Are there any rc helicopter flyers on here whose brains i can pick? Dont want to get addicted to another forum and ive heard talk of them on here before.
Im just about ready to take my maiden flight in the coming weeks with a gph346 and i could just do with a bit of advice on some setup questions from an expert please

Bet Mark will want one next
[Little Weighton ]

Im pretty sure that when he gets back to work next monday, hell have got one! I want to be first into the air cause i think im losing the race to get my car on the road first

IMHO.. if you are not familiar with that type of helicopter I would go along to the local club and get some help setting it up...

Or go for the foolhardy approach that I tried with my Eco8 many years ago.. and simply find a big open space and "fiddle".... that is NOT a cheap way of doing things..

Incidentally... my E-flight CX2 is still for sale if anyone wants one

Im not a total novice, ive been around helis in the past when other club members have had them, but noone in our club flys one at the mo. I can fly them on the reflex sim fine, and im an instuctor with fixed wing models, i just want some advice on which channel to put the remote gain on for the gyro, and whether it will do it any harm if i strap it down to run the engine up to speed while i check the mixture. Grateful of any advice though. Thanks

Guy who's building a spire gtr is model helicopter expert, try here;
http://www.triskipling.co.uk/GT-R/Welcome.html

don't tie it down, buy some blades with the ball on the end, they wont load up the dive system and do any damage.
my gyro was on channel 5

use a training cradle, and go onto a buddybox with someone who can fly...

they hurt when you pendulem and hit yourself...

[Edited on 4/4/10 by boggle]

Hello Andrew,

More than happy to help - ive been flying heli's for to many years to remember and have had many hirobo's over that time. Was / still am a BMFA instructor in fixed and rotary, although i have now sold everything up to go and build cars

Gyro channel - depends on the type of gyro and the type of TX (JR of Futaba). I would hope that you have some sort of heading hold, solid state gyro. In which case you just need to assign it to a channel that can give you two ATV's (+ and -) for normal and heading hold mode, and for that channel to be controlled by a handy switch on your TX.

Checking mixture - 100% nooooooooooooooo !!. Don't strap the heli down, its too dangerous and your mixture settings will change anyway as the motor unloads when it gets out of ground effect.

I would make a guess that you either have an irvine 46 (black engine with gold head) or and OS 46/50 in there on a muffler ?. If so, start with the main needle 1.75- 2 turns out. Set up a normal 0-40-100 throttle curve and set the pitch for -2 bot, +4 mid, +10ish top. You then set your mixture in flight (get some training sticks !), slowly leaning it out until it stops 4-stroking, a couple of clicks at a time. Mixture settings when hovering heli's is no were near as critical as in fixed wing, and its ideal when running on a muffler to leave it rich and feed it nitro (oh the days of burning two gallons of 30% on a sunday afternoon )

Any other questions then please feel free to get in touch (u2u us your number if you wish)

Cheers
Tris

Forgot to say - The GPH 346 has been out of production for many years now. (10 ?)

They were never an out and out 3D model, more being aimed as a smaller FAI alternative to the larger 60's (now 90's).The head is therefore very smooth and more refined than a lot of heli's, but a bit more complex than normal. They don't 'crash well' and have a habit of vibeing if not correctly but back together. It was never aimed as a beginners helicopter.

Spares would be a problem now a days, and expensive if you can get hold of them. Not many parts were carried over to the Evo (its replacement)

Suppose what i am trying to say is that if you really want to learn heli's, then i would strongly suggest that you consider selling the GPH (while its in one bit !) and get something that you can afford to crash (and you will crash !).

Raptor 50, Sucudu Evo, Trex 600 ect are all fine heli's. Anyway, just a thought.

Cheers
Tris

OK! Thats it! Time out! Is there anything that someone wants to know that can't be answered on this forum? I think at some point in time there has to be, but I'm not sure Bacon butties, central heating boilers and now model helicoptors! What a forum

Agreed, got to be the best forum on the net.
Tris, u2u sent.