RE: Which Collective Pitch Helicopter?
As a heli newbie, I've gone both routes. Nitro (Raptor 30) and electric (TREX 450 Pro...bought it from a clubmember with 5 batteries and receiver for around $350). You can probably find a good used Raptor for less than $500 as well. My Raptor has only had two crashes, and has survived both with little damage (new blades, new feathering shaft, new tail boom). My TREX has been punched into the ground in many different "events". and usually all I have to do is replace the mainshaft ($10 for 2) or a feathering shaft ($10 for 2). I've had to replace the tail rotor drive gears twice ($10/set, and you usually have some spare parts left). I have been amazed at how durable this thing is. I've come to prefer the Raptor now as it's more stable in hovering (I'm focusing on nose in hovering, and it's way less twitchy. My TREX was flown by a very skilled 3D pilot, and I haven''t adjusted the setup much). Once I get better, the TREX will see more flight time, but for now I"m stickig with the Raptor. Plus, it has the added benefit of smoke and noise, which is a huge plus in my book. I'd stay away from some of the cheaper ones, like the Helimax Axe CPv3 which was my first. Lots of mechanical issues with it, and a very squirrely flyer. It did get me to progress to hovering and forward flight though so it served it's purpose. Just spent a lot more on parts than I have on my TREX, which has seen far more abuse.
Posted on: 6/2/2011 9:41 AM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10553286

RE: Swashplate binding at extremes
I figured it out. Something just didn't seem right, and the whole pivot assembly was binding at full pitch, with a noticeable "stick and pop" near the top. After further inspection it turns out I installed the flybar control linkage upside down, so the bottom link was interfering with the washout arm at full pitch. Flipped them and no problem now. The directions for this could be made vastly better with some decent resolution photos of the completed assembly. Thanks for the responses.
Posted on: 5/3/2011 5:33 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10499994

Swashplate binding at extremes
I just rebuilt the head on my Raptor 30, and there seems to be some binding in the swashplate at the extremes. I never noticed this before my crash (and since I'm still in the basic hovering/forward flight, I've never used the controls at their extreme throws.). I replaced the blade hub, double links, feathering shaft, main shaft, and the two longer linkages. I just hovered it and it hovers fine. However, when it was idling with the rotors spinning, when I put in full left or right cyclic, at the extremes the helo started shaking pretty good. Spinning the shaft by hand, there's no visible issue. Just when then cyclic is at the extreme left or right throw. Any other ideas on what to check? I just went through the Raptor Technique page and didn't see anything that helped. Thanks.
Posted on: 5/1/2011 10:08 AM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10494691

RE: Unexplained TREX 450 tail wag
No it's shaft-driven. The secondary drive gear on the main shaft has a strange warp on it, so I'm going to replace that and see if htat fixes it.
Posted on: 3/18/2011 4:11 AM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "T-Rex heli"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10407391

Unexplained TREX 450 tail wag
While in a stable hover, the tail started oscillating pretty rapidly, about 5 - 10 degrees in each direction. I landed and then spooled it back up and the wag was there at full rpm. I slowed, spooled it up again and it was gone. Is this a sign of a bad gyro or servo? I know it can't be a balance issue as it was flying smoothly before and after. Any ideas on how to troubleshoot this one?
Posted on: 3/17/2011 6:46 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "T-Rex heli"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10406872

RE: 450 Pro tail rotor drive gear replacement
Thanks...I figured that out after I got it out and looked close. Since the manual says it's factory assembled, I didn't realize that it split in half. Got it fixed and back in action.
Posted on: 3/15/2011 1:45 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "T-Rex heli"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10401932

450 Pro tail rotor drive gear replacement
Dinged the tail and stripped the torque tube front drive gear. I have it disassembled, but how do you remove the gear from the drive assembly to replace it? I have the replacement gear in hand, but the manual says that assembly is factory assembled. What's the trick to removing it? Thanks.
Posted on: 3/14/2011 5:32 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "T-Rex heli"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10400107

RE: Ace SkyTech TSi receiver compatability
That's what I'm finding. I called Hobbico and they don't have a lot of info on what might be compatible right now. I went with a new Spektrum DX7 since the 450 already had a JR rcvr in it. I'm going to use the Skytech for my airplanes and convert my Raptor to a JR rcvr so both helos are on the same radio. What I found was most transmitters are only compatible with the same company rcvrs.
Posted on: 3/8/2011 5:51 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10387758

Axe CPv3 electronic failure???
I've flown this for about 50 flights and have had my share of crashes, but it kept flying fine until after the last relatively minor crash. I replaced the main blades and grips, and thought everything was good until I powered it up again. Now when I increase collective, there is no positive pitch, only negative. The servos appear to be functioning correctly and the linkage for the swashplate/flybar appears to be correct as well. I though maybe the transmitter had a channel reversed, but reversing the throttle channel didn't fix anything, other than making the motor run at full throttle when the stick was at the bottom vice the top. The manual is a little light on the linkage setup, so I' m wondering if I have something backwards or if there's a problem with the 3 in 1 board. I'm thinking it might be time to retire this one as it's served its purpose, but if I can get it to fly I'll probably give it to my neighbor's son who has been fascinated by my toys.
Posted on: 3/2/2011 5:15 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Helimax"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10375332

RE: Axe CPV3 tail rotor replacement??
I've replaced several tail rotors on mine, and what works for me is I use a channel lock pliers with the jaws spread fairly wide. I place one jaw on the backside of the motor (be careful of the capacitor solder joints) and the other on the tip of the rotor blade. I then very gently squeeze the pliers while guiding the rotor onto the shaft. Takes about ten seconds to replace now. Also, there is a right and wrong orientation of the rotor. If I remember correctly, the beveled edge goes against the motor shaft. Unfortunately I think my Axe has made it's last flight. I'll be posting for a solution in a separate post.
Posted on: 3/2/2011 5:09 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Helimax"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10375318

Ace SkyTech TSi receiver compatability
So I'm going to buy a used Trex 450 Pro that needs a receiver. I have a SkyTech radio that came with my Raptor and will work just fine for me at my current skill level. What receivers are compatible with this transmitter? It's a 2.4, so I'm not sure about the compatibility stuff. I'd like to go with something smaller so it will fit inside the frame, as opposed to mounting it on the outside of the frame. Thanks.
Posted on: 2/26/2011 4:58 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10365888

AXE CP V3 set up
I had to replace the flybar on my AXE, and I'm a little confused. The original factory installed flybar was pretty stiff and seemed to hold the paddles horizontal. Now they hang vertical and wind pressure from rotation flattens them out. Should the bar be stiff enough that it can hold the paddles flat, or should they flop around until they start moving, or does it not really matter? Thanks.
Posted on: 1/31/2011 5:19 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Helimax"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10303547

RE: That was odd...receiver malfunction??
Nope, it's the Ace 6 channel that came with it.
Posted on: 1/27/2011 3:11 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10293598

That was odd...receiver malfunction??
I was in a stable hover about 5 feet up and the receiver appeared to go dead. The engine cut, the helo dropped to the ground, and there was no response from the sticks. I turned the receiver off, turned it back on, and it was like it never happened...everything worked fine. The battery (like the helo) is new, and it was freshly charged last night with one flight of about 15 minutes on it. This is my first 2.4 radio, so I'm curious if anyone has ever experienced something like this before. Fortunately, there was no damage. I need to add, the gyro light was still on, but the receiver light was off. When I turned it off and back on, everything was as it should be. Any ideas.
Posted on: 1/27/2011 3:09 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10293589

Recommended Engine temp
What's a good range for head temp after a full tank of gas? I measured my TT 39Pro after a tank and it was around 180degF. This was with just hovering, nothing demanding ( since I am still mastering the hovering phase!) Is there a recommended range? I haven't seen anything in the engine manual other than max RPM. Thanks.
Posted on: 1/17/2011 5:01 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10270637

RE: Unusual vibration
Stock TT30 blades. I bought the super combo ARF, so eveything was assembled. I'll check for some slop in the linkages. What's "woof 'n poof"?
Posted on: 1/13/2011 1:38 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10260981

Tail boom assembly on TT30
There are three white tail linkage guides on my boom, but they aren't secured and slide freely. The manual doesn't mention securing them anyway...are they supposed to be able to slide around like that? The two in front of the tail fin occasionally slide together, but I normally separate them before I fly and they stay relatively still. I imagine I could secure them with a touch of glue if required. Thanks.
Posted on: 1/12/2011 4:26 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10258905

Unusual vibration
Did the blade balancing trick and have a new problem that I don't think is related to the blades. I get a random violent shaking that is unpredictable. While in a hover, everything was smooth, I added a little power to climb a little higher and the whole helo started shaking violently. I landed, took off again and there was no vibration. I can't pinpoint if the vibration happens at a certain throttle setting, but it's definitely a problem. It happened a couple of times. I have no idea what to check first. Any ideas?
Posted on: 1/12/2011 3:23 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10258747

Raptor 30 blade balancing
Santa was good to me this year and brought me a TT 30 combo. I was a little surprised by how out of balance the blades were using my helimax balancer. The CG of the blades was pretty off, as was the overall balance. I've got maybe three wraps of electrical tape on one of the blades to balance. Is plain old electrical tape a good balance tape? Also, where's the best place to put the tape? I know you get better leverage farther out, but that would seem to have negative gyroscopic impact on the blade disc. Fun helo to fly, once I figured out my tail rotor was spinning in the wrong direction, which explained my complete lack of tail rotor authority. Had it hovering today for two tanks of gas. Gotta love Real Flight 5.5 and a Helimax Axe CP V3.
Posted on: 1/11/2011 5:25 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Thunder Tiger - Raptor 30, 50, 60, 90"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10256461

century 21st fabric
I ended up recovering my Cub with Sig Koverall and am painting it with latex after my less than ideal experience with 21st Century fabric. Primarily I couldn't get good adhesion to the wood, following the directions to the letter. When I tried increasing the temp, the fabric started to show discoloration (scorch marks). Even tried using balsarite to help to no avail. The paint match of their spray was also not ideal. Have had great success with the Koverall, using their Stix-it and then clear dope to seal the seams. Looks great and much easier to use, expecially around compound curve, than the 21st stuff. Plus, shrinks a whole lot more for a much better finish. I'm a new fan of Koverall.
Posted on: 4/5/2003 12:18 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=13839

Tower Hobbies EP ARF Sailplane
Reposted from the Sailplane forum. Have one sitting in my basement and am contemplating getting it airworthy again. When I last flew it I was unimpressed with the stock can motor that came with it. Any suggestions for a motor upgrade to make it more "flyable"? Using an 1800 mah pack, it didn't have a whole lot of power in the climbout.
Posted on: 3/31/2003 12:29 AM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=15525

Tower Hobbies EP ARF Sailplane
Have one sitting in my basement and am contemplating getting it airworthy again. When I last flew it I was unimpressed with the stock can motor that came with it. Any suggestions for a motor upgrade to make it more "flyable"? Using an 1800 mah pack, it didn't have a whole lot of power in the climbout.
Posted on: 3/13/2003 9:16 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "RC Gliders, Sailplanes and Slope Soaring"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=14755

Money!!!
I found that now that I have reached "critical mass" in my workshop, my wife is unable to determine, through all the clutter, what is new and what is old. Therefore, I can now spend at will. Easily a couple of thousand a year.
Posted on: 2/16/2003 12:02 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5176

Plans in .DFX format
Dr Wogz, Thanks for the URL. That was exactly what I was looking for. Just got my CAD program working and am toying with the idea of designing my own plane. Wanted a couple of sample plans to look at opn my PC for some ideas.
Posted on: 1/18/2003 9:55 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11751

Plans in .DFX format
With the increasing popularity of home PCs and CAD software, wondering if there is a market for plans on diskette. It would certainly be cheaper for shipping and you could modify/scale them as you desire before printing and building. Does anyone have plans in electronic format that they'd want to sell? Not looking for anything in particular, just on a fishing expedition.
Posted on: 1/17/2003 4:01 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11746

RC MODELER MAGAZINE COLUMN
Concur with all of the above. I'm letting my subscriptions to both MAN and RCM expire. Way too much advertising and way too many ARF articles. "... goes together great and flies like a dream." That about sums up most of their "objective" kit reviews. I'm replacing them with RC Report and RC Scale International. If you're into scale, RC Scale is a great British mag. Great how to articles, great projects, and actual no-kidding honest reviews of articles that actually talk about problems with the kits and provide you with some no-kidding constructive feedback. Not a lot of advertising, so they're not beholden to them. Plus, I just managed to order 19 back issues for $2 a piece since they were trying to clear out their stock. I have at least six months of "reading room" material. Unfortunately, the quality of most of the models/projects they feature are so far beyond my ability, but it gives me something to shoot for.
Posted on: 1/17/2003 3:52 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11693

Please HELP, Lockheed P-3 Orion wanted
For a spectacular example of an electric P-3 model, check out this site. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?s=520f5e4407d7769200c090c042b83bc1&threadid=30518&perpage=15&pagenumber=1
Posted on: 12/12/2002 4:35 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10324

Sig Koverall
Finally finished covering my 1/4 scale Cub in Koverall. They recommend a couple of coats of Nitrate and then the final finish. I plan on using latex paint for the final finish as described in a past Model Airplane News how-to. Do I need to do the nitrate coats and is that compatible with the latex? Also, are there any compatibility issues between butyrate, nitrate, and latex that anyone knows about?
Posted on: 10/31/2002 11:20 AM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Tips & Techniques"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8466

OS 1.20 4-stroke break in
Finally finished my 1/4 scale Cub just in time for the winter. Has a brand new OS 1.20 Surpass II that I bought in '98 that has never been run. Any tips for break-in, since the OS manual is painfully lacking in coherent guidance. Specifically, prop size, fuel nitro, oil content, fuel brand/type, procedure. Thanks.
Posted on: 10/22/2002 3:44 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8163

Air brushes/spray guns
Need some opinions on airbrushes/spray guns. Not real concerned about price, just want something that works well. Single action versus double action, HVLP, etc. Testors versus Badger versus whatever else is out there.
Posted on: 4/26/2002 2:00 PM by Author "BigFred" in the forum "Tips & Techniques"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=1503