RunRyder - HDX300, continuing saga

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e-HeliDirect HDX 300 - 450 - 500 - 600 > HDX300, continuing saga

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

I FINALLY have photos of my HDX300 in my gallery. Some comments about my ongoing flight testing.

First of all, the V2 head is RESPONSIVE! Stable, solid, but so very responsive. For outside flying it's great, but with my older reflexes, I have to switch in some expodential for indoor flying as well as landing outside. Using the Spektrum radio system, I'm currently running a expo value of "30" on both elevator and aileron functions.

I'm currently using a Blade CP canopy. This is a little wider in the nose that the HoneyBee canopy that ships with the HDX300 kit. As for the nose, you'll note that I have the TP1230 LiPo pack secured to the upper front deck and the Sonic ESC is secured to the lower deck. This fitment allows the canopy to fit fairly well.

The canopy is mounted by means of a carbon fiber rod that is CA'd directly behind the antirotation bracket. You'll see a photo of this mount in my gallery. I'll also try to include the photo here.

The other thing you may note is the lead weights on the bottom front of the canopy. Balance (C/G) is so very important to any aircraft. Maybe even more so for out micro/mini helis. Personally, I hate to add non-function/structural weight to an aircraft. I'm thinking of removing the boom mounted horizontal fin as well as the boom braces in an effort to move the unweighted C/G forward.

The E-Flite HH gyro is mounted to the rear of the channel 2 and 6 servoes. This mounting position has worked well to date. The Spektrum ParkFlier 6000 receiver is mounted on what was intended to be the gyro mount.

One other item you might note is that I use a paint marker to label both the servoes and the plugs. This makes maintenance much easier if there is a need to unplug servo leads or replace/repair servoes. You'll also note that the main rotor blade grips are also labeled. I do this with all my helis. With the blades similarly marked, I can remove and reinstall blades without fear of messing up my blade tracking.

OK, here are the photos, or so I hope!

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-01-2007 Over year old.

slider46
rrProfessor
Location: Gloversville, NY

Nice looking job on the 300 Gerry. There is alot of electronics to fit on a small heli. I'm going to miss mine but I'll gain another trex for a scale project....

Tom..... No "D" flying....

01-02-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

Tom, thanks for your kind words. Yes, packaging is a challenge at times. As for a T-Rex, well, the 'Rex still is a notch or two upscale. But the challenge of getting the best performance out of the HDX300 is fun.

What head did you end up using on yours?

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-02-2007 Over year old.

slider46
rrProfessor
Location: Gloversville, NY

I used the HDX head that came with the kit on mine, it worked good and handled the high headspeed without a problem. I built mine originally to fly in the basement this winter but now I have an indoor place to fly this winter so I figured I'd just fly my trex's inside. I'm building a jet ranger and huey fuselage for them and looks like I'm going into scale flying now... Lower head speeds, upright flight, (I hope) and nice smooth gentle landing....

Tom..... No "D" flying....

01-02-2007 Over year old.

Lardfly
Senior Heliman
Location: Mapleton, Ia

The new "Trex" style head sure bumps the rotor up there a good ways. I'm suprised the 3mm shaft can handle it. Looks like it would be easily bent. I would think even mild 3D would be out of the question the way it hangs the CG so far below the main blades or is it just the camera angle on these particular photos?

01-02-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

Tom, sounds like you have some nice projects planned. If you liked the original HDX300 head you would have loved the V2 head. Because their flight characteristics are so close, flying the Rex makes me a better HDX300 pilot and vice-versa. The 'Rex still has the edge in power, stability, and controlability. Just like fixed wing R/C, larger is always (at least normally!) more stable than smaller aircraft.

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-02-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

Lardfly, yes, the rotor disk on the V2 head is up there. But side by side with a T-Rex 450SE, they are strikingly similar in proportion and placement. Below is my T-Tex 450SE and my HDX300 sort of side by side. Very, very close. Regarding the possible flexibility of the main shaft, I have a process for making hollow stainless steel shafts that are completely filled with a carbon fiber matrix. I've been using this process for HO and 1/32nd scale slot car axles. I've also made main shafts for my Blade, HoneyBee, and T-Rex. I haven't installed one yet on my HDX300 but will in the near future. I can make the slot car axles in mass quantities and they are commercially available. I hope to follow on with the heli main shafts. A planned move to a larger facility will increase my R&D and manufacturing space/capabilities. Anyway, here are the T-Rex 450SE and HDX300 side by side.

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-02-2007 Over year old.

slider46
rrProfessor
Location: Gloversville, NY

"Carbon fiber matrix" now your scaring me...

Will it stiffen up the shaft alot?

Tom..... No "D" flying....

01-02-2007 Over year old.

Lardfly
Senior Heliman
Location: Mapleton, Ia

The HDX is a stubby little frame compared to the Trex. I guess that's why it looks so tall. I hope you follow through on those main shafts. That's just what the doc ordered for my helis! When might some of those be available and for which helis do you plan on making them?

01-02-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

slider46, the shafts are much lighter than steel or stainless steel and essentialy unbendable. I'll probably have to break down and have the composit shafts tested on an Instron or Tinius/Olson machine and determine a MOR (Modulas of Rupture) value. The problem is that once installed, while you might not bend the mainshaft, you certainly willbend/break something else.

I've been flying some prototypes for close to 6 months now. I also have some units in the hands of other people.

The shafts are fairly simple, 316 alloy Stainless Steel, full hard/high polish, 0.015" wall thickness. Forgive me if I don't give the formula/proportions on the carbon fiber matrix or how I get it into the tubing. I've worked the process up to 5 foot lengths, ie, I can fill a 5 foot long length of tubing and have done so down to 0.0595" OD x 0.005" wall thickness. 3 mm OD tube is child's play be comparison. Larger sizes are easier still.

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-02-2007 Over year old.

Pinecone
Veteran
Location: Maryalnd

Did you have any problems with the build? The V1 seemed to have lots of problems. I like the look of this little heli, but don't want to spend the money for a POS.

I will be interested in your longer term reports.

And DEFINATELY get less bendy 3mm shafts out.

01-02-2007 Over year old.

slider46
rrProfessor
Location: Gloversville, NY

What were all of the issues with the HDX v1? I only saw a few guys complaining about it wasn't perfect the first time they flew them after the inital build so they dumped them as POS rather than spend the time fixing what was wrong... The one thing this heli needs is a few flat spots filed into the main shaft for the grub screws to hold on... other than that it flies great and is very stable with the belt driven tail, it's everything everybody wants in their blade cp. According to all of the posting I have read...

Tom..... No "D" flying....

01-02-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

As slider46 had mentioned, the HDX300 is not a "shake it out of the box and fly it heli". One thing that amazed me when I built my T-Rex 450SE was that I spent more time adjusting and trimming than I did building. The end result was a great flying heli. The HDX300 is no different. As initially built, I couldn't even lift it off into a low hover. It was completely uncontrollable. This is where prior experience and patience comes into play. You make note of where the problem areas are, fix/adjust/trim one item at a time, and with patience you end up with a good flying heli.

Now that I have the machine about as perfect as possible, I'm further refining its flight characteristics through the programming options of my Spektrum radio system.

Personally, I find it quite satisfying to build something like the HDX300, tinker with it and work the bugs out, and end up with a good flying little heli.

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-02-2007 Over year old.

Pinecone
Veteran
Location: Maryalnd

Oh, minor things like such a soft tail shaft that it would bend just spinning it up. Serious head problems. Needing to remake or Dremel various parts to get them to fit.

01-02-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

Pinecone, I hate to dissappoint you, but my HDX300, purchased this past fall, has presented no tail rotor issues at all. It also required no "Dremeling" or remake of any components. Other than the lack of instructions, everything fit together rather well.

The original HDX300 head was an issue for some people. Certainly not all! I had issues with excessive runout. HeliDirect stepped up to the plate and was going to replace the head. About that time it was noted that the V2 head was going to be issued. I decided to wait for the V2 head to release and accepted that as an exchange for the V1 head. As I've stated in earlier posts and threads, I'm very satisfied with the V2 head.

After 21 LiPo packs (TP1320) through my HDX300, averaging 10 minutes a flight, I've had no issues at all. The new head is a fine unit. And the only issues I've had, if you can call them issues, is the adjustments and tweaks that are normal for any new heli.

The instructions are a whole different issue. The available written ones are sketchy at best. The video ones on the one of the BB sites are better.

The HDX300 is not what I would consider a beginner's heli. It requires building and adjusting skills that would normally be beyond a novice heli builder/flier. With a mentor, yes. But not cold. But once properly built and adjusted, its flight characteristics are smoother and more predictable than even a tweaked Blade or HoneyBee

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-03-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

Also, Pinecone, a fair and polite question for you. Have you actually built and flown a HDX300 or are your comments based on the postings of others?

If you've not built a HDX300, try one. Especially with the new V2 head. Be ready for some building time and even more tinkering time. But you will end up with a good flying heli.

By the way, I accurately test and post results. I'm actually banned from a slot car manufacturers web site and race series because I posted information regarding a seriously flawed traction magnet retention clip. It was a serious flaw that required a redesign and re-release of the product.

I post the truth, be it good, bad, or ugly.

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-03-2007 Over year old.

ncpiperpilot
Heliman
Location: NC

Great posts/info Gerry...Thanks!

I recently picked up a HDX300 as part of a larger purchase. How do I know if its the V1 or V2 head?

Thanks,
Bill

01-30-2007 Over year old.

whyfly
Senior Heliman
Location: SAN DIEGO C.A.

sweet heli , I still love flying mine its been about a year
Link to video, test flight after a crash

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=627965

01-30-2007 Over year old.

gmcullan
Veteran
Location: Southbridge, MA

whyfly, nice video. What are you using for the tail rotor drive pulley? I'm currently using the 32-tooth pulley but I've ordered the 40-tooth pulley. I suspect the faster tail rotor speed will add some crispness to the tail response. Currently, it't slightly mushy. Or maybe it's OK and I'm just becoming more demanding of its performance? Oh well, the pulley should be here tomorrow. So by this time tomorrow I should have the pulley installed and indoor testing completed.

Gerry Cullan,
Blade CP, HoneyBee CP2, T-Rex 450 SE & SA, HDX300, MicroHeli Monster

01-31-2007 Over year old.

fox98racing
Senior Heliman
Location: Maceo, KY USA

Nice vid. whyfly. I am currently thinking about getting the HDX450 V3. Do you have any experience with it? I think it would be a nice alternative to the trex 450 ,and quit abit cheaper.

01-31-2007 Over year old.

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