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What to do now?

Time to try the DX8!

I decided to head out to the field to try out my DX8!  I wanted to also finish breaking in my new battery that I picked up in July and use my DFC canopy. It took about 3 flights and adjusting the expo in the radio for the cyclic before I felt comfortable.

There were also some improvements to the helipad since the last time I was out here in July. 

Poles marking the end of the parking lot. 

New helipad sign. 

Line of stones in the main flying area. Do they mark the border of the heli area?

My pit table. I was the only one there as I went in the afternoon when it's normally windy. The mornings are usually busy since the wind is calmer.

My 550 with its "long" DFC canopy which reaches behind the boom block. I think it makes the heli look sleeker with the DFC style head. It's also bigger in the air making the it easier to see. 

DX8!

So I picked up a DX8 radio from Heliproz as they were having a 12% off all orders sale the other week. I wanted the DX8 for its backlit screen, timer that stars/stops, based on the throttle stick position, and 3  position Aux2 switch (for my different Flybarless modes ony MSH Brain).

I upgraded the firmware last night and slowly started programming each of my models into the radio. My Blade mCPx had the honor of being the first model to fly using the DX8 :)

Fire!

While flying my 550 at the field last Saturday afternoon, a small fire broke out in the heli area!  I was about to fly then saw a couple of police cars and a park ranger truck on Sea World drive. The Ranger tried to smother the fire with some dirt, but it didn't work. A few minutes later a fire truck showed up and they put the fire out.  About an hour earlier some teens on bikes rode through the field n they must have dropped a cigarette, which started the fire. 

MSH Brain self leveling feature

The MSH Brain has a self leveling feature to aid in learning to fly. It makes the heli fly like a coaxial bird by leveling the swash when the cyclic is centered. It can also work as a bailout aid by leveling the heli from any bank angle and even from inverted!  To do this you have one of the setup banks with self level enabled. Thus when you switch to that bank via the aux channel, the heli will level itself. You will need to control the collective though, so just put in positive pitch when the switch is flipped and you will go away from the ground. 

I tested this feature on the bench by tilting the heli over as if it was banked in a turn and turning on self level and letting go of the cyclic. The swash tilted to level the heli!  

There have been reports that vibrations will make the swash jump when switching into self level. To test this, I took the main and tail blades off and spun the motor up to full speed, tilted the heli on its side, them switched in and out of self level. The swash tilted to right the heli and didn't jump around. 

Next time I go fly, I'll test self level in the air by banking the heli and centering the cyclic. If self leveling is working the heli will level itself. Without self level it would continue at the same bank angle. 

When to fly?

So. My normal time to fly was in the morning, thinking the wind would be less. But, lately it's been breezy the entire time. Also, it tends to be really crowded in the mornings, so I need to wait my turn to fly. It's kinda nice as I get to chat with everyone and check out other people helis. Yesterday there were at least 6 others at the pad!

I'm thinking the next time I fly, I'll try going in the late afternoon, flying until sunset.   I won't need to wake up early or charge my flight batteries the night before.  Hopefully it won't be as crowded and the wind dies down as the sun sets. 

Now that's a Heli!

One of the guys showed up with a Mikado Logo 800!  This thing is enormous, sporting a 6ft rotor diameter and weighing 15 lbs!  It makes the Trex 700 sitting next to it look small. 

Test Day!

Today I flew my new setup. KDE XT head, Castle Talon, and Brain FBLC. I took it very easy the 1st few flights, getting used to the feel of the Brain.  I was messing around with the tail gain, but the suggested staring setting was practically dead on!  During the last 3 packs, I started flying how I usually so, as I was becoming used to the handling, even doing a few flips. 

Ready for flight testing!

All setup and ready to test!

Head speeds:

Normal- 2300 rpm

IU- 2500

Collective pitch:

Normal; -3, 0, 10

IU1; -6. 0, 12

IU2; -12, 0, 12

Max; -15, 0, 15

Cyclic pitch- -8, 0, 8

Upgrade almost complete!

I finished mounting the Brain FBLC and Talon ESC, then programmed both of them. Last night I assembled my KDE Direct XT Main Rotor Head and mounted it on my 550 this afternoon after spending the morning getting all the link lengths just tight. 

Last up is to set the max pitch and cyclic, then program the pitch curves. The ill be ready for a test flight!

New electronics!

Woohoo!  I was finally able to program my new MSH Brain Flybarless controller!

550 upgrade time!

Finally got around to tearing down the 550 to begin installing the new parts I've been collecting.

Out Flying again!

Been on a break from racing, so I've been out to the field to get some flying in :)

New KDE aluminum battery plate!

New DC fan for cooling the battery after a flight to reduce some down time waiting for a pack to charge. 

Last pic before I tear her down and install my new KDE DFC head, MSH Brain Flybarless gyro, and Castle Talon ESC with head speed governer mode.  You can also see my new 2mm thick Lynx tail fin, which doesn't vibrate at high head speeds :)

They moved the heli pad!

I went to the field to fly my 550 for the 1st time this year, and to my surprise the pit area and pad have been moved! They are farther away from the end of the runway to help stay away from planes on landing approach.