I Did It!

[SKMoss]

Last night, i finally got all the stars to align. My saga started about 3 weeks ago. Brand new RTF heli, and raw, know nothing pilot. The struggles started almost instantly. I couldn't hover to save my self. Typically it was up, down, left, right, pick up peices, drive to hobby shop. Repete next day.

Frustration, but happy when I could get it to lift off and I could actually hover a bit.

After a time, I figured out I started with a bad swash plate. It had been seperating from day one, and I didn't know that was a bad thing. (refer to comment about raw, know nothing newbie pilot here ).

Took a bit to get all the minor broken stuff from all the swash plate crashes figured out.

Fast forward to last night. Knowing now that my only issues left related to a RATE gyro, and a bit of breeze, I tried something.

Moved furnature out of the way, cleared a spot in the living room about 2m across. Told kid to grab the dog, and lock the cat in the bedroom.

WHOOT, with no breeze, got into a stable hover and powered through a full battery only touching down twice. Actually kept the heli inside about a 1m circle.

Wife got home, and only comment on hearing my test, was to look around to validate nothing was broken, and smile.

This morning I burned through 2 batteries outside in a light breeze and held several 1 minute long hovers, inside about 3m circle.

Man, if I wasn't hooked before, I am now. (And wife and I have agreed in principle to my Raptor .30 + gear)

[a6851]

Great news, and congratulations on figuring out the problem. Cant say your a know nothing pilot anymore...as you fixed your problem.
I am still only flying a coaxial bell 47g, but soon will be getting a honey bee king II.

Thanks for the story.

Jordan

[SKMoss]

Na, every time I learn something else, I find out there'e 5 other things I don't know. So I'm going backwards.

Enjoy your Honey Bee. First CP machine?

[a6851]

The Honey Bee will be my first CP machine, if I get it. So far all I have flown is my Coaxial Bell 47g and a London Drugs Micro Airhawk.

The AirHawk is fun to fly around the house, and still has not broke...

I am still looking into a CP Machine, and I am leaning toward the HB King II so far. A freind has a Walkera 22E, so I might get that for ease of buying parts together.

Any suggestions on a CP machine?

Jordan

[hawkman]

Well done and welcome to the insane addiction that is RC heli flying

Its a magic feeling doing those first flights....never rush yourself and when you do push the limits, do so gently.

Rob

[3dee]

WELL DONE I remember those first few flights. Did you say a raptor 30 WELL DONE AGAIN. Thats what I started with, I never did have an indoor one unless you count a pico z. If you think what you got now is good when you try a raptor 30 you will be hooked, I being flying one foe just under a year, about ten months and moved on to a 90 raptor and doing 3d flights most of the time. stall turns followed by low inverted fly bys are me fav. stunts. so get that raptor soon as you can

[SKMoss]

Thanks all. Ordered the Tx yesterday. With luck, i'll be able to order the raptor/motor/gryo next week.

Been hitting the local flying club every weekend just absorbing info. Been snapping a few pics of helis in flight. Opens some nice doors when you hand the chap your talking to a nice glossy 8X10 of his heli in flight. (kind of a semi pro photographer). Learning to photograph helis is kind of a fun trick.

I'm hoping that this week end, I can get one of the good 3d pilots to pose his heli in various poses. He's got a very cool reflective tape/sticker on his rotor blades. Makes for some spectacular shots in the California sun.

[SKMoss]

Originally Posted by a6851

The Honey Bee will be my first CP machine, if I get it. So far all I have flown is my Coaxial Bell 47g and a London Drugs Micro Airhawk.

The AirHawk is fun to fly around the house, and still has not broke...

I am still looking into a CP Machine, and I am leaning toward the HB King II so far. A freind has a Walkera 22E, so I might get that for ease of buying parts together.

Any suggestions on a CP machine?

Jordan

Jordan,

I don't really have anyway to suggest any. I really really like my Axe CP, but it's the only one i know. So it might be the top of the heap for the cost, or the bottom, or in the middle. Once i got the problems figured out, I'm doing pretty well.

Would I recommend it? Without a doubt. Are there better choices? No idea.