View Full Version : Will flybar hit Align 500E fuselage on TRex 450?
PilotSmith
07-12-2008, 06:27 PM
I just picked up an Align 500E and I noticed that the the flybar goes well below the top of the fuselage. Admittedly I am not sure exactly how the flybar works but I know that with the stock canopy it can't hit it unless it bends in a crash. So I am a little apprehensive as to what will keep it from hitting the body since the body can now be in the path of the flybar. :thinking I'm not ready to make the jump to a flybarless head.
That fuseage sure makes the 450 look bigger!
http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=54656&stc=1&d=1215901426
http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=54657&stc=1&d=1215901426
trexflyer02
07-12-2008, 08:40 PM
It does look a bit scary, huh! :P
In reality, if you are flying "scale-like", the flybar doesn't move that much. I think it would take a pretty violent jab on the cyclic to hit the fuselage.
However, I did get marks on my head block on my 450SEV2 (with a normal canopy), which turned out to be small dents from the flybar hitting. This was doing hard 3D though.
With that said, I've seen videos of people doing light 3D with these fuses on, with no interaction with the fuselage at all.
It may look scary, but I really think it's just fine.
PilotSmith
07-13-2008, 12:22 AM
So if I do some rolls, flips, or loops I should be fine? General sport flying is all I do with a few mild aerobatics. But I do at times yank the stick all the way. Today I was flying it without the canopy and yanking the sticks around watching the flybar. I didn't see much movement in the flybar. Still seems like there should be some kind of stop to keep it within a certain limit. :dontknow
trexflyer02
07-13-2008, 12:53 AM
I lowered my cyclic rates, so it was a bit slower (more scale-like). I also removed flybar weights, which just allowed me to lower my cyclic rates more. I would never think of doing flips/rolls with a scale fuselage, just because it looks retarded ... But if you want to, follow the steps above and just be really smooth on cyclic.
PilotSmith
07-13-2008, 01:48 AM
I don't have any weights on my flybar. Took them off a long time ago. Didn't seem to notice much difference with them on of off. I thought I would get crisper response with them off but didn't notice much.
Looks retarded? What about if it is a BO-105 heli?
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/255328/helicopter_aerobatics_2/
Pilotsmith. I noticed on your fuselage there isn't any decals. What happed to them?
PilotSmith
07-13-2008, 12:09 PM
I did not apply any of the decals as I need to exchange the fuselage next week. I was also debating painting a camo theme so decals will go on last. Box was crushed with a 3-4" hole punched through the box. I'm surprised the fuselage was not more heavily damaged. But there were some cracks in the fiberglass from the crush damage and paint flaking off in those areas. It was not shipping damage as the shipping box was intact. I did a will-call and picked it up at the store front for this item exactly to avoid shipping damage! You would think the people who do the packaging would have 1/2 a brain to figure out that the fuselage would be damaged if the box was crushed and punctured!!! The Align box is extremely thin cardboard and there is zero packing material around the fuselage. Got to give Align an F on packaging for their fuselages. But for $80 I was rather impressed with it. Not anything near show quality but looks pretty nice for someone just interested in a fun looking heli and not too hung up on scale details.
PilotSmith
07-13-2008, 12:16 PM
PS - What is the best way to remove the blue anodized finish from the head?
Thats strange. My army colored 500D came with the decals applied. Also, I noticed that the align 500e fuses come with a nice manual for assembling. Mine came with a one page with some very lame instructions. Thankfully, people on here have already paved the way so I will be tossing that page in the garbage.
PilotSmith
07-13-2008, 10:00 PM
Seems like either you get no manual, a page like you got, or the regular manual like what came with mine. I scanned and posted the manual here:
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=83340
I just saw today the sticky here for the 500E build info. Some good info in there. I think I will do the mod that crazyerick did to limit the flybar range of motion. Given that I am putting together the military version of the 500E, I may need to take evasive action now and then to avoid RPG's and SAM's which may require me to do some rolls or loops, etc. :P Very ingenious and so simple to make this mod. All you need is a longer screw so you can put a small plate on each side of the screw that the flybar thingamajig bumps against.
http://www.llpf.co.za/llpf/hughes500e/IMG_9367-01.jpg
Rex-flyer
07-14-2008, 12:05 PM
If your ESC isnt set up for slow start then just be careful when you first spool up, I try and even my blades and flybar out before I spool it if not I just throttle a little until they even out. Thats weird your decals werent applied, must be something new they are doing. I couldnt imagine doing flips or rolls with mine, thats alot of weight to turn back right side up
PilotSmith
07-14-2008, 12:23 PM
When I do try it I will do it will a lot of altitude. I am also going to install a flybar stop so that I can yank the stick as much as necessary without worry of the flybar hitting the fuselage. I have been known at times to yank the stick fast and hard to recover from a dumb thumb moment. :o Would hate to see her go down because of the flybar hitting when it is so easy to modify the head to prevent that from happening.
So nobody has rolled a 450 with a 500E fuselage yet?
warpspeed
07-14-2008, 12:36 PM
It is possible to experience a flybar hit-I've done it. But it was only because I was in danger of experiencing yet another almighty "splat" and an extreme stick movement was the only way to minimize the damage. I haven't tried rolling it yet, but loops work just fine. As mentioned the biggest risk is during spool up, but as long as you remember to keep the flybar level you should be ok.
PilotSmith
07-14-2008, 12:53 PM
It is possible to experience a flybar hit-I've done it. But it was only because I was in danger of experiencing yet another almighty "splat" and an extreme stick movement was the only way to minimize the damage. I haven't tried rolling it yet, but loops work just fine. As mentioned the biggest risk is during spool up, but as long as you remember to keep the flybar level you should be ok.
Video! Video! Video! We want to see the 500E in a loop...
I have mine set to medium spool up which is rather slow. But I will put on flybar blocks so I never have to worry about it hitting anything but terrain. Can't take more than 10 minutes to modify it.
Once I have the flybar blocks in place and I have had her out for a few flights I will mutter those famous words: "Hey y'all, watch this!" and hope for the best. LOL. I will have my camera running in case I have a YouTube moment worthy of preserving, if perhaps only to be a warning to others. LOL.
Rex-flyer
07-15-2008, 06:14 AM
Hopefully you dont hear that UGLY sound of the fuse hitting the concrete like I did last week lol, what a nasty sound
jack726
07-21-2008, 10:38 AM
I have flown my Align for more than 150 flights. The only time the flybar has ever struck is in spool up, when a gust hits the paddles. You are going so slow at this point that it is no problem.
On the first flight of my Heli Artist fuselage, the RPM started to slow prematurely; as soon as this happened the flybar struck and I came straight down from ten feet. The only damage was a slightly cracked windshield.
PilotSmith
07-21-2008, 05:35 PM
Prophetic words Rx-flyer... I heard the sound this weekend and it was sickening. That put an end to my scale adventures. My heli is back to its stock looks and awaiting a new motor to replace the one the burned up in the scale crash. Even had smoke in the crash. On the plus side, the large fuselage did serve to absorb a lot of the energy from the impact.
Hopefully you dont hear that UGLY sound of the fuse hitting the concrete like I did last week lol, what a nasty sound
Wyldman
07-21-2008, 05:38 PM
Prophetic words Rx-flyer... I heard the sound this weekend and it was sickening. That put an end to my scale adventures. My heli is back to its stock looks and awaiting a new motor to replace the one the burned up in the scale crash. Even had smoke in the crash. On the plus side, the large fuselage did serve to absorb a lot of the energy from the impact.
Oh man! I am deeply sorry to hear that, it was a good looking bird. Is it a complete write off or is there hope for a comeback? I know you said it was the end of your scale adventures, but I hope you'll reconsider.
PilotSmith
07-21-2008, 07:04 PM
It could be repaired in a couple hours, but with the relatively low cost of the Align fuselage, probably starting from scratch is a better option. If I did it I would never go again with a solid dark color. The dark color, with black skids, and solid black CF blades, made it very hard for me to stay oriented despite the much larger size. It went down within 2 minutes of gentle FF flying in front of my house. I can only imagine how hard it would have been to see if I was out in a field and flying at a greater distance. It definitely felt sluggish but I think if I had another flight I could have pepped it up more as I would have increased the head speed, etc. I should really put in much more flight time with the stock heli before I put another scale body on. With airplanes even if I can't see exactly what it is doing I know where it is going based on my last inputs. I am nowhere close to that with helis yet.
I have the 500D version of this dark green fuselage. I'm not happy with how you can see white where the nose fits on to the rest of the fuselage. They could have atleast painted this area green also..:thumbdown: Now I have to go find some green paint to match and paint this area before I build.
PilotSmith
07-22-2008, 12:01 AM
Are you talking about the inside of the fuse being white or where the front section pulls off to access the battery? Mine is painted where the front canopy area contacts the main fuse. I was planning to paint the inside of the heli green after getting is all set up. Don't have to worry about that any longer. It may look good hanging from the ceiling with some scrap parts attached to it. Need so spray some black and brown to the tail to make it look like battle damage.
warpspeed
07-22-2008, 08:26 AM
Felt, look for Floquil paint-I think they use it for model trains. Can't remember the exact name of the color at the moment but it matches up very well.
Rex-flyer
07-23-2008, 06:25 AM
Man that sucks, sorry to see that carnage. Mine is fixable but I just got my raptor back in the air after a new tail set up so the 500E is gonna sit for a few. Now I feel bad for jinxing you
Felt, look for Floquil paint-I think they use it for model trains. Can't remember the exact name of the color at the moment but it matches up very well.
Thanks, I'll look into it.
PilotSmith
07-23-2008, 11:03 AM
Man that sucks, sorry to see that carnage. Mine is fixable but I just got my raptor back in the air after a new tail set up so the 500E is gonna sit for a few. Now I feel bad for jinxing you
Yeah, you jinxed me, that's it, that is what cause the crash. For a while I thought is was just my shear lack of flying skills and inexperience. LOL.