Think I may have over done it a bit

[trillian]

Old thread alert

[helijohn]

Old thread alert

LOL I read everything and anything. Not proud me!

[Guest]

I will admit, I've never built a Blade 550, but I have built lots of other makes - if you have a notchy movement in your blade grips, then you probably have something in the assembly wrong, possible a spacer, washer, thrust bearing, radial bearing not seated correctly, washer in the wrong place, or the like.

In my opinion, for what it's worth, don't go for the 'let it wear-in' method - it just means that it will wear out and then fail, then you will have to re-build it anyway.

In the past I've rebuilt things when they don't feel right, you should have a silky smooth feeling to anything that has bearings in it - the notchy feeling is the balls in the radial bearing rubbing on the grooves in the bearing shells..........not a good thing...!!!

[helijohn]

you should have a silky smooth feeling to anything that has bearings in it - the notchy feeling is the balls in the radial bearing rubbing on the grooves in the bearing shells..........not a good thing...!!!

+1
I had just that some months back and it turned out to be hardened glue on the shells which took some shifting.

[Grant85]

I wonder if this guy ever got on with the big heli as a beginner, it was over a year ago this post lol! Surely them blade grips must've bedded in by now lol!

[james_2k]

thing is with learning on a big heli, is that (i was anyway) scared to try anything beyond basic hovering around the place. if you learn on a micro, its a lot easier to experiment and throw it around a bit as crashing is nearly as big a deal.

i can imagine getting to big a heli at the start has just caused a load of intimidation and a quick exit from the hobby.

[horsham rc]

I've just decided to give it a go again lol. Started back on a 200 now the 550 but thinking of selling already and I haven't even flown it yet.

[helijohn]

i can imagine getting to big a heli at the start has just caused a load of intimidation and a quick exit from the hobby.

I don't think starting with a large heli is wrong; personally I think it is the way to start.

[SaneAdam]

I don't think starting with a large heli is wrong; personally I think it is the way to start.

It CAN be the best way to start IF you have access to people with a good deal of experience and the genuine enthusiasm to give you the help you would need. The most important thing would be having someone to buddy box you for a long time during your initial learning. But to start on your own with no experience flying a 550 i think would really limit your progress… IMO…. not to mention dangerous to you and others around you.

IMO learning with a micro is the best way to start in this hobby. I spent a long time just flying an Msr around my living room. It gave me an incredibly solid foundation of skills that made transitioning to a large Cp helicopter much easier. The sheer intimidation factor plays a part…… i moved to a Blade 400… even though i could control it reasonably well, having it in the air scared me a bit….. so i would hate to be attempting to fly even a 450 if i had not spent months perfecting my Msr skills.

It also meant that i didn't crash it much…. due to the fact i had done a lot of crashing with the little one in my living room. So that really seemed to speed up progress and save money. A big thing for me…… was the fact that i was embarrassed to fly it in my garden lol It might sound silly… but i felt a bit daft lol, plus any wind would make the msr totally useless outside if you are actually trying to learn anything. So that forced me to learn quick in my living room to avoid crashing into cats, Tv's my girlfriend lol. After a while i had really solid control of that little thing… to the point where even the cats and my gf seemed to trust me with it as it was whizzing past their heads without the constant flinching lol

By that point i had the bug and wanted a bigger helicopter so grabbed a 120sr just to get a feel for a very slightly bigger size. Still only flown indoors. After a few weeks i had no fear zipping that about too. Then i knew i had to get a Cp helicopter and get outdoors….

Everyone goes about it in different ways. I started with no intention of ever flying outside or flying anything bigger than the Msr. But i got hooked

[Grumpy]

I don't think starting with a large heli is wrong; personally I think it is the way to start.

Me too, providing you have some support such as by joining a club or you have an experienced flying buddy. Small helis are a pretty new phenomena, not so many years ago the only way to learn was on a larger heli because that's all there was, plus you had the extra intimidation' of a noisy i.c. engine to deal with...Yet many still learned.

[gobby550x]

Started with a 550x at a club - great to learn with on a buddy lead.

MCPX at home - nightmare all round

[helijohn]

It CAN be the best way to start if you have access to people with a good deal of experience and the genuine enthusiasm to give you the help you would need. The most important thing would be having someone to buddy box you for a long time during your initial learning. But to start on your own with no experience flying a 550 i think would really limit your progress… IMO…. not to mention dangerous to you and others around you.

Can't agree. I taught myself on an old old Shuttle. I just put sticks on and crashed a fair bit learning to hover. Got it all from books and VHS tapes.

[tomatwalden]

Can't agree. I taught myself on an old old Shuttle. I just put sticks on and crashed a fair bit learning to hover. Got it all from books and VHS tapes.

Not everyone learns the same way - no different to school. Some learn better using slow, methodical study. Some learn better by trial and error. Some learn quickly, some learn slowly. Some take nervous, tentative steps forward, some are gung-ho, no-fear adrenaline junkies.

You learnt on old old shuttle, I learnt using micros. Some I know preferred an instructor with a buddy-box. Some have access to clubs/flight schools. Some are isolated and rely on forums to gain knowledge/insight.

We can only pass on our own experiences. It is up to the person learning to take or ignore advice / do their own research / learn their own style, in their own way.

It's not about agreeing or disagreeing!

Nah. B*llox to that. I learnt using micros - that's the perfect way. The rest of you are just plain wrong! (joke, before somebody takes offence! )

[waveydavey]

I went quickly from crashing a King 2 into everything to an impulse ebay buy of several Nexus's or is it Nexii, managed to get one started in the back garden with woodys on, shat myself, got hooked and joined the local club MK. Bought a Sceadu as the club is subject to wind and a 450 etc wasn't the thing to learn on and learned to fly with a 50. If you're not intimidated by the size then I say go for a bigger machine, fbl controllers do help with the learning process no doubt and smaller machines may be more capable in the wind these days but I'd still say go for the bigger machine

[SaneAdam]

Can't agree. I taught myself on an old old Shuttle. I just put sticks on and crashed a fair bit learning to hover. Got it all from books and VHS tapes.

That is totally fine. I am not asking for anyone to agree with me. That is why is said IMO a fair few times. "In my opinion"….

To simply say "Cant agree." I personally find a little dismissive of my input… oh well… Im sure those that know me and have seen me fly would agree that my particular path through this hobby has served me very well. But, I'm sure yours has too.