Vikki's T-Rex 500efl FULL BUILD THREAD

[Vikki]

Probably not. Funnily enough it was a build vid and the manual showed that way round. Live and learn.

The tube is the black tube that comes with Align 500 skids when bought separately. I got them for my quad and 450's.

[harling65]

Excellent work Vikki.

I love my 500 CF too, I have been running at a low headspeed using an 80% flat curve. The lower headspeed calms it down and I get 7 mins flying using 3000 20c batteries.
You're going to love this Heli..

[Vikki]

I'm running 85% and did 4:30. Just charging to see what is put back in. Seven mins would be great

[Delarado]

7 mins i find is optimistic, i run i think 87% and am down at 20-22% every flight for 5 minutes pretty reliably!

its a great heli Vikki, your going to love it. What are your throttle curves? this heli loves a high head speed because of the tail gearing, so i'd recommend running at least 70% flat curve, if not more. I run 65% flat in normal mode (Which i never fly in, its just for takeoff and landing) and then 80% and 87% for IU1 and IU2. Tail is pretty solid except for the most demanding manuevers (Fast inverted backward flight to elevator down gives me a tail kick but thats about it!)

[Vikki]

5:30 is about max for mine. Five minute flight and 30 seconds to land.

I'm running at 85%.

[mark_j]

quality build thread Vikki, I bought my 450 second hand, but have since rebuilt it many times also spent hours routing the wiring inside frame, you have inspired me to purchase the 550 kit & build from scratch.

[Vikki]

That's good Glad to,have inspired someone

Took me a while because it was my first and I was being very cautious. The flight was the cherry on top. He lifted so beautifully.

[helimadness]

Hi Vikki.

Just listening to the spool up. Hard to tell in the video and might be the blade noise. but just double check your pinion main gear clearance. I know on mine the main gear is not perfectly round and there are a few tight and loose spots. I think there is meant to be .01mm clearance so its not too tight. When I do mine I check in several places to make sure there is some play the whole way around to avoid any tight spots.

So time to get her in the air....

Had 5 flights on mine today. I fly 2600 mah 25c Gens Ace and set the timer to 5:30 and land withing 20 sec of it going off. Normally spend say 2 min in normal mode 75% and the rest in idle 1 80% and come back at about 3.75 - 3.8v cell every time. For new batteries maybe just go a little easy on them till they have been cycled a few times and you know were you are at with them.

Starting to do Autos from about 3 feet up this weekend. Loving it.

Cant wait to see your maiden video

Cheers

[Vikki]

Interestingly: The Align manual advices using a simulator until your fingers feel natural using the controls. I have to agree. With the foul weather I, like a lot have people, have piled in the sim time and mcpx'ing indoors. It all helps.

Lifting a 500 up for the first time is scary as hell. Then you fly it around a bit and realise that it flies better than your next best smaller heli you wonder what was so scary. But it still is a little, hehehe.

[nobbycopter]

It's the same going from a 500 to a 700....I was bricking it as it is so much bigger than the 500, once you get it in the air you wonder what the fuss was all about!

[RcRotaryMadness]

Top build Vikki, watching with interest, I started with a T-rex 450, then moved to a TT E320 - then a T-rex 600 -- I was crappin' myself when I first went out with the 600 - but was so much easier to fly I was very surprised...

The all power inducing spool up sounded like it was ready rip my head off but once in the air its a big softie really...

Watching with interest!

[simon1]

Just looking through the point of the throttle curves suggested, when you progress on to more aggressive flying, and are doing things like funnels, hurricanes, backwards flight, you need to be looking at around 90%+flat TC. This is due to the tail gearing on the pro, it allows more mental headspeeds, which is the way the align models are going it seems now. I had a problem with the tail blowing out in things like backwards loops and funnels, upped it to 93% and held spot on.

I also have the ball on the servo arm in one hole to allow better servo resolution and alowing a higher tail gain setting, solid as a rock

[Vikki]

One thing I did after getting home from the maiden flight was to remove the tiewrap holding the ESC connecter to the upper bar on the battery tray. With the battery connected the whole connector set was too long with the tiewrap restricting positioning and it forced one side of the canopy out and hte other side in (towards a link rod). With the tiewrap cut I can squirrel the connectors away down the side. I'm going to make a tool to help split the connectors apart for those stiff beggars

Vikki.