My Align fbl experience

[ChrisB]

Ok another little update,checked the system right over again tonight and sorted the wiring out.

The grips were loctited OK and the feathering shaft and bearings were greased up.

Will be hopefully getting many flights this weekend with it.

I am going to compare it to the V bar to a degree but this is not really fair as i have not flown a V bar`d 90 size so cant comment on how it would feel although i can imagine.
But i will give a general comparison on the behaviour etc as well as flight video.

Mainly and probably more useful i will directly compare it to my 700 when it had the flybar head on it.So also i will forget about the V bar and just compare the 700 before and after upgrade.

If all goes well and i get some good flights i will video the auto behaviour,take off behaviour etc.

I was going to do some V bar vid also but will just concentrate on the Align system so on the whole i can get more done.

I hope this info along with Pauls info will be of help and look forward to reading more reports from us normal fliers.

[mark lane]

Great Chris.... really looking forward to your thoughts

[ChrisB]

Thanks Mark,i do hope the info proves useful.

[robgt]

Nice one Chris!
I'm interested to hear how it copes with some pirouetting manoeuvres - this is the sticking point in flybarless from what I've read and been told.
It is supposed to be excellent in funnels, loops, etc, etc.

Looking forward to having a play myself shortly
Cheers,
Rob

[raptorheli2]

it will get some piro work tomorrow rob if i can get flying (weather).

cheers

[PsiLo]

Great to see some feedback, hoping to pick up the kit for my 600 next. If it works as well as I hope then at the price including blades it is a real bargain! Looking forward to seeing your videos

[PsiLo]

Doh! double post.

[ChrisB]

Nice one Chris!
I'm interested to hear how it copes with some pirouetting manoeuvres - this is the sticking point in flybarless from what I've read and been told.
It is supposed to be excellent in funnels, loops, etc, etc.

Looking forward to having a play myself shortly
Cheers,
Rob

Rob

Cant fault the V bar for piro moves but keen to see how this compares.

On another note and not trying to contradict Aligns instructions but they say that if when you hover the model it wanders to raise the appropriate gain to stop this.

This is OK to a point but if you dont have the swash level mechanically it will make the heli wander off by raising the gains you are increasing the risk of bounce and other tendencies especially in fast flight and sudden moves so another reason to do the mechanical setup right.

Much easier to trim tab any wander out as you would normally and maybe re calibrate later.

To add,i have never had to adjust the default cyclic gain on any of the V bar helis i have done,i know you can play with it but default covers all the bases so i am not planning to play with the gain pots on this one unless i am forced to.

[ChrisB]

I have run two tanks thru it and so far i am suitably impressed.I have a bounce on the elevator that i cant cure totally but there are 3 possible causes of this and none are to do with the system.

Firstly the heli does have some vibes,its had them for a while not major but the system could still be affected so need to reduce or cure these.

Remember i am using slower than specced servos,may not help and at present i am using a 401 mounting pad but this will be the first thing to change.

I dunno if the vibes are the cause,the pad or the servos so will go for the easy option first.

On the ground it behaves fine,autos are fine you can hang it all the way.

Shown in the video.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4x7BN_OU-4"]YouTube- 700n.wmv[/ame]

Will get a better vid later,i kept it high and the sky is crap which my camera hates.

I look forward to more reports on the system so we can build up a better knowledge base that i have enjoyed with the V Bar.

So is it better than the flybar head,hmm

Is it anywhere near the capability of the much more developed V Bar? Nope...


l

[Tim Procter]

Looking good for your first flight Chris.

Enthusiasm from the cameraman wasn't as good.

[ChrisB]

Yep the cameraman(woman) i have fired her and hired a replacement for this afternoon.

[Smoothound]

Yep the cameraman(woman) i have fired her and hired a replacement for this afternoon.

If it's your partner I hope she is a bit more enthusiastic elsewhere

[jimheli]

now that i have just looked at the vid , seems the 3g is looking good .

[acwman]

Will get a better vid later,i kept it high and the sky is crap which my camera hates.

l

You need a new HD camera Chris

..Like the bit at the end when Clare tells you to hurry up!

Looking good so far.. keep us updated!

[ChrisB]

Ok update for today.

No more video but plan on some tomorrow.Sky was just as Grey and everyone was pretty busy.

When i got back i swapped the sticky pad for the supplied one and it was initially worse for the bounce and the tail was more unsettled.

I played about with the gains,aieleron seems OK so left that alone now.

Dave suggested i secure the sensor cable with less slack so i tried this and again it was an improvement.

We re did the tail setup changing the delay but what i am getting is a gain of no more than 40(dx7) or i get a bad wag but lower it and no hold.

The ball on the servo horn is on the outer hole so i will bring it in a hole to reduce mechanical gain and hopefully be able to raise the radio gain.

This will hopefully sort the tail but i decided to do this tonight in the warm.

The bounce on the elevator as seen in the 600 Szabo video i think is not major but its there and IMHO is detracting from the enjoyment of flying it at present.

I am going to scan the other forums including the Mikado one to search for elevator bounce issues,i know i have seen them before mentioned but never looked.

I have a heavy flight pack at the front and of course forward c of g so this could also very easily be a cause.

Will have a search tonight and throw some things at it for tomorrow.

Hoping to find some more feedback from users of this system as it would be a great help.

To add none of the issues above i feel are an issue with the system itself.