Cypher 3D - Love this Heli!

[maddog57]

Dru, thanks man. I'll try those exercises too. Real windy today, too much for my blood. Hopefully tomorrow. 80 deg for the high here today... too bad about the wind!!

Just curious as to what everybody has for a flying field. Do you belong to a club and fly at their field? Do you have a big field you use? Do you have a big lawn? I use my neighbors lawn at the cost of keeping it mowed. It's probably 200'x150' surrounded on three sides with trees. At the college I work at there are a bunch of places I'll fly at once the students are gone for the summer. The athletic fields are prefect...nice and flat and BIG and well manicured.

Chris :thumbup:

[blvdbuzzard]

I have a 500 foot runway in front of my house :flamedevil and I fly at 2 other fields. the club I belong to is about 60 miles away. I meet my brother and brother in law there so we can fly together. I also go to the field my brother and brother in law belong to. That one is 2 hour 15 minute drive EACH WAY!!!!!!

We try to get together about once a month or so. Soon, real damn soon, I will have my kitchen remodel done and be able to have room in my garage, I will have a build / fly session so they have to drive to my house. I have been driving to my brothers and that is almost 2 hour drive each way. I can sleep in and not have to pack up have my garage to take with me.

Dru.

P.S. Winds are gusting to about 45-50 mph. No fun to be out side, no flying either. :(

[irjamesm]

Dru, thanks man. I'll try those exercises too. Real windy today, too much for my blood. Hopefully tomorrow. 80 deg for the high here today... too bad about the wind!!

Just curious as to what everybody has for a flying field. Do you belong to a club and fly at their field? Do you have a big field you use? Do you have a big lawn? I use my neighbors lawn at the cost of keeping it mowed. It's probably 200'x150' surrounded on three sides with trees. At the college I work at there are a bunch of places I'll fly at once the students are gone for the summer. The athletic fields are prefect...nice and flat and BIG and well manicured.

Chris :thumbup:

I useually fly in my driveway, not a big driveway, if i move both cars out its twice as big. But i dont really have a good spot,kinda sucks.

[Vechlor]

I used to belong to a club for a few years in the '90s with our own field and runway, but some contractor came in and wanted to build a store or something, so we had to find somewhere else to fly. After 13 years, it never happened, no store and the club of about 60 pilots slowly disappeared during that time. I'd sometimes visit the Beal Blackbirds R/C club at Beal Air Force Base, about a 40-50 min drive and use their runway, a bit windy most of the days, perfect for gliders and larger gas powered crafts, but very worth it.

I found out that my club started meeting in my town a few years ago. They fly mostly small electric planes at a school field a few miles away, but only at certain hours of the day... :mad: I went to one of the club meets and it wasn't the same...

There's a college and a few schools in my area not more than 6 miles away, all with large fields to fly at, but surrounded by tall trees. About a year ago, I met another pilot in the only toy/hobby store in my town and he told me of another school that some pilots like to gather at with two large 500x500ft fields. Since then, I've been going there whenever I get a chance. :thumbup:

[irjamesm]

I just received my 6S 3200 30C Blue Lipo from hobbypartz, i also have 2 turnigy 6S 3200 30C coming, so i will have 3 for my 500, man this thing is huuuggggeeee!!
Dru, i have a question, i posted it on the EXI500 forum on rcdiscuss, but didnt really get an answer.
On the 500 it is heavy on the right side, so as soon as take off it leans to the right, On some videos of others flying thiers i see it leaning also. How do i fix, add some wieght to the left side?

[wa3itz]

Getting the equipment in. Ran into a problem and before cutting the frame, looking for some advice. Servos are in and setup, Receiver in place. Gyro HELI-MAX Pro HM4000 is a bit to wide about 1/8", 1-Should I just cut one side of the frame? 2- Move the Gyro back and make a bracket to mount it on the tail boom? or 3- ad about a 5/8" block to the pad to raise it and mount the Gyro on the block? Any other ideas?? Thanks to all in advance. Doc in PA.

[blvdbuzzard]

Doc, I will answer you when I get home so I can look at my Cypher.

James, not sure of why it would be heavier on one side? Maybe mount the ESC, on that side, and mount the battery off center?

I can add more why I get home.


Dru.

[Vechlor]

Doc, that gyro is a beast! :shock:

Joking aside, I would not cut any of the frame out. Using the block idea to raise the gyro up sounds like a good choice. I'm using two pieces of foam on my gyro which raises it about 7mm. Take the height of the foam and minus that from 5/8 (give 1/8" extra block height for error since the foam will compress a bit when pressed on), which should be your block height. The gyro doesn't have to be mounted high up, but you can if that's your choice, should still fit just fine. Or, use a few pieces of foam stuck together until the gyro clears the frame.

Also, if the adhesive doesn't stick well to the block, add some drops of thick ca glue.

[blvdbuzzard]

Doc, I could not remember what the frame area looked like. I had to look before I wrote about it. I would not raise the gyro up, but rather place it upside down on the under side. Then use foam and or a block to make sure it clears.

The reason I would not raise it, is because of Gyro Golf. That is when you crash, the paddle hits the gyro and flies almost as far as a golf ball.

Now if you can not find the room under there, then you will have to raise it or get a different gyro.

James, when you hold the fly bar in line with the tail boom. Pick up the helicopter. Does it lean to one side? Sort of like you do to find the CG.


Dru.

[irjamesm]

James, when you hold the fly bar in line with the tail boom. Pick up the helicopter. Does it lean to one side? Sort of like you do to find the CG.


Dru.

No, it seems pretty level that way, just looked from the rear and it looks like the tail rotor isnt at a 90. Higher on the right side from the rear.

[wa3itz]

Looks like I will have to use a block. No room underneath the receiver is there. Also have to go over the linkage setup. With everything set (Servo arms) at 90 deg. the swash is up in the back (Down elevator). Also the pitch seems jumpy. Will have to take a close look. If anyone has any suggestions on the CYFHER setup please we would like any and all suggestions. Thanks all Doc in PA.
Sure wish I was not up in the boonies at times like this.

[maddog57]

Hey James, how does the 500 fly? Is the tilt to the right making it hard to fly? If your CG is good, I think you're OK. Helis tend to lean right...think it's due to the tail rotor counter acting the torque of the main rotor blades [someone correct me if I'm wrong here].

Chris :thumbup:

[maddog57]

Doc I took some measurements and looks like you'll need to make a 1/2" spacer to raise the gyro enough to clear the frame sides. If you go that route, make sure, when you mount it, that you don't hit the anti-rotation pin from the swash. It'll be real close to the front of the gyro as it is 30mm square. I wouldn't cut the frame either, as Vechlor said. Other option would be to sell the Heli Max and get like a GY401 or something that'll fit with no mods. 1/2" is a lot of height.

I also took some link measurements from one of my Cyphers. Remember these are only starting points.
10.85mm - front 2 servos to swash
9.75mm - rear servo to swash
33.81mm - swash to flybar mixing arms
18.17mm - mixing block arms to flybar control arms
.495 - flybar mixing arms to main blade grips
These lengths were measured from bottom to bottom of the links, not center to center.

Sounds like the rear [elevator] link to swash needs to be shortened. Go 1 full turn and try it. Go another full turn, if need be, and try it again until the swash is level. I use a swash leveling tool to level the swash and to adjust the end point travel of the three servos at full low and high stick positions.
Hope this helps.

Chris :thumbup:

[wa3itz]

Chris, I was able to use a 3/8" block. I put the Gyro on the block and left 1/4" between the Gyro and anti rotation pin. The Flybar pushed all the way down has a 1/4" space to the gyro. The flybar paddles are not level, how are they mounted to the bar? Can I just twist them until they are level with each other? Thanks for all the help. Getting there slow but sure, I HOPE. Doc

[blvdbuzzard]

Doc, I have sent a few gyro flying even when they were down in the frame. The paddle will ALWAYS get to where you dont want them

Pliers and you finger to adjust the fly paddles. Practice and you too will be able to do them in 10 seconds :)

Dru

[maddog57]

Gotta agree with Dru, the flybar gets in the damnedest places in a crash. Doc the paddles are screwed onto the flybar. You 'll want them level at center stick, O deg. pitch, just like all the other head components. I eyeball down the flybar from one paddle to the other and make them level with eachother, the flybar carrier and flybar control arms. Hold the flybar with some needle nose pliers and screw the paddles on, that way you won't stress anything when the paddle starts to get tight on the bar.

3/8" is better than 1/2" to raise the gyro. Too bad it won't fit nice and snug between the frame sides. Should be fine though I think.What did you make the 3/8" block out of?

Chris :thumbup:

[wa3itz]

Hard balsa covered with Mono-coat. Doc

[blvdbuzzard]

Sounds good Doc.

My first high dollar gyro, a Futaba GY240 went flying. It was mounted in between the frame and should have been low enough to avoid damage. I hit hard on the side and it went flying. Some how it managed to not break.


Dru.

[Vechlor]

Doc, I'm not sure if this was said, but check all ball links so that the inner recessed edge is facing the ball. If you find any loose or tight links, the kit comes with two spares you can use. As for setting up linkages, I pretty much eye ball it, making sure all servos are at 90, the mixing arms are level, then lastly with the blades on, I might end up adjusting the smaller links to the blade grips to find 0 pitch.

Also, add blue loctite to all metal screws to metal, including ball screws threaded into the metal swash, mixing arm block, fly bar, Jesus bolt nut, tail hub set screw etc. The feathering spindle is tight out of the box, but check it just to make sure.

[maddog57]

Speaking of lok-tite Doc, take the tail blades out of their grips and pull the screws out that mount each grip it's the hub...I had a grip/blade fly off when I got my first Cypher cuz the screw had no thread lok. It's two screws that are easily over looked.

Chris :thumbup:

[wa3itz]

Thanks all. Slow but surly getting there. Looked at the videos and starting to make progress. Doc

[kevinbattista]

hey guys, just an up date: my computer should be up and running tomorrow(at work now) got the CYPHER in and cant wait to start the build.i think i'm gonna be very happy with it . i think i'm missin some parts( balls , rods , linkage) i called and they shipped them out....also gyro and servo's are ordered and gonna pick up Tx and Rx this weekend ( went with futaba ) i'nm also talkin to my local hobby shop bout carring CYPHER parts :thumbup: been fly'n the BLADE cpp2 alot .. gettin good at it too so once i get this CYPHER together i should be flyin like the pro's;) well , breaks over , just wanted to say thanx again for the help...

[irjamesm]

Hey James, how does the 500 fly? Is the tilt to the right making it hard to fly? If your CG is good, I think you're OK. Helis tend to lean right...think it's due to the tail rotor counter acting the torque of the main rotor blades [someone correct me if I'm wrong here].

Chris :thumbup:

Yea it flies good, just that lean on landing, one skid first.
Dru, you do live out there huh? Cold and windy there this weekend, dove thru there on my way to arizona.
My father lives out there in Prescott az, and he isnt doing well, in the V.A. Hospital, been diagnosed with brain cancer, he is 74 and im pretty sure he wont see 75.
Dont mean to be a bummer, but i feel you guys are my friends and just thought i should say something as i might not be on as much as before.:(

[Vechlor]

James, We are here for you bud, in the best of times and the worst of times. Very sorry to about your father, it is never easy to go through times like these. All I can say is be strong and have hope, to the both of you and your family.

Like I always say, family first. Come visit us again soon.

:Stay-in this thread.

[maddog57]

+1 on that... we're here for you James.

Chris :thumbup: