A Blackout G696Z build...

[rbort]

Clutch is correct orientation with the arrows. I see no one way in the bell area, so has to be in the main gear. Is it possible one way is reversed and main gear is spinning with clutch bell but not driving the rotor?

If that's not it then is it possible some parts missing on the clutch bolts making it too tight to be able to swing out with rpms?

-=>Raja.

[jayf636]

For what its worth ive got 90 flights on my 696, and hundreds on other synergy models with no canopy grommet issues. In fact i find the 696 canopy and 516 canopies extremely simple. But yeah magnets are cool.

[MAJ1C]

Could be as simple as the pinion grubs haven’t been tightened up so the output shaft is just spinning inside the pinion. Also to see if it’s the clutch/bell start it up hold the head, apply some throttle does the clutch bell start to spin? If not it’s clutch/clutch holder related, if the bell spins it’s pinion or main gear one way related.

[rcnut]

I pulled the motor to inspect the clutch. My thought was the shoes was too tight/sticking. Well, it was somewhat, and the was an easy fix...but not the main problem. It was the one way in the main gear...Raja nailed it. So I need to pull the main gear out and see why the one way is backwards. Either I did this while reassembling the gear, after Loctiting everything, not paying attention, or the one way is simply installed backwards. Either way, an easy fix.

And it is a good thing this happened! In the process of getting this heli up and flying Sunday...I forgot to install the servo horn screws for the 3 cyclic servos. Had this heli flown, I would have had other major issues to contend with!

And I've been checking the weather for the Birmingham's fun fly next weekend...rain Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. So looks like I am not going to this.

[Stevecg]

Glad you found the servo horn now! Looks great. Do you have the weight it ended up at?

[rcnut]

I found the problem...it was the one way, backwards. My fault, somehow I flipped the main gear upside down. All is good now, and ready for a test flight! I would have tried it yesterday (Saturday), but it started snowing here. About a half inch of snow, enough to cover the grass. So possibly today, once it warms up a bit.

[rcnut]

Yesterday (Tuesday), I was able to get out after work and maiden this new heli. After talking with a club member about the lock on the gate, I was able to get in...but didn't need to as there was 2 members already there. Temp was 46, clear skies and sunny, with a light wind at 4 mph.

The two members greeted me, and I showed off my new heli. They witnessed the first flight...Gene stayed for the second flight, and we talked a bit, getting caught up on life. It was close to 4 years since we talked last, seen each other in passing.

I filled the tank, checked everything again, set the trim (after making a throttle adjustment at home, idle too low), started the motor, and this time I had to hang on to the rotor head...yep, the drive system was working this time!

I set the idle and walked out to set the heli down. I started advancing the throttle, and the main blades started rotating. Once the blades were spooled up enough, but not enough to lift off, I checked the tail and cyclic directions...all good. More throttle, and this heli slowly came off the ground! It's airborne!!! Balance seems good so far, controls are not that touchy, I added some expo just in-case. Checked the tail/gyro response...a bit too much, later I reduced the tail gain some, (second flight, by 4 points...better).

I pirouetted to the left and right, and then took off in a straight line down the field. Pulled up into a gentle climb, stall turn, and back across the field. I made several passes around the field checking the controls and reaction of this heli. And then it was time...right roll, turn around, loop, stall turn around, traveling back flips, turn around, tail down tic-toc's, stationary back flips, forward flips, half pirouette flips, side tic-toc's, and some inverted flying.

All this time, the motor was running fine, a bit rich. On the second flight, I started tuning the motor. That made a difference! I had more power, and performed most of the mentioned maneuvers even faster, and still no motor bog...but I wasn't pushing this heli just yet. I need to spend a little time getting use to it and finish flight tuning it.

This gasser feels like my Synergy N7, but slightly under powered compared to the nitro motor...the O.S.105. The controls are crisp, it tracks very well, as long as my fingers are not freezing! LoL! I shot the first auto on the first flight. I brought in it a bit fast as not sure what to expect. The wind was at 4 mph. So I can't really tell just yet, but it seems to float down nicely. I'll need to play with it when I have more time to fly and with warmer weather.

My fingers were getting cold, I didn't bring my radio glove, and I only had enough time for 2 flights. I felt very comfortable fly this conversion, and wished the temps were warmer and I had more time to fly. I will look this heli over during the next few day, as our weather is still trying to bring back winter!

This was a fun and fast conversion to build. It flies great with no surprises or issues. It looks great in the air, and tracks very well. I can't wait to show this off to others...as soon as this virus stops! Hopefully at IRCHA!

[Blackout_Mods]

What a great news!

Glad you made it and super happy that everything worked perfectly!

So keep spent time with it and let me know more details about it in order to finalize the cad files and start produce it for the others too!

I am awaiting news from you via e-mail when you are ready.

Thank you so much for this Ray!

Best regards
Dennis

[jayf636]

Thanks for all the info Ray! Still very interested in getting one for myself. I currently helping a friend with a 766 gasser so its scratches the itch at the moment but i don't think it will be long before i have my own! And i really love my 696 so this is probably the conversion ill go with.
Keep up the good work, here's to warmer weather getting here sooner than later!

[Dowquest]

Ray, Any more flights?
The motors are supposed to be back in stock this week, and then I'll have everything but the fuel tank and conversion kit to build mine.

[rcnut]

None yet! I'm dying to get out and fly! If only our weather would cooperate... We have entered the rain stage. Rain most of this week, plus the weekend...sucks! Friday is the only chance to get out for a short while.

[rcnut]

I made it out yesterday (Friday), putting in another 2 flights! The weather was nice enough to get out. 40 degrees, with big puffy clouds and sunshine, 10+ mph out of the Northwest...burrrrr! This time I brought my radio glove. It felt weird at first, but I got over it. The first flight granted me 12 minutes. The second flight, with a little carb tuning, gained 2 more minutes, for a total of 14 minutes, and with a little fuel left in the tank. I might be able to stretch that to 15, but the arthritis in my hip was killing me and had to call it a day. Next time I'll bring a stool to sit on, until this pandemic is over and I'm able to receive treatment for my hip. Sucks getting old...er.

However, both flights were great. The G696Z is flying fantastic, no issues, plenty of power, and tracking is perfect! I couldn't believe how fast 12 minutes goes by. With some more tuning, I think I can get close to 18 minutes, maybe more. I do have a slight tail stop issue when turning to the right, it doesn't stop fast or hard, it drifts slightly, but turning and stopping to the left, it stops fast, solid. Something to look at in the programming of the controller. Not sure where...

This conversion is holding up just fine. I looked everything over, trying to find something lose or something needing to be fixed...nothing. This conversion is a tank.

Now that I had a couple of flight under my belt, I wanted to checkout how this heli autos. At the start, i set the timer in the radio for 10 minutes. It went off, and I brought the heli close enough to check the fuel level...nice to have a clear tank! I had plenty of fuel, so...its auto time!

I climbed up to my normal height and flipped the hold switch. It floats! Oh boy! I over shot my normal landing, by me, and set it down. This time a little further out, but the same thing! Did I forget how to auto? I just needed to readjust the descent angle. It does bleed off lift close to the ground, but at the last second, where it could count the most. It is a little easy to over speed the head which I find a bit interesting! Most of my other gassers, I need to really drop fast in order to do this. Autos need more work...with this heli.

I have a small opportunity to get out today, before the rain comes back!

[rcnut]

Another outing today! Snuck out before the rain comes. Cold to start at 9:30 am, but warmed up nicely, and then the overcast clouds moved in! It started to sprinkle, so I left.

In the meantime, I managed 4 flights this time. Slowly checking out this new conversion. I found (or I think I have) the setting in the Spartan controller for the tail stop control. It has CW/CCW stop control settings...well, that's what the screen said. CCW was set to 70%, and CW was set to 100%. I changed the CW value to 107% and that seem to fix most of the problem. There is a slight movement, but it is very small now. I tried 112%, and no noticeable change.

I also dropped some of the expo on elevator, aileron, and rudder...much better. Now I need to increase the agility some. It acts as a heli in a sim at a slower rate. This is fine if you're looking to perform aerobatics and 3D on the slow side...so I'll play with that some. It's been over a year since I've been out flying a lot, so this is getting me back into the swing of things!

On the second flight, I moved to the center of our field while flying. This gave me a better view with the sun to my back...and wind. Yea, the wind was out of the South today. What a difference that made compared to yesterday, out of the North. It warmed up in no time, and I took off my radio glove.

On the third flight, and half way through the tank, it was time to shoot autos. Well, ok, but I was in for a surprise. It doesn't float down as slow as it did yesterday. I had constant 10+ mph winds which helped slow the heli down, making it look like a floater. Today, the winds were lighter (5-8 MPH) and varied. Yea, today the autos were faster and bled off quickly at the end. I'm still working on these...

It was the 2nd flight that I almost flew my new heli out of fuel. I was getting excited performing maneuvers, and getting closer to the ground, I had forgotten where I was with the time. So I'm doing several forward flips with 180 degree tail turns, and the motor stutters! Oh, I know that sound! I flip to right side up and land. There wasn't a drop of fuel in the tank or pick up line, just what was left in the bowl. 14 minutes and 45 seconds of flight time at idle 2...1950 head speed. What a rush! I normally run out of nitro fuel inverted doing some sort of tail-in or nose-in funnel close to the ground. Don't panic, move the collective to zero, flip to right side up, and land. Done this many a times, but with this new gasser, yea, it got the heart pumping for a couple of seconds.

On the forth flight, I practiced some more autos as the clouds started moving in quickly. I knew my time was up, I didn't care, I was having fun! I took off around the field fast and then hit throttle hold in the middle of a turn...something I normally do as well with my nitro machines. The turning auto went well, until I took off again. I heard a "tink" sound, that's not good! I started thinking where this might have come from...drive train? No, the boom, apparently I had a slight boom strike on take off? As I was cleaning up, I noticed a small dent in the boom on top by the tail, and with a little bit of white paint. Never had that happen before. Not sure what to make of that.

Anyways, it felt good to get out and fly. I had our club field all to myself...until it started sprinkling. As I was driving away from the field, it stopped sprinkling, so I pulled into a car wash and cleaned my truck! So it should rain extra hard. Good luck rain, truck is in the garage clean and dry!

[Dowquest]

Ray,
Any more flights? I received a couple of boxes from Carey Shurley, and am just waiting on the conversion kit now. Hopefully things will free up in Greece soon!

[Blackout_Mods]

Hello!

Delivery of G696Z Kits will starts by the end of this month!
Finally things get a bit better, with delays... but better than nothing!

BR
Dennis

[rcnut]

Hey Dowquest, here in the Midwest, the weather is crappy during the weekend and fairly nice during the week...while I'm at work! I had a couple of chances to get out, but lawn maintenance and basic yard care took precedence. However, the weather is looking nice for this coming weekend, well, until Sunday afternoon, then it's rain throughout the week.

[rcnut]

Dowquest, yes, and finally! I was able to get out over the memorial weekend, and day. I had to cycle through some of my other helis as it's been too long for them sitting in the house!

I did get more flights on my G696Z, and it is a tank! It just flies. Fuel and go! It rained here and there just about every day. But I did mange to get out early in the day, the best parts of the day...no rain!

I would like to build another 696 gasser, but have to wait some as the job is taking a hit now. Many furlough days of no pay, but I'm still working!

[Blackout_Mods]

SYNERGY 696 is one of the most well designed Helis i have seen.

As a gasser is impressive indeed!
Some time in future i will find a donor model to built one for my self too!

Enjoy Ray!

Stay safe.

Dennis

[Dowquest]

First nights work. More tomorrow!

[Dowquest]

Made some decent progress today, still need to finish the wiring, I have a few parts on order to finish it up, The head and servos are set up, I wound up moving the throttle servo to the inside of the frame so it would not rub on the canopy.

For the RPM sensor, you'll need to replace the plastic spacers with the carbon fiber mount.
Hope to get everything in the next week or so to finish it up.