XRB SR + cockpit: Flying & Balance
01-18-2005, 10:40 PM
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XRB SR + cockpit: Flying & Balance
Just a quick note about balancing & flying the XRB SR after adding the optional cockpit. I received my cockpit this evening and quickly added it to my XRB SR. It attaches in seconds with included double sided transparent tape. No instructions are provided. I knew that I would need to re-trim the heli, but I didn't expect full back trim would be required to compensate! Obviously some rearranging was in order.
So after a few flights with the battery hanging out the back of the tray to see where it would need to be for balance, and realizing that didn't look too great, I decided to unscrew the battery tray, turned it around 180 degrees and reattached it. It shifts the battery back about an inch, and the heli only needed a few clicks of back trim after that. It also looks factory.
The heli is a little more stable after adding the cockpit, but flight time is down about a minute or two. It doesn't have as much tendency to bounce in ground effect, and maintains altitude with more stability, but it also descends faster too now, ie when the battery goes dead and it attempts to auto.
All in all I am not sure the added weight is worth the shorter flight time. The slightly more sluggish response with the cockpit could be overcome with the lighter flybar paddles. It is a very nice cockpit, I will admit. And it is also pretty light, but this heli is so light that you can tell the difference with the added weight.
I also have a tethered XRB and also got another cockpit. I haven't balanced it yet, but I probably will just remove the extra slack tether wire in the nose and hopefully be close to original balance.
If anyone else has flown extensively without the cockpit in either SR or tether, and then added it, please share your thoughts about balance & flight time. Thanks!
So after a few flights with the battery hanging out the back of the tray to see where it would need to be for balance, and realizing that didn't look too great, I decided to unscrew the battery tray, turned it around 180 degrees and reattached it. It shifts the battery back about an inch, and the heli only needed a few clicks of back trim after that. It also looks factory.
The heli is a little more stable after adding the cockpit, but flight time is down about a minute or two. It doesn't have as much tendency to bounce in ground effect, and maintains altitude with more stability, but it also descends faster too now, ie when the battery goes dead and it attempts to auto.
All in all I am not sure the added weight is worth the shorter flight time. The slightly more sluggish response with the cockpit could be overcome with the lighter flybar paddles. It is a very nice cockpit, I will admit. And it is also pretty light, but this heli is so light that you can tell the difference with the added weight.
I also have a tethered XRB and also got another cockpit. I haven't balanced it yet, but I probably will just remove the extra slack tether wire in the nose and hopefully be close to original balance.
If anyone else has flown extensively without the cockpit in either SR or tether, and then added it, please share your thoughts about balance & flight time. Thanks!
01-19-2005, 12:14 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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RE: XRB SR + cockpit: Flying & Balance
I just balanced the Tethered XRB (red version) after adding the optional cockpit. Even with the optional fake engine mounted, and removing all slack from the cord in the front of the heli, I need 4.5 grams of weight at the horizontal fins on the boom to bring the balance back to original and have a stable hover with the Elevator servo arm centered.
If I decide to stick with it, somehow I need to mount this weight. Maybe I will make some custom tail rotor blades or fins from metal. Ideally though I'd like to remove the extra tail weight easily if I change cockpits.
I am also flying this one with the lighter XRB SR paddles, but it is still noticeably more sluggish with all the added weight than it was before.
I probably will just take the cockpits out of both of them, or get one spare (non cockpit) canopy to share between them whilest flying and leave these with cockpits for display...
If I decide to stick with it, somehow I need to mount this weight. Maybe I will make some custom tail rotor blades or fins from metal. Ideally though I'd like to remove the extra tail weight easily if I change cockpits.
I am also flying this one with the lighter XRB SR paddles, but it is still noticeably more sluggish with all the added weight than it was before.
I probably will just take the cockpits out of both of them, or get one spare (non cockpit) canopy to share between them whilest flying and leave these with cockpits for display...
