Beginner Heli

[ArchmageAU]

Looks like a good buy (especially RTF with 2 sats, servos batteries and motor).

Looks like it's not a full namebrand Align TRex 500, but a HK500TT (clone). Align parts usually fit them just fine.

(
- typhoon 500 motor (HK motor)
- leaderhobby 60A ESC (HK ESC)
- Spec sat x2 (mounting sub-optimal - each antenna in carbon shadow)
- Align 4 x DS520 servos (cyclic and tail)
)

Do you know the build/flight/repair history? Do you know the number of battery cycles on the lipos? Do you have a charger that can check the IR of the lipos?

Do you know how to fully pre-flight?

I'd assume the Gpro already fully set up. Better FBL units are available, but OK to begin with.

A TT setup is often better for an experienced pilot as getting gear mesh right is a pain, and is far less tolerant of tail touches.

Make sure you are fairly confident with the smaller helis before flying this one (and take things real slow to begin with). A 500 can get out of control VERY quickly.

Sats are sub-optimal in their positioning (carbon shadow). Do a thorough range check before any flying.

[bamby]

I have the proteck 80W from a main. I really don't know any history of the heli. I just saw it flying in his house he gave me a demonstration.

Right know i went to the calibration and binding process of the gpro with my radio. Disconnected the motor for safety. everything result fine except for the rudder. Im having a problem when im in the rudder screen the tail servo moves the full range when i finish the setup the rudder servo barely moves. what could this be? Tomorrow will be checking the satellite range. not planing flying any time soon( right know is to windy outside still playing with the nano inside.)

As for the preflight don't know anything. the Saturday after the 4 of july will be going to the heli club to get some lessons and they check on the heli will see what i learn there.

[crashjack]

I would relocate the stats. The sat on the starboard side could be moved down a little, leaving one antenna open, sticking out the back, and the other running across the hole in the frame leaving it somewhat open. The sat on the port side is really on the same plane as the one on the starboard side which isn't ideal. You could relocate this sat to the bottom of the frame or the back of the frame with the antennae running port to starboard. This would work better with the starboard side sat with antennae running nose to tail.

The rudder sounds like the tail endpoints aren't set correctly, but it's hard to say as I have no experience with the Gpro.

[bamby]

Figured out it was the gyro gain it was to low. tomorrow will changing the sats and the plugs off the bateries.

thanks a lot guys will see if i can upload a video of the nano

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by bamby

I have the proteck 80W from a main. I really don't know any history of the heli. I just saw it flying in his house he gave me a demonstration.

At least you know it can fly and not shake itself to pieces. Hopefully you didn't notice any excess vibrations on the tail fin on takeoff.

Originally Posted by bamby

Right know i went to the calibration and binding process of the gpro with my radio. Disconnected the motor for safety. everything result fine except for the rudder. Im having a problem when im in the rudder screen the tail servo moves the full range when i finish the setup the rudder servo barely moves. what could this be? Tomorrow will be checking the satellite range. not planing flying any time soon( right know is to windy outside still playing with the nano inside.)

There is a lot going on here. TX talks to gyro, gyro takes input from TX and its own mems gyro to affect the tail servo based on a PID style algorithm. Research how to set up and test a tail. Could be the TX, the gyro inpu, the gyro itself or the endpoints.

Originally Posted by bamby

As for the preflight don't know anything. the Saturday after the 4 of july will be going to the heli club to get some lessons and they check on the heli will see what i learn there.

Getting someone at the club to look at it before flight is a MUST. Also get tips and hints for pre-flight. (I use top to bottom, front to back as a checklist - blades, grips, links, swash, servo links, cyclic servos, skids, battery, motor, gear mesh, ESC, FBL, RX, BEC, tail servo, tail pushrod, tail slider, tail grips, tail blades and all screws - takes only a minute or two - less than a minute between flights).

Best of luck.

[bamby]

Well today the nano cpx tail motor died or is almost dead. After 24 fligh. It manages to hever the heli but past 80% collective can keep the heli straight and starts to rotate. I think is has to do with the wind. Where i live is too windy 8mph minimun wind. Practicing hovering is a pain manage to dominate the hovering in all position with the wind is not a static hover but i can manage to control the heli in that position and not crashing it. Begin doing circles but the wind is too much and the heli got blasted away interupting the circle.

Today i ordered the digital pitch gauge from align to calibrate the pitch in the big heli. Later will begin moving the satellites will post pocture to see if i uderstand.

[bamby]

Here are some photos. what you guys think of the new locations for the antenna?







Is this a good place for mounting them? Is this what crashjack was telling me? Sory for not understanding so well the english

[ArchmageAU]

Much better. In both cases the active part of the antenna is clear of the carbon frame and both are at 90 degrees to each other.

Still range test, but your results should be MUCH better.

[bamby]

Thanks will stick them with good doble tape and test the range tomorow. After that have to wait for the pitch gauge.

Can wait to set this thing and hear it spooling up

Also what pitch and trothel curve you recomend on this heli guys

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by bamby

Thanks will stick them with good doble tape and test the range tomorow. After that have to wait for the pitch gauge.

Can wait to set this thing and hear it spooling up

Also what pitch and trothel curve you recomend on this heli guys

If you want normal node, then something like Th: 0,50,70,70,70 / Pi: 30,40,50,75,100

If you fly idle up, then Th:70,70,70,70,70 / Pi: 0,25,50,75,100

With a 450 or 500 or anything large, you want head speed to drive the tail with enough authority to prevent problems. Unless you have power problems, an electric motor usually works best on a linear curve instead of a V curve (however your mileage may vary (YMMV))

DR is you best friend to soften the cyclic.

Travel adjust is you best friend to soften the pitch curve (ensure even on both sides, ie. up AND down).

(GPro FBL system uses 1 servo 90 or normal so pitch is controlled by channel 6 on a Spektrum TX).

Best of luck.

[bamby]

So the range test was a success. But looking at the wires they are too long. Can i cut them to make the wiring more clean.

This are the remaining wires. The bulk was made by the previews owner and i don't like he look.

[ArchmageAU]

Neat wiring makes the model hard to repair (if you need to), or to transplant components onto other models (or part out to sell).

As you are just beginning the heli journey, I would not be too fussed about neat wiring. Just as long as it's secure and will not get in the way of any spinny bits.

As you do fasten down wiring, do not fasten down so tight that it pulls on the FBL unit. That can transmit vibrations to the gyro.

Happy flying.

[bamby]

Well today i went to the air field in the morning and the guy that sell me the heli took a look at my setup and double check the heli. Then he take it for a fly and dial down the controller.

The throttle curve was

Normal: 0 25 38 45 56

Ail 100 + 40%
Elev 100 + 40%
Rudd 100 + 50%

Then the wind start to blow a little hard we wait for it to calm down a bit.

Then i took it for a hover. This thing sounds loud and I start to sweat my finger start to shake manage to hover it tail in for 1.5 minute but the wind start to blow again and some how i manage to land in one piece. I feel like i can control the heli but my nerves start to come in and i sort of panic whit the noise etc.

What an experience this dos not feel like the nano or the sim.

[Spielco]

I completely agree with getting a Nano CPX. I only flew micros for the past year or so on and off. Beat the hell out of them inside an out. Learned basically everything I could on my own just from tinkering. Cheap as cam be to fix also. I use the spektrum dx7s and have no complaints for that. I've recently purchased and blade 360cfx and am in love with it! It's my first real size heli and from understanding others it Flys much larger than its size. I can't stress how much money I've saved by learning on a Nano and mcpx than starting with this style bird. But I can say I wish I would have gotten this size sooner lol. Flips rolls and inverted hovering is nothing compared to getting it on a coked up hummingbird that I call the Nano! Have fun it's addicting hobby my friend!!

[bamby]

My nano its not flying properly after 4 or 6 flight with high wind it start to fail. when i go high on collective it start to rotate CCW and after 30 sec of fight mi tail motor gets very hot. The batteries died on me they last 1 min max probably my fault was draining them very low rookie mistake. Need to order new ones.

Here is a video of the 500 flying with no wind. Today i notice that the tail was kind of fighting me when i try to rotate to the right it kind of jump back to its original position and start to waggle. Didn't notice this on the field because the wind was blowing.

Second flight part 2 (1 min 11 sec)

Any ideas on the behave on the tail i tweak the gyro gain from 85 to 60 but didn't change too much. Also need to buy a camera the iphone camera don't upload videos pretty well.

First part of the video me hovering but it look like crap very bad video quality

Second heli flight (3 min 1 sec)

[ArchmageAU]

Tuning the tail can end up a bit of a spiral.

With the stationary hovering and slow turns it's hard to tell if it's gyro gain or mechanical.

Gain affects change in turn rates (commanded input, variable wind, hard changes in collective). Mechanical is all the time (vibrations due to bent shafts, unbalanced blades, worn bearings, sticking sliders, etc..).

Ensure the mechanical setup is fine before messing too much with gyro gain.

[bamby]

Ok i will desasembly part of the tail and look for the problem. like the tail will be disasembly i will replace the bearings because i dont know how old they are. any particular brand for replacing the bearings? Also will be ordering new tail blade it has a cheap plastic one.

Thanks

[bamby]

Well looking at the tail is all generic clone parts and it has a loot of movement i don't think is normal. i was thinking of replacing the tail completely tail boom, TT, Bearings, Blades etc with the align 500 tail if its possible. will they fit? Here is a video so you guys can see and tell me if its normal all that movement and the servo is not moving it has a lot of movement.

Tail movement HD (1 min 0 sec)

second video. First video its better this is just another angle

Tail movement hd (0 min 36 sec)

Here are the parts that i have in the cart at the moment if its not normal the tail movement:

[conbones]

i have a a copterx 500 and it is exactly the same thing even that little bit of slop in tail and it is rock solid with a minivbar. the align gyros are not very good the tails have to be set up perfect and even then you still have precomp problems among other things. i would urge you to get a better gyro before changing parts you dont have to. Ikon or msh ubrain are less expensive then vbar but alsp work very well and are very tunable.

[bamby]

Do you think that movement might not affect something? i even see some with dust in the gear area. don't know if the gears are grinding because they look perfect or it was just something else. You can se in the video that the gear that drives the tail not the TT one has some right to left movement