Anyone still flying Robbes ?

[Pabs]

There's a milly on ebay at the moment - nothing to do with me though, just thought i'd mention it!

[idigbo]

Hi folks, my first post on here so be gentle!! I fly a Futura gasser of some sort. I think its a Futura Trainer from 1992 or there abouts. Its my first heli and I love it. Very smooth and solid. My only intention is to make a scale body for it but for now I enjoy flying it around, my imagination sees a nice scale bodyshell at the moment! I'v loved scale heli for ages but have always loved scale aeroplanes more, til I started flying helis and now I'm hooked well and truly! I love it so much I'm after some Futura gasser mechanics to fit into a somewhat unloved Len Mount Squirrel shell I bought recently. I also been in contact with your very own Sheryl recently who may be able to help with some parts. Here, hopefully are a couple of pics, does it look like a Futura Trainer? Also, what size shell would it need? I here talk of 60 size, 90 size and then 600, 700 etc. Presumably the 60 / 90 bit is ic engine size, is the 600 / 700 figure related to electics or blade size, or shaft centres?

Cheers, Ian.

trainer.jpgtrainer1.jpg

[Steve]

600 is electrickery equivalent of 50 size nitro.

Similarly for 700 and 60/90 size nitro.

[trillian]

Basically it's the original Futura, aka Futura Gold. The 'trainer' version is just the kit version that had a canopy and was intended to be able to be flown as a pod and boom vs just mechanics for a fuselage.

[idigbo]

600 is electrickery equivalent of 50 size nitro.

Similarly for 700 and 60/90 size nitro.

Thanks for that, the blades on mine are 700. Showing my lack of heli knowledge here, but I'm guessing this is the place to learn!! Trillian, do you have any of those hexagonal plastic brackets that hold the tail pitch pushrod down the boom? I'll make some if not, I just feel the need to keep my Futura mechanics original at the moment. The only other part I need at the moment is a front skid bow in black. I am still up for a full set of Futura gasser mechanics to go in the Squirrel though, leaving the one I have at the moment for the Sikorsky VS300 eventually, though that would need a tail lift / crank gadget thing. Is this part a Robbe Schluter only job or are others available that would fit?

Sorry for all the questions,

Ian.

[trillian]

Hi Ian,

I'm pretty sure I do have some of the hexagonal tail pushrod guides, I'll have a look.

Regarding the angle unit for the tail, I would image a Vario part can probably be adapted. It's mainly just the angle joint with umbrella gears and would be a matter of finding something that can be made to fit the Robbe boom and adapt to the torque tube end pieces. I would think, worst case scenario, it would just mean making up a torque tube with the Robbe end where it goes into the drivetrain in the front and a Vario style end where it goes into the angle joint and a similar short one to go to the tail assembly, then it's just a matter of how the joint fits onto the boom tubes.

I know someone that would likely be able to tell me what off the shelf items are workable or if a Robbe part can be found somewhere. I'll fire off an email today and let you know what I find out.

[idigbo]

Cheers for any info you may be able to pass over, much appreciated

Also, pm or post on here how much you want for the hex brackets (2 off ideally) and the front skid hoop. Being a novice heli pilot its coming on great, I absolutely love this machine and the noise you can get the blades to make in steep spiral dives etc. I don't want to get into any 3d stuff, scale is my interest, though the odd stall turn and reversal tends to sneak in!!

Cheers, Ian.

[idigbo]

Heres a vid of my old Futura gasser. As I've said earlier, I am new to all this rotary winged stuff, I know its old but I look after it and have replaced the sloppy servos that were in it, one at a time so as not to upset things too much. Last one was the 'rudder' servo. All the rest I had to reverse direction of, including the rudder. I had an issue when I went to fly it again after the rudder servo change, as I didn't know I had to reverse the gyro too. A good few pirouhettes later it all became obvious!!! Since the servo change though, the tail twitches sometimes as the Futura approaches the hover, could this be a set up issue between servo and gyro? The gyro is an ancient two piece mechanical non heading hold jobbie, the servo's are Savox 1256 that I had spare. Any advice folks?

Cheers, Ian.

Ians heli 22 09 2012 - YouTube

[Biggles]

So Mr Redshaw when are we going to see you fly heli's at Osbournby???? hmmm????

[idigbo]

I would've been there last week if you'd have put out a decent weather forecast!!!! As it was, the 'forecast' couldn't have been further from the truth, by which time my weekend had been 'arranged' shall we say!!! I doubt I'd have brought this old crate though, just things with proper wings (dons hat and runs for cover!!)

Ian.

[trillian]

I think I was the first to view it as it show '0' views :-) It looks good!

Regarding the gyro and tail servo. A more modern solid state gyro will most likely cure the issues you're experiencing straight away. Those servos should be fine for the swash (more than enough torque! ) but the tail could benefit from a faster servo. The Savox SH 1290 MG is quite good as is the Align DS650.

[idigbo]

Cheers for the advice. As I said, I am eager to learn about these new fangled helical devices! From the vid, does it look like it needs another gyro, or the original one setting up to the new servo? When you say it may need a quicker servo on the tail, is that for aerobatics or just general use? All I want this to do is scale flying in a military bodyshell, no more than what it does already really. I have expo on most controls, could that upset a gyro (though I did have it before I changed the servos) Also, the fantastic noise the rotor blades make at 2.55, and other places, is that a bad thing long term?? Is it putting stresses in places there shouldn't be??!!

Ian.

[trillian]

Well, I'm just saying that if I'm going to guess, my guess is that the old mechanical gyro is probably the week link regarding how well the tail holds. For scale type flying and gentle 'sport flying' the current servo may be fast enough. With a heading-hold gyro the faster the servo is the better because as it applies an input it 'sees' the effect quicker, resulting in a tighter, crisper hold of the tail / ability to deal with changes in torque, wind etc.

I wasn't hearing anything bad on there, it sounds good. The blades will flutter just a bit under different types of loads and that's perfectly fine.

Expo on the controls should not affect the gyro. If you change to a heading hold gyro you'll need to remove any rudder trim in the TX though.

[helijohn]

Does the Eolo count in this thread as I still use it now and then. I had a Youngblood Futura once, it was a beaut.

[Biggles]

I would've been there last week if you'd have put out a decent weather forecast!!!! As it was, the 'forecast' couldn't have been further from the truth, by which time my weekend had been 'arranged' shall we say!!! I doubt I'd have brought this old crate though, just things with proper wings (dons hat and runs for cover!!)

Ian.

The forecast wasn't far wrong, cold and by 2pm it was game over.