RE: Corona 120 Cp
I agree with you on the LMH canopy- it looks vanilla at best. That is an Ikarus Viper 70 canopy. I used a 2mm threaded rod that runs through the crutch in a convenient spot and zip tied in place. I smoothed the ends of the rod down since the threads would eventually tear up the mounting grommets. I had to modify the crutch quite a bit to get the canopy to slide back far enough- I cut the nose of the crutch down at an angle and bolted on a battery tray. Side-mounting the lipo pack just sucks. Mounting it under the gear would be a doable option but the CG is better with it mounted up higher. I think a Viper 90 canopy might work as well with less crutch modification, but I have yet to try it. If you are just doing basic hover practice and you want to avoid battery issues, you can do the jumper-cable deal. Just run some 12-guage power wires to a fat 12v gel cell or a car battery. You limiting factor becomes the battery in the tx. Just make it so if there is a slight tug on the cable it can release easily. I wish I had done this when I was just starting out- I would have progressed much faster with orientations and just holding a steady hover. You just need to replace the battery with something else for ballast. [image]http://gadgetspeed.com/images/RC/DSC03821a.jpg[/image]
Posted on: 11/16/2006 4:56 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5002721

RE: Corona 120 Cp
330mm blades are the longest you should run unless you extend the tail to keep from hitting the tail blades. I use T-Rex 325mm blades and SAB 315mm carbons and they both work great. When I first installed the CP head kit, I just used a set of LMH blades for a while. You won't be going inverted right away anyhow, so it doesn't matter. LMH blades are very efficient and lift a lot more than symmetrical blades so you don't need as much power or nearly as much pitch to hover. Find the latest version of the EHBG and read through setting up your throttle and pitch curves along with idle-up settings. The BT CP kit is a super sweet upgrade and it makes the Corona a "real heli" and much easier to control. It's not nearly as indestructable but not far off- I "landed" inverted and only broke a bolt and a mixing arm. Since it's much easier to control, crashing "should" be more infrequent anyways- unless you're trying moves out that you're not set up for. [image]http://gadgetspeed.com/images/RC/IMG_0427w.jpg[/image] [image]http://gadgetspeed.com/images/RC/DSC03765a.jpg[/image]
Posted on: 11/15/2006 6:32 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5000851

RE: Help choosing, Eagle 50 Vs Walkera 22e
I read that the Walkeras are to be avoided- cheap components, cheap electronics... throw your money away on something more fun... like a stripper :o)
Posted on: 11/15/2006 6:16 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "Electric RC Helis"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5000770

RE: Auto rotation?
This is mainly because the small blades don't have enough inertia to keep spinning fast/long enough to do much good. A Swift or Eco 8 is about the smallest heli you can do reasonably controllable autorotations. Another benefit to an autorotation-equipped heli is the reduced drag and stress on the gears and motor, regardless of what size heli it is.
Posted on: 11/15/2006 6:13 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "Electric RC Helis"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5000757

RE: easiest way to learn inverted hover, w/o sim?
I like Jez's approach. Setup on the heli and setup on the tx are equally important. Make sure your throttle curve is set in idle-up so you have full throttle at both far ends of the stick, and whatever positive pitch degree gives you a strong climb upright- make the negative end of the pitch curve gives you the as much negative pitch when full back on the stick. The throttle curve should basically be flat or with a little dip in the middle at neutral pitch. The best roll rate is theoretically when you will be at neutral stick so that all the power can be used for the roll, so as you are rolling over, wait until the roll is at least 180 degrees or more before you start in on negative pitch. The most forgiving way to try it out is in a tail-in climb, so when you go to neutral pitch it doesn't immediately start descending. You should be up high enough to have room to recover but not so high you lose orientation. Once you are comfortable doing tail-in rolls, start slowing the rolls down as the skids are pointed up. As your confidence grows with this, you can hold it there inverted for short periods and then roll it back over. If you are not comfortable hovering nose-in, you might want to practice that more first, since the tail behaves this way while inverted. RealFlight G3 was the entire reason I upgraded my laptop from an aging Sony to a Dell xps g2. Now I can practice inverted hovering pretty much anywhere- for an hour. Then I have to find a power outlet. I play a few high end games, like HalfLife2 and Quake4, and G3 is just as demanding if not more with all the eye candy turned on. Practice on the sim has saved more than the price of it in rotor blades alone, I'm sure. If there was ever a reason to upgrade your computer, G3 is it. If it's too much cash demand, I agree with Rod- try and find a copy of G2. A very experienced friend of mine insisted that the physics in G2 was actually more realistic than that of G3. good luck
Posted on: 11/15/2006 6:07 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "Electric RC Helis"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=5000730

RE: Matt Chapman cap 580 .40 size
Brad, I also combed over this entire thread looking for what works. The killer power-to-weight of the YS-63 made the choice fairly simple for me. I think our interests are similiar- I didn't want to grossly overpower it, but enough to still get the job done with ease. Seeing pics and reading posts about examples of this motor installed helped seal the deal. I have yet to start putting it together- just too much on the platter at the moment. I'm sure a 46 2-stroker would work, and I have an OS 46Fxi that pulls hard, but I wanted to go 4-stroke- so a bigger motor is called for. cheers
Posted on: 7/31/2006 12:16 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4566322

RE: Matt Chapman cap 580 .40 size
I thought that 3D capability also depends on how the ailerons are designed- and since this bird's ailerons are not that big and do not go all the way in to the fuselage- that means it doesn't quite meet 3D performance requirements. The elevator and rudder seem 3D enough though. Is it against the rules to attach extensions to the ailerons and force it? :o)
Posted on: 7/24/2006 5:16 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4539634

RE: Matt Chapman cap 580 .40 size
Steve- Thanks for your tips. It makes sense that hinge points need some "meat" to distribute the forces they impart on the material they are glued into. I still have a higher comfort level using a "real" hinge. What about these small Dubro nylon hinges as an alternative to ca hinges for the all the surfaces? [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXD942&P=ML]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXD942&P=ML[/link]
Posted on: 7/12/2006 3:39 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4493538

RE: Matt Chapman cap 580 .40 size
I have not started putting my 580 together yet. I'm still waiting on a parts order. I have a new-in-the-box YS 63 FZS to motivate this bird. For the guys that fly the YS63, any break-in or set up tips would be appreciated. I noticed from reading the forum that the rudder begs for hinge points vs ca hinges. I've never worked with ca hinges before and they don't strike me as being very solid anyways. I much prefer the idea of using Robart hinge points or another "real" hinge instead of a piece of fabric. I don't care if it's not totally necessary, and I've read how most you have had success with ca hinges, but I'd rather overkill a little and not have to wonder if I get the ca hinge done right. Are 1/8" hinge points enough or should I go for 3/16"? I want to use on-board glow- do any of you have a recommendation on this? I like the convenience of not having to hook up a glowplug power every time for starting. I also like the peace of mind from knowing I can really set the idle down low and not worry that it's going to stall out on final. thanks
Posted on: 7/11/2006 4:38 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4489451

RE: I melted my motor!
The Mega 16-15-3 is a good match for 3S lipo packs. There are other good brushless motors as well. See if your LHS has any good deals going on a similar KV rated 400-size motor. A 45amp ESC is a better choice for the Corona vs a 35. It's just a tad overkill, which is just what you want. You won't have to worry about it not dealing with the load and you could use it later on with a stronger motor if you wanted. Caste Creations make good ESCs, but I've heard many have problems with them. I paid a bit extra and got a Kontronik Jazz after I heard so many rave about them. Since the T-Rex 450 series is so close in size, many of the components match up well. Since the T-Rex is also so popular, parts are widely available.
Posted on: 7/6/2006 1:10 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4469769

RE: Profile PT 25
What about an AXI 2820-12? 990kv, rated for 25-88oz / 992-2500 grams / 11x6 prop with 3S lipo
Posted on: 6/27/2006 11:28 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "AutoGyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4436591

RE: New Video - PT Profile
link is dead
Posted on: 6/26/2006 11:38 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "AutoGyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4432232

RE: Profile PT 25
I just ordered my kit the other day... looking forward to it. I would like to use a brushless/3S lipo combo. My LHS carries AXI motors.. so how aggressive is the 2808 for this bird? I don't want it too overpowered, just a little to help climb out of a hairy-carry situation if necessary. I'm not terribly smart on how to pick out motors and props yet and I would venture to say that auto's have slightly different requirements compared to a fixed wing bird for similar weight. Also, what servos are ideal/work well with this model? Jim, perhaps you could convince Frank to have some autogyro flight action in next year's Top Gun show. I was there this year (only on Friday) and didn't see any glimpse of auto's there. I think if they had some exposure at a major event like that there would be more interest and more kits available.
Posted on: 6/26/2006 11:03 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "AutoGyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4432102

RE: litemachines site
HeliHobby has been my primary source for LMH parts: [link=http://www.helihobby.com/html/corona_helicopter.html]http://www.helihobby.com/html/corona_helicopter.html[/link]
Posted on: 6/22/2006 2:44 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4417497

RE: litemachines site
Much more Corona information can be found here: [link=http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=17]http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=17[/link]
Posted on: 6/22/2006 2:42 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4417495

RE: Rotor direction?
There is no noticeable difference between the flying characteristics of a counter-clockwise spinning head vs a clockwise spinning head in the sim vs. flying a Corona. The only thing that you might encounter is the tail response to left and right rudder stick inputs. The Corona will most likely be slower than what you experience in the sim with a stock tail setup, but it all depends on the headspeed, which if it is too low, then the response will be considerably slower in one direction than another. If your Corona's head is spinning the wrong way, you will simply not generate any positive lift and never get off the ground. The fix is easy- on a brushless setup just switch 2 of the leads.
Posted on: 6/16/2006 8:41 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4398864

RE: New Corona; what electronics?
Belt drive is definitely the way to go- just wish there was an autorotation hub available.
Posted on: 6/10/2006 7:52 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4374347

RE: New Corona; what electronics?
Interesting modification to that muffin fan. If the motor is still too hot with that setup, it's because it is not running at it's happy-place rpms. The battery voltage/gear-ratio is wrong for the desired headspeed. That is assuming there is nothing wrong with the esc or motor.
Posted on: 6/1/2006 5:11 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4339463

RE: New Corona; what electronics?
Get the gy-401 and the 9650 for the tail- rock solid combo that you can move to a bigger heli later on.
Posted on: 5/22/2006 12:23 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4304736

RE: LMH or Not an LMH
Delete your temp internet files and cookies, clean your monitor, plug your computer's power cable into a live outlet, then try again :o)
Posted on: 5/22/2006 10:11 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4304276

RE: Trying to build a LMH (NEED STOCK PARTS)
I have the 120 manual in pdf format here: [link=http://gadgetspeed.com/files/LMH%20120-M.pdf]http://gadgetspeed.com/files/LMH%20120-M.pdf[/link]
Posted on: 5/19/2006 7:00 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4294323

RE: Successful first day of flying - Corona
My plastic motor mount kept slipping, which loosened the belt, causing it to skip. Tightening the bolts more ended up stripping out the screw holes in the plastic mount. The aluminum motor mount solved all this.
Posted on: 5/19/2006 6:58 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4294319

RE: Successful first day of flying - Corona
Going to the belt drive will most likely change where your motor mount bolts to the frame a little- I had to drill new bolt holes on my crutch to get the belt tension right. This is not the easiest thing to do, as getting it to that sweet spot takes a little trial and error. The belt should be just barely tight enough so it doesn't skip when you throttle up. If it starts skipping when you add power, you will suddenly lose down-thrust and that's usually not a good thing- resulted in my most costly crash so far. If the belt is too tight, it will drag too much and make too much work for the motor, which shortens your run time. The plastic motor mount leaves a bit to be desired too- I think it's too flexible. BT makes an aluminum motor mount that compliments the belt drive very well. You can order it from: [link=http://www.ballistictechnology.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=14&Itemid=26]BT's website[/link] or from: [link=http://www.helihobby.com/html/lmh_upgrades.html]HeliHobby[/link]
Posted on: 5/13/2006 6:14 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4272626

RE: Any experienced Corona pilots here?
The Corona can be a hot 3D bird if properly modified- mine is getting there- The FP head has to be replaced with a CP head among other things, but it's doable. The Corona in stock form has a bad pitching-up tendency in forward flight because of the positive pitch flybar setup. I would recommend getting an aftermarket flybar to solve this. Unless LMH has addressed it, the stock tail case is terribly flimsy and cracks upon assembly. You can easily repair it with CA. The tail rotor design is a bit sloppy which usually leads to a waggy tail, but it's doable. It's far too easy to make a carbon tail link directly from the tail servo to the pitch slider bellcrank to not do it. The trick to flying a FP bird well is a good ESC-motor setup with a computer radio so you can set up a throttle curve for precise altitude control. Give [link=http://www.askmanap.com/corona.html]http://www.askmanap.com/corona.html[/link] this a look... Askman has been flying a Corona camera bird for a while and would be a good reference for info. I'm sure he would be glad to answer any of your questions.
Posted on: 5/11/2006 11:16 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4268498

RE: LMH or Not an LMH
Some call it denial, some call it a river in Africa- either way, too much of it can be a bad thing. Once a Corona, always a Corona- regardless of what percentage of OEM parts the machine is. It still doesn't matter if your modified replacement parts are the same size and shape. If the parts did not come from LMH, they are not LMH. A Corona fitted with a collective-pitch head and symmetrical carbon/wood blades on a carbon fiber frame will fly dramatically different than a totally bone-stock Corona, no doubt about it.
Posted on: 5/4/2006 4:01 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4240240

RE: LMH or Not an LMH
So, at what point does it no longer exist as a Corona?? When you switch to a collective pitch head? When you upgrade to an aluminum motor mount? When you switch to a different crutch? Different landing gear? My Corona is heavily modified, but any of the mods could be applied easily to any stock Corona, some must be combined to be functional- you can't upgrade the tail-box (most would agree the OEM tailbox is poorly made) without upgrading to a tail rotor belt-drive. Nearly all of my upgrades were installed one at a time, but I did completely assemble my Corona from the 120 kit, following the assembly manual step-by-step for the most part. I used lipo packs from the start, so I never used the horseshoe nicad clips. It's still a Corona since that's how it started out. What other way would you have something to reference for the forums or any other purpose? Why is it such an issue? Quit yammering about what you call it after it's modified and go FLY! :o)
Posted on: 5/4/2006 10:53 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4239322

RE: LMH or Not an LMH
I agree with Reno on this one. I think the only parts of my "Corona" are the main blades, crutch, and canopy. Even as those parts are replaced with other aftermarket parts, there will still be 4-40 nuts and bolts here and there that came with the OEM kit. It started as a Corona 120, and all the aftermarket parts are for a Corona 120, so... even when modified nose to tail, it's still a "Corona."
Posted on: 5/2/2006 9:59 AM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4231394

RE: Will this setup work
Don't cheap out on the esc too much! This can be more expensive since buying a cheap one will only force you to buy another esc. My original Corona 120 setup had the Multiplex 480-4d motor (works fine with fixed-pitch) with the MultiPlex 35 esc. The MultiPlex esc I had did not have a soft voltage cutoff, which means when your battery pack is low enough to reach cutoff voltage, the esc completely cuts power to the motor- with no autorotation, the drag of the motor brakes the rotors to a complete halt, no matter if you're hovering 12 inches up or 12 feet up. This is VERY frustrating. You have to completely close your throttle to rearm the esc before you can power the motor again. A SmartBEC can do this soft cutoff function for you, but this just adds to your setup costs. Stay away from any esc with no soft cutoff for use in a heli unless you use a separate BEC that will gradually slow your motor down once you reach cutoff and then disable the cutoff function in the esc. The CastleCreations 35 has soft cutoff. It's a widely used controller for good reasons. Kontronik Jazz controllers are also very good- I have used both with good results. I cannot comment on any others. cheers
Posted on: 4/30/2006 7:24 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4224749

RE: Will this setup work
The 16-15-3 would work well with a 3S pack, or a 16-15-4 for slighly lower rpms. I use a 16-15-4 with 3S packs for mild performance and 4S for higher performance using a Jazz 55 esc on my collective-pitch Corona and it works very well. I used a 35amp CC esc previously and it worked well... until I goofed up the polarity on a micro deans connector with a SmartBEC- not so smart. If a motor says it will draw 25amps under full load, that most likely refers to laboratory conditions with light loading. A 25amp esc will probably handle it most of the time. Once mounted to the crutch and enclosed under a canopy, airflow may not be ideal so pushing the outer limits of what the esc can handle may not contribute to a reliable setup. Go with the next size up. Also, consider that you may change your motor and battery setup down the road and perhaps wish you had gone with the next size up from that. So with that in mind, get at least the 35 or the 45. Anything smaller than a 35amp esc for a Corona-sized bird limits your options.
Posted on: 4/30/2006 12:02 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4223396

RE: Best Corona Tip
If you can fit the one-way bearing to the hyperdrive pulley, more power to ya. Last I heard from Matt at BT, it was still in the works. So far, I've not heard of autorotation being featured on a Corona- which is the final remaining detail that I would like addressed on this bird. I'm sure if I had the proper machining tools, I could take an autorotation hub and adapt it somehow to the HyperDrive and make it work.
Posted on: 4/27/2006 3:51 PM by Author "gadget01" in the forum "LMH Helicopter"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4213495