading a better video from the garage, had a bit of a scare when the tail came lose again so I put 1 drop of glue in the screw hole and it worked its way into the motor. I had to spin it by hand for 2 min with tiny pliers to break the glue loose. But now it wont twist loose ( the motor housing ).

I noticed every crash I was distracted by the camera screen or looking down to see which way to adjust the trim, and the trim has no feel to it like expensive remotes, and the slightest bump and they slide around. I have stickers and marks on the remote to so I can put the trim back because they are so loose.

Remember this is around 30 flights, no real helicopter flying experience big or small. I did change back the dip switches for the tail rotor.

Video to come

 

[HPIguy]

Looking good no longer than you've been flying. That thing looks really touchy BTW. You're killing me here Mike. I'm tempted to order up some batteries for the heli....I got new blades sitting here.....somewhere.

 

[mikegigabyte]

 

[mikegigabyte]

Took a few days off from flying, tried today and did even better, opened the garage and was going out halfway into the breeze. Was able to hover almost motionless inside and played with going forward and backwards. My dad brought his over and he magically learned to take off and hover a little. He then takes out another heli he just bought from hobby people, for me to fly and he will buy repair parts.

Its a mystery sold by hobby people. Its the next size up, and seems really powerful. I was able to get it to hover on first try, but in the garage there isn't alot of room, so we brought into back yard. Avoiding all the land mines I put it in the grass. Its like a mini tornado back there, the wind comes in all directions. It takes off harder as it has a ton more torque, and the tail twists alot more. Did okay hit weird wind gusts which blasted it upward near the power and phone wires. Ended up crashing it on the tail which broke the tail rotor, so no damage but that. I did manage to control land every time except that time, compared to the nano ones which mostly crash when landing. I'm excited to try this mystery, but its very scary. I think I need more time with the little one. I feel fine hovering the big one but one mistake and it can cause alot of damage and I hate breaking things. Guess I chose the wrong hobby

 

[Rolex]

Guess I chose the wrong hobby

You can always try knitting, but there's not as much excitement.

 

[HPIguy]

This is what I get when I go to Hobby People to look at that heli