First Experiences.......

[Gman]

Hello All, Well having joined a week ago I thought I ought to participate a bit here! So here are my first week's experiences.

Started last weekend having acquired an old Buzz Fly SE and a Honey Bee CP3 , Honey Bee went straight into cupboard in box till next year!!!!

Started tinkering with BF (Buzz Fly), at last Fri/Sat, needed a few repairs, ie. new swashplate, flybar paddle and flybar linkage. Saw to that, charged up Lipo and...........well damn this thing was twitchy, no not twitchy, erratic would have been been a better description ( now I am a newbie, but have flown planes before and had a few lessons on helis), expected a bit of getting used to, but this was all over. Managed to trim her up a bit and get things a little settled, but still ended up breaking tail boom after a sofa collision!

Replaced said tail boom with makeshift replacement from barbecue skewer!!! Yes it still flew, began to note problems (lot of vibration in swashplate was the main thing), decided that as well as a new tail boom, it would be wise to put her away, order some spares and do a strip down rebuild using a few tips I found on old post here re Walkera 4#3b.

Monday - acquired Blade Mcx to "play" with whilst waiting on spares for BF and some gentle living room flying.

Have just completed rebuild tonight. I stripped the BF down and rebuilt, replacing stock tail boom with a 108mm 3/32 aluminum tube and adding a small spring between bottom of swashplate and retaining collar on mainshaft. Also tightened up blades a little in blade holders to reduce play. Added 3 degrees right tilt to swashplate. Also added 3 degree pitch to flybar paddles.

Just run first Lipo through it and Bingo!!! after some minor trimming was able to get a stable thumbs off hover for around 5 or 6 seconds and maintain steady control in the living room with only four or five feet either side to work in due to furniture (note to self: must ask wife if we really need all these chairs, sofa etc.?). Anyhow I am pleased with the results so far, still needs a little tweeking but really need more space to play with trim now so will see if the church hall is free tomorrow pm after the service.

Back to the Mcx for a bit tonight after all that, but enjoying every minute so far (and getting expert with CA!!)

Thanks for all who sent welcomes over on the newbies forum last week.

That's all for now

[soggybongo]

welcome and well done mate, i'm sure the Honey Bee will be out of the cuboard before next year though.

[rob12770]

why would you not fly the honey bee ?
i am new, but i figure, start as i mean to go on...

[rob12770]

note to self: must ask wife if we really need all these chairs, sofa etc.?

lol...

[Gman]

Ahh believe me the temptation to fly the HB has already visited more than once. But nooooooo.........I promised myself a gentle learning curve, the HB will come out when a) Have mastered fixed pitch to a "t" and b) either the wind dies down here on the south coast or I can get some keys to the church hall (spent a large part of this evening trying to persuade our Rev. that a mini r/c helicopter club would be a great asset to the church , not sure he was convinced.....but hey I believe in miracles! - which leads me on to conversation with wife re. aforementioned furniture , suggested we got rid of 3 piece suite perhaps in favor of bean bags, which of course make great crash mats and can also be moved out the room easily, while I was at it I also queried number of bookcases, when she pointed out most of the books on them where mine so I lost that one but then I could always get a Kindle and get them all on that and get rid of these old fashioned hard copies hmmmm, strange wife has gone to parents for the night, did I say something wrong?????...........before anyone worries, its okay she always stays there once a week to help look after her mum, so new hobby not causing marital strife...........yet!)

Anyhow, managed a few more flights this afternoon with the BF and got her trimmed quite nicely, even hands off hover for 5 or 6 seconds only a few inches up, have found that one or two bits still need attention, particularly flybar paddles which seem to move around after a few flights, very pleased with homemade tail boom though, seems to keep a nice balance and nice crisp response on rudder. Ah well guess it's time to wind down for the weekend now, thanks for your replies. Good flying to all.

[rob12770]

you should get a kindle they are great. since i got my girlfreind one, our house is a lot more clutter free.. she really loves it.

[Balders]

Congrats on getting the 4#3B to hover hands off. They were never the best although there was a huge following back a couple of years ago. Mine sits unused these days, as it's just so unpredicatable to fly. The good news is though, if you can learn to control the erratic nature of the 4#3b, you're already well along to controlling a bigger more stable heli, just the size intimidation bit to conquer

Not sure if you've seen/flown an MCPX but they are a great training aid. Loads of fun and for hover/orientation practice, stable as can be indoors

[iceuk]

Well done mate, don't go over board with all the upgrades as quite a few of them can be a waste of time

[Gman]

Yes have been looking at the Mcpx as I bought the Mcx of someone who had just upgraded, and well it is Christmas soon isn't it??? (reading this out aloud as I write it in hope that the wife may take the hint!!) , I am impressed with the Blade helis and have considered the Msr as a stepping stone instead of the Buzz Fly, I knew this things were twitchy but as it was a freebie, I thought I would see what could be done with it. Had a quick whizz this evening and still find the odd tweak required between flights, but happily hovering and getting used to the cyclic response now.

iceuk - I agree with not overdoing the upgrades, as I intend to move on in the near future when funds allow, and it seems flyable now so I will stick with what I have done/learned so far, though those flybar paddles are still slipping, don't want to super glue them as I want to be able to change the pitch so when I have more space (still negotiating with Rev re church hall), I can level them to give better forward flight anyone have any suggestions as to a semi permanent glue or gum that could be used?

CP3 still in cupboard waiting for improvement in weather (rain has been added to wind this evening!) maybe then I will just take her out to the car park at the back just to wind her up a bit........you know.........I mean not actually fly her.......just errr engine check and all that

[Mslater]

I don't wish to sound rude or be negative but personally I'd sell the Honey bee, save up for something like a blade 450 or similar.

I've done the Honeybee route and its not fun.

[panosg]

Il agree. The 450 is one to learn on.
Honey bee is great if you just want to mess about but you not looking to progress in to helis.

Mcpx has been great for me to learn on too.

[Gman]

Hi thanks for your advice, I am a bit surprised at the opinion of the Honey Bee, bearing in mind it is the collective pitch version, I thought it was a good start (especially as it didn't cost me), basically I am looking at my current fleet seeing me through till next spring making use of the church hall for the Honey Bee and the Mcx and Buzz Fly at home in the lounge, although already looking at Mcpx to replace Buzz Fly. Then I want to move onto something bigger outdoors, and yes have already been looking at the Trex 450 and even 600. I would hope by then to have gained enough experience to go for a more expensive project (kit build rather than RTF), without too much fear of making silly beginner mistakes and costing myself a fortune in unnecessary repairs from lack of experience, not that I am not expecting to crash it at some point, but you get the idea. So all your thoughts are useful and considered. Thanks again.