Trex 250 head setup completed!

I was able to complete the head setup of the 250 last night, using my Soko kit. I'm getting faster at completing the setup now and I'm really liking it!

I also completed setting up the 3gx on board programming for the head. Next up is setting up the tail, then finalizing the PC settings.

380 repair parts!

My first order of parts to repair the 380 came in!  This order has the boom, tail push rod, pitch control links, a main shaft, and new side frame plate. 

The next order will have the main blades (with free set of matching tail blades!), servo gear sets, and blade grip arms.

Rescue Started!

After crashing my 380 and watching several demo videos of the Vbar Neo Rescue function, I've decided to upgrade my Neo to this firmware. If I had it when I crashed my 380 last Thursday, it would have paid for itself already, as that crash cost me about $200, while the Rescue firmware upgrade is about $120. 

The Rescue function is incredible!  It saved a heli performing complicated tricks, piro flips, piro tic tocs, hurricanes, funnels, etc!  The heli will flip itself upright and level from any orientation!  Awesome!

To easily use the Rescue function with my DX8, I would need to relocate the push switch close to the outer edge of the radio, as it's located on the top, which is hard to reach with my thumbs on the sticks.

I opened up my radio to swap the push switch and gear switch positions on the top left of the radio. Doing this would put the push switch on the edge of the radio. I don't use the gear switch for anything anyway.  The toughest part of completing this switch position swap was removing the rubber panels on the sides and back of the radio case. They covered 2 of the screws and held the 2 halves of the case together.  Once I figured out to do this, opening the case and swapping the switch position was easy. 

My DX8 is now ready to rescue my heli's!  Once I upgrade my Neo firmware that is :)

Trex 250 build update #2

So.  I was able to get some work done on the 250 Sunday 9/27/15. I basically finished building the frame, installed the servos, and the 3gx flight controller.  My Talon 15 esc also arrived and it's way smaller than the stock Align esc. I also ordered some mini t connectors and Pulse 860mah 35c 3s packs. While I have some old 3s packs from 850mah to 1100mah from my Blade CP, the C rating of these packs are much lower. So I'll use those for putting around at low headspeed and the Pulse packs for actual flying and practicing. 

I guess I'll need to wait for the connectors and new batteries to arrive before I can fly my new little heli. 

Crashed the 380! :(

I was flying at Hoyt Park after work, Thursday 9/24/15, and successfully competed a flight to test the head speed at the end (3500 rpm held after 6 min of flying), an auto trim flight, and a main rotor gain test (100% wagged in a hard banking turn, so I lowered it to 95).  My 380 was feeling good and was a blast to fly!  

The street was clogged with parked cars for some reason.

I was flying my final battery and having fun. I attempted a loop followed by a stall turn, when I shouldn't have. I came in too low and slow, with a slight bank angle, at the base of the loop. On the exit of the loop I was again too low and slow to execute a good stall turn and exited it at a weird bank angle and still too low. I pulled up to get away from the ground and lost forward momentum, then lost orientation for a split second!  When I tried to correct, I banked the wrong way into the ground!  It went in with a hefty thud!  I was able to shut the motor off right before it hit the ground. 

The aftermath!

Looking over the damage on my pit table. 

Upon the 1st inspection the damaged parts include:

-main blades

-tail blades

-blade grip arms

-cyclic servo gears (all 3 of them!)

-left main frame plate (cracked may be able to repair)

-main shaft

-tail boom

-tail push rod

-canopy (small cracks, but ok)

The repair cost is about $180 so far, not including a new canopy. If I had the Vbar Neo rescue feature, maybe I could have saved it?  I plan to upgrade to it now, if I can move the push switch on my DX8 to a better location.  

For now I need to order the parts and get this bird back in the air before I let it sit too long.

Hoyt Park Tuesday 9/22/15

I headed to Hoyt Park after work t get a few flights in on the 380. I hadn't planned on going since it was supposed to rain, but it never did. 

I grabbed my gear and rushed over to the field as its getting dark earlier and earlier. I even had to charge my pack when I arrived!  Luckily it only takes 10 minutes charging at 5C (13A). 

I flew my 380 setup using the Soko Helical Kit. I also changed the locations of the ball stud on the cyclic servo arms to optimize the travel range for the Vbar. It flew nice and smooth!  It's starting to feel comfortable to fly also :)

I plan to fly again Thursday after work as soon I won't be able to, as the sun is setting earlier. 

Trex 250 build update

So. I pulled the MSH Brain off my 550 to test fit on the 250. It's too wide to go between the frames where the 3gx would mount. I guess I'll need to mount it on the side of the frame.  It would look weird with this box hanging off one side though :(.  I guess I could pull the 3gx off my 450 and put it on the 250 and the Brain on the 450?  The CG would probably work out better with the 3gx mounted in the right spot. 

I also pulled the Castle Phoenix 25 out of my Blade CP, since I was considering using it for the 250.  But now I'm worried that the BEC might be too weak?  Maybe I'll go with a Talon 15, which has a bigger BEC. Hmmm.