ggghhh help?

[uneverno]

I just bought a marble and an inverted wok, and now I'm supposed to balance the marble on the wok while I'm running.
Got a Hummingbird V4 FP a week ago Thursday, which I like a good deal. Like all beginner machines, I can see room for improvement. (mostly in me)
I've learned a good deal from your forums, and tweaked the bird today with good success - weighted the paddles, tweaked the gyro and mix pots, etc.
I don't generally like combo devices such as the 5n1 receiver, ESC, gyro, mixer, blah, I don't know what else.
Just bought Eflight 25A ESC. Want HH gyro, separate receiver, mixer and brushless motor.

Can I make that work with the standard "Century" radio w/ the 5n1 crap, or do I need to get components?

If so, how do I wire them?

Beginning to think I should've gone for a CP machine to start with - Don't learn to play on a Sears guitar...

I dont mind the weight - in fact, this thing is so wind sensitive I think it woud be an advantage. I have no place to fly indoors - the weather isn't bad here, but the wind does occaisionally breach 10mph in summer. What's a good HH gyro, and is tail lock the same thing as heading lock?

Almost hovered today, then it came flying at me so I cut the throttle as opposed to my leg...
I have 60 mins fly time, so I don't know what I'm talking about. But only 15 mins repair time, so I figure the training wheels are helping at this point.

Any help is appreciated.

Thx,
uneverno

[Aztek1701]

Hi Uneverno

Welcome to the forums..

Lots of questions there lol.

I'll try to answer the ones I can.
I think you'll have a time trying to make "standard" RC components like an HH gyro and ESC work with the 5 in 1 since the 5 in 1 has the speed controllers built in to it. Also the fact that the heli wasnt designed for standard components is a problem because you need to find somewhere to put all this extra gear and also, some way of powering it. That is of course assuming that you can get the standard gear to work with a 5 in 1. The next problem is the Head hold gyro, I dont think that would work because, the tail motor wouldnt respond quick enough (head hold gyros need fast response from the thing they are working.. be it servo or tail motor... They work in helis with belt driven tails because the tail is at a constant speed) Also, Its debatable whether the transmitter would be able to control a head hold gyro.

The weight would be more of a problem than you think because although it would make it less sensitive to wind it might be too heavy to fly.

A good head hold gyro is the Futaba GY-401 which will run you about the same as you paid for the hummingbird alternatively, you could look at the CSM SL420. which costs about the same. And yes tail lock is the same as head lock, its just a manufacturers tradename for it.

My advice at the moment... Theres nothing wrong with FP to learn on the hummingbird is a good beginners heli that doesnt involve too much initial outlay so Id leave the humingbird as is and invest the money you were going to spend on the upgrades in either spares for the humming bird or a simulator. Then when you can handle the humingbird look at moving up to a T-Rex or something.

Take care... Azzy

[uneverno]

Hi Azzy,
thx for the response. I've done a bit of playing around and have actually gotten the machine to do some short hovers. Then the wind kicks in. Then again, I only have about an hour of total battery time in - not flight time - battery time. Ground effect is not your friend. Used to soar gliders - learned that three gliders later, obviously the hard, broken, shattered way. On the upside, building and repairing are kinda fun.

Come to some conclusions, however:
I'm leaving the stock heli the way it is for now. It's resilient and things don't break, they just pop off.
I used to race electric and gas cars, and found that the cheap set-up is usually the best way to learn. Once you know what you're doing, then get the parts that will survive or explode with no in between. Carbon fiber chassis into a wall at 40mph - spectacular! - but expensive...

I'm taking it very easy at this point, and deliberately restrcting my flying space to the parking lot as it keeps me in check. Neighbors frown on rotor modified paint jobs.
Decided against the HH gyro for now. Save it for the Pro beast.
Also can buy the 3D pro for $109 US as a build it kit. I like assembling because I get a better understanding of how things work.
Chose the hummingbird because the Century main office is 5 miles from where I live. Seems to be a perfectly serviceable machine. Must to learn to fly wind anyway.

For other newbies - here's my critique - for what it's worth (which is exactly what you paid for it)

Strengths:

1) Cheap *** radio works well. No glitches. Unlike the tremendously expensive computerized 2 channel radio I had for my gas car which glitched every couple seconds. Much to my and my wallets detriment. (As for the heli radio, I'm not sure I understand why they dedicated a 1.5" LCD screen to indicate TX voltage, when a three stage LED would've accomplished the same thing for far less power drain.)

2) Cheap replacement parts. Went to buy the $15 US crash kit and some other stock parts, walked out with a whole new heli for $39 US including motors. When I destroy the "flyer", all I have to do is move the electronics.

3) Includes training wheels - ping pong balls on graphite sticks. Because of that, I've not shattered a blade yet. And - bonus - first heli came with replacement blade set as did replacement. I now have 4 sets of main blades and 2 tail rotors. As well as the rest of the - as yet - not destroyed heli. I know it will happen, I just hope when it does, I get it on video.

Weaknesses:

1) Snapped the boom stabilizer rod support on 2nd "flight." Not a problem except that replacement requires removal of either the boom from the main body, or the tail motor from the boom to replace. Bad CA mojo-jojo. Should have a slotted support that clamps with a screw ala the Century 3D pro. That's what I replaced mine with. Requires some mods because the 3D boom is bigger in diameter, but not a big deal. Servo tape is your friend.

2) Shattered the boom stabilizer fin - cheap, floppy, brittle plastic. Also won't hold position - constantly flops to the left. Does that thing really do
anything?

3) Don't like the tail rotor motor. I'm no engineer, especially not aeronautical, but I do know this: If it moves, keep the center of mass near the center of gravity. Hanging a motor on the *** end of any machine seems like a bad idea. Ever driven a rear engine Porsche (e.g the 911)? If you push it to the limit in a corner, the back end doesn't slide, it Coke-bottles. That's because the engine mass is behind the rear axle. Gimme a belt or shaft drive any time. I'd much rather have a servo near the center of gravity than something that spins far away from it. Not only that but the POS tail motors burn out really quickly. No, really - hook an 11.1v LiPo onto it and see...

With respect to flying a brick I'm a newbie, but I do know some things about batteries. Repect your LiPo's. Don't start if you can't afford a cell balancer along with the charger. When I raced RC cars, we'd have killed for 1700 maH sub C's, and I spent hundreds of $'s for matching equipment. Now they have 3600 maH cells which would've burned out my hand wound $100 each motors in seconds. Motors are cheap - batteries are too. Try not to build a bomb.

If you do, on the other hand, be sure to capture it on video so the rest of us can watch.

Thanks and regards,

you never know