Proper (safe) startup procedure?

[Torq]

Ok, finally got 550 in the air.
So much easier then Trex450 that hovering is (almost) boring.

One thing that I struggled with at field, is how to connect the 2 3S packs.
I can do it with Canopy off, but it does not feel 'safe' to be man-handling the heli putting the canopy on while the heli is live.

What is safer, connecting power to ESC, which the receiver is unpowered?

Or have transmitter on with throttle hold, receiver powered on, and then connect ESC and mess around with putting canopy in place?

Thanks
Torq

[woz]

"Or have transmitter on with throttle hold, receiver powered on, and then connect ESC and mess around with putting canopy in place?"

Transmitter ALWAYS on first, then Receiver then ESC -
I have struggled to get the leads out of the canopy ( as I do do with the Trex 450) so Canopy on last !

HTH

[faxxe]

Hell-it seems i did always wrong:/

I switched on transmitter; mount the 2 lipos on the heli and connect to ESC; mount the
canopy; put heli back an ground and finally i switched on the receiver. Airborne!

Really dangerous?

[Torq]

Thanks Woz,

I was just wondering if it was safer to have receiver unpowered, if that meant there was 0% chance the ESC would see low throttle.

If I have everything on, then its possible that the throttle hold switch might get moved while I am messing with canopy.

[woz]

Remember it is the Tx and RX that controll the aircraft. If one or the other is not active it might well be that the motor spools up BUT with no controll.

Torq you are right there is a possibility that you switch the switch accidentally, (has happened to me) have a procedure and maybe allocate a switch that is in a less likely to be switched, also move radio slightly away from where you are working.