crashcrash

I took the EXI out back. I fired it up....flew it, and it just didnt seem right, had a heck of a vibration too so I landed it and took it in to check it. Two screws on the flybar control arm were gone....not good. I replaced the screws and used loc-tite blue on it. The I started looking at the vibration thing. I pulled the blades and weighed them...they were off big time so I balanced them with black tape....smooth as glass now. Took it out back again and started doing high altitude/high speed runs with steep stall turns...ripping up the field. Everything was PERFECT...trim, response, all of it so I headed south and went high. Stall turned it and headed north (normal mode) at a high rate of speed. I dove then started the steep climb, the nose went vertical, and I rolled 'er over on her back, then nose down picking up good speed, then pulled 'er out of the dive just as pretty as you please headed north again. This time, the loop was text book all the way through. I said "that's enough for the day, brought 'er back and landed. A 100% complete and perfect loop in normal mode. In doing the loop, I never changed the throttle position. Speed and inertia...just like a plane.

theradioflyer

That awesome Vic! Now the comfort level just keeps climbing I hope you had the same kind of weather as us today. When I got home from work I was too tired so I took a nap. When I woke up it was still perfect so I took the 40" Edge540 and the F-16 out. I got 3 batts through the F-16[8D] There was absolutely no wind.... what a blast!

Dave,
Loved the last email

God Bless Y'all,

Jay

joeyhatch11

Hahaha it's not heavy by any means. It's only plexi glass with a little gray fabric I wrapped it in. Very small and light. And I think I can land on that with no problems. I was landing on a log out back that was cut from a old tree, probably a foot and a half round. Well see how she does on Wednesday, I'll keep you guys posted. But I like the fiber board idea. You can really get creative with that.

Oracus

Way to go Vic great job. We all knew you would get it down "perfect".

After 2 weeks of email with Horizon I finally got the call tag and Tx is going out tomorrow.

crashcrash

Jay...wind has been nil all day. My left eye has been burning and watering all day (pollen or spores?), I'm suprised I pulled the loop. I flew the F-16 this morning, just the normal stuff...loops, rolls, hammer heads. I suppose I should go ahead and shoot some outside loops and inverted flight but I'd REALLY need a bigger field for that....the F-16 just eats up a lot of real estate in a hurry. GREAT flying day for anything including an MCX (LMAO).

Wnuk

Vic - That is AWESOME, bud! Confidence only builds from there. Idle up loops are next, I think you'll find them a load of fun.

Joey- Looks good, give us a full report once you try it out.

I took my oldest to work with me today to deliver some equipment back to some customers. After we finished, we played 9 holes on a local muni golf course. This is one sport that looks easier than it actually is. I've had a desire to learn to play for a few years but will wait to take it seriousy until I have more free time.

This evening, with the winds down and nothing else going on, I took the Flasher and 2 battery packs out to our flying field. No one else around, not even in the park so conditions for a test out were perfect. The first battery I stuck to figure eights and stall turns only. Half was in normal mode and half ws in idle up. It preformed well and felt real stable in flight. I am thinking the stability comes from its weight, 840g RTF. It felt real smooth and I didn't notice any bad tendencies except for a tail bob now and then which I was aware of before the flight. I kept the flight to 4 minutes on an 1800 20C pack to be cautious with the new scorpion power hungry motor. I just finished recharging that pack and 1100 mah back into it. Not bad

On the second pack( a 2000 20C pack), I went right into idle up and started figure 8's and stall turns again. About midway through the pack I took it up high (like Vic), stalled it around to gain speed and pointed it skyward again for its first loop. The nose came up, she went inverted, tracking straight all the way. It stayed inverted for much too long though, like it didnt want to come back out of the loop even thought I had full elevator into it. So I eased up on the negative pitch to get some downward momentum in it and continued to hold full elevator into it. She eventually came around upright about 10 feet above the ground and my heart was pounding about as hard as it could without exploding! I continued on with the pack and flew it out with some sport flying. It's on the charger now so I'll see how much it takes back.

The reason for the poor loop appears to be too little swash mix on the elevator. When putting it together, I set it up for all I could get with binding on the antirotation bracket. It was about 5 degrees positive and negative. What I need to do is drill a new hole in the frame and move the bracket back a bit further so I can get more throw without binding on full collective and elevator. That SHOULD take care of it.

On a side note: Never pick flowers for your wife!

My bride noticed some wild flowers growing on the side of a back raod near home and mentioned to me how much she liked them. So being the great husband that I am (and having just bought the Flasher without her knowledge), I stopped by on Friday and dug the flowers up for her. Well, she loved them and we immediately put them in a bed in the back yard. Well Saturday I begin to itch all over my arms. Did I mention I have a terrible reaction to posion ivy! YEP, arms and face are covered in welts and oozing. It usually takes about 3 weeks for me to get rid of. DOH! Never picking her flowers again!!!

Jim

crashcrash

Jim....I could have done it in idle up as easy as not. When I throw the switch when in a hover...you can't see or hear any difference. I knew once I got comfortable with nose in (and I am), the rest would start to click, and it is. I see a backflip tomorrow if the conditions are right. I do need to work on nose in landings and take off's though to make it more fluent.

LMAO...I haven't tangled with poison ivy since I was a kid. That "three leaves let it be" thing...I take that right to the bank

theradioflyer

Jim,
Sounds great with the Flasher. You gotta love when you save it and the rush that follows! I grew up in the country and we learned early on to identify and stay away from that three leave crap. I hate the stuff! Make sure you get rid of all of it because it is a vine that will just keep on growing[:'(]
Put that calamine lotion on and dry it out quick, wash everything that oil touches and keep it covered with gauze so you don't spread it around

I hope you get rid of it quick!

Blessings,

Jay

erkrystof

Dave, with grass as green as yours, it's probably good that you don't paint it!

Good job on the flying report, Vic! Keeps us noobs (am I the only one in this thread?) motivated

Joey, we were using just straight plexi-glass my father had lying around, didn't think of it before but adding some texture to it like yours would work out swell.

Jim, sounds just like my father. As a child he was burning a bunch of leaves/wood/etc, and there was some poison ivy that was basically turned to smoke. Not so good!

Hoping I'm getting all the names down, I'm going to have to start building a list. I also hope nobody minds that I use the names directly given that I just piggybacked on to what looks like a long list of conversations and friendships, to be quite honest it's very foreign to me, but since nobody has last names on here I can't rightly say Mr. Dave or Mr. Vic.

Off to see if I can't get a few night flights in before any neighbors with open windows complain!

Be careful out there!

J-MICHAEL

Jim ~


Quit itching...... Boy we don't have that stuff up where I'am from here in the Pacific Northwest, but when I was in Cali last year at my dads he warned me of it. I'am like sure whatever.... And you know how much I love to go play in the bushes being a avid outdoorsman and landscaper ! So I had so much fun clearing massive brush up top of the mountain to fly as you remember, and also by the guest house by the creek where I was staying. I was in there thick ! And it is very moist in there, and the Poison ivy and oak love it in there ! So I don't need to say more other than that it took awhile for it to show the signs, but by then I had that oil everywhere... All my tools, cloths, inside the guest house, eh ! It was the most horrible experience I went through...

Being it was so hot there also just made it even more memorable as the stuff just spread like a wildfire in all areas... And I mean ALL areas if ya know what I mean... (LMAO)... We won't got there...

For awhile, because I did recognize the plant, it didn't seem to affect me. The stuff was EVERYWHERE and still had to be dealt with in removing it, as it was in the way. So I was handling that stuff like any plant and trimming away, grabbing it in piles to throw into a bigger pile. I thought, sheeesh.... This stuff is nothing... A couple days later, WRONG...! 3 weeks it took to get rid of it ALL over my body and around my puffy eyes. My third leg () look liked it grew in diameter another few inches from the swelling and pussing ! So a little advice is if it itches down there, don't even think about it... Jeez, I know I'am a risk taker, but man I'am not ever going near that stuff again !

Hope you get well soon.... Your Flasher 450 weight seems to be average... My T-450 also weighs 844 grams RTF.

Been super busy, but trying to still find the time to lurk...



~ Jeff


P.S. ~ Vic, Way to go on the loop buddy ! [8D] I knew all along you could do those loopies, and anything else that gets thrown your way !

joeyhatch11

Hey Eric, I'm kinda with you on the noob part. I've only been flying a CCPM for 4 months I think now. Doing really well with it and starting to learn backward flight and stall turns. Reading these posts of others doing loops and rolls only pushes me further and makes me want to try that much harder. hahaha So keep it up guys. Joe

Oracus

Eric

Im pretty sure no one here will have problem with the name thing. Once it starts you get "pulled" into the group and become a Chatty Cathy I have been on this thread for 2 1/2 years even if I dont have a CPP anymore lol and still a noob.

Mr. Curtsinger

J-MICHAEL

Eric & Joey ~


Like Kyle here, I myself was a noob not long ago also... My first sign up with RCU was 9/14/07 and I jumped on board this ship of crazy fools 4 days later with my first post being on the 18th. I couldn't have done it without them ! I might have packed up and moved back to the RC-Cars, since my first heli was the stock CPP... The key players that are here today, are the same gents who were there for me about 2 years ago. I can fly a heli in a satisfactory way now, but still consider myself also a nooby... WAY to much to still learn.

It was a CPP fiesta here, and now most have moved on to more reliable machines. The new CPP2 is a whole different machine than the stock CPP's were. Go pick a used one up for about $50.00 and you'll see ! Yikes a roni ! But still fun to prod at it once in awhile....

You'll get the name thing down, and I doubt anyone cares anyhow. The main players are listed below if it helps :


Who posted in this thread :

Username Total Posts :


crashcrash 2570
choppersrule 1924
theradioflyer 979
J-MICHAEL 963
Wnuk 616
lookyj 579
Barrrick 563
ArrowNaughtic 551
Oracus 365


Looking back, I remember Lookyj had a nice little collection of those CPP's, complimented with a sprinkle of some CX2's.... So as a warning.... The disease could spread rapidly in this addicting hobby !

crashcrash

+1

I know your personal progress will eat at your brains...it did mine. What I had to do was think back to the first days of flying a .40 gasser. Thinking back....I did a LOT of crashing and repairing. Well, flying helicopter is NO different...I've done a LOT of crashing and repairing. I know there's points where you think to yourself "am I retarded?", the answer is ....NO. If you learn to hover, foward flight, flying right and left side in's, then you "have it", and understand whats going on. I'll tell you....have a GOOD and stable heli and a good programmable radio...it makes all the difference in the world. I never REALLY started improving till I went to a 400 size heli and the DX7...and then understood the programming of the radio. Cost is another factor that impedes the learning curve. I crashed twice inverted trying to get the loop....I had to stop for a while if I wanted to fly because I couldn't afford parts. Even right now, I'm down to my last set of main blades, and I'm flying with repaired skid struts....but tomorrow is pay-day.

joeyhatch11

Yeah right now Im at the point where I have to stop trying to learn new things and just fly for what it is. I'm running out of funds and have to finish paying for my Aruba trip. But when I get back I plan on buying a HDX HC500SE. Looks so bad ***** and I want something bigger but dont want to make the jump to gas. Another thing that I found out today is that I get paid 3 times in October so I was thinking of getting with the DX6i or the Futaba 6ch. What do you guys think? Post links if you got them.

Hey what do you guys think of this deal? Is it even a deal? hahaha

http://cgi.ebay.com/Futaba-7C-7CH-2-...3A1%7C294%3A50

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=390068726144

theradioflyer

Joey,
I don't know anything about the DX6i/heli combo but I love my Fut 7cHP and so does Vic. Vic converted his to 2.4 with the assan but mine is still 72mhz and holding on strong. It's the best radio I've ever owned and once you learn the menu pages it's easy to program and navigate. Mine has a 10 model memory that is full. It does my heli's and my planes.

Blessings,

Jay

crashcrash

Personally, and no offense to Dave or anyone else, I'd NEVER own another Spektrum after flying this 7c...it's awsome.

Jay, the wind is nil right now...go fly something!!! I just come in from flying the 450...yup...another loop so it wasn't luck yesterday, I also had it in idle up this time. Flew the F-16 earlier when the wind was about 8mph, that was fun too and I AIN'T DONEY YET today...gotta rest my eyes a little.

JPEE

Hello Joey,

This may be a bit late but like someone mentioned above, I too have done that...hitting the pole thing. And by the way I still hold the record. I have hit the same light pole with a CX2 twice! A Blade 400 once! and the last time my T-Rex 500........oh man I almost threw my transmitter down on the ground when that happend. Like you I was flying by the post and lost my depth perception and caught pole with blade tips and PING""" and down she came. What hurt the most was that I built that heli from scratch and there was "love" in there. Since then as Jeff and others will tell you, once you pop your cherry like that on the one you love (heli) it then becomes just another helicopter in your hanger. Kind of like getting that first dent in your new car. I hope you learn faster than I have. I now keep the post "against" my back literally so I know where it is.

Oh yea, on the name thing...........you can call me anything...........just don't call me late for supper! LMAO


as far as transmitters, I have never used a Fatuba, I hear they are very good and and very nice. I have been flying a DX6i Spectrum and realy liked it and it was simple and friendly. Thne I got a DX7 Spectrum..........WOW what a difference......a great transmitter but OMG what you have to leanr to use that thing......wah-zoo menu's. It cook supper for you if you program it to do so but while she is great, she "was" complicated to go to from a DX6i.

Smiles JPEE

joeyhatch11

Thanks for all the feedback and stories guys. The day I hit the pole, I hit it twice in a row. The first time was head on in a light forward flight. (my depth perception was WAY off) The nose hit and bounced off, no damage. Then I brought her back around and I was coming in hott, I had the heli damn near on it's side, and WAM!!! No more heli. So funny to watch pieces go in 6 different directions. Leason learned, stand closer to the pole so I know when I'm behind it. hahaha New main gear should be here tomorrow and if it took any longer I think I'd start going through withdrawl. LOL Wait I think I already am. Might have to hit the Sim tonight to get my fix hahahaha

erkrystof

Well, I'm still new and haven't done any swapping out yet, so all of my e-flights are of course Spektrum and 2.4 at that.

I am looking at trying out something like a Futaba after I do some more research on the different models, as although Spektrum hasn't outright failed me, one bad transmitter out of the box (LHS replaced day of purchase), one small glitch and one memory slot half-overridden with default values (that was a bad practice day, let me tell ya) haven't really jerked my personal chain to the limit yet, but I'm not necessarily rallying under the Spektrum flag, either.

crashcrash

Spektrum has been the 2.4 path finder (leading the pack in technology) but the problems are that they market it too early off the engineering board (R/D not long enough to pinpoint problems), and using sub quality electronics. They lost me....I'll never do a spektrum system again. Funny...I started on Futaba, I'm back to Futaba after using Spektrum and JR. I KNOW Futaba quality, and Assan 2.4 quality seems to be holding up well.

theradioflyer

Vic,
I got out today with the Edge again and the Big Ole pink foamy When I left for the soccer fields there was no wind. I got to the fields and there was a constant 5-10 mph breeze, no biggie, I flew anyway. When I got home there was no breeze at all Kinda funny because the field is less than a mile from my house. Glad to hear you got another loop in[8D]

Eric,
It stinks when you loose programing. One bad thing about the Fut 7CHP is when changing from PPM(FM) to PCM in the menu it erases everything programed in that model number. I had this happen after 3 hours of programing my T-Rex I can't tell you how mad I was. Now before programing a new model into the memory I double check what mode I'm in

Blessings,

Jay

crashcrash

Jay...LMAO....after I landed the EXI and took it in, the wind pumped right up to about 12mph. I was waiting for it to drop again, and it did...then we got a down pour for about 30 minuets, that turned into a steady rain, so I never got another flight today....[:@] I had the F-16 on the kitchen table WAITING for a break that never produced...oh well...see what tomorrow brings.

Your PPM/PCM thing. Installing the Assan 2.4 hack module negates switching, you STAY on PPM and never change it and the recievers are only $33 shipped....did I mention that? (LMAO).

erkrystof

Ugh, my brain is fried tonight, too much research on AVR microcontrollers. Methinks I'm going to get a development board and see what little LED things I can start programming with.

Yeah, the programming loss was frustrating, especially since only half the settings were squashed, I don't know how I could have done that myself, to be honest. I now have to scroll through and make sure everything is set to ease my paranoid nature. The first flight after was quite scary, it turned out that the pitch curve was mangled, after the first attempt to get it off the ground it took me a second to notice it was driving it INTO the ground.

joeyhatch11

Am I going to have issues with the Futaba 7ch 2.4ghz that I listed above? Dropping programming and what not?