raptor 50 setup beginner

[vtjeep]

OK looking to buy a raptor 50 se unless someone says other package is better.. so my question is is there a setup that makes is less sensitive , different flybars or is this just remote setup ? reason i ask is this will be my first bird and ic that some companys put heavy weighted flybars to lessen the response if im correct .

[Swoop]

Pick up a set of the 30g black TT paddles like the ones that come stock on the 30. (The SE comes with 25g). Use the inner hole on the washout and add some expo to you radio. This should soften it up a little bit.

[BarracudaHockey]

Yep, you want the black paddles.

http://www.raptortechnique.com is a good site and this article is about the titan but it may be of some help to you as well
http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=836

[vandelescrow]

I agree with what was said here and would like to add. When you build the heli, there are 2 ways in the manual to set it up, beginer and advanced. When I started in this hobby, the first heli I purchased was a Raptor 30 V2 with a 50 upgrade kit. I figured I did not want to mess with setting up everything on the heli twice as I progress with learning. So I built the heli for advanced and used expo and dual rates to calm down the heli. As I got better I gradualy modified the expo and dual rates till it is at it is today. When I teach people how to fly, I first hover there heli and see how responsive it is. If it is too responsive I modify there transmitter settings and explain to them what I'm doing so later they can set it back as they feal comfortable. An agressive heli can really be taimed by the transmitter settings and make learning to hover alot easier. Hope this helps

[vtjeep]

ok thanks for the tips .. now more ? how do u learn to setup the radio to be calm ?

[vandelescrow]

Set up your radio normaly (end points so nothing binds, aileron, elevator, pitch, Tail is done via the gyro). Also when setting end points so nothing binds, make sure both end points are as close to the same as possible. I.E, Left aileron and Right Aileron are both X, Up elevator and down elevator are both Y etc.

Depending on your radio (Futaba and JR do expo different, my experience is JR). On a JR set your ailerron and elevator to around +60 expo. The higher the number the more dead the center of the stick travel will be. At around +60 you will be able to sneeze and nothing will happen to the heli. That may sound funny but hey, when your flying and a sneeze comes on or a mosquito is bugging you, lets face it, you are out of control for a second or two. Dual rate you will just have to experiment with it so you don't get full travel. Dual rate is not as critical as expo when first learning. Most of your stick movements will be around center.

Pitch. What I did was find where it hovers. I know most people say +4 but I find it is actualy +5 to +5.5. If you have your pitch range set up so 0 is at mid stick (50 is what your JR transmiter will display) hover will be around 65. I have a 9303 which has 7 points to set on the pitch curve. I would put point 0 so I get -4 degrees pitch, point 1 inhibit point 2 apx 3 points below point 3 (in this example 57) point 3 60 (hover will be at mid stick, later when you change this to linear hover will be at 3/4 stick), point 4 3 points above point 3 (in this example 63) point 5 inhibit and point 6 at +10 to +12 degrees pitch. What this will do is make your pitch a bit dead at center stick. When you finaly fly adjust the mid 3 points as needed to hover at mid stick and have a slight dead area on both sides of hover. This way when you give it some rudder, and you don't go exactly 90 degrees from throttle/pitch, the heli won't climb or descend much and will give you less things to concentrate on when first learning.

Mind you this is just to learn to hover, once you are into forward flight I would set the pitch curve linear. Be aware when you change to linear, your pitch will be more responsive and you will have to pay closer attention to what you are doing in a hover. In case you dont know what linear is, point 0 is set to -10 to -12 degrees pitch, point 6 is set to +10 to +12 degrees pitch and all points in between are inhibited. I say +-10 to +- 12 depending on how much pitch you are able to achieve. I don't remember what the stock heli gets, I modified mine so I am actualy able to get -12 to +14. I use - 12 to +12 in all flight modes except throttle hold, there I have -12 +14.

Also as you progress, start backing off on the expo say 5 points at a time but keep aileron and elevator the same.

Lastly, let someone who knows heli's check out your heli prior to your first flight. There may be something you forgot or didn't set up right. like servo reversing, gyro direction.

[vtjeep]

ok well i though putting togeather the kit would be hard .. sounds like setting up the radio is going to be harder .. are there good directions that come with this stuff? and no one flys around here at least that i can find how can i do this my self?

[vandelescrow]

what radio are you using? That would be the first step in trying to find someone to help. Also if you don't have a pitch gauge, get one. BTW, I had to teach my self so we will get you there, don't worry.

[vtjeep]

no non radio yet still looking want to make the best choice the first time .. im looking to buy in a month or so ..im taking all the info all u can give me and trying to figure somthing good for me

[vandelescrow]

My first radio was a JR 6 channel, I forget the model. I quickly out grew it, going scale will do that. I neaded 9 channels and could potentialy think of using 11 channels, if I went hog wild with scale. My recomendation about radios is the same thing you hear about computers, get the best you can afford. I currently use the JR 9303 2.4ghz. I recently upgraded from the regular 9303 because I go to flyins and don't want to mess with frequency pins, other than that they are the same radio.
If you are set on a Raptor 50 and the 9303 radio (any radio will work but these are what Ray uses in the video) I would recomend getting this video http://www.heliproz.com/prodinfo.asp?number=601016
He does a great job explaining things.

P.S. you said in a different thread no one flys near you. Have you checked out the AMA web site to find a field or hobby shop? When you start getting into this hobby you will be amazed just how big it is.