2nd Flight - Success (And broken landing gear - again)

[Cralis]

Hello!

Wife and daughter thoughrally brassed at me for making them stand in the garden to film, but it's done! Footage of me flying the T-Rex 450SE! I'm extatic, because I feel my progress from my first attempt has been brilliant! I managed a 'hover' for 10 seconds!

Over the moon!

Then, when my wife said enough is enough, she took the camera and baby and went inside. So, I thought, one more. Had a GREAT attempt, and felt nearly in control. Then, a slight gust of wind seemed to lift the heli. I got scared, and when throttle down... and it landed a bit hard, snapping the landing gear - again!

That's 2 flight - 2 landing gears snapped! Not great! And I don't have a spare - but I am off to South Africa for a 3 week holiday without the heli, so not the end of the world.

Anyway, I will upload video soon, but, I am getting a strange wobble.. You will see it in the video. But I don't think the shaft is bent. I think it's either maybe the training gear, or else maybe the head speed too low?

It's a side to side and front to back wobble, which makes flying a bit tricky.

Anyways, let me edit this video and get it up.

(Get it up, meaning the VIDEO, guys.... )

[gazza]

If the wobble is evident in that it makes the skids appear to shake, and nothing is bent, your blades are in 'Track' & your flybar is set up correctly with the paddles equidistant then yeah dont worry its low headspeed Same thing happens with my S.E

Nothing to stop you upping your throttle curve a little to get shut of it.

Try 0-65-85-95-100

That should get rid of it Craig.

If not, try 0-85-95-95-100

The higher headspeed should improve overall flight manners, especially in wind but response will be quicker and the heli will feel that little bit sharper. Maybe increase Expo a little to compensate.

[gazza]

Oh, and congratulations by the way

Success inspires confidence

[Cralis]

Thanks a stack, Gazza. Feeling pretty bullet proof right now. heheh... Thanks God I won't be flying for a few weeks. Ready for inverted flight!! hehe

Right, video is up at:

[ame]http://www.thelisters.co.uk/temppics/2ndHover.wmv[/ame]

My expo is at -20% right now. I also added the weights - and it felt a bit like my Lama! A bit too dosile. So might up the headspeed then, and keep the expo. That should make it more alive. Not as twitchy as I expected. Infact, it was going forward towards a bush at one point, and I pulled a bit back to stop it, but felt I really had to pull quite a bit back. More than I would want to.... so, a bit 'spungy' at the moment.

Head speed may help.

You'll see the wobble in the video. Starts off OK, but then seems to start up and once it's in a wobble, it's 'stable' but tricky... and scarey.

But real happy. Never expected to get a 10 second hover on my 2nd flight. I wonder if I could get my car up on two wheel this evening.....

[gazza]

Ready for inverted flight!! hehe

At least you'll not bust anymore skids


Just gonna watch the vid

[gazza]

Very well done mate

Looks like its coming together now.

I would say up the headspeed a little and see what happens.

Training skids do tend to vibrate and amplify any wobbles so I'd say the real culprit will be the training skids, but playing with the headspeed may help matters.

Put some more sim time in and lose those training skids Craig

[Cralis]

Put some more sim time in and lose those training skids Craig

OK, when I say I feel bullet proof - I still need to change my underwear after a flight.. so might keep the landing gear for a few more years.

[Cossie]

Good effort Cralis, you're doing really well.

I'm flying my Rex most nights now in the garden (only had it flying a week) I love it and its rather challenging compared to my big en.

Speaking of which...

I trashed my Sceadu proper on Wednesday... I was being way to cocky. Thing is, I trashed it on the first tank instead of the last doh.

Taken some pics so may post em later. Love it

[David Drew]

Training skids do tend to vibrate and amplify any wobbles so I'd say the real culprit will be the training skids, but playing with the headspeed may help matters.

I've flown a pal's on skids & it def does not wobble like that.

Headspeed looks ok to me., but upping it will do no harm.

Feathering spindle??

David

[Cralis]

Oh, you spoilt my night!

I was looking at the head, and that shaft thing that goes down to the gear, and thought, 'How the HELL do you replace that!?'.

Looks like a 4 hour job! Looks like you need to dismantle the whole head, all the little bits, to remove it.

Oh no... looks like a massive job.

Sure it's something bent? Oh please don't be so...

[richieclarkie]

Main shaft is easy mate. Don't worry, it's 2 jesus bolts and a the collar. The feathering spindle is the shaft that goes between each blade grip. Again very easy.

[Leebert]

Well done!

Hi Craig

Great 2nd flight

Before you take things apart, try increasing your throttle curve as gazza mentioned before. That wobble looks just like a low headspeed one. Increasing your head speed could save you from finding a fault that may not be there!

[gazza]

Oh, you spoilt my night!

I was looking at the head, and that shaft thing that goes down to the gear, and thought, 'How the HELL do you replace that!?'.

Looks like a 4 hour job! Looks like you need to dismantle the whole head, all the little bits, to remove it.

Oh no... looks like a massive job.

Sure it's something bent? Oh please don't be so...

Craig, If you want me to post a tutorial on here with pictures on how to change the above then just ask

[Cralis]

Ok, thanks. The heli is packed away for the 3 weeks I am away, but I will be begging for help when I get back.

Building a parts order for my return. At the moment, the list consists of:

HS1144-78 - Bump resistant landing gear
HS1158-01 - 325 Align Pro Rotor blades
HS1064 - CF Stabilizer set
HS1003 - Feathing Shaft
HS1217 - Steel main shaft
OR
HS1011-3 - Main Shaft.

Reason for the OR, is that someone said NOT to get the steel main shaft, because if I crash, the shaft won't give, and other more pricey parts will break. Does anyone agree?

[Cralis]

Craig, If you want me to post a tutorial on here with pictures on how to change the above then just ask

That would be fantastic, Gazza. If you get some time, a tutorial on changing the main shaft and spindle would be fantastic.

I'm just hoping that this IS the fault causing the wobbling...