RC Heli's

[apache]

Davi said:

just to add to roop's comments - make sure you have throttle hold set up on the appropriate Tx switch. When activated this should take the engine instantly to idle. When you next have a problem like this (note not if ) you flick it straight into throttle hold, which effectively disconnects drive to the rotors. Believe me, it can save you a bloomin fortune in parts and repairs!!

In this instance it would have been particularly effective as (dependant on height) you also have no torque being applied that the tail needs to counter, so it would have stopped pirouetting. Momentum in the blades would also have given *limited* control on the descent.

yeah, got a throttle cut out switch but, believe me, there was no time to hit it and no time for it to react if I had.

[triple7]

Apache, what you like!

Doh!!!

Go buy that crash kit!!!!!

G

[triple7]

Just taken my Twister outside for some uncontrolled flying. Seems not enough power at full chat to get the thing airborne. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

G

[Davi]

on the twister check that the pinion isn't slipping on the motor shaft - they can appear tight but not be quite tight enough.

If that's OK, check the blade angle at full chat (disconnect motor from esc, put in full pitch, measure pitch - should be around 9-10 deg)

After that - what packs are you running? (make, brand, type) If they came with it, there is quite a likelyhood that they just aren't up to the job.

Edited by Davi on Friday 9th February 15:00

[triple7]

Sorry Davi, me not up to speed on the jargon you using. how I measure the pitch?

I bought '800' 8.4amp Venom batteries, they are higher capacity. Guy at shop said 11.9 better, but 'MAY' fry the chip, he said is a gamble?

G

[Davi]

triple7 said:

Sorry Davi, me not up to speed on the jargon you using. how I measure the pitch?

I bought '800' 8.4amp Venom batteries, they are higher capacity. Guy at shop said 11.9 better, but 'MAY' fry the chip, he said is a gamble?

G

OK - for some reason I assumed your twister is the collective pitch version, though of course thinking further it could also be the fixed pitch version - do you know which it is?

(if it's collective pitch the main blades rotate about their axis as you put in the power - i.e. they change pitch, on a fixed pitch a bolt just goes through a tab on the end of the blade, the blades themselves will be curved in an airfoil section)

Either way... the chap in the shop is right, they have been known to fry chips if it is the type with the integrated board, however 2 cell batteries on a collective pitch heli really is marginal on the power - it needs to be built VERY light and preferably with brushless motor. Venom batteries are not one of the better ones for lithiums - thunder power, flight power and kokam are better known brands. It really can make a HUGE difference on the power output (like the difference between fly and not fly)

Give me the full spec of the heli as best you can and we'll take it from there.

[triple7]

Arghhh.

Right, bought a Twister V2 FP. I wanted a Venom 3D, but the chap said I'd just stuff it and a good place to start to to see until if I liked the RC thang, and then upgrading to a Raptor.


It is so hard to keep the thing straight, folllowed those lessons but did me no good, hence I thought i'd just go outside on to my large drive and give it some only to discover it just about flies, but only in ground effect.

G

[triple7]

Wish spoke to you first!

In hindsight, it was an interesting comment he made about getting a more powerful battery from the start, seems he knew the score.

G

[Davi]

triple7 said:

Arghhh.

Right, bought a Twister V2 FP. I wanted a Venom 3D, but the chap said I'd just stuff it and a good place to start to to see until if I liked the RC thang, and then upgrading to a Raptor.


It is so hard to keep the thing straight, folllowed those lessons but did me no good, hence I thought i'd just go outside on to my large drive and give it some only to discover it just about flies, but only in ground effect.

G

well he's right, collective pitch on a micro as a learning tool usually means mucho £££'s - so he did you well there. Learning on a FP micro is much, much easier!

with respect to the problems you've got, definitely check the pinion isn't slipping - the little one on the motor. They have a habit of appearing really tight, but if in fact slip on high power. Easiest remedy is a drop of cyano (superglue) BUT you have to be extremely careful or it will run up the shaft, into the motor, and bugger it completely. you want to hold the motor with the shaft pointing down and use a toothpick to add a drop on the end - it should wick up between the shaft and pinion. be bloody carefull none goes on the teeth or into the motor or it's bin time. Another possible solution is that you don't have the correct gearing - if the pinion is the wrong size the motor might be running full tilt with less than max loading but not spinning the blades up fast enough.

Another trick you can try is to add a little extra twist into the blades for extra pitch - but honestly at your stage in the game I wouldn't recommend it as if you don't get it right it'll bugger them, and it also results in a low headspeed take off, which is incredibly unstable.

Next question - are you using training gear? If you are, it's probably too much weight for the setup. If you aren't, then you have to consider these options.

1. try a different pinion on the motor to up the gearing - I can't remember the gearing on the twister but say you are on an 8 tooth pinion, you could try a 9 tooth or a 10 tooth.
2. lose some weight - first step, try without the canopy (with freshly charged pack) and see if it lifts any better.
3. try different packs - I'd recommend you speak to Robotbirds for Kokams or sussex model center about Flight Power or Thunder Power packs. A 3 cell arrangement will give you so much more rpm at the motor you will almost definitely need to lower the pinion tooth count (unless of course it's too low already )
4. fit a lightweight brushless motor - these fly the FP's fantastically on 2 cell - we'll need to work out the right one for you though so don't go rushing out on this one. You'll need a brushless controller as well - it can get pricey but nowadays it's piss cheap compared to when I started!
5. All of the above!!!

I'd really highly recommend you try asking about this on rcheli.com as well, I know many of the lads there have twisters.

[triple7]

Thanks Davi, bit pi$$ed off if the 'out of the box' chopper and I quote 'test flown before packaged' needs different parts! Money back job me thinks!

I do have trainingg gear, but it came with the heli (not extra but in the box from manuf.)

Your suggestion about the glue, is funny esp. what can go wrong!!!! I bought it from Sussex model centre, thought the £30 worth of extra Venom batteries was good advice, amybe not.

G

[Davi]

triple7 said:

Thanks Davi, bit pi$$ed off if the 'out of the box' chopper and I quote 'test flown before packaged' needs different parts! Money back job me thinks!

I do have trainingg gear, but it came with the heli (not extra but in the box from manuf.)

Your suggestion about the glue, is funny esp. what can go wrong!!!! I bought it from Sussex model centre, thought the £30 worth of extra Venom batteries was good advice, amybe not.

G

blimey - I'm very surprised anyone from SMC suggested anything bar the FP packs. Mind you, having said that... they were having slight "discussions" with the FP people, maybe they turned sour! That said, you bought from the right place, they do generally know their stuff in SMC and I would recommend you take it back in there and ask for some help, they will sort you out. If you can wait till my mate gets back online (prob over the weekend now) I can get you a name to ask for when you go in.

but...if you have training gear fitted, and are on 2 cells, then frankly I'd be surprised if it ever got off the floor. Seriously, these "ready to fly" micro's are marginal at the best of times. I can list a dozen friends heli's that I've removed the gear from to test and they've flown OK (well, ish) but with gear, won't lift 10cms.

[Davi]

triple7 said:

bit pi$$ed off if the 'out of the box' chopper and I quote 'test flown before packaged' needs different parts! Money back job me thinks!

just to add... I've only ever bought one "out the box" chopper - which never flew well until I'd stripped it and rebuilt it. Unfortunately I now end up rebuilding all my mates as well

[triple7]

Thanks Davi.

Give me a contact at SMC and I'll persue this. If it was you as a beginner what would you buy???

G

[rich 36]

Friendly fire....

[rich 36]

Done some digging on the Twister thing,

and found these,
This one plainly shows outdoor flight
(in calm weather at least) works so that makes me firmly wrong.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM28QBynlTw

and then this chap apparently as an advert for his shop

offers some hints on repairs, and Especially like the blingy' last bit


www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSOzB8emCBI

[Davi]

triple7 said:

Thanks Davi.

Give me a contact at SMC and I'll persue this. If it was you as a beginner what would you buy???

G

Sorry for the delay mate, been completely tied up all weekend - I'll get the name for you tomorrow.

I bought an Ikarus FP to learn on, so yes, I would! (nearly all FP models are based on the Ikarus Piccolo).

I quite fancy one now TBH, they are great fun and once you are up to speed some very minor mods make them flyable even in quite strong wind.

[Davi]

when you go into SMC ask for Marcel

[triple7]

Thanks Rich36 for your posts, but I don't have that type of chopper, no counter-rotating blades.

Davi, after we chatted and I was pi$$ed off, I went downstairs and ripped off the training gear and with intent gave it max throttle and did my first of chopper flying! Maybe not in much control (hit the sideboard and broke the carbon struts!) but she flies! More parctice me thinks!

G

[rich 36]

Ah,
crossed wire.

do you have a picture of your choice I can look at.

Myself I got started as I've fancied helicopter flight since I saw the first ones in the 70's I think now.
although the petrol fuelled are substantially less than before to buy,
suspected it might be as well to commence somewhere cheaper still

A; might crash it bits
B(far more likely) get bored with whole thing

hence C/R bladed trainer type

[Davi]

triple7 said:

Thanks Rich36 for your posts, but I don't have that type of chopper, no counter-rotating blades.

Davi, after we chatted and I was pi$$ed off, I went downstairs and ripped off the training gear and with intent gave it max throttle and did my first of chopper flying! Maybe not in much control (hit the sideboard and broke the carbon struts!) but she flies! More parctice me thinks!

G

Yeah thought it would 2 cells is so marginal on the power that weight is everything. Think yourself lucky though, when I started with these micro's we were using NiCd cells, you had to pare back every last mg of weight, and then got about 2 - 3 mins of flying before it was time for a recharge

oh - BTW, don't bother buying new carbon struts for the copter, at least, not ones that are made for the twister specifically. Just get a length of carbon rod, probably 2mm on that one - you can get 2m for the same price as a set of landing gear that totals 20cm! To cut it to length get a stanley knife and use the blade to roll it back and forth on a hard surface.