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View Full Version : Was going to do a side by side AP2000 - Robbe Helicommand


staplegun
04-04-2007, 11:40 AM
For the benefit of the community I was going to do a side by side compairson of the AP 2000i and the Helicommand.

That was until major disaster struck. I was running the second pack on my TREX 450 ap rig with the Helicommand installed when the ship was totaled by a dust devil. The ship was sent tumbling down the street about 100 yards.

The list of destruction is too long to post, I am strongly considering a total re-kit to replace the ship along with a new Askman APLG mount.

Here is a brief synopsis of my results.

Both do a great job of turning your helicopter into a stable camera platform.
Above 15' both will keep the Helicopter stable but drift with the wind.

The helicommand does have a gyro built in, in the brief time I was able to fly the ship I was not able to get the gain set well enough to prevent tail wagging. I can't give good impressions on how well the gyro worked.

MarkWebber
04-04-2007, 12:16 PM
What were the control problems when the dust devil hit the heli? Was the helicommand active? If so, did it attempt to stabilize while in the dust devil?

That has got to be a worst-case for any stabilizer. Scale tornado :roll:

Piton
04-04-2007, 12:22 PM
As an ex-paraglider, I can attest to the nastiness of dust devils. We fly in thermals approaching climb rates of 1,000ft per minute, but dest devils are the core of the beginning thermal, and will toss just about anything around, heli or paraglider.

Thanks for the report, and sorry for your tumble.

staplegun
04-04-2007, 12:41 PM
Mark - The dust devil had winds over 80mph and was about 80' diameter. The heli was sitting on the ground when it hit.

Desert Dust Devils are nasty and should be classified as small tornados due to the damage they can do. I will get some pictures this summer of some where you can see a huge dust column

MarkWebber
04-04-2007, 12:45 PM
Ok

I wondered because I lost the tail on my Intrepid on approach around 50'. Before I got to throttle hold, it was whirling like in a dust devil. The AP2000i tried to level but ran out of altitude. It was better than had I been trying to save it. Came down just a bit nose down. The camera mount absorbed most of the damage.

botag
04-05-2007, 12:52 AM
can I ask you what kind of wireless camera you shot your "Hover Break" with???

staplegun
04-05-2007, 01:19 AM
I used my Canon A540 in video mode.