Just Ordered T-Rex 450L 6s Dominator 3GX

[ic-racer]

Up to 11 hours on the model as of today.

Did my first nose-in hover with the 450L and first circuits.

I can already nose-in hover with my other helis. So, with the 450 up in the air, I yawed the 450 toward myself. A little scary at first seeing that big red nose pointing at me, but it was fine.

Then I did some circuits. Only left hand turns today.

I'm going to get my first upgrade. Voltage telemetry. I have already mistaken a spent pack. I caught it right away after takeoff, so no damage.

[ic-racer]

Found some family-owned property with AC. About 40 minutes from where I live. Need to get a bigger landing area. The car mat was just to keep the tail out of the grass and dirt.

[Smoggie]

Regarding the tail wagging especially when exiting from turns (wag rather than a fast 'shake'); if it persists at all some things to change that will stop it:

• Rudder Locking Gain: default is 70 which is too high for small helis. Try something in the 40-50 range.
• Rudder delay: Set it to zero. To make it stay at zero, set zero with the stick then let it time-out. If you save in the normal way it will default back to previous value (bug in the software)

The joys of the 3GX

[ic-racer]

Yes, I'll try lowering "RUDDER LOCKING GAIN"

I have not adjusted that setting yet because I don't know how that is different from the rudder gain I set on the transmitter. I'll try lowering it I bet that helps.

[ic-racer]

I lowered that gain and it was an improvement, thank you. Lowered it on my trex 250 also.

[ic-racer]

More fine tuning the tail. So, with the gain lowered, I had a little drift and weakness with collective input.

I re-centered the rudder servo linkage so there is no yaw with the gyro off. That cured the drift. I increased the torque compensation.

So, the trick seems to be to lower the rudder gain and go up on the compensation to 75. Also make very sure linkage is set for no yaw with rudder gyro off.

To improve the performance in the wind I have slowly been creeping the roll rates up. I started at near zero and the default 50% will be just about right.

[ic-racer]

I watched the preflight inspection video for a 1:1 Robinson R22 the other day. After that I thought I could do a better job with my 450. Today I got out to the field and discovered a screw missing from the tailboom stay. Even though the stay-stabilizer held the stay in place, I did not fly it until I put a new screw in place. I also put a little dab of paint on some of the other important screws, like the tail rotor set screw (which has come loose twice) and the Jesus bolt. At least it forces me to look for my paint dab, but I think on RC models, screws just come out before you can see them loosen.

[ic-racer]

Finally got a bag of batteries. Eight in all. Each gives about 5 min on idle-up with mild flying. Now I need a parallel charging board

I just got back from flying and I need to spend more time in idle-up. It floats around too much in NORMAL and can't combat the wind. It is a lot better in idle-up.

[ic-racer]

At first I thought eight batteries would be too many. Today I flew with all 8 batteries and I used all 8 and was not tired of flying. At only 5 minutes a piece, you really need that many if you can't charge at the field.

I also did my first flips with the 450 today!

[ic-racer]

After a crash rebuild I did not put the two-sided sticky tape on the boom-stay stabilizer. This caused it to move forward with some force and it hit the rudder servo right where the wires come out.

This actually damaged the wire. I didn't like the looks of it. Especially after having a crash in my 250 from a tail servo that suddenly went bad.

I opened the case and removed the wires from the PC board. I cut off the damaged area and re-soldered them to the board.

[ic-racer]

I flattened out the center of my pitch curve today. Essentially adding some EXPO to the collective. This really made it fly much smoother.

5 = +90%
4 = +35%
3 = 0%
2 = -35%
1 = -90%

[ic-racer]

Follow up on my skid modification. I placed a one centimeter spacer between the rear skid and the frame and used a longer screw. I actually drilled and tapped the metal frame support to take a larger screw, as a long screw like that should be the next bigger size.

This modification raised the rear of the heli like the new 470L landing gear. Takeoff and landing are much improved on a grass field!

[CrashNburn420]

Yeah that's a good way to get the tail up!

[ic-racer]

For some reason I seem to have overlooked the 'Collective Expo' function in 3GX 5.0. I'm probably the only one using 3GX, but anyway, I increased it a notch and this helped make it easier to fly while learning basics like rainbows and flips.

[bad007]

Originally Posted by ic-racer

For some reason I seem to have overlooked the 'Collective Expo' function in 3GX 5.0. I'm probably the only one using 3GX, but anyway, I increased it a notch and this helped make it easier to fly while learning basics like rainbows and flips.

Nope, I use them too. I also have the Microbeast Plus and I like the way the 3GX feels better. I feel more connected and in control with the 3GX, The opposite with BX. The BX seems real stable but with a feeling of not being connected. Got the cyclic feed cranked and flight style on pro and still doesn't feel as connected and fluid as the 3GX.
The only difference is I run 13 deg and use a pitch curve 0, 23.5, 50, 77.5, 100. pop around mid stick

[Indokast]

I ran a 3gx once. I think it flys well. I think the issue is that for most people it is just aggrivating to figure it out compared to newer fbl units. Ive run only beastx since as it is pretty simple. I am now building my first ikon build and haven't flown it but I must say I like the way you set it up on pc. The bluetooth is also great with the phone app, but i like the program on the pc better. I still like beastx bc if you know it well, it is simple enough to change settings quickly without needing a phone or computer.

But the old 3gx with the later software flies well if you know how to program it without pulling your hair out. Im no hater, but i will not go back to it.

[bad007]

Originally Posted by Indokast

I ran a 3gx once. I think it flys well. I think the issue is that for most people it is just aggrivating to figure it out compared to newer fbl units. Ive run only beastx since as it is pretty simple. I am now building my first ikon build and haven't flown it but I must say I like the way you set it up on pc. The bluetooth is also great with the phone app, but i like the program on the pc better. I still like beastx bc if you know it well, it is simple enough to change settings quickly without needing a phone or computer.

But the old 3gx with the later software flies well if you know how to program it without pulling your hair out. Im no hater, but i will not go back to it.

Here's the problem with the 3G B4 ver4 and 5.
I have the spek 7 from 2009, the cyclic stick is very sensitive to center.
After running dir setup I would link up and go to the movement screen and it would show input with the stick centered, maybe +/- 1degsec.and that causes drift. Redo setup until it shows 0's. Finally found the work around since they apparently didn't program a dead zone in the software until 4 and 5. I cranked the cyclic expo up to 75 for each and run setup and it would shows 0's every time then reset to normal settings. Then bump trims each direction and count how many till you see movement and if needed center them. It was no more than 2 trims up to 3.1. Now with 5.0 it's dead around center and takes 4 trims B4 you see movement. I don't like 5, the only difference is dead around center. So with 3GX you max out the max flip and roll rates, to the max you can fly and simply use DR's and expo and no more linking up.
The only real downfall was since the mixing is in the TX, when there was temp shifts hot to cold in the winter and since plastic moves you would end up with drift.
A laptop would have to be handy to check the movement screen and trim it B4 flying.
I have 2 Beastx and 2 3GX. the Beast x has the latest sensor technology with accelerometers and is a bit more stable but the fluid connected feeling I cant get like the 3GX that I enjoy flying more.
Maybe some day I'll get it.

[ic-racer]

After nearly a month of flying since the crash I'm finally able to whip this thing around the field and do flips with out worrying about another crash. Transmitter reads over 40 hours of 'on' time, so maybe 20 hours of flight so far.

Big dilemma now is which heli to start doing inverted flight IRL. I think it is a given that at some point in learning inverted IRL there will be a crash. I do now have the biggest collection of crash parts for the 450L and it is the most stable of all my helis, so maybe that is the one. I have no problem rebuilding it, just don't like to see my baby crash

It does seem like having two 450Ls would speed up my progress but what is the hurry? It is just a hobby and the progression is the fun part.

[bad007]

Originally Posted by ic-racer

Big dilemma now is which heli to start doing inverted flight IRL. I think it is a given that at some point in learning inverted IRL there will be a crash. I do now have the biggest collection of crash parts for the 450L and it is the most stable of all my helis, so maybe that is the one. I have no problem rebuilding it, just don't like to see my baby crash

It does seem like having two 450Ls would speed up my progress but what is the hurry? It is just a hobby and the progression is the fun part.

Get a bigger heli, bigger = easier to learn inverted IRL. When I moved to a 500 FBL stick time increased and inverted flight became way easier, moved to a 550 and all I thought was this is just too easy to fly to even crash then got a 600 sized Velocity 50 and the end. Had I known I would have skipped the 500 all together.
Been readying over you thread. I put 5.0 in my 3GX last week, had been running 3.0, spit choke and then puke! Horrible. Installed each version and flew them. Went back too 3.1, forget 5.0 the tail was all trash and not flyable
I had 3GX since 1.1 when first shipped and 5 is the worst.

[ic-racer]

Only days from buying a 550X. I had a 550L in my on -line basket but held off for the 550X.

Funny thing is I was anxious about doing a maiden flight in that with an unknown FBL, so I just picked up an extra 3GX and plan on using that. Later I can switch over the the microbeast if I want to try something new. My transmitter shows 130 hours and most all that is flying on 3GX 5.0.