New Bergen in the hangar

[rkeith2]

Finished and test flown this afternoon -

Gasser EB ready to rock ...

[phoneman]

Looks like it's ready to go---now we need some video

[rkeith2]

I will be breaking her in this weekend :-)

[v22chap]

Neat Ron
Will you be able to fly a mere gasser after the turbine

[SeaHawk]

Hey, I've got two exactly like that!

[rkeith2]

I'm skeered ...

[v22chap]

LOLRF

[Greg Alderman]

Looks Good Ron! Think gassers will be making a come back if 30% Nitro fuel hits the $75/ gal mark as rumored...

By the way...I still have 6 cases of 30% I believe in my basement...might be worth its weight in gold pretty soon! Even if it is Magnum Fuel....

[rkeith2]

Greg -

I have a few cases stored up myself.

But gassers are just toooo cool

[rkeith2]

Maiden flight pics and video. Almost put a tank through it today.

http://www.circlecityflyers.com/images/EB061408

http://www.circlecityflyers.com/videos/EB061408.wmv

[miami6]

great video rkeith



what gyro are you running ?

I like the auto -

any pics of your electronics intallation please

[rkeith2]

JR 770 with 8900G servo - 9252's everywhere else, 9100 dual power 2.4 spektrum with a pair of A123 2300 batteries.


http://www.circlecityflyers.com/images/EB061408-2

[SeaHawk]

nice. What head speed are you running?

[cbergen]

Almost put a tank through it today.

A FULL tank?

Sounded a little rich in the video, still breaking in?

NICE sliding auto, that's the only reason I like flying off of hard top....

[rkeith2]

Nah - 3/4 tank -

I'll top her off in the morning :-)



Both needles at 1 3/8 so I will "know" when she is broken in ...

[rbort]

But really this is the first first flight and you're looping and rolling around? Sure nothing wrong with that but on my first flight I'm usually checking tracking adjusting mechanical trim, setting curves, etc etc etc. I usually wait on the fun flying until I'm happy that everything is perfect, but that's just my style.

While hard top flying is convenient, it really is never good for anything -- God forbid should you lose it and crash the damage will be 3 fold. Taking off and landing from hardtop kicks up loose dirt and it ends up in your bearings if nothing else as the engine has an air filter. Dirt will cause premature bearing failure - especially the one way bearing can lock up due to that - experienced this when I was a beginner back in 1991 flying from parking lots. Lastly, the sliding auto on the hardtop is cool but it scratches the skids and wears down the plastic on the skid braces.

I would recommend you find a grass field if you can, your heli will like it alot better though Chris may not as he'll be selling you less parts!

-=>Raja.

[rkeith2]

Raja -

Thanks for the comments though I have been in Helicopters since Dieter Schluter days and generally have all the kinks worked out prior to a maiden flight. I check and double-check mechanics then spool up with a friend or my wife with me to check engine operation, tracking and trims.

So - If I get to MY HARD TOP field where I like to fly and something is not right shame on me.

I am running the engine fat at 1 3/8 for break-in where it will most likely be its happy spot as it seats all the moving parts and then smoothness begins.

I stay high enough to recover and auto in if there are problems on a new engine (usually) and as far as dirt and wear on parts, I have done as much damage in the grass as I can on tarmac.

The key here is to be safe and have fun, yes?

:-)

[rbort]

So it wasn't the maiden flight per say, you spooled it up in the back yard or something and did the tracking and trims there, etc. Makes sense now! Yes after all that is done sure go out and fly it around and have fun.

Personal preference I guess, but for me I hate hard top. If you crash on that, if a part is not broken its scratched. And hard top is alot harder than grass, no give, so more damage in my opinion. If you don't crash its a mute point, but when you do it hurts like a son-of-a-bicth!

In any case, NICE bird! I'm sure it will give you many hours of pure pleasure, enjoy it!!

P.S. I got a Bergen Jewel generator mount with your name on it when you're ready

-=>Raja.

[rkeith2]

Thanks Raja -

I flew 2 full tanks through it today and all is looking good with the engine and all the ball links have settled in nicely.

The A123 batteries held up well for 45 minutes plus flying time and may move this dual power arrangement to the turbine and put the jewel setup on here with a 3000 mah NiCd pack.

[cbergen]

Do yourself a favor and STOP flying from the pavement. I was just telling this to a Bergen guy on the freak site. That is #1.

Bergen guy??

tsk tsk....