Does the CH-46 actually fly?!?!

[whtmex]

OK. Frustration is starting to kick in now. What is the trick to setting up the MS Composit CH-46? This was an enjoyable little project until it came to control setup.....Now I'm about ready to kick the B!tch across the room. I've tried reversing the channels, playing with the Gain adj on my gyros, changing the CCPM mix...everything I could possibly think of, and the servos are still refusing to go where they're supposed to.

I've gone over the mixer wiring several times and can't see any errors there.

Has anyone gotten this model off the ground successfully...and how did you do it?????

I've seen a video of it flying, so I know it can be done. So I guess my question should be has anyone who doesn't have multiple degrees in astrophysics, aeronautics, and electrical engineering gotten this thing flying....and how did you do it?

My current setup is:
MS Ch-46 Kit w/ 3 bladed heads
6 HS-55 servos
MS Mixer unit
Align Piezo Gyros.
Align 25A Speed controller

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chad

[melsman]

Hi whtmex,

Sorry to hear about your frustration. I've not set up the MS tandem before, so the only help I can offer would be general in nature. However, there's a few guys on here that have successfully set-up and flown the bird. Furyevo on this site has done so, and thus it might be worth a quick "PM" to him to see how his was set-up.

Ashley

[whtmex]

Thanks, Ashley.

I'll give him a shout. I've eliminated the gyros from the system, and the Tx programmable mix to get just straight servo movements, and it's still doing crazy stuff.

Chad

[whtmex]

OK. Got her figured out. So, just so no one else makes the same mistake I did, here's what the problem was...You have to set the "Swash" setting in the transmitter to normal (90*) not 120*. The mixer onboard the Heli handles the CCPM interactions. You end up double mixing if you set your Tx to 120*.

She should start getting her trimming flights today.

[whtmex]

SHE FLIES!!!! Looks pretty cool too...even without the body on. Very touchy with the scale heads on, but it's verified. She will leave the ground.

[vertol]

Hi,
seriosly lookinginto this heli...would you do it again if you had the option?

thanks

vertol

[warpspeed]

I've been curious about tandems too. Whtmex, have you flown tandems before? Everything I've read makes it sound like if you're not proficient with a single rotor chopper you probably shouldn't even attempt a tandem. Is this really true? Is the twitchiness something that can be tuned out or just the nature of the beast?

BTW, pic's would be nice!

[gorn]

I would like to know as well. Very cool looking heli.

[whtmex]

I started last year on a Blade CX. Then moved up to a CP for a few months before investing in my Rexes. I've been flying a T-Rex 450SE and a T-Rex 600CF for about 6 months. While I'm no "Pro", I fly well enough to do sport flying and mild 3D with almost no crashing (gotta push the limit every now and then). I can usually get myself out of whatever hairy situation I get myself into.

I think the twitchiness in this case is due to the lack of a flybar. Twitchy is probably a bad word here. It's just VERRRRRY responsive. I got mine with the 3 bladed heads for the scale look, and a bit of a challenge, so when an input is entered...it goes in that direction quickly. I finally had a stable hover and did some mild flight today after 4 days of tuning hovers. The kit with the 2 bladed heads & flybars is actually a bit cheaper, and probably quite a bit more stable.

If you are a beginner, I would NOT recommend this as a 1st heli. You need to have a pretty good understanding of what is involved in trimming and tuning a heli. You have to tune the axis of 2 gyros, as well as a programmable mix in the Transmitter, and adjust the mix in the onboard mixer. Also, track and balance 2 main rotor heads. Plus the body is a two-half vacuum-formed assembly that is unpainted. So a bit of general modeling experience is needed for good results. The instructions would be almost unreadable to someone who had no heli experience.

I would buy this heli again. However, I do question the cost a bit. The parts are good quality, but not great quality, and the only electronic component that comes with the kit is the motor. I guess when you've got the only Mini-tandem on the market you can do whatever you want. Hopefully Joe at Tech-MP will get his CH-47 released soon so there's at least a bit of competition.

I will post pics at the completion so you can see what happens when an average Joe has his hands on this model. You can make your decisions then.

Later,

Chad

[billyd]

I have this heli and it flys very well. HOWEVER, it is not for the novice. The 3 blade head requires very precise alignment and setup. Once that is done, it flies like a champ. Mine hovers hands off for long stretches.

The biggest negative would be that since it is a micro size, it is quite fragile. The small bevel drive gears at each end of the main shaft are paticularly weak, and immediately lose their teeth in any situation where the main blades touch anything, even brushing the grass on a crooked landing (it's small size makes that all too easy in a cross wind). Loosening the blade grips helps with that, however if they are too loose the flying characteristics suffer. Fortunately the bevel gears only cost $3.50 or so, so keep half a dozen on hand and you should be fine. Fortunately they are easy to replace.

It really is quite cool, this helicopter, but you have to get it set just so. Not for the beginner at all though, and most of the spare parts are very expensive considering they're plastic and of cheap construction.

The twinn rexx at tech-mp is far superior, but also more expensive. The twinn rexx ends up fully rtf around $1700, and the mscomposit ch-46 is around half that. But it wouldn't take too many crashes (even hard landings) with the ch-46 to get to $1700. Each set of main blades (you need two) are $50 and break easily. And the two rotor sets are $150. Sure the twinn rexx spares are more expensive but they will survive rough landings and even minor crashes and blade strikes, any of which would severly mangle the ch-46.

Buy them both if you can swing it. But if you can only get one get the twinn rexx.

[v22chap]

Got to agree with billyd,,, I have had the MS -46 and have the twin rex now and there is no comparison of how the structure will hold up on the rex as to the lighter MS ... they both fly good ..but I believe the rex will take more abuse and fly in more wind than the MS one . I stripped a lot of drive gears on the MS and have not even had number one problem with the rex . I also like having the wide gear in front to make it more stable on landings :thumbup:

[cyberience]

I just got this kit, and enjoying the build, but I have 1 problem,
the instructions get me to place the Front balls of both swash plates, but I dont see how they attach, I can imagine gluing it, or even cable tie, but there is no bracket for them, and there is no clear picture showing how it is installed, to tell you, the instructions for this build are pretty crap., Photos would have been better than drawings, also my Diagram shows double twin blades, where infact I have Triple rotors.
Any way, if any one has a photo showing how these 2 servos are installed, would be greatly appreciated.

Regards:rolling

[v22chap]

http://www.techmodelproducts.com/Twinn_Rexx_docs/TR_Assembly_Manual_Figures.PDF
The online manual in steps 8b to 8 f show how to mount the servos and it doesn't make any matter if you have 2 or 3 bladed heads the servo to swash plate links hook up the same .The servos mount in the frame cutouts made for the servos,, if I am understanding your question right .
You can also magnify these pictures a lot to make them clearer