ORIGINAL: jimutt
Hi guys.
I've been looking at the Big Lama for a while and I'm planning to buy one to the summer if anyone can answer this questions:
How heavy payload can a stock Lama carry?
How heavy payload can a brushless Lama carry?
What the ''wind limit'' for a stock lama?
I'm sure this questions already have been posted but I don't have the time to read over 100 pages. I'm sorry for that.

ORIGINAL: sgbfly

<div>Blade test part LXXIII [img][/img]</div><div> </div><div>Finally I got chance to fly the Viper phase II blades back to back with the reigning champs the Walkera 400D blades. The results:</div><div> </div><table cellspacing=''0'' cellpadding=''0'' border=''1'' style=''border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none;''> <tbody> <tr> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div> </div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Esky</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Xtreme</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Vipers</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.6pt; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>400D</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>FFF</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>**</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***½</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>*****</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Handling</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>**</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>****½</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Hovering</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>****</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>*****</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Wind</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>*</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>****½</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Onboard video</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>***</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>*****</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>****</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>**</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>Total (of 25)</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>15</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>13</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.55pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>18.5</div> </td> <td width=''148'' valign=''top'' style=''width: 88.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;''> <div>19</div> </td> </tr> </tbody></table><div> </div><div>Winner = 400D blades (trimmed & shimmed)</div><div> </div><div>But’ in today’s politically correct world everyone goes home with something [img][/img]</div><div> </div><div>Best outdoor sport blade = 400D (winner by far imo)</div><div>Best indoors = Vipers (great hover, good in ground effect & tight spaces)</div><div>Best for beginners = Esky (buy a big multi-pack of eBay. They are brittle but that protects other parts in a crash or blade strike such as gears.</div><div>Best for Aerial Photography (AP) = Xtreme’s but you need a very still day lol</div><div> </div><div>If you take the AP consideration out of the reckoning the 400D’s victory is more convincing. I left it in because AP interests many and fewer vibrations are kind to things like gyro's. The 400D's are my favourite blades after a thorough test. I have flown each blade over many lipo’s (15+ at least each). All blades were tracked and balanced prior to the test.</div><div> </div><div>Glossary:</div><div> </div><div>FFF = Fast Forward Flight, ie, how fast the BOL goes with these on</div><div>Handling = Stability in sudden changes of direction, turns etc</div><div>Hovering = obvious but includes controllabilty ground effect flight and negotiating tight spaces</div><div>Wind = How easy is it to fly and make headway in a breeze</div><div>Onboard video = smoothness of onboard video (may post some vids later)
Trimmed and shimmed = The 400D's are longer blades intended for a heavier model. I cut them down to Esky size to preserve rotor head speed. Also, little homemade plastic shims were require to ensure a snug fit into the blade grips.</div><div> </div><div>I have not included resilience (Xtremes win and Esky’s worst for this) because I have yet to crash my Vipers! Blade strike was not an issue for me because I run an extended inner shaft.</div><div>
Hope my opinion is of interest.</div><div> </div><div>Simon [img][/img]

I may well come back to edit this / add vids.</div>

ORIGINAL: sgbfly

Hi R/B,

^ Thats very funny. I had chance to fly the Walkera 400D blades back to back with the Vipers. Imo & flying style there is a clear winner!

Later......[img][/img]

Simon [img][/img]

PS. Nice work Spiros & informative as always!

ORIGINAL: kiwigeoff


R/B

I used RC11 - here is the link for others. They have the Lime Fuselage as an option, so it seemed a bit different from all the red/ blues.

http://www.rc711.com/shop/product_in...oducts_id=2180

Placed order 8th, they processed 12th , arrived here in Texas on the 20th, so quite good service. Bought spares for the Lama 4 and orginal BOL at the same time, so all in a good deal. I'll use them again.

ORIGINAL: rikybob
I have similar on order from http://www.goodluckbuy.com/ whom have a range of heliparts and general electronics. Has not arrvied yet, so can not comment on them as a vendor yet. I intend to modify it to power the existing Navigation lights that I hand built , as this will add the battery monitor feature at low cost to my existing installed circuit on the orginal BOL.

I found like Buz that when flying on 72Mhz, that low voltage of either the main lip onboard OR only 3 greens on the transmitter the BOL would go off on its own. I always could see it start to twitch and normally manged to catch it before it flew off to into the neighbourhood, but it still scared me enough to want to have a lipo alarm on board. I have now got both BOL on 2.4Ghz, but spread on two transmitters so my lad can start to fly the original BOL. Have anyone of you seen the same twitch and heading off on its own with the 2.4Ghz system?

Simon,

Your night video has a white landing light on your naviagtion, looks cool, I only have red/ green and red tail flashing - is that home built or did you use a premade?


Spiros.

While I was online I tried your preferred vendor http://www.miracle-mart.com/store/ for bits and peices also.They certainly have good prices. I am tracking to see how long they take to deliver. Certainly RC11 is the first through the door at this stage.

Happy flying all

Geoff

ORIGINAL: pgroom_68

Hey again all,

I was just trolling through a couple of sites in the US[X(] (California actually) - and found what some of you guys might find interesting (or irresistible)

HOW ABOUT SOME [link=http://www.rccarmax.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Big+Lama+canop y&amp;x=17&amp;y=10]DIFF.-COLORED CANOPIES[/link] FOR YOUR BOL??

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]
P.S. Sorry in advance R/B.......[sm=49_49.gif]

ORIGINAL: sgbfly


Hi Geoff,

Thanks! It was a kit bought from eBay seller ezledz in the UK. Regrettably, they seem to have stopped selling their products.

The spot light is a very bright 10mm led with reflective holder. Pics attached. As you can see my BOL is the veteran of many face plants and broken noses lol . The large red shrink wrap velcoed to the bottom of the rx mount is the end of the LED wiring loom with presumably appropriate resistors inside.

Simon

ORIGINAL: sgbfly


Hi Geoff,

Thanks! It was a kit bought from eBay seller ezledz in the UK. Regrettably, they seem to have stopped selling their products.

The spot light is a very bright 10mm led with reflective holder. Pics attached. As you can see my BOL is the veteran of many face plants and broken noses lol [img][/img]. The large red shrink wrap velcoed to the bottom of the rx mount is the end of the LED wiring loom with presumably appropriate resistors inside.

Simon [img][/img]

ORIGINAL: Edmund2

Simon, I have just watched your 250ft height BOL video shot in December. Must have been scary, then again also worth the view. Now fly time for me. Have to scare away a few pigeons on the roof

Edmund2.

ORIGINAL: jimutt

Hi guys.
I've been looking at the Big Lama for a while and I'm planning to buy one to the summer if anyone can answer this questions:

How heavy payload can a stock Lama carry?
How heavy payload can a brushless Lama carry?
What the ''wind limit'' for a stock lama?

I'm sure this questions already have been posted but I don't have the time to read over 100 pages. I'm sorry for that.

ORIGINAL: rikybob
Trimming is cutting the blade tips so the blades are the same length as Esky blades.
Yah, I recalled that so just use a OEM to pattern the cut and what for shims??

ORIGINAL: rikybob
All,

I see over at the "other fourms" downtrodden and dejected SR folks are starting to let them go in the for sale ads......hmmmmm

R/B

ORIGINAL: jimutt

Hi guys.
I've been looking at the Big Lama for a while and I'm planning to buy one to the summer if anyone can answer this questions:

How heavy payload can a stock Lama carry?
How heavy payload can a brushless Lama carry?
What the ''wind limit'' for a stock lama?

I'm sure this questions already have been posted but I don't have the time to read over 100 pages. I'm sorry for that.

ORIGINAL: sgbfly

Morning RikyBob!

Raining again? lol [img][/img]

Now about the Brits. You are quite correct, but every now and again we go mad and do something out of character like the Trust ssc and the English Electric Lightening. [img][/img] Now that would be a tricky model plane to fly I bet.

Trimming is cutting the blade tips so the blades are the same length as Esky blades.

Simon [img][/img]

ORIGINAL: sgbfly

Hi Brunon,

Totally awesome! Especially the supercruise aircraft [img][/img]. Puts the ~20mph BOL in its place (shallow attempt to remain on topic)

Simon [img][/img]

PS. I've just added a picture of R/B looking for some plastic to make shims. Looks to be enjoying himself [img][/img]

ORIGINAL: pgroom_68

Hey - welcome! On my browser it is page 150 that we have just begun. I'll give your Qs a try mate!

I think a stock Big Lama can lift a load of about 250g (apart from its own weight), but it would be very sluggish indeed. Maybe Patrick (who has a large camera rig on-board his BOL) could tell you more accurately........[sm=50_50.gif]

With upgraded BL motors the load will slightly increase to make it about 300g - but I wouldn't want to risk stuffing my ESCs!

It is recommended that you don't fly in wind above 8 km/h (5mph) - but I've flown kinda successfully (sustaining no damage) in 15km/h winds - as I was impatient with ''one windy day after another''[:@]

So, you see, there are no black & white answers to your questions - but I hope that helps a little.[sm=49_49.gif]

Peter[sm=shades_smile.gif]
P.S. What the %@#* are you thinking of lifting anyway?
P.P.S. If you want a bird for flying in wind you need a Collective Pitch. Blade SR has just been released and is designed to be easy to hover for the newbie transitioning from coax to CP. ...or as Tony posted not so long ago you could get a [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9601564]cheap Align Trex 450 clone without electronics[/link] and add your own separates. How much experience have you had at crashing helicopters??

ORIGINAL: barak1001

Buy yourself an RC simulator. Something like Realflight g4.5/g5 or Phoenix RC. Then set the wind on the sim to around 20 mph and then practice until you can stay airborne and get the helicopter to go where you want to go. Make sure if you're using realflight that the simulation conditions are set to ''advanced'' so that it more accurately simulates wind. Although the sim isn't a perfect simulation of real world conditions, once you can fly relatively well in the sim you should be ready to move up to a collective pitch helicopter.

The SR's marketing that it's for a ''beginner'' is just that, marketing. Go over to the Eflite section and start seriously reading threads about the SR. You should notice that there are a large majority of people (including people that have flown larger helicopters) that bought them thinking they'd be easy to fly and then crashed them on their first flight. Due to the transmitter's built in expo settings it may be easier to fly than a 450 with no expo settings, but it's still a single rotor collective pitch helicopter and is by no means ''easy'' to fly. If you insist on buying an SR make sure and order your spare parts at the same time. Spare parts for the SR at most shops currently aren't expected to be in stock until mid April.