Thread: EFlite Blade 120 SR

quote=helipilot

1. What timer settings are you guys flying yours on..? Ive bnf mine to my DX6i and its come up @ 6 mins... is this about right or can you get more flight time without killing the lipo...?

2. Has any one heard any more about when we are going to see lipos in stock as i know once i get properly up and running with her im gonna want more than one lipo...as im sure some of you have already found...!!!

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Hi, personally I dont use a timer for the 120 sr, the speed controller cut off is perfectly fine, when battery reaches close to its low voltage it slowly lets the heli land at a perfect ratio so no damage and Im pretty sure battery will last as long as its supposed to last and you will use the max flight time, (Well over those 5 min) I think i did about 50/60 cycles by now and no loss in flight time whatsoever yet. The main reasons why the limiter is there is to avoid you overdischarging the battery and obviously also not to lose power completely in mid air.
On a bigger heli (450 +) the timer is important because if the speed controller cuts off when you doing what a 450+ cp can really do or if you are really far with your heli or plane you might be in trouble; besides you do need to watch your voltage on those bigger, unstable hardcore lipos.
Keep in mind that the SR120 is normally purchased with its own transmitter which doesnt have a timer and the normal pilot, without any particular knowledge or a programmable TX will recharge the battery when the speed controller limiter kicks in and he cant fly anymore, I am positive it has been timed and engineered with that in mind, hence the fact my 120's battery life hasnt yet shortened.

The new DX8 from Spektrum apparently got telemetry and will give you the voltage on your display in real time (Guess who is wasting another 300 pounds soon?) Wanna buy a dx6i anyone? Good condition , nice setups included! :P


I called Horizon hobbies Thursday and have been told that sr120 batteries were being put trough customs in UK and apparently will be distributed to retailers this week? Will see.

Ill put up another post tonight with my settings on my dx6i for Blade SR 120 and MSR, I Am really happy with them now. I have shy throttle curve, low rates and expo for indoors or when friends want to have a go and proper max throw, throttle and response for me outdoors.

If I was you id get also the MSR. MSR Its ok indoors and out (even with a little wind after a bit of practice, rates, setup and cusker mod, see below) 120 SR not, its definitely an outdoors heli, it rocks, even with some wind. But itll end up on the roof or in your neighbour 's dog jaws if you fly it in the backyard too freely, It wants a nice big open space and you can really give it a go, but if you can afford it, having both will let you enjoy longer and have more stick hours.
Also Dont forget a simulator, a decent one, you will get in to bigger helis, I guarantee that!

If any of you planning to get or already got an MSR I also STRONGLY reccomend the swash CUSKER mod (CUSKER RC, LLC. - Home)
It costed me 20 dollars with delivery, takes ages to arrive, when you get it you feel like an idiot for paying so much for a tiny piece of alluminium, then you fit it on.. (not straightforward, needs a bit of patience but its fun to fit)....and the real MSR hell breaks loose. The geometry changes and it flies at silly speeds, its REALLY fast, even faster than the 120SR, you give it some quickl elevator and it puts itself at 45 degrees and attacks the air as if it was the enemy, even with some wind, apparently it even loops, did not try it yet but it feels like it can if at the right height!
Just get cnc blade grips and cusker, forget frame upgrades and other crap, your MSR will not fly (if at all) as well as before with them, maybe add the 160 mha turnigy lipos (see below) if you want extra time, then set your rates and enjoy! And it still keeps the perfect stable hover as before, just a bit more twitchy!!
The only thing i dont like of this little bird is the landing gear which breaks just by looking at it.

If you have a prog radio just customize it as you wish, you can get both MSR and SR 120 to feel a little similar to a cp heli with a bit of tweaking to counteract that annoying rubber band effect you get on them, i guess due to the angle of the flybar, which is also what gives them a near-coaxial stability. When i get my little hd camera back Ill take and post some vids of them both flying outdoors.

(they sell the lipos above in UK cheapest i seen 17 pounds for 5 on ebay, from hobbyking in US I bought 5 of them for around 9 pounds inc delivery, its not the 7 pounds i save , its the principle..)

HobbyKing Online R/C Hobby Store : Turnigy 160mAh 1S 30C (E-flite, Minium compatible))

Ciao.

Originally Posted by helipilot

Thanks Lucio.., some good points in your thread... I had my first proper session with my 120sr today and very happy this far... As you say, it does have a safety ramp down on the power i noticed... Very impressive for a heli of this size... My bigger 400 has this feature. I always set the timer as habit... It will be good to see what settings you have come up with for your dx6i... Ive just flown it on inner swash settings and stock tx settings... Fine for the living room but for a bigger space it needs tweeking up...!


So might see some lipos in the next week or so then.... One lipo is a bit like one chocolate biscuit.... Nice but never enough..!!!!!

Good times........

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Hi there, even the little mcx and msr have that function, it a bit of a standard in decent quality non toy helicopters.

Below are my settings for SR 120 on my DX6i.

Please keep in mind that these settings are done to my liking and might not be as good for you as they are for me

SETUP LIST

Model Type: HELI
Model Name: SR120HEL
Reverse: All Normal
Swash Type: 1 SERVO 90°
Thro-Cut: INH
D/R Combi: D/R SW: FM
Timer: SWITCH: INHIBIT
Range Check: INH
Power Setting: B US 247

ADJUST LIST

D/R&Expo: - Flight mode Switch on "0" (Low rates)
Aile 0 80% +20%
Elev 0 80% +20%
Rudd 0 80% +20%

D/R&Expo: - Flight mode Switch on "1" (High rates)
Aile 1 100% -20%
Elev 1 100% -40%
Rudd 1 100% -15%

Travel Adj:
All on 125%

Sub Trim:
All on 0

GYRO:
INH

THRO CUR:
Flight mode Switch on "0" (Low rates)
NORM POS
POS L 0.0%
POS 2 15%
POS 3 50%
POS 4 60%
POS H 75%

Flight mode Switch on "1" (High rates)
STUNT POS
POS L 0.0%
POS 2 30%
POS 3 50%
POS 4 75%
POS H 100%

PITCH CUR:
Leave alone, unused.

SWASH MIX:
INH

MIX1:
INH

MIX2:
INH

REVO MIX:
Al on 0%

Now when your Flight Mode switch is on "0" your heli will be docile and throttle quite soft, good for indoors or for newbie mates, when you will switch to "1" everything should be twitchy,faster and more responsive. I'd play with the Expo % and Throttle curve to find your perfect balance in both Low and High rates.

I am happy with these settings as now the SR120 flies as fast as it can and feels like a big heli. Waiting for swashplate mods ..

Notes:

• I am sure you know, but the Flight Mode switch is the one on the top of your radio, left of the Aerial, in front of the Trainer switch
• I keep power setting on B US because the range is supposed to be better, its irrelevant with the SR, you wont go THAT far.
• Get a simulator! If you are going to stick to Helis I strongly reccomend reflex XTR, I tried almost all Sims and reflex is the only one that actually feels quite close to flying an RC heli, comes with Spektrum Compatible cable, I bought mine cheap off ebay (version 5.03.1), if you get it ill tell you where to get models to download for free.

Please anybody feel free to add/correct anything.

Thanks.

L.

Hi, no, outer settings stay outer in my case, once you set them up no point in changing, youll get used indoors to them easily.
Regarding the EXPO in pos "0" the reason I add some positive on low rates (+20%) is just to obtain a less sensitive and more forgiving control feel, for when somebody wants to try the heli. To be honest I use my MSR and SR 120 in high rates also the few times i fly them indoors and the negative expo (-15% to -40%) gives me a more crisp and sensitive control which is a must outdoors.
On my T-REX i use generally much less sensitive controls as i dont want to make mistakes.

Thanks,

L.

Couple of pictures of my 120 SR. I'm loving this heli. It is stable (or so people tell me but I find it's all over the place ) and so forgiving when it hits the ground. Parts are cheap and it goes like a bat out of hell when I don't want it to. Only downside is the auto correct which makes it flare a little too much and takes me by surprise, but thats only because I am still getting to grips with this helicopter flying thing.

In two weeks I have only broken a battery holder which isn't bad going, although I think the design is a little poor as the point where it screws into the body is at right angles to the momentum of the battery when it er "decelerates rapidly".

Originally Posted by jaychat

hi there ,ive just brought a 120 sr and brought 4 extra batteries.I fly her then after a minute she loses power as if the battery has run out then she takes off again.this is with all the batteries ,im baffled

Are you sure you are charging the lipos correctly ?

Take a look at this thread >>>> Is my charger kaput or my helicopter? Post #6 In particular.

Sounds exactly like the symptoms I was having by being a tit and not charging the batteries properly... That thread should sort you out

Also sounds like the lipos are cold, My batteries on my 450 heli do dat in cold conditions when out in the field for a while

I took the plunge and bought a Blade 120 SR yesterday whilst shopping in Derby - excellent fun! Will be great to practise on whilst I am refurbing the Concept 30 and building the Airwolf scale heli.

Had it's maiden flight / crash today in Claire's parents back garden - wind picked up and I bottled it as it drifted in a stong gust towards a wall. Very robust but the swash links do like to pop off and hide in the grass so will be ordering some spares!!

Will be sourcing some extra batteries too as this little heli is such fun!

Same ere dude got mine yesterday with two extra batteries, managed hover it in my bedroom and kitchen alday, bit annoyed wit the tail it has a habit of slightly turning to the left, have to keep correct it, Does any1 know how to solve it and also does anybody have dx6i/dx7 settings for 120sr for beginners please.lol