My Beam is ready for the field

[Xige]

Nice =) looking good Mikee.

[richieclarkie]

Hey Mikee

Was great to see you down at Charmouth.

I flew the beam yesterday. Even for chucking it about I found the cyclics too quick with stubz so I went back to the stock paddles. The stock paddles feel better IMO so they are now staying on there for good.

Rob is a top bloke and I can't believe how much he will help people on a consistent basis. He will really appreciate your comments I know ... and everyone elses.

[Mikee]

Right This is it then.. 20 batteries two heli's and me

Went to my field and upacked both heli's.. quick smoke and then loaded up the 450v2... no problems there... flew like it always does nice and straight and predictable.. I flew 5 batteries with that...

Then the Beam... First impressions nice heli,change from the v2 and the canopy styling is lush.. anyway battery in and up she went.. I had done most of my tweaking in the garden but it's limited to a short burst of forward flight and loads of turns.. Out in the open it fly's much differently.. I was running 25 expo for the garden but dropped it down to 20.. the head speed in the garden seen wild so I modified it to suit.. at the field I ramped it back up again.

Yes it a great hoovering heli.. very stable,show it some forward flight and its gone.. I tweaked some setting and tamed it down abit and it seemed a lot better. It was quite windy at the field and I suffered with some trimming issues.. I think the swash or a link may be a little tight.. also the tail belt slackened of a bit as well.. by the way now Im on my 5th or 6th battery here... so I called it a day and went home..

At home I adjusted the belt and because I had a slight tail drift to the left and a slight and intermittant tail wag I resetup the gyro and servo again... heli ready to go again.. went back to the field and what a difference.. the wind had dropped and I had the heli hoovering hands off ... suddenly the conifidence of of the heli came and in two batteries.. I was well at home with it... It still has a very wag and I adjusted the gain.. but I might need to move the ball in on the servo horn or get a better servo (like the 9257 on my rex)... anyway I flew 5 batteries one after another and YES I love it!!! ...........I have some pro's and cons about the heli as listed below

But It's a defo keeper once I spent some more money

Pro's
Great looking heli
The machining of the metal compents are excellent
It fly's really well
It's quiet in flight..
The canopy design is refreshing on a 450 sized heli
Great design of tail box and the ease of changing the drive belt (I already have one on my 450v2)
Carbon pushrod for tail
Spares are cheap
Competivly priced in it's class with different options
The abilty to refurb the swash bushings
I like the way the tail rises from the rear of the heli (tail blades kept out of the grass)
Great Back up service from EVO-RC

Cons
I personally don't like the scorpion 55amp ESC.. Soft start is some what quick and it's huge
You have to buy you spares from the nicest man on the planet (probally)
I personally don't like the black skids/landing gear
There is a very slight phasing issue.. certainly not as bad as the 450 or others
The lack of beam associated merchanidise for the heli ( a beam with align velcro straps.. yeah right.. we all do it though)
Blades supplied in the kit are adequate but not brilliant
Flybar weights as an option in the kit would be nice
would have been nice to have alloy boom clamp servo mount for tail ( again align has this option or standard fitment)
I think tail boom support struts are too long by 25mm

These are just my opinions and at home that counts for nought

I will be changing my tail servo for a better jobbie.. the heli warrants that
I will be changing the scropion ESC for a castle creations or align one.. to be able to fit it under the battery tray
I will shorten the tail boom struts by 25 mm
I might change the landing gear or fit silver skids
I will try align flybar weights to slow down the cyclic slightly

The heli does it's job and does it well, all above is just my choice on what I want my heli to look and fly like... that's why Im unique... wife says Im a retard Whatever!!!! my love.......

God I need another Scotch now!!!!! and Yes I would buy it again and probally will when and if I sell my 450v2

Mikee

[Brian Gifford]

Nice report, Mikee. Pleased you like the Beam. There's a lot of positive comment around about this.

Happy flying!

Off-topic: - still using Phoenix, lots of stick time till my new toy arrives.

[pieter]

thanks for taking the time to do that write up, very good read and adding your pros and cons is also very helpful

where did you fly btw

[Eddie]

Mikee, nice write up with some very valid points.....

[Mikee]

thanks for taking the time to do that write up, very good read and adding your pros and cons is also very helpful

where did you fly btw

I have private land that I fly on.. but to today I went to Northbourne Roundabout and flew in a field designated for flying by the Cherry Tree nusrsury.. I also fly at Slades farm also a Bmth council designated flying site

Mike

[Mikee]

I forgot to mention in my write up... so here it is

All heli's are great fun and some more than others.. what makes a great heli is the way it fly's the backup service and most of all the the grin you have when you leave the field... The beam does well in this context... I will probally fly it more so when I have done my mods and probally put my 450v2 into a 500e scale body.. that I have sat up in the loft

[machasm]

Great write up Mike and I think you have hit the nail on the head regards the cons.
I have already fitted a metail tail servo clamp to mine (the plastic one seems flimsy and bends easily).
I am running a spartan with 9257 and the tail is great.
Your right about the scorp esc it is a big bu**er and a smaller one would suit.
I have the soft start option on and seems OK (a little slow TBH).
I have the stubz on and it is pretty mental on the cyclics.
Glad you like it.

[cupracing]

I will be interested in seeing what people do to improve the flight on the Beam or if its possible. Im thinking of replacing my futuba gy401 for a Spartan DS760, would like to know if there would be a noticeable difference in the swap

[Mikee]

I will be interested in seeing what people do to improve the flight on the Beam or if its possible. Im thinking of replacing my futuba gy401 for a Spartan DS760, would like to know if there would be a noticeable difference in the swap

PM adrian above your post.. he's fitted one.. personally I think the gy401 is a easy going gyro and the the 9257 servo complements it well

Set up is everything.. get that right and it will seem better

Of course it depends on what you want from your heli...

Mike

[machasm]

I will be interested in seeing what people do to improve the flight on the Beam or if its possible. Im thinking of replacing my futuba gy401 for a Spartan DS760, would like to know if there would be a noticeable difference in the swap

Depends on your level of flying.
The 401 has trouble in fast backwards flight where it is known to blow out.
It is also quite whippy.
The 760 does not suffer from either of these failings.

[cupracing]

Depends on your level of flying.
The 401 has trouble in fast backwards flight where it is known to blow out.
It is also quite whippy.
The 760 does not suffer from either of these failings.

at the moment it is sport flying, but i want the beam to be the best it can be, I have also heard that a really good gyro can improve your flying. I eventually want to go full on 3d.

[Mikee]

Depends on your level of flying.
The 401 has trouble in fast backwards flight where it is known to blow out

if my heli is going backwards let alone fast backwards

IT'S CRASHING !!!!

[Brian Gifford]

if my heli is going backwards let alone fast backwards

IT'S CRASHING !!!!