RE: Beginner Heli - I'm thinking about the Blade 400
and review of it on my web site. I personally feel it is the best value hobby grade small electric heli... when you outgrow your blade or if you decide to get into fixed wing. Not at all too much heli to learn... to keep purchasing expensive upgrades or an entirely new heli - it will save you time and money... that the T-Rex's have, but last time I checked, electric blue anodized parts don't make a heli fly
Posted on: 9/5/2008 3:20 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "E-Flite Helicopters"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7923344

RE: Symmetrical vs. Flat Bottom Blades
Hi Trent, Yes, just as the previous post stated, your symmetrical blades do provide less lift than the flat bottomed ones. Incidentally, flat bottomed rotors are referred to as hi-lift rotors - no surprise. You should be able to get some of the lift back by increasing your collective pitch angle by a degree or so - do you have a pitch gauge to check this? If you are just learning, there is nothing wrong with sticking with the flat bottom rotors - you will get more flight time out of you li-po as well since not as much power we be used to provide the same amount of lift. If you want a full expanation on this, I have covered this topic on my web site. The exact page url is: www.rchelicopterfun.com/helicopter-controls-lift.html Hope that might help you out a bit. [;)] Cheers, John www.rchelicopterfun.com
Posted on: 9/5/2008 1:55 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "E-Flite Helicopters"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7923105

Looking for a good quality hobby shop with an affiliate program to link to on my heli site.
(heli head) www.rchelicopterfun.com... it on my site. I am hoping some of you or them (hobby shops or heli specific shops) might be out there reading... and best heli they have is the E-Flight Blade 400. This is the smallest hobby grade heli... of heli tools, li-po batts, field equipment, fuel, parts, engines, motors, fuselages, etc. If anyone has
Posted on: 8/12/2008 2:21 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7837632

RE: hover issues
Do you have a pitch gauge to check what pitch your main rotors are at, at half stick? You should be in the +4-5 degree pitch range at half stick to get the heli light on the skids. If memory serves me - the Honey Bee CP and CP2 don't have adjustable throttle/pitch curves with the basic radio they come with. If that is the case, you will have to adjust your pitch manually by adjusting
Posted on: 6/8/2008 1:19 AM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Heaven Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7593376

RE: X-cell ST Fuselage
The Century Fuses are very nice (they are built by Fun-Key) I have a Bell 222 for my X-cell. Took a bit to get it to fit right - but after having 3 different fuselages, that is pretty normal. The finish on the pre-painted Century fuselages is amazing - out of the three different fiberglass fuses I have purchased, the workmanship on the Century (Fun-Key) is by far the best. All the 60 size fuselages they have say they are very compatible with the X-cell 60's with minimal modifications. You might want to call or e-mail Miniature-Aircraft as well and see if they have any Bell Longrangers still kicking around. If memory serves me, they made that fuselage specifically for the X-cell 60. Cheers, John www.rchelicopterfun.com
Posted on: 6/8/2008 1:01 AM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7593341

RE: Getting back in the hobby after a 15 year hiatus - a zillion questions
Congratulations! :) Wow, that was quick. Just like nuttcase said - your heli skills are still there. Just like riding a bike right? Also confirms that as far as small electrics go, the Trex 450 is hard to beat. Just curious what kinda gear did you get for it - ie. radio, gyro, battery? Kinda looking into a small electric myself after seeing so many people have great success with the Trex 450
Posted on: 5/19/2008 3:37 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7515092

RE: New to RC heli's and I want to get a not bad one.
comment on that heli you linked to seeing that I don't know anything about it - my own opinion though is "E-bay junk". If you want to stick with the "toy" variety heli.... Just like all china stuff, this same heli is probably marketed under a hundred different names
Posted on: 5/10/2008 12:44 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7479217

RE: Li-Ion?
Hi Homeunt I can't agree with redvtr1000 more. A good charger will pay for itself by the number of batteries it will save and extend the life of. These "wall chargers" have very crude peek detection voltage circuitry and most are designed to give higher charge rates for quicker charging - this will kill your batteries in a very short time. The simple rule to remember for all batteries: the lower the charge current - the longer the battery will last. It is ok to quick charge when you need to, but when you have time, you should charge all your batteries at no more than 1C (1 times the capacity) ie- a 1000 mah battery should generally be charged at 1 amp or less taking 1 hour or longer to charge. This is the highest I would charge any lithium pack at. In fact most manufactures will actually recommend that all lithiums should actually be charged in the 500 ma range. Again just like redvtr1000 said. Your comment about a 4 hour charge on a 2250 mah battery with a good charger is a perfect example of this. That means the battery is being charged at just over 550 ma. If your charger is charging that same battery in 30 minuets, that means the charge rate is 4.5 amps - way too high. You also said your charger is bringing your pack past 13 volts - you are 100% right that this pack has been overcharged. The peek charge voltage on a li-po or li-ion cell is 4.0 volts. This means your pack has 3 cells and the voltage should never be over 12 volts. My own recommendation - The Triton charger by Electrifly is a great little charger for the money (about $125.00 CND). It will charge and discharge all types of batts including li-ion & li-po. Incidentally, both li-ion and li-po have almost identical charging characteristics and are cared for in the same way so I wouldn't be concerned your wall unit states li-ion - that is not the problem - the charge current is the problem. Lithium batteries resist charge current as they approach full charge - that is why it is important to have a charger that automatically detects this and automatically lowers the current while maintaining a constant voltage of 4 volts per cell. I would also strongly recommend using a thermal probe with all lithium packs - the Triton has this option. A lithium pack should never exceed 100F / 37C when charging - might be interesting to take a temp reading of your pack when using the wall charger - if it is charging as quick as you said - It must be reaching higher temps and the pack is being damaged. With so many lithium batteries on the market these days, it is hard to know if they are good or junk. If you make sure your batteries are UL1642 approved, this is a good indication of a quality pack. Hope that helps a bit, John, www.rchelicopterfun.com
Posted on: 5/10/2008 12:14 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7479131

RE: Getting back in the hobby after a 15 year hiatus - a zillion questions
. You most likely have been flying nitro planes and your early heli was most likely nitro too... with this or even the T-rex 600 is they are built for 3D. That is fine, but if you are into scale heli flying, I keep coming back to gas with lower head speeds for more realistic scale flight performance..., you will be much more comfortable when you have to dismantle a good part of your heli it to fit your fuselage
Posted on: 5/8/2008 12:55 AM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7470115

RE: Help with bad receiver
Did you determine that the gyro is not part of the receiver? All the info I have says this version of the humming bird uses the same CN2032 micro receiver as all other hummers. This receiver is classified as "universal" and will work with all FM 72 MHZ systems such as Futaba, Airtronics, JR, & HItec. Century does list it as discontinued, but you should be able to find one at any of the century dealers still. If not, you can get any universal 72 MHZ micro receiver from any of the for mentioned manufactures and it will work as long as you get the correct frequency. You might have to get the crystal separately. You could use the one that is in the existing receiver, provided it is not the faulty component. While you are doing your trouble shooting, that is one more thing you could try. Pull the crystal from one of your other receivers (if you have a FM 72 MHZ crystal) and see if things clear up by using a different crystal and radio - who knows the radio could be the faulty component - those radio systems that come will all the hummers are certainly not the best quality. You could try an ordinary receiver just to see if everything is working - just kinda worried if the mixer board is the issue, it could take out your good receiver, but that is unlikely. It would be nice if you could at least pinpoint the exact component that is causing the problem, otherwise you are shooting blind. Good Luck, John www.rchelicopterfun.com
Posted on: 5/7/2008 11:48 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7469906

RE: Century Predator Gasser v/s MA Spectra G v/s Vario Benzin Acrobatic
Well, having had one Century heli and several MA helis (no gassers though) I would strongly recommend the Spectra G. Yup, I am a MA fan because in my opinion they are simply the best quality and value kits on the market. Yes they are a bit more expensive up front and parts are usually a bit more, but you do get what you pay for and value is much more than price alone. Value is quality, customer
Posted on: 5/7/2008 5:34 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7468283

RE: New to RC heli's and I want to get a not bad one.
by rushing the flight process and not building the heli correctly - pretty simple to succeed if you understand those two key points. Your main goal when learning to fly a RC heli is actually not flying - it is bringing the heli home in one piece time after time. This is obvious, but too many people want... the nail on the head with outgrowing a 3 channel very quickly. You might have a fun toy
Posted on: 5/7/2008 1:12 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7467191

RE: Help with bad receiver
an RX crystals are actually the same frequency - you probable did this already, but with a used heli
Posted on: 5/7/2008 12:17 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7466993

RE: Which is the best?
Purchasing a heli as gift is certainly a great thought and I think everyone who posted an answer... getting a heli that you can easily obtain replacement parts for. The first stop is at your local hobby... of those other hobbies, a nitro heli is probably going to be the best to learn... helicopters, but they are generally considered too expensive as a first heli to learn on. Most people who
Posted on: 5/5/2008 11:56 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7461145

RE: New heli purchase
disappointment if you just want to get a heli, charge it, and go out and fly. As a newbie, there is so much... while learning. Your number one priority when learning how to fly a heli is to bring it back in one... parts. When you are beginning, it might make sense to get a RTF heli, but you will learn so much... heli - make sure the owner will show you that it flies, if he/she won't, walk away. I have been
Posted on: 4/30/2008 8:30 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7441362

RE: Looking to buy first heli
from small electrics like the blade and CX2. You said you want a heli to grow with right... Small... the heli, the more stable it is. If you want to fly outside you shouldn't even consider anything smaller than a 450 sized heli - even that is too small if you live in a windy climate. There are two ways... looking at the pre-owned heli market. Yup, there is a lot of damaged junk out there, but if you can find
Posted on: 4/30/2008 7:46 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "Electric RC Helis"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7441168

RE: Fresh to RC helis, is t-Rex too much??
schools of thought: - Buy a cheap heli and replace it in a month or two when you outgrow it, or spend a small fortune fixing and upgrading it. - Spend more money and buy a good quality heli... if you have to get everything. Before you are even asking the question of is a T-rex 450 a good RC heli to start... from three things: Not building the bird correctly, not understanding the therory of how a heli flies
Posted on: 4/30/2008 6:01 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7440790

RE: 300 class EP Heli. Fiber body Boom???
You could try using a hot glue gun. Then if you ever have to remove it, the glue can be softened up with some steam or hair dryer enough to wiggle the boom loose. Just keep an eye on the boom and make sure it doesn't come loose over time. John www.rchelicopterfun.com
Posted on: 4/30/2008 4:43 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "Esky Helicopters"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7440497

RE: recovering main blades
The Monokote idea will work well provided you make sure the seam is facing back towards the trailing edge of the rotor blade. Smearing a small amount thin CA along the seam will also help seal it and prevent lifting. Also make sure you seal the root and the tip of the blade with thin CA or any good sealer (fuel proof of course if your bird is nitro). Even if the heli is electric
Posted on: 4/30/2008 3:50 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7440264

RE: Minature aircraft vrs. Thunder tigre
Hi Mike, It is interesting you brought this up as I just finished a page on my web site - www.rchelicopterfun.com that talks about the long term value of Miniature Aircraft's Products. I have owned and flown both MA and TT products. Yes I agree the MA parts might cost a bit more, but the huge value with all MA product is you will be able to get replacement parts for years to come - that to me is worth more than saving a couple of bucks on a part. MA has always been known for good value. Value is not just based on price alone, but how long the product stands up and the customer support that go along with it. Both the Tempest and the Raptor SE are flag ship birds - but if you intend on flying your new toy for years and want the best value, the Tempest wins hands down. Just my Two Cents, Cheers, John Salt rchelicopterfun.com Edited to fix the link spelling :)
Posted on: 4/30/2008 3:38 PM by Author "Heli Head" in the forum "RC Helicopter General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7440159