Manual Changes

[F6Hawk]

I asked to have this thread stickied so that JB, rather than have to dig thru a bunch of emails, could just come to one place to find all our ideas for a manual update.

Please post your ideas here, preferably without discussions, let's keep the thread "clean" so that it is easier to read thru for the management. I'll start with a post that was suggested by someone else, making sure to give credit where it is due, as it was not my idea to begin with.

Feel free to share any build tips/changes you think the manual needs. Don't post upgrade ideas, or recommendations for changes to the heli here, we can start another thread if that becomes necessary.

[F6Hawk]

Originally posted by dragos_sccc:

I don't know if this was mentioned anywhere else but I found that if you put a thin layer of grease on the collet, tapered parts of the hub and nut it helps seat the hub between the collet and nut a lot better. Got a .002" run out in less than 1/2 hour. This was done numerous times. I guess it could be just luck, but the thin layer of grease makes sense.

Careful not to get grease on the threads. Locktite likes clean threads.

[redgiki]

Closed my other thread on the same topic as this sticky. Post is currently being edited - 2010-06-28 10:14AM US/MDT.

Matt B's (redgiki's) Big List Of Fixes For The Pantera 50 Manual.

I release all text in this post from any and all copyright claims.

John, forgive me if I'm too pedantic. Obviously, it's your choice what to use and what not to use in your manual for your product. I just hope my feedback is useful.

A few style notes:

• In text-boxes, a fully-justified paragraph is easier to read than the ragged-right-edge look the manual currently sports.
• It would be useful if “NOTE”, “PRO TIP”, and standard instructions all had unique looks to them. Right now, the manual seems to arbitrarily assign gray-background areas based on the author's whim rather than a standard.
• Same with whether notes & pro tips have an asterisk next to them or not. Typically, an asterisk should only be used when another text reference includes an asterisk next to it, and the footer with the asterisk should explain in greater detail the asterisk-noted word or phrase. Otherwise, an asterisk should be avoided.
• Obvious technical glitches are highlighted in red.

Here's the point-by-point list of the biggest errors/wordiness/whatever that I found in the manual...

1. Page 3 "WARNING" has a number of grammatical errors, redundancy, and language that could be phrased more concisely. Here's a suggested rewrite.
   
   

   You are about to embark on a wonderful adventure into the world of radio-controlled (R/C) models. A properly-assembled and safely-operated radio-controlled model helicopter can bring many hours of enjoyment and pleasure. However, this radio-controlled helicopter model is not a toy! It is not suitable for children.
   
   The nature of a R/C system means the radio link between transmitter and receiver may fail, in which case even a competent operator is no longer in control. Contact with the model while in use – including non-rotating parts – may result in serious injury or death. In addition, operator neglect, accident, or worn or damaged parts may result in property damage, bodily harm, or even death.
   
   You – and you alone – are responsible for the safe operation of this R/C model helicopter. Audacity Models assumes no liability for harm or damage that could occur from the assembly and/or use or misuse of this product. This manual does not serve as a final and total instruction in the safe and proper assembly and operation of remote controlled model helicopters. Always have personal supervision by a modeler experienced in the safe and proper handling of R/C model helicopters. Fly only in large, open areas, preferably at an AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) approved flying site.

2. Page 3: There is no notice of warranty included with the kit. If you don't spell out a warranty, people can legally assume that you warrant all kinds of things based upon the implied warranty laws in their state. You may want to limit your liability to only warrantying parts as supplied, not due to improper assembly or crash damage. Suggested boilerplate language similar to that in many other kits (please modify according to your attorney's recommendations):
   
   

   Audacity Models warrants this model helicopter to be free from defects in material and workmanship as of the date of purchase. Audacity Models reserves the right to modify this warranty at any time without notice.
   
   No liability is assumed or accepted for damage to or as a result of usage or assembly of the model by the end-user. This warranty does not apply to parts damaged by the user during assembly, modification, or crash damage. By using this model, the end-user accepts all resulting liability.
   
   If the end-user is not prepared to accept this liability prior to assembly, please contact Genesis Hobby and return this kit immediately.
   
   GENESIS HOBBY
   PO Box 952765
   Lake Mary FL 32795
   (407)302-3361
   Fax: (407)302-3363

3. Page 4: Table of Contents shows up blank in all new versions of Adobe Reader.
   
4. Page 6: Change highlighted gray-text area to fix grammar:
   

   THREAD LOCKER IS USED TO KEEP ASSEMBLIES TIGHT. VIBRATION MAY CAUSE THEM TO LOOSEN.

   And fix to paragraph on using threadlocker:
   

   Nuts, bolts, and set screws tend to loosen due to vibration. Repeated tightening is not the solution. Instead, careful application of “thread locker” is required. There exist various types, including permanent types which are usually RED in color, semi-permanent types which are usually BLUE in color, and “wicking” types which are usually GREEN in color . BLUE thread locker is recommended for most assemblies, but you should have all three kinds on-hand. Thread locker must not be used with nylon-lock nuts, where metal screws thread into plastic, or on any plastic parts. Carefully remove all contaminants by applying a de-greaser or acetone to bolts prior to assembly; clean with a paper towel until all trace of oil or grease are gone.

   The “NOTE” section is redundant with the paragraph above. Shorten to:
   

   NOTE: Use care when using thread locker near ball-bearings. Contamination may ruin the bearing and cause it to seize.

5. Page 7: I've always loved the clear, eloquent description of the part numbering convention used in this helicopter. Just one of many things that sets the Pantera apart from the rest!
   
6. Page 11: An additional "pro tip" or two would be useful here, though the page is quite dense with information already.
   

   Lubricate the outside of the rubber tank grommet with some liquid hand soap prior to attempting to insert it into the tank. It goes in much more easily this way."

   And also:
   

   "A small piece – perhaps 2mm wide – of fuel tubing stretched around the outside of where fuel lines meet the tank, muffler, and carb helps to secure those lines from loosening accidentally. While you can use zip-ties or other methods to secure these lines, a little fuel tubing provides a flexible and easily-removable method to help assure that lines won't come disconnected in flight."

7. Page 13: Please include a current photo of the snorkel assembly with the clear rubber and orange filter.
   
8. Page 13: The snorkel description could be far less word-dense. Suggested rewrite of page:
   

   Note how much "meat" there is for the servo screws. We've been known to ditch the servo manufacturer's supplied coarse-thread screws in favor of optional AUD2015AH (M20x15) Allen Head machine screws. This way, it's easier to snug the servos down to the side frame without deforming the brass eyelets and crushing the vibration-isolating rubber grommets.
   
   There are two servo mounting boss patterns molded into the side frame at the forward accessory servo mounting position. A standard servo for the main needle valve is typically fitted on the right-hand side-frame. But on the left side-frame, a standard servo or large 180° retract servo may be used. The latter is often used for the retractable landing gear of a Bell 222 or to control the spotlight as used on a law-enforcement Hughes 500.
   
   The side frame to permits sufficient clearance for the fan assembly. As a result, if you hold your tongue just right you can quickly and easily remove the engine without first dropping the fan, clutch, or landing gear struts. This saves time!
   
   Loosely fitting the side-frames together allows you to easily see where the cooling shroud is to be
   trimmed to permit installation of the air filter snorkel. The frame is much thinner at this spot, which makes the job easier.
   
   Cooling air loss at the slot for the glow-plug igniter can cause engine cooling problems during really hot summer days. As a result, we've kept this slot pretty tight. It's easy to remove material in this area to allow a large spring loaded glow plug clip if you prefer.

   You can also fix the language of the next paragraph if you put a photo of a new-style snorkel here with this paragraph (tpyos fixed, grammar fixed, tightened the language):
   
   

   Fitting the supplied air-filter assembly (the "snorkel" and air-filter) involves trimming the cooling shroud and installing as shown. The 16mm outer diameter of the carburetor of the OS Max .50SX-H Hyper shown is the same as the OS .61-.91 series of engines. In our tests, there's no power loss whatsoever using the air-filter assembly! The reason it works so well is the small section of the snorkel within the cooling shroud is molded in an efficient, aerodynamic, teardrop shape. As a result, the temperature rise at the front of the head – where the snorkel reduces airflow – is a mere 10°. Cooler, denser air is supplied to the engine – which makes more power – without the dust and abrasive clutch liner dust that would otherwise wear it out. After-run oil via the snorkel is sweet too!
   
   Always keep a close eye on your engine temperature to ensure it's within your expectations. Running “lean” – too much air, too little fuel & oil – can destroy the engine. The engine should run slightly richer than the absolute maximum power it can produce to maximize engine life.

9. Step 8.2 (Page 22): Modify language a bit, tighten language:
   

   Clutch Hub Installation
   Remove the black thrust washer and slide the brass collet onto the crankshaft. Spread a little grease on the outside of the collet and the outside of the tapered engine nut where it meets the clutch hub. Next, slip the clutch hub – with fan installed – into place, and finger-tighten the tapered engine nut. With the crankshaft locked to prevent rotation, begin to tighten the nut with the socket; as you do so, rotate the clutch hub assembly so that it centers. Then, taking care that the hub isn't too tight to rotate, use a dial indicator such as the ProModeler® PDR0091 to adjust the runout to below 0.005". While this can be a tedious process – often taking an hour or more – diligence will be rewarded. The engine is the primary source of high frequency vibration, and less runout results in a smoother-running helicopter. Once you fully tighten the tapered engine nut, check the runout once more to ensure it has not changed, then apply green (wicking) thread locker such as Loctite® 290. If you apply blue thread locker first, it may begin to set up before you finish dial indicating the clutch hub.
   
   NOTE: Remove the engine's backplate (not shown in photo), and insert a tool to lock the engine's crankshaft to prevent it from rotating. While the crankshaft is fixed in place, you can adjust the assembly by twisting slightly as you seek the least amount of runout. Naturally, remove the locking tool after each adjustment, rotating the crankshaft while reading the runout on the face of the dial indicator. The tedious part is repeating this over and over until you find the least runout.
   
   PRO TIP - If you're using a governor with a magnetic pickup, now is the time to thick-CA or epoxy the magnets in place on the underside of the cooling fan! Next, bolt the pickup to the engine mount. This is easier to do whilst you have the engine assembly in hand rather than later after the engine has been installed into the helicopter's frame. Many governor pickups are supplied with two brackets, one for .50-.55-class engines and one for .61-91-class engines. If you're using the popular Futaba GV-1 Governor, the small bracket is too short and the big bracket doesn't fit. On the next page we show you what to do in order to use the large bracket with the .46-.55-class engines - it's simple!

10. Step 16 (Page 30): Grammatical errors in “NOTE”. Fix:
    

    NOTE: The Tail Slide Ring Sleeve assembly doesn't use the usual right-hand threads. It uses left-hand threads to prevent loosening during flight.

11. Step 18 (Page 32): That first paragraph on how to check your belt direction is all messed up with partial sentences and invalid characters. It's unreadable. I think this is probably just a format fix, but please check the PDF carefully after exporting it.
    
12. Step 19 (Page 33): There appears to be ample room to insert a pro tip:
    

    PRO TIP: A few dabs of thick CA around the Tail Support End where it runs inside the Tail Support Boom can prevent rattling that might otherwise develop over time.

13. Page 36, bottom "pro tip": The pro tip for the battery pack shares the same formatting errors in PDF as on Page 32. Largely unreadable in Adobe Reader.
    
14. Page 39: Same type formatting errors in the gray-box tip as on Page 36 and Page 32. I can kinda-sorta figure out what it's saying, but the formatting is totally broken like the previous two examples.
    
15. Page 40: Appears to have room for a pro tip:
    

    PRO TIP: Some thick CA applied to the inner sides of the M2x8 Self-Tapping Screws will help ensure they do not fall out due to in-flight vibration.

16. Most manuals typically include a few pages at the end about control throws, center of gravity, decal installation, adjusting the engine, pre-flight checks, range-testing, the AMA safety code, and then a closing page with the manufacturer logo. Any chance you could include those? This manual just sort of “drops off the end of the page” after showing canopy trimming and installation.
    

[Mr.HillBilly]

Move for JB.

As for the tank this is the easiest way I found to put it together.

Run the nut on the nipple a few times, then put everything together slide it into the tank, put a socket over the outside fuel tubing, start the nut, then pull the fuel line as you tighten up the nut.

You will have it together in a matter of a few secs. and no damage.

[redgiki]

Originally Posted by Mr.HillBilly

As for the tank this is the easiest way I found to put it together.

+1 to this. I just used this last night for the header tank on my Pantera, and it's just slightly harder than the Raptor "Shove this bit into the other bit" method. Now that I know how to do it, the hours I lost trying to figure out how to make it all fit before seems really lame.

[dragos_cscc]

One big thing that I didn't like about the manual was the linkage lenghts were given from center of ball link to the center of ball link. Why not give the measurement from the end of the ball link to the other end (once everything is assembled, just measure the visible metal part)

Again, obvious to some...
Light oil on the one way bearing

On a side note to Mr.HillBilly, if you need to dissasemble the fuel tank remove the nut and washer and then push the fuel tank nipple inside the tank. The rubber grommet will pop right out and then you'll just have to fish out the nipple from inside the tank.

Dragos

[Spell]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the TR pushrod lenghts shown in the manual are unachievable. Step 22, page 35

[benwhite22]

Mention the directional nature of the bearing blocks.

[Jermo]

Please add some sketches /pictures showing the correct swash movement for each stick input. Being that the Pantera uses leading edge control (seems better to me mechanically) the Swash movements are opposite of many other models. Collective up is swash down, Cyclic Right and the swash tilts left down, Cyclic to nose up and the swash tilts front down (all viewed from the rear of the model).
Jer

[Jermo]

Page explaining all of the tuning available for the head. The manual covers some of it but it would be better to have one page dedicated to changes that can be made for performance. I also found nothing about the upper arm (that connect to the grips) adjustments.
Jer

[Jermo]

Page explaining all of the tuning available for the head. The manual covers some of it but it would be better to have one page dedicated to changes that can be made for performance. I also found nothing about the upper arm (that connect to the grips) adjustments.
Jer

[Beauregard]

Does anyone know where I can download a manual?

thank you,

[Jermo]

https://www.promodeler.com/downloads