Losi Mini Rockstar SCT Setup?
Good evening all, I recently picked up one of these trucks and have been thoroughly enjoying it thus far. I've upgraded to a 3S 35C LiPo and ES3 connectors, which has made the truck ballistic (IMHO. This is also my first mini with BL, as my last mini was a brushed Mini T.). I did try going to an 18T pinion, but found it to be a bit too fast. I've also changed out the shocks for Integy threaded body shocks for ease of adjustment. I filled the shocks with 30 wt. in the rear and 80 wt. in the front. I know 80 sounds a bit overkill, but for a baseline I wanted to keep the shocks somewhat close to the OEM shocks, and the 30 wt. made the Integy shocks MUCH softer in front than the stock ones were. CVDs will likely be my next upgrade to keep from losing the dogbones when the ball cups pop loose and let the wheels flap. There are some things, however, that are bugging me a bit about the truck. Some of which are issues that the original Mini T had, and I fear there's no fix for but a light touch at the controls. I haven't had it on a track yet, but would like to get some of these things worked out in the grass before attempting the track. The most prominent of these issues is that the truck seems very rollover prone. This happens both in turns and under hard acceleration (back to throttle control), as well as when hitting any kind of jump. In turns, unless I'm going <10 mph, she'll lift both wheels on the inside of the turn and roll over. If I'm going <10 mph (rough estimate, maybe even less), she'll just lift the wheels. If I'm going just over 10, I can sometimes catch it in time and counter steer to set the wheels back on the ground. If going much more than that, she rolls completely over. On acceleration, she wheelies easily, and if I don't back off, she flips over on her lid. With the 18T pinion, I could have it going at half throttle, then punch it, and she'd promptly flip over. When hitting a sudden bump of about 1/4"-1/2" (like going from concrete to grass) at any kind of speed, she instantly starts to tumble. Really, the only other issue is that I can't use the brakes on this truck without spinning around and sometimes flipping if the truck is going fast enough. This is an issue I had on the Mini T as well, and was never able to resolve it. Does anyone have any ideas on where I can find a setup sheet or have any tips on setting up this truck to prevent some of this (ride height, caster, camber, shock oil wt., springs, shock position, etc...)? Also, has anyone come out with better tires for this truck yet? I've ran 3 pack through it and the rear tires are already nearly bald. Please don't use this thread to start a debate over Traxxas vs. Associated vs. Losi or 2wd vs 4wd. I chose this truck, I am mostly happy with this truck, I don't wish to get one of the others at this time, and I'm just looking to get some advice on setting up THIS truck. (I've seen this happen on the other threads I've found where the Mini SCT was mentioned, and was unable to find what I was looking for). Thanks in advance, Shannon
Posted on: 6/8/2011 7:03 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "1/16th, 1/18th, Mini & Micro RC Cars"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10564090

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
Donica and Jay, Welcome back. Glad you enjoyed your honeymoon. Thank you all for the warm welcomes back. I'm glad to be back. I've been way to busy with the dreaded W word lately, plus I've had commitments with my railroad club that have kept me pretty busy. Not much flying on my end. I did, however, find a steal of a deal at one of my local hobby shops (we now have 3, but more on that later). I happened to be rummaging through some of the stuff that he has that is generally mostly junk, until a gem shined out at me. A silver and green P-51 foamy. I asked what was wrong with it and how much he wanted for it. His reply, the motor wasn't working and he'd take $20 for it (everything was there including radio, servos, motor, esc, and battery). The foam was in great shape, so I bought it and took it home. Once home, I looked it over to see what could be wrong with the motor. The ESC is an Electrifly that has jumpers on it. I moved the jumper one pin over and she spun up without issue. Sweet, an RTF airplane with all 4 channels for $20. I've had her up once, but she felt way out of balance and out of trim. I got her down without a hitch and now have the CG set correctly, but haven't had a chance to fly her since. I had an interesting day a week and a half ago while flying my cub. I pulled an operator headspace error and tip stalled her on a tight landing approach. Nosed her right into the ground. [:@] Luckily, the damage wasn't too bad and most of it is repaired. She should be back in the air this weekend if the winds aren't too high. I got my new tail boom and frame (I CA'd the old tail boom back together using some plastic strips for support and pretty much ruined the frame, but it flew while I was waiting on a new boom, so it was worth it) for my mCP X. Went to swap everything over, and broke a pin off of the motor wire while plugging it back into the board. She's still sitting in front of me in pieces. I will have her flying this weekend though, even if it's just hovering in the house. Speaking of repairs, IDK if I ever mentioned that I had "lost" a PZ micro Sukhoi in the woods behind my house or not, but while I was in RC "hibernation", my neighbor came by with it in his hands saying that his daughter had found it in the woods while she was playing (it was high up in a tree that no one could reach when it was "lost") and wanted to give it back to me. Awesome neighbor. To my surprise, after several months of dealing with the rain and weather, the electronics still work well. A new set of tail feathers and she was back in the air. Now on to the 3rd LHS. About a week ago, a new Hobby Town USA location opened next to my closest Wal Mart. My first thought when they opened up was that this area won't be able to support 3 hobby shops, though they are spread out by a minimum of 10 miles between the closest 2 and Hobby Town determines profitability of the area before they allow a new store to open up (I had looked into what it would take to open a Hobby Town at one point, just as an idea for the future). However, it seems as though my fears are not true, as the owner seems very open to working with the other 2 hobby shops in the area and most of his customers are walk in customers that have never been to or in some cases even heard of the other 2 hobby shops. He had a nice grand opening ceremony that brought out some electric flight, RC car, and model railroad demos as well as a local radio station. They gave away quite a few hobby related prizes (I didn't win anything, but my buddy won an airplane book). It's a well laid out shop (as are most Hobby Town USA locations that I have been to). My only gripe with them (as is the case with most Hobby Town USA shops) is that they cater to the beginner market stocking mostly RTR and RTF equipment. That's not a real problem because that market will likely be the majority of his customers, and I can get the other stuff elsewhere or have them order it if need be. Well lady and gents, I've got some stuff to work on and information to find. Happy flying, Shannon
Posted on: 6/8/2011 6:30 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10564045

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
First off, a big congratulations to Donica and Jay. I wish you both well. My sincere apologies to all of you for taking such a long hiatus from this thread. I've been out of the RC hobby for about 10 months now, and am now getting back into it a little bit. I just got to a point where I was crashing and repairing more than I was flying, plus the half hour drive just to find it was too windy to fly just got to frustrating me too much and had to back out for a while. I guess with me being overseas for a year without really flying anything got me in a rush to get back in the air when I got back to the States. This created a snowball effect with me. I rushed to get something flying, didn't check my aircraft very well, crashed, did rush repairs to get what I could flying, and tearing more stuff up until I finally got fed up. During my recent "breather", I did take up a new hobby...model railroading. I even built me up a 4'x8' HO (1:87) scale layout. It's been fun, and I plan on keeping on with it on those windy and/or rainy days. However, it doesn't measure up to the excitement of flying. As for my flying, I've gotten back in the air with my electric Piper Cub and a new mCP X. This little thing is a blast and has exceeded my expectations of it, as I was a little leery of an e-tail CP due to my previous experiences with 180 size e-tail CPs (Heli-Max AXE CP and e-Flite Blade CP Pro). I think this will be the perfect little heli to take my time with, get my skills back, and hopefully progress them beyond their previous levels. Hopefully, I can restrain myself a bit better this time so I can do things the right way. To take the weather issue out of the picture, I think I'll stick with smaller electric aircraft so I can fly closer to my house. Take care ladies and gents. Shannon
Posted on: 5/17/2011 7:39 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10526557

RE: New Hanger 9 p-51 mustang **Trainer?!?**
Yeah, you will want to mix in the elevator. She does have a tendency to balloon a bit when the flaps are deployed.
Posted on: 7/25/2010 9:09 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9888028

RE: New Hanger 9 p-51 mustang **Trainer?!?**
Another school of thought on the prop. If I remember correctly, the 3-blade prop does not provide much "get out of trouble" pull. I spent maybe 3 flights on the 3 blade before it was swapped for a 2 blade. Granted, that is with the Evolution Trainer Power System (baffle in muffler, weighted flywheel, and mixture needle limiters). Your motor may provide more power with the 3 blade. The flaps can be made functional from the start, however, it requires more fiddling with the buddy box radio to get it set up properly during training. It would be best to keep them fixed until the student is ready for flight without them. I learned on it with functional flaps from the get go. Not only does it make it more involved setting up the buddy box, but if there comes a time when the setup buddy box is unavailable, it makes it difficult to get another one setup for that one outing. Don't worry about the speed brakes at all. They don't really do much of anything for the flight characteristics of the plane. I only used them for 1 flight, and had no trouble without them on the next. Just keep them off. Just a bit more food for thought.
Posted on: 7/25/2010 5:04 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9887781

RE: Please help me pick between 2 heli's
Based on size alone, go with the CopterX. It's a 450 size and will be much easier to learn on than the 250. The 250 you linked to is a 250SE, which is the nicer version of the T-Rex 250. To learn on, you want at least a 400 size helicopter, especially if you're gonna be flying in any amount of wind.
Posted on: 7/23/2010 8:23 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9882896

RE: Please help me pick between 2 heli's
I'd go with the T-Rex. It has good quality radio gear, servos, and gyro. The CopterX doesn't list what servos or gyro it's using. For $50 more, go with the one that you know what it has in it. However, be forewarned, get with someone you trust that knows RC helis before you go look at a used heli. There can be issues with it that could possibly make it a deal breaker, or a bugger to set up without proper setup knowledge. It's best to go new if you can, but if you can't afford it, make sure that someone that has experience looks it over and test flies it before you fly it.
Posted on: 7/22/2010 7:52 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9880559

RE: Please help me pick between 2 heli's
There is no real performance difference between the 250 and 450 helicopters. However, the 250 helicopters are MUCH more sensitive to setup and pilot error. They also have a bit more of a tendancy to drift than the 450s and are harder to see, so they can get away from you much faster.
Posted on: 7/21/2010 1:07 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9878981

RE: Please help me pick between 2 heli's
Don't worry about building, it's not overly difficult. Just take your time, read the manual, use threadlock on all metal to metal connections, and if you get stumped, ask questions. Here's a link to a thread of a member who was in your shoes just a few months ago. He went from coaxials straight into a T-Rex 450 Sport and documented the build in this thread. He's now got the 450, a 500 and is apparently looking for a larger helicopter now. [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9491255/anchors_9491255/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#9491255]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9491255/anchors_9491255/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#9491255[/link]
Posted on: 7/21/2010 7:48 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9878449

RE: Hirobo pic thread
I figured it would be at least a ZX due to the Z coming with a belt start instead of a shaft start. If you want to compare a ZXX to your's, check out my "Stepping Into Nitro Helis" thread here in the Hirobo Support Forum. I have quite a few detail pics in there. The washout assembly, seesaw, and pitch lever look very similar to what's on the ZXX. Either way, you can convert many of the older Shuttles to the newest, most supported Shuttle with changing a few parts out. Good luck to you.
Posted on: 7/17/2010 11:41 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "Hirobo Support Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9871557

RE: Is there any way to use the DX7SE with a simulator?
FSOne came out in about 2006/2007, and was distributed by Horizon Hobby. IMO, it was a good simulator, albeit a bit limited to the aircraft that you can fly, flying fields, and expansions. Some say the physics weren't as good as RealFlight (G3/G3.5 at the time). Most of the included fields were photofields. The included aircraft were aircraft distributed by Horizon (Hangar 9, E-Flite, JR Helicopter), plus a couple of BVM Jets and a couple of "fantasy" aircraft. They did offer a Hangar Pack for it, which included a few more aircraft and flying fields, as well as an update to the software. It was a bit better for slower computers. Horizon/Intersoft fell off after a year or 2 with upgrades and support for the simulator. They even began offering it for $100 with a controller (it was originally $200 like RealFlight). FSOne was dropped by Horizon sometime last year and replaced by Phoenix. I have a copy of it, but my cable is currently in transit from overseas. If I had my cable, I would be using it in conjunction with RealFlight G4.5.
Posted on: 7/17/2010 11:15 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9870656

RE: Hirobo pic thread
bokken, If that's a .30, it looks to me like Shuttle mechanics. Likely either a ZX, ZXX, or newer Shuttle (Plus, Plus 2).
Posted on: 7/17/2010 11:03 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "Hirobo Support Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9870636

RE: Is there any way to use the DX7SE with a simulator?
That is correct in the traditional sense, using a USB or similar cable connected directly to the computer. I am aware that the DX7 SE has no trainer port, not allowing it to be connected to a computer using the traditional cables. However, Spektrum created a receiver for the Spektrum radios to be used wirelessly on FSOne. You bind the computer's receiver the same way you bind your radio to your helicopter's receiver. Here's a link to Spektrum's product page for it. [link=http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=SPM1800]http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=SPM1800[/link]
Posted on: 7/17/2010 12:11 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9870106

RE: Is there any way to use the DX7SE with a simulator?
If you can find it, the old FSOne simulator had an available Spektrum PC connection, allowing you to bind a DSM2 radio to your computer the way you would an aircraft. FSOne has been discontinued, so you would have to find one used, along with the Spektrum connector. I looked on the RCU classifieds and on E-Bay and couldn't find one. Maybe you could look in a few other locations to find one, or keep an eye out in those places for it. The FSOne site is still up, but hasn't been updated. [link=http://www.fsone.com/]http://www.fsone.com/[/link] Otherwise, look for a sim that comes with a controller.
Posted on: 7/16/2010 8:27 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9868602

RE: Please help me pick between 2 heli's
A quick addition to my previous post: The Blade 400 is still available from Horizon Hobby. [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLH1400]http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLH1400[/link] If you want to use your real radio for the sim flight, Phoenix (which is HIGHLY recommended by many RC heli pilots) is available without a radio for $130. Get the Blade 400 RTF and the Phoenix sim for about $600 total cost for both, and you can have a nice helicopter that is well supported, a good quality radio that will grow with you, and a good flight simulator. [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=RTM2500]http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=RTM2500[/link]
Posted on: 7/16/2010 1:22 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9868348

RE: Please help me pick between 2 heli's
Since this will be your first 6ch heli, look at getting a simulator first (if you don't have one). FMS (Free Model Simulator) is OK for a free product, however, a quality sim such as RealFlight or Phoenix are much better. The full versions of these simulators run $150-$200. However, RealFlight has a Basic version without the bells and whistles of G5 (combat, flight training, games, expandability, etc...). If all you want to do with the sim is fly the default aircraft on a few different flying sites, RealFlight Basic should be fine for you at $100 with controller. The reason I recommend a sim before stepping into a 6ch, 3D capable heli is that the 6ch helis are much more sensitive to your inputs. The sim will help you get the basics of 6ch heli flying without risking a real heli. A sim will also allow you to practice inverted orientations when you feel you're ready to start in that direction. It can get very confusing. As for the helis mentioned, if you go for either of them, go for the Walkera. Why? Because it's a 400 size heli. The one at Banana Hobby is a 250 size. Don't get me wrong, the 250 size helis are good flying little birds. I own an Align T-Rex 250 and love it. However, the 250s are not the best beginner heli. You could learn on one, but it would be much more expensive in the long run and much more frustrating. They are much more sensitive to wind, setup, and control input than their 400 and larger counterparts. As for indoors and outdoors, the only way your going to be able to do that with up to a 450 (maybe even 500) heli is to take the heli to a gym that allows RC flight. The smaller electric helis fly just as fast as their larger counterparts, but appear to move faster due to their smaller size. They can also get away from you VERY quickly. There are also a lot more moving parts to worry about breaking, and when/if they break, they do go flying (just try exploding a tail rotor on a 450. Don't ask me how I know that one [;)] ) If you fly your current 4ch indoors, stick with it for your indoor flying, and get the 6ch for outdoor flying. Like drobin said, if you have a local hobby shop (LHS), go check them out and see what they carry. More than likely, if you have an LHS, they carry E-Flite and/or Heli-Max, and maybe some Align stuff. They also usually have access to 2 or 3 other brands of helicopters and parts for ordering, but won't stock them because they don't sell as well as the previously mentioned brands. That's not always the case, but most likely. For your first 6ch heli, I would recommend AT LEAST a 400/450 size helicopter. The size best suited for you will depend on budget and flying space. If you could bump up your helicopter budget to about $500, you could pick up a new 400 size helicopter RTF (ready to fly) with a decent radio, and this heli would be supported by more shops. Other helicopter options would be the E-Sky Belt CP line of helis, and the Exceed RC helis for about $300 - $400 RTF. IMHO, go with the $500 RTF to get a radio that can grow with you. For example, check out the E-Flite Blade 400 RTF for $470. It comes with the helicopter, LiPo battery, charger, and a Spektrum DX6i 2.4Ghz computer radio and receiver ($150 by itself, $200 with the receiver) that can be used on future helicopters and/or airplanes. I could recommend getting a Chinese knock off of an Align T-Rex 450 (this would run about $300 for the flight ready helicopter and a good radio), however, they can be tricky to set up (especially since they don't come with instructions, though they are available for download from Align and other resources). I attempted a Hobby King HK450 V2 (in hindsight, I would now go with an HK450GT to get the better parts) with poor results (could have also been partially due to my hurry to get back in the air). It did seem to be of OK quality, and you can get parts wherever Align parts are sold (just buy parts for a T-Rex 450). You also need to figure crash costs into your heli budget. Unfortunately, crashes happen. Crashes on a 400/450 class helicopter can run from $50 up to about $100 per crash depending on what is broke and what you have on hand. The cost increases exponentially the larger you go. Your overall crash costs can be reduced by using the simulator to gain experience with a virtual helicopter, which costs nothing to fix, before going to your real helicopter. Now that I've made this as clear as mud, if you have any further questions, feel free to ask. Shannon
Posted on: 7/16/2010 1:17 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9868340

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
Matty, That's OK. I'm kinda glad you reposted it, cause I had my own run in yesterday with one. I was flying my PZ Micro Sukhoi to show it to some family that had come to town. Well, I was doing OK doing some basic rolls and patterns with it, then I decided to work in some hammerhead (stall turn) type maneuvers and got it flying over a THICK patch of trees. Next thing you know, it was shadowed in the setting sun and I lost orientation. I had no room to do anything but drop the throttle and hope that I can get it. Nope. I know where it's at, I just can't get at it without a ladder. We tried shaking the trees and working the controls on the plane, but the trees were too close together to allow it to move. So we called it quits and I hoped it wouldn't rain too hard before I can get a ladder out there. Well, guess what. Not even 24 hours later, I get off of work and wouldn't ya know it, it's raining and thundering. I hope the way it's sitting is condusive to rain channeling to keep the rain off of the electronics. Oh, well, you live you learn. If I can't get it, or it's too far gone to repair, I just may get the Sukhoi XP or the micro Mustang. Heck, I'm even thinking of getting the Herr 1/2A Pitts kit. We'll just see how it all goes. Shannon
Posted on: 7/12/2010 4:45 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9860340

RE: Get Me Started for $1500
You're on the right track so far. Here's a few basic steps to help you along the way. 1. Purchase a good simulator (which you already have stated that you will do). I recommend either Phoenix or RealFlight. However, to my knowledge, neither are Mac compatible. Phoenix is compatible with the Spektrum Tx's using a USB link cable or wireless device. You can use a Spektrum radio on RealFlight, however you still have to use the included Interlink controller as a bridge between the computer and your radio. 2. Go with the largest heli you can afford and afford to crash. I agree with Rafael that a .50 size glow (600 electric) is a good starting size. It's a stable and capable flier that can do anything a larger heli can do, and won't break the bank on a crash (or purchase price for that matter). Raptors are a good choice, but don't limit yourself to one brand to look into. If you can, look at what your LHS stocks and what others are flying. Other brands to check out would be Align (T-Rex), Velocity (Outrage), JR (Vibe), Miniature Aircraft (Fury), Audacity (Pantera), Compass (Knight), Ely Q (Vision), and Heli-Max (Kinetic) to name a few. You're most likely to run into Align and Thunder Tiger (Raptor), with a few of the others thrown in. 3. Use training gear for your first hovers. Make these from 2 dowels just larger than the diameter of the rotor, attached in an "X" pattern to the skids, and connect Wiffle balls to the ends of the dowels. 4. If you have local help available, get them to look over and test fly your helicopter before you even start it up. Use them also for assistance in learning to fly. If unavailable, see if your LHS has someone that has some experience setting up a helicopter. 5. If you don't have a LARGE open space on your property to fly, look for a local RC flying club (doesn't have to be a helicopter field, as long as the other members can at least tolerate helicopters), a friend or family member's property that has the space, or consider going to a 450 class electric helicopter. The larger helicopters need an area about the size of a football field or larger (at least the size of a baseball field for just hovering). With the larger helicopters, DO NOT attempt to fly them at a public park. If a public park is all you have available to fly at, stick with the 450 class helicopters (there is even discussion that even those shouldn't be flown at public parks. Just keep to an area of the park at times where there's no one there, and you'll be fine.). 6. Lastly, have fun. No matter what happens, don't get discouraged. It's just a hobby and meant to be fun. Helicopters are a challenge, step up to it, enjoy it, love it. Welcome to the addiction. Shannon
Posted on: 6/29/2010 10:06 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9835271

RE: Installing propeller for power 25 brushless
CG got it mostly correct. The only difference is that there is no set screw. You slide the prop adapter onto the motor shaft, slide the collar over it, put your prop on, and tighten down with the prop nut. The pressure from the prop and prop nut will tighten the collar over prop adapter, squeezing the prop adapter securely onto the shaft (there are grooves to allow the prop adapter to bend and squeeze onto the shaft). It seems a bit odd at first, but it does work well. This is also how the Parkzone Bf-109's prop goes onto the motor. I just finished up the E-Flite Cub 25e with the Power 25 and got 2 flawless flights on it today. I've never had any issues with this prop mount system. Hope this helps.
Posted on: 6/29/2010 1:15 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9833411

RE: E-Flite F-86 Sabre
Well, I made an attempt at a maiden off of grass this afternoon. I was fighting with a loose nose gear that wouldn't let the plane stay straight. I was unable to get enough ground speed for a good takeoff. I couldn't even force it up. I'll address the nose gear issue and hopefully give her another go this weekend if the weather is decent.
Posted on: 6/28/2010 8:53 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9832881

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
No problem, Jim. My ramblings can sometimes be a bit tough to decipher. Managed to go out to the field and get a few flights in today despite the 10+ mph gusty wind. I was able to get 2 airplanes maidened, attempted 1 and failed to get it off the ground, and flew the Rappy. My first flight was the maiden of my 3 channel RICCS F-15 foam EDF purchased for $90 from Hobby King. It had a good bit of trouble getting in the air off of the grass runway, but I managed to coax it into the air. A couple of clicks of trim and she was flying straight and level (well, about as well as it could be for being tossed around by the wind). Most of the flight had to be at WOT to prevent an unexpected loss of altitude. It rolled well, but would not loop. It didn't have the power. RICCS recommends a 3S battery, and it won't fit a 4S. It landed easier than I thought it would. After the 2nd flight, I noticed that it was getting a bit hot. At first, I figured that it was from the battery, as the battery used for the second flight had been involved in a crash (though the crash did only minor cosmetic damage to the battery, and was maintaining it's charge). After letting it cool for about 10 minutes, I plugged up another battery and took off again. When I landed, This battery (brand new, never been flown) was also hot and the ESC wires were melted together. That was the last flight for the day with this airplane. It may be because the entire flight, except the landing, was done at WOT. If that's the case, maybe this is just a calm day flier. Next up was the F-86 maiden. I was having trouble keeping it straight down the runway due to a loose nosewheel. I'll have to do some surgery to her this week and try again this weekend. However, even when I managed to keep it straight, she just wouldn't take off. Maybe I need to be able to keep it dead straight for the entire length of the runway to get her up off of the grass runway. Hopefully we'll see this weekend. For the last maiden of the day, I brought out my new E-Flite Cub 25e. I know, those of you that fly planes may think that I'm nuts for taking up a small Cub on a windy day. After a short takeoff run into the wind, she was up. That's when the fun began. She was BADLY out of trim. So much so, that I had to bring her down just to get the elevator trimmed a few clicks so I could have a couple of extra seconds in the air to trim it before having to correct it. She was still out of trim on the second takeoff, but not so bad that I had to land to trim it again. I was able to trim it this time without landing. Once trimmed out, I took her around for a few patterns, fighting the wind the whole way. I also managed to slip in a few loops and rolls to check out her capabilities. Once the fun was over, it was time to start setting up some approaches in the strong crosswind. The battery still had some juice left in it, but I wanted to be safe and be sure to get it in before it hit LVC. The first approach was too high. The second time around, I was able to get her down. It was a bit rough, but not too bad. The battery still had enough juice for at least a few more patterns, so I took off and made another approach. This time, she stalled a bit high over the runway, bounced, and nosed over. A quick blip of the throttle had her on her wheels again. No damage was done. After my third flight on the F-15, I took the Cub out again. This time, it was mostly play, now knowing that I can get it back on the ground safely. I made 2 landings on this flight. Each one got better than the last. This little plane is a blast to fly. Wind or no wind, I'll be flying this bird quite a bit more. By the time I had about 5 fixed wing flights under my belt for the day, my wife, the dog, and myself were all getting hot despite the stiff wind blowing through the cover at the field. I did want to get at least one flight on the Rappy before I called it quits for the day, so I go to the car and pull her out, fuel her up, take her to the flightline, and fire her up. She began to act like she didn't want to crank up. I tried a couple of different things to no avail. I then looked at my Tx, only to find that my throttle hold was on, and it was set to too low of an idle. I brought the hold setting up, tried again, and she fired right up. The flight was enjoyable and mostly uneventful, except for when my dumb thumbs didn't put in enough negative pitch in a roll, then not enough positive to exit the roll. I got lucky and managed to save it and continue flying. I managed to finish the entire tank of fuel, except the header tank. Phew, that's cutting it a bit close. Guess I was just having too much fun tooling around the sky with the Rappy and enjoying the sight of her new canopy in the sky. Happy flights ya'll, Shannon
Posted on: 6/28/2010 5:27 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9832428

RE: Securing the micro Li-Po battery?!
Try using the Great Planes brand Velcro (I've used this with good results and minimal fraying, though it is still a bit bulky) or get Parkzone part # PKZ1039 (the Velcro tabs that come with the Parkzone micro aircraft) for $3.99.
Posted on: 6/28/2010 4:59 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9832362

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
Jim, The blades I mentioned are the 40mm tail blades. I've read on some other forums where people were getting too much "wag" from the gyro using the 42mm, so I'll be attempting the 40mm blades. The 205mm are the larger main blades that come with the kit. I'll be using those as well over the 200mm mains. Piedmont still has a couple of more fly ins this year, so if you make it down for those, I'll see you there. I'll let ya'll know when they're scheduled. Keep me posted on the fly ins that any of your clubs will be having and I'll try to make it to one of them. Matty, Good luck on getting the job with Airbus. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you do get it. If your confidence has waned on your batteries, and you can't voltage check them, try hovering the 400 at a low enough altitude to set it down in a hurry for a few flights with the suspect batteries. Just don't get discouraged and keep trucking on with it. Jay, Sounds like you've been having a blast with the full size helis lately. Enjoy the ride. Later lady and gents, Shannon
Posted on: 6/27/2010 8:46 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9830500

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
Jim, Sounds about like your luck has come out something like mine lately. Sorry to hear about the crashes. At least you were able to repair the 450 and get back in the air for some good flights on the same day. My appologies for missing your fly-in. I have to much going right now and really couldn't make it. Our new puppy is eating up our time. Dave, I hear ya on the mosquitos. They can be pesky little buggars. Cuda, Can't wait to see your review on the Novus. It'll be interesting to see how something so small and CP flies. Well, like I mentioned, we finally made it back here to NC earlier this week with our new puppy. She's adjusting well and being a little sweetheart. Definitely a daddy's little girl though, she comes to me for just about everything. Hopefully if the weather holds up, I'll be maidening 3 fixed wing and getting a few flights on the Rappy tomorrow. If not tomorrow, maybe sometime by Tuesday evening. Since I crashed the 109, I picked up an E-Flite Cub to replace it (the 109 had the Power 25 in it), and I just finished up the build on it tonight. I finally got the battery all set up for the Sabre and I'm ready to give the RICCS F-15 foamy a go as well. The Rappy will be debuting a new Canomod fiberglass canopy that I'm really looking forward to seeing how it'll look in the air. I started the repair on the 250 the other day, only to find that I'm lacking a ball joint and the tail boom supports. Luckily, I had all of the other parts on hand. I don't know what size the CF tail blades that were on it are, but I'll be going with the smaller plastic tail blades that come with the kit. Maybe that, combined with a lower gyro gain will keep the oscillations to a minimum after rolls and such (that's how I lost it this time). Anyway, I'm wore out from a cookout we had this evening (not to mention that it's 0130), so I'll catch ya'll later. Shannon
Posted on: 6/27/2010 1:34 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9829235

RE: New Hanger 9 p-51 mustang **Trainer?!?**
Not to mention out of my budget. LOL.
Posted on: 6/13/2010 6:59 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9800681

RE: New Hanger 9 p-51 mustang **Trainer?!?**
I've been in Texas with my family the last couple of weeks. We've been having a lot of rain here (well, a couple of days ago) as well, but it let up and allowed the Jet Jocks to come out and play. Here's links to some of the pics and vids that I took at the Jet Rally here yesterday. Pics: [link=http://s371.photobucket.com/albums/oo160/mydartswinger/Northeast%20Texas%20RC%20Jet%20Rally%202010/]http://s371.photobucket.com/albums/oo160/mydartswinger/Northeast%20Texas%20RC%20Jet%20Rally%202010/[/link] Vids: F-16: [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN9XCs-YVVY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN9XCs-YVVY[/link] Turboprop Yak 54: [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y9vrZ3vwnU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y9vrZ3vwnU[/link] Hope the weather gets better for ya.
Posted on: 6/13/2010 6:00 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9800562

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
As promised, links to the pics and vids from the event yesterday. Pics: [link=http://s371.photobucket.com/albums/oo160/mydartswinger/Northeast%20Texas%20RC%20Jet%20Rally%202010/]http://s371.photobucket.com/albums/oo160/mydartswinger/Northeast%20Texas%20RC%20Jet%20Rally%202010/[/link] Vids: F-16 [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN9XCs-YVVY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN9XCs-YVVY[/link] Turboprop Yak 54 [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y9vrZ3vwnU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y9vrZ3vwnU[/link] Enjoy!!
Posted on: 6/13/2010 5:54 PM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9800554

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
Yep, had a blast as usual. My wife and I both participated in the pre-race ceremony. She was one of the 100 military spouses holding the large US flag shaped like the US, and I was one of the 600 soldiers in the formation on the front straight. Before the ceremony, we walked around the infield and hung out at the dirt track. While at the dirt track, "Papa" John himself was there doing a meet and greet with the soldiers and family members. After the ceremony was done, we watched the race from the infield. I'm currently in Texas with my family, and will be on my way back to NC shortly after Father's Day. We got lucky and there was a jet event about a 45 minute drive down the road. My wife and I went, taking a couple of our friends with us. We all had a blast, despite sweating our butts off. I got quite a few pictures and a few videos, including some of a VERY nice F-16 painted in Thunderbird's livery. If ya'll are interested in seeing them, I'll be posting them up on Photobucket and YouTube, and I'll post a link later. I have gotten a little bit of flying in while I've been here. However, I haven't had the best of luck with it. My first flight here in TX was on my 250. It was during sunset, so the sun was low, making visibility difficult in some areas. I was doing good with it, until I decided to do a roll. The roll itself went well, but after going back upright was when things started to go south. Once back upright, the tail started to go nuts. This caused me to lose control, allowing the helicopter to go between me and the sun. That's when I lost orientation, leading into the heli flying over my head and taking a nose dive into the ground to my left. Initial inspection looks like standard broken parts. I have most of the parts back at the house in NC. My second flight was on my Parkzone Bf-109G, that I recently upgraded the motor and ESC on from the Parkzone BL15 to the E-Flite Power 25. I hand launched it, and she climbed out easily, maneuvering into my first turn. She flew pretty well until I made about my 3rd turn when she wouldn't pull out of the turn, making her auger into the ground at full speed. She was in many, many pieces. I've been limited to flying pixels again in the meantime. I will, however, be picking up a 4S battery this week to fly my E-Flite F-86 Sabre (got to see one of these fly at the jet rally yesterday as well) on. Later Ya'll, Shannon
Posted on: 6/13/2010 10:57 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9799871

RE: Heli stuff and fellowship
Welcome, Neil. I'm not very familiar with that particular helicopter, however, I'll try to give you some general items to check. The problem could be in one of several places. Let's start with the cheapest to fix. Check the batteries in the radio. A dead radio will prevent the helicopter from doing much of anything (maybe a couple of lights). If the batteries in the radio are fine, hook up a voltmeter to the helicopter's battery. If the voltage is at or below (sometimes even near) the battery's listed voltage, the batte ry is shot. Also, look for an abnormally "puffy" appearance to the battery, as well as any pasty gray goo coming from the battery. If any of that is present, the battery is likely done for. LiPo batteries are sensitive to impact, charge rate, voltage discharge, and heat. If you have drained the battery until the helicopter was doing absolutely nothing, you possibly over discharged the pack. If both the radio and helicopter batteries check out fine, check for any control system binding or catching. That can cause it to appear to not work, as well as over stress the battery and electronics. Loosen the binding control surface, if needed, and recheck. If all of the above check out fine, the board if probably gone. In that case, the helicopter is pretty much a paper weight (unfortunately). Unless the manufacturer is willing to send you a replacement board (doubtful). If the heli turns out to be a paper weight, I feel your pain. No fear, though, you still have the Apache to work with. This is a fun, challenging, and rewarding hobby. Welcome to the addiction. PS: What scale slots you run? I used to run 1/32 scale at a local slot car "club" track when I was living in Alaska. Mostly Fly, Ninco, and Scalextrics cars (also did some of the Fly big rigs). Lots of fun times there. I've looked in other places in Texas and North Carolina, only to find that people are running 1/24th scale, if at all. I guess that I'll have to go with a home set up if I choose to get back into it (probably get one of the big Ninco track systems designed to fit on a 4x8 table).
Posted on: 6/13/2010 1:40 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "RC Helicopter Beginners Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9799395

RE: Stepping into nitro helis (Shuttle)
Chris, Simmon's? What unit? I work out at Simmon's in 3-82nd GSAB (the battalion with the CH-47s and the Dustoff). My appologies if my post came off as derogatory towards your company. I would LOVE to have one of your Intrepid turbines, I was just saying they're a bit out of my budget.
Posted on: 6/5/2010 9:20 AM by Author "mydartswinger" in the forum "Hirobo Support Forum"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9782293