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Main Discussion > New heli, new gyro, new experience...

ben1000
Senior Heliman
Location: Gilbert, Arizona

Howdy...

To anyone out there who's getting into this hobby, let me tell you about my current fanatasic experience. I am still on my first gallon of gas as a heli pilot...

I first had a Nexus 1/2 finished given to me by a non-pilot friend who had it dumped on him my a delinquent roommate. Bought a radio, and some parts, and a cheap gyro (Telebee 703). Also bought a co-pilot. Total investment for me was about $450.00.

Well, using the co-pilot (I had no instructor), I managed to get it into a hover, and over a week or so, manged to use the co-pilot less and less, until 10 days later, I had the co-pilot off and was happily doing forward flight and stall turns. The gyro worked VERY well and was a great deal for the $60. I paid from GR8 (but... see below).

A guy at the field saw my setup, and wanted to buy it, so I let the whole thing go for $450, and decided to buy a 60 (want the power for a video ship).

I ended up buying a used, upgraded Raptor 60 with OS 61WC engine from Heli-Man (on this forum), and a Futaba 9CH. Now I'm into the sport for about $1000, still on my first gallon.

Got the Futaba 401 and digital servo from Helihut for $200, and the Raptor came in great shape with a boom-mount rudder servo set-up. Well, after installing everything yesterday, and putting on another co-pilot (of course! It'll make shooting video SOOOO much easier. It work just as advertised), I hovered for the first time today. Blade track and balance are perfect (Thanks, John). Engine was broken in (too rich, because of elevation change)... and WOW! The difference with the new gyro. I mean, I thought the Telebee was good (and for the price, you can't argue), but the 401 is AMAZING. It's rock steady (as was the telebee) and incredibly smooth (much more so than the telebee). The tele was tight but didn't start and stop smoothly, whereas the 401 is VERY smooth and gives you precise control (as it should for 3 times the price).

Anyways, the first gallon will be gone by the end of this week. Thanks to everyone on the board whom I have read and learned from. Even if you didn't know it, you've helpped me a great deal. The new bird is wonderful, and this wouldn't be a complete if I didn't have a couple of questions....

(cont...)

02-14-2002 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

ben1000
Senior Heliman
Location: Gilbert, Arizona

...cont...

Questions...

1) I can no longer trust myself with a recharge glow lighter. for the second time today, I left it attached to the heli while I flew it, and burnt out the lighter and the plug. You'd think I'd notice this long thing hanging under the heli, but I didn't. I'm going to stick with my power-panel lighter for now (wired...) Have any of you experienced this? Any suggestions (and 'buy a gasser' doesn't count :-)???

2) I have the starter adapter that fits into the rubber starter cone of my starter, but it seems VERY difficult to start the thing because of all the wobbling that goes on down the length of the starter adapter (hex). Occassionally, I'd get it right on and it'd be smooth, but often it was slightly off-center creating a nasty wobble. Should I buy something else? Is there a trick to this? Do you just get better with practice? Of course, the Nexus didn't have this problem.

Thanks, folks... Your thoughts are appreciated, and I'll be posting pics and video soon...

Regards,

- ben1000

02-14-2002 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

Buzzin Brian
Elite Veteran
Location: College Station, Texas

When I was new to this I to was guilty of leaving my glow ignitor on a time or two. But I noticed it almost imediatly becouse my remote glow adaptor was at the back of the heli by the boom support mounts. So I saw it very shortly after take off, and corrected the mistake quickly. So I to date have not burned one up (the glow ignitor). I am still on my first one.

And I to had the "wobbel" problem while starting with a wand as well. It got a lot better with practice. You will find an angle where it doesn't do that anymore. I even puled mine out to soon once and put a chip in one of my fiberglass blades.

Needless to say I was way more carefull after that. Give it time, it will get better. Besides if you are already doind FF and stall turns after less that 1 gallon of fuel. Then you are way ahead of the game for sure. Now all you have to get past is that first funky chicken manuver. And youv'e got it whiped.

LOL! Just kidding.

02-14-2002 Over year old.

BigProp
Heliman
Location: Bay Area, CA

Funky Chicken...

I have to agree with BB on this one. The "Funky Chicken" (once accomplished correctly) is definitely the sign of passage into VETERAN HELI PILOT status

Good Luck!

02-14-2002 Over year old.

Smokinjo
Senior Heliman
Location: Memphis TN

If you have trouble remembering to take that glow ignitor off the heli. Tie some hot pink string to it, about a foot long. When you get into a hover you will see it and remember.

02-14-2002 Over year old.

winger
Senior Heliman
Location: Indiana

Remote Glow adapter

You could add a remote glow adapter and move it to the side around the skids say on the fueling side. There will be a better chance you'll see it right away and remove.

Works for me!
Regards,
Winger

02-14-2002 Over year old.

Raptor_in_Swede
Senior Heliman
Location: Stockholm /Sweden

Starter Rubber insert

Hi Ben

My way to get the starter adapter "shaft" fitting better in the rubber insert is to cut out all inner parts (back "wall") of the rubber insert with a knife. After this you can press the starter adapter much further in.
I have even drilled a large hole in back of starter adapter to make room for the large nut in the bottom of the starter cup.
You can also centering the adapter in the rubber insert before starting the heli by holding the shaft with one hand and the starter in the other.
Run the starter and adjust the centering until the wobble disappear.
Then put the adapter in the heli and start it.

I am using a "home made" Remote Glow adapter system that is working good.
I have a goldplated female Phono chassi connector sitting on bracket that is sitting under one of the front landing gear screws. It is connected to the glow-plug with a small alligator clip. The other connection is connected to one of engine mount screws.
The cable from starter panel has a goldplated male Phono cable connector.
The parts are cheap and easy to get from a shop as Radio Schack.

Raptor 30V1/TT39H/Hatori#415/GY401_9253
Hirobo GPH GT/TT50H/Hatori #544/GY401_9254
RD8000

02-14-2002 Over year old.

NEM3
Veteran
Location: New Lenox, Il

I don't mean to sound stupid, but by the Funkey Chicken dance do you guys mean Nose In?

02-14-2002 Over year old.

baby_zyklon
Key Veteran
Location: Singapore

i also had my glow lighter gone bad last week, the metal head inside fell out. Since that wasn't the first time my glow lighter spoil, so I modified it myself. Took out the out piece of metal that is usually attached to the plug, therefore only the batt and meter of the light is left, then I got two aligator(sp?) clips and some wire, solder them on to the the lighter(one at the side of the wire at the bottom, one at the original wire), it works pretty well. Then my dad thought of a more easier way, he bought that type of battery holder for two batt, cut off one side, solder the wire and aligator clips, on to each side, throw is a 1300 mah nimh batt, then use zip ties(if you can get those type of of two piece cloth that stick together,like the type use to secure the fury tank,Double Sided Velcro ??) it to the boom hopefully closer to the main frame. On the negative side use any clip or you can even solder it to the glow extension, the positive side use the aligator clip. Then eveerytime you want to start the engine, just connect the clip, start carry to flight line(the engine will never die agian while heli is being carried to flight line) before spooling up pull off the clip. Very convience , at least for me. You can also bring replacment batt to the field to change, but I can get more than 10 flights per charge of the 1.2v batt.

02-14-2002 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

NEM3
Veteran
Location: New Lenox, Il

Hey baby_ if your going to go through all of that trouble you might as well just put it all on a push button. This way when your starting all you have to do is push the button, and if you have problems keeping the engine running. Just hold the button while carrying it to the flightline.

02-14-2002 Over year old.

Dragon2115
Key Veteran
Location: New England

Funky Chicken

NEM3,

The funky chicken is when you crash and the engine is still going and the heli thrashes itself to death on the ground so that whatever didn't break in the initial crash will be by the time you get it to stop.

Btw, be careful if your heli is mid dance. Most times the blades are shattered and have jagged edges that will do a number on you if you get tangled up with them.

02-14-2002 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

NEM3
Veteran
Location: New Lenox, Il

Ah hah, I have experience one of those first hand on my Raptor. Somehow my reciever switch turned itself off midflight and came sailing into the ground at full throttle. After I had to step on the heli to get the rotor to stop spinning I had to smash my foot up against the exhaust to kill the engine. What broke you ask.

Well here's the part of the list that I can remember.

Head to the engine
Glow Plug
Frames
Landing Skids
Blades, And I still haven't found the blade grips
Flybar
Flybar seesaw
Tail Boom, Tail blades, Tail casing, Tail Belt
The collective and tilt cyclic and Tail servos
Gyro
Reciever
Collective Arm
Canopy - No big loss I didn't like the way it looked in the first place
Servo Tray
Battery Pack, which after I collected the peices thrown all over I found out it was sitting on the servo tray melting and leaking acid.

Oh yes and the reciever switch.

My advice don't ever fly over a concrete street. They can be hazerdous to your heli. But then again so is gravity. Damn you Newton

02-14-2002 Over year old.

ROTAX
Heliman
Location: Belmont N.H.1

Funky wobble

Hey, What the hell is a funky chicken anyways? There is NO substitute for a good gyro. [ you get what you pay for ]. As for the starter situation, Im not familiar with the raptors set-up but, dont they make a one way bearing starter conversion for it? I have an x-cell 60 se

02-14-2002 Over year old.

Ken B
Elite Veteran
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Glow lighter

OK, I'll admit it I did the a flight with the glowlighter attached too. Darn thing was running real good. Forgot it was on... Flew around abit, some loops, rolls, 540s, THEN something comes dropping out of the canopy. WTF?!?! I land the machine and go find what dropped. DOH! it was my glow lighter. Oh and I did this stunt in front of everyone, talk about feeling stupid.

Now I have remote glow lighters on my machine. I also have these little doo dads on my glow lighter.

Oh and if anybody wants some I can get more. They are 5 bucks each. I can mail them. Drop me an E-mail if interested. I will make no money off of them. I just happen to work on an Air Force base and things like this are sold in the local store.

Ken B

02-15-2002 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

BigProp
Heliman
Location: Bay Area, CA

The "Funky Chicken" Defined

Hey Rotax, The "Funky Chicken" as described in an earlier post by Dragon 2115 is when your Pride and Joy (i.e. Heli) crashes and after impact, with the engine still running and, with enough Main Rotor blades still left, it starts beating itself into the ground. This results in a "Flopping" around gyration of your heli. You try to kill the engine using your transmitter's throttle cut switch and nothing works! WHY YOU ASK?! Because it's DESTINY; your heli is doing THE FUNKY CHICKEN!

And nothing short of jumping on top of your now disfigured whirly bird will stop it from doing this FORBIDEN DANCE Be very thankful if you don't have personal experience doing this dance! I HAVE danced the Funky Chicken once already

02-15-2002 Over year old.

JCadwell
Key Veteran
Location: Richland WA/ Morro Bay, CA

If you get really desperate, take off your teeshirt, and throw it into the blades or the main gear. It probably won't do anything, but if it does then you lucked out, and if it didn't then other people get to laugh more about the naked guy with the dancing heli.

Thanks, John Cadwell

02-15-2002 Over year old.

VelociRaptor
Heliman
Location: Statesboro GA

Take it easy with you Raptor 60. There is a big difference between a Nexus 30 and a souped up Raptor 60. It can get away from you in the blink of an eye. A Raptor 60 is a very stable bird and an agile one at the same time. Try to find an experienced pilot to assist you in learning about 60 sized helicopters.

02-15-2002 Over year old.

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Main Discussion > New heli, new gyro, new experience...

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