Value of 3 blades

[dwelzel]

It seems like there was this wave of new machines promoting 3 blades as the next big thing. We saw several KSE machines and other companies followed suit.

Now the Black Thunder and Black Nitro are back to 2 blades.

Was the 3 blade thing just a phase? Maybe a way to sell more helis?

Sorry, being cynical today.

[DeanR]

I only interpreted the marketing as well as the current availability as an option. A different flight characteristic for those that like it or want to try it. It's just different is all. Black thunder is a new line. Usually things come out as two blade first. If they offer a three blade it will be after. Maybe the current 3 blade kit fits..?

[REDLS2]

Originally Posted by dwelzel

It seems like there was this wave of new machines promoting 3 blades as the next big thing. We saw several KSE machines and other companies followed suit.

Now the Black Thunder and Black Nitro are back to 2 blades.

Was the 3 blade thing just a phase? Maybe a way to sell more helis?

Sorry, being cynical today.

I think the technology was just NOT there for any type of good 3 bladed machine in the past. More recently, some of the companies have developed the 3 blade models into the picture. Not saying it's the new way to go with Heli RC, but rather just a different style that works well ALSO. So they offer both. I couldn't imagine a Fly-bared Tri-blade.???? If they did have those, they probably sucked.

[JTAnimal]

Having both the 700's with 2 blades and 3. They do fly different. I won't say one is better than the other, but my 2 blade helis fly real good, I guess I just had to have a 3 blade also. What the hell, life is short right.. Have fun

[LegndarySaiyan]

I would agree that while they both fly different, neither is better. Having a 2 blade comp and a kse I think they both have strengths and weaknesses.

[AnthonyV]

They have 3 blade upgrades for the Black Thunder and Nitro.

[dwelzel]

Well there ya go.. didn't see those.

Originally Posted by AnthonyV

They have 3 blade upgrades for the Black Thunder and Nitro.

[Luvmyhelis]

Having both styles for years now, they just fly entirely differently. The real advantage in the tri head tail helis comes down to heavily reduced vibrations, and gear wear and tear advantages.
Nick Maxwells group field tested tri rotors and noted on their FB page they saw significant reductions in vibes in both the head and tail. And amazing decreases in drive train wear in virtually all the parts they were using.

In my own SK720 vibe logging, running tri rotors cut down head and tail vibes by almost 80% average. Years later I am still running the same parts on mine, even bearings. If that is no big deal to you, then, they just fly differently and have no advantages.

[MikelG]

As with many others here... it's just different.

I converted my second goblin to a trioblin just for the hell of it. Now that I have a few flights under my belt, I can say a few things.

The tail on this thing sounds WICKED! I absolutely love the sound. The authority of it is simply superb, I actually need to adjust my vbar because not only is the piro rate too fast, but so is the acceleration.

The collective is a bit softer than my 2 blade 700. It doesn't "bite" as hard in hard stops BUT it does maintain "vertical momentum/speed" more consistently. It feels like it has "no acceleration" when it fact it's the opposite. Whereas my 2 blade seems to "explode vertically" when jamming the collective, the 3 blade seems to follow the stick much more accurately. For the 2 blade, it's as if there's a split second delay between full pitch and vertical movement, as if the blades need that time to "bite the air" but when it does, it does so aggressively. With 3 blade, not so much. No matter how fast I jam the collective, it doesn't accelerate vertically as aggressively as the 2 blade. This is kind of hard to describe, but it's definitely a different feel. Would need a high speed camera with the two side by side to really see what's going on.

And of course, the cyclic feel... oh the cyclic feel. This is by far my favorite aspect of 3 blades. First, when giving cyclic inputs, it sounds like a "razor" going through the air (the whole machine just sounds so cool!). But the feel is unlike anything else I've flown. It feels much more connected, and it's definitely faster off center and overall than 2 blades with the same settings. The helicopter doesn't "shake" when giving a hard cyclic input like 2 blades (lower vibes like everyone else said). Jam the cyclic and the thing spins like a top on its axis. I barely have to move the collective to maintain height.

It is truly a pleasure to fly. Everything is faster, and I need to get more flights on it to get used to it. I noticed in tic tocs, I can go a lot faster than my 2 blade... to the point that I was afraid of losing my timing and piling it in, so I stopped LOL. I'm definitely more comfortable with my 2 blade due to my experience with it (probably 1000+ flights), but this is definitely a different "flavor". Not better, not worse, different... and I like it!

I'm really itching to try a new set of blades on it and really getting it dialed in to my liking.

[dwelzel]

Ok, now I want to buy a 700 KSE.

Originally Posted by MikelG

As with many others here... it's just different.

I converted my second goblin to a trioblin just for the hell of it. Now that I have a few flights under my belt, I can say a few things.

The tail on this thing sounds WICKED! I absolutely love the sound. The authority of it is simply superb, I actually need to adjust my vbar because not only is the piro rate too fast, but so is the acceleration.

The collective is a bit softer than my 2 blade 700. It doesn't "bite" as hard in hard stops BUT it does maintain "vertical momentum/speed" more consistently. It feels like it has "no acceleration" when it fact it's the opposite. Whereas my 2 blade seems to "explode vertically" when jamming the collective, the 3 blade seems to follow the stick much more accurately. For the 2 blade, it's as if there's a split second delay between full pitch and vertical movement, as if the blades need that time to "bite the air" but when it does, it does so aggressively. With 3 blade, not so much. No matter how fast I jam the collective, it doesn't accelerate vertically as aggressively as the 2 blade. This is kind of hard to describe, but it's definitely a different feel. Would need a high speed camera with the two side by side to really see what's going on.

And of course, the cyclic feel... oh the cyclic feel. This is by far my favorite aspect of 3 blades. First, when giving cyclic inputs, it sounds like a "razor" going through the air (the whole machine just sounds so cool!). But the feel is unlike anything else I've flown. It feels much more connected, and it's definitely faster off center and overall than 2 blades with the same settings. The helicopter doesn't "shake" when giving a hard cyclic input like 2 blades (lower vibes like everyone else said). Jam the cyclic and the thing spins like a top on its axis. I barely have to move the collective to maintain height.

It is truly a pleasure to fly. Everything is faster, and I need to get more flights on it to get used to it. I noticed in tic tocs, I can go a lot faster than my 2 blade... to the point that I was afraid of losing my timing and piling it in, so I stopped LOL. I'm definitely more comfortable with my 2 blade due to my experience with it (probably 1000+ flights), but this is definitely a different "flavor". Not better, not worse, different... and I like it!

I'm really itching to try a new set of blades on it and really getting it dialed in to my liking.

[jsbach#1]

Originally Posted by MikelG

And of course, the cyclic feel... oh the cyclic feel. This is by far my favorite aspect of 3 blades. First, when giving cyclic inputs, it sounds like a "razor" going through the air (the whole machine just sounds so cool!). But the feel is unlike anything else I've flown. It feels much more connected, and it's definitely faster off center and overall than 2 blades with the same settings. The helicopte

Yes - this is the real magical part of the 3 blade. Now I've spent a bit of time on a 380 and on a 500 with 3 blades. Its truly wondeful I think a way of understanding why it feels so different is if you imagine a snap shop at any given moment of the head in flight - on two blades you are 180 degrees apart on the swashes diameter in two locations. Where as on three blades your control input is 120 degrees apart on the swash in three locations. Two different scenarios.

[MikelG]

Originally Posted by dwelzel

Ok, now I want to buy a 700 KSE.

Do it!

[Bigsby]

Out with my KSE 700 today

I was really close to selling this last week but due to circumstances out of my control I still have it.

Boy does it fly nice, everyone should experience a tri blade

[huanbuihd]

saw this on YT :

Rotor Live 2016: Kyle Stacy Music Demo HPS3 (3 min 31 sec)

[gtrsteele]

Now I want to convert my 770 to a 3 bladed head and tail. Expensive!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[perrybd]

I did it... My 700 KSE should be here by the end of the week.

I like keeping my fleet small so I'm more in tune with the helis my (how they fly and their maintenance & tuning needs). So in the end, one is going to have to go... Guess I'll see which I prefer.

Question is how does it translate from sim to real life... does having a 3-bladed heli make transitioning from sim to real life more of a jump?

[RC/DC_5000]

Stability and more lift per rotation are advantages of the triple. If guys get a kick out of adding an inch to each blade on their helicopter.. think about adding an extra blade. Thats a lot of inches.

I'd also agree that the helicopter may get less wear and tear because of the balance of the third opposing blade. More stable lateral forces exerted into the frame and bearings. This also relates back to the FFF stability.

[perrybd]

Just got my KSE today and I started thinking... Why not run less pitch and a higher head speed? Has anybody tried this, like running a 2150 hs (like the 2-bladed 700) with less pitch?

[MikelG]

I mean, you can, but for what purpose? It's just going to reduce your flight times.

[Xrayted]

Originally Posted by perrybd

Just got my KSE today and I started thinking... Why not run less pitch and a higher head speed? Has anybody tried this, like running a 2150 hs (like the 2-bladed 700) with less pitch?

+1
Doing that will be less efficient.