Manufacturer:LAHeli Distributor: ElektroRC.com and GotHeliRC.com Type: micro electric aerobatic helicopter For: intermediate to advanced pilots Flying weight: 379g to 415g(depending on pack / blades used) Rotor span: 620mm (280mm blades) Radio: JR X9303 transmitter, Spektrum AR6100 receiver, 3 Hyperion DS09 AMD servos on cyclic, and a DS09 GMD on the tail (Futaba GY401 gyro) Power system: AXI 2208/20 outrunner, Castle Creations Phoenix 10 ESC with ParkBEC, and either ThunderPower 1320mah or Hyperion 850mah battery
Background
Okay, I admit it. I have a weakness for small helicopters! I know they typically don't fly as well as larger ones, and often the quality of the micro machines leaves much to be desired. For the last several years, the undisputed "best of the best" in the micro (300 size, if you follow the arcane naming conventions) has been the LAHeli MaxiR. It was (is) a relatively unknown and somewhat expensive micro made in the Czech Republic that has the reputation of being what others like the Honey Bee CP2 or Blade CP Pro could only dream to be. Unfavorable currency exchange rates and a perceived lack of parts support seems to have kept the MaxiR in the shadows. Also, for some reason beginners seem to flock to micros.... the worst thing you can try to learn to fly with! But I digress.
Last year LAHeli released the Ricco, which is based largely on the MaxiR but with improvements in the frame design / servo layout and with a much more attractive canopy design. This new design is really sharp looking, and finally pushed me over the edge. I had to have one! A few emails with InsideHeli show sponsor Pete at ElektroRC sealed the deal, and a black Ricco SE was on the way. (For those of you who like colored anodizing, you can also get red or blue.) I also ordered the plastic blades and "base model" paddles so I could sample it as a more tame setup.
A friend and fellow Ricco owner had a spare AXI motor, so I picked that up from him. The ESC and servos were already in my stash of stuff, so it was time to build.
Building
First things first: It is a builder's kit! About the only pre-assembly that's done for you is the head block is already pinned to the main shaft. Everything else you get to assemble. While this is not a difficult kit to assemble, I would not consider it suitable for a first-timer. You do need to know your way around helicopters, or have someone with some building experience to assist. The manual, while it does contain good CAD drawings, is somewhat lacking in text and explanations. Again, if you know how a helicopter goes together you can probably manage without help, but you may find yourself scratching your head a few times along the way.
The tail rotor on the Ricco is shaft-driven via a 2mm carbon driveshaft. The forward and aft gears (plastic) are pressed onto the driveshaft. The shaft is supported in the tailboom with two ball bearings.
One interesting thing about the tail is that the grips are driven via small wire pins, rather than more traditional ball links. It seems unusual, but it's very light and it works very well. Resist the temptation to modify it until you at least try it! The same thing goes for the way the tail blades are retained. Instead of bolts and nuts, there are pins pressed in place.
Now, about my choice of servos: Don't use them. It's not that the Hyperion servos are poor quality, in fact they are excellent. But the DS09 is taller than the ubiquitous Hitec HS-55, for which the frame was designed. This causes some issues with servo fitment and CCPM geometry, so I advise sticking to servos that are the same size as the HS-55. I was able to work around the fitment and geometry, but it added unnecessary complication to the build.
I used a Futaba GY401 gyro, which looks really huge on this heli! A smaller (and lighter) gyro would be more appropriate, but I used what I had on hand. Eventually I will probably replace it with a Spartan or GY520. So far the Hyperion servo is working well for tail duty.
Power System
As mentioned, the motor is the AXI 2208/20. This is the "hotrod" choice, so if you are wanting more sedate flying and longer flight times the AXI 2208/26 (or equivalent) would be a better choice. Whichever motor you choose, make sure the shaft size is the same as the AXI since the Ricco pinions are plastic and press onto the shaft. More on this later.
One of the unique aspects of the Ricco frame design is that the motor can be mounted either ahead of or behind the main shaft to accommodate the weight distribution of different equipment combinations. If you use a light receiver and battery packs in the 65-90 gram range, along with a big gyro like I did, you will probably want to mount the motor in the forward position. (The photos that accompany this review show it in the rear position, but I have since moved it forward.) The motor pinion is pressed onto the shaft, and is plastic! Yes, plastic. It seems odd, but it works very well and is extremely quiet in operation. The pinion also acts as a fuse in the event of a crash and strips to save the main gear from damage. They are cheap and easy to replace, so I think this is a neat feature. One thing worth mentioning: Do not set the gear lash as loose as you would a traditional setup. Mesh it up tight and let it wear in.
The ESC I chose from my spares bin is the Castle Creations Phoenix 10. This unit can easily handle the current draw requirements, but the onboard BEC cannot handle a full digital servo setup on a helicopter. To power the radio, a Dimension Engineering ParkBEC is fitted and works well.
And finally, power supplied by either ThunderPower 1320 Prolite packs, or the new Hyperion G3 850mah packs (ordered from RREModels.com). I have also used G-Force 1000mah packs (same size and weight as the TP1320) and they work well. More about battery choices in the next section.
Flying
Now for the fun part! Even with the larger battery packs, this little guy typically weighs in under 420g even with the heavy plastic blades! To put that in perspective, realize that it has more disk area than a Honey Bee King, yet weighs about 100g (or more) less than the typical King. My Ricco, with carbon blades and Hyperion 850 packs, weighs 379g.
When using the plastic blades, you need to keep the headspeed at 2200 rpm or less for safety. This seems low, but because of the incredibly light disk loading it flies great at that speed (or less). With the plastic blades and solid plastic paddles, the Ricco feels like a much larger helicopter than it is. The really surprising thing is how well it handles wind! With the heavy blades / paddles, it can be flown in 10-15 mph wind without a lot of stress.
When you are ready for crazy fun, swap on the fiberglass or carbon blades, install the light paddles and crank the headspeed up to 2500. Just be ready for it, because it becomes a 3D rocket that can do anything you ask it to do (or more, in my case!) and it handles it with style. And the amazing part is how little power it takes to fly it. At 2200 rpm, the TP1320 pack is good for 12 minutes of sport flying (loops, rolls, flips) and the 850 pack will net you 8 minutes. Crank up to 2500, and the 850 will still deliver 6+ minutes of 3D fun!
Conclusion
The LAHeli Ricco is a blast! It's freakishly quiet, so it makes a perfect yardbird for those early morning or late evening sorties. At 2000 rpm you can cruise around the yard in a relaxed manner, while still enjoying solid and predictable handling.
While true this isn't a beginner helicopter (at least to build) I can honestly say it is far easier to fly than the Honey Bee CP2, Blade CP / CP Pro, or even the Honey Bee King. Some will balk at the price, and exclaim "Why would I pay $180 for the Ricco, when a King is only $80". Truth be told, you will probably end up spending the $100 difference (or more) on the King just to get it to fly almost as well as the Ricco does right out of the box. We won't even talk about what it would take to get a CP2 / CP Pro to fly like the Ricco, because frankly it just ain't gonna happen. :)
If you are looking for a true 3D capable micro, one that can deliver long flight times on small inexpensive battery packs, and isn't run-of-the-mill, look no further than the LAHeli Ricco or Ricco SE.
Videos, Podcasts, Photos, and other resources
I took quite a few pictures during the assembly, and you can find them all in this online photo album. We discussed the Ricco in three episodes of InsideHeli Podcast. Here are direct links to all three shows (mp3 files):
Jamie:: This is not really a "review", more of testing and I had no place to put my thoughts and pics down, and maybe it will help others.
I just felt this needed a short review since many are interested in a cheaper alternative to 2.4Ghz radios / receivers.
I bought the X8D hack for my Airtronics RD6000 along with two of the mini 4ch 2.4Ghz receivers.
The RD6000 is a great radio, I like it. Having many berg receivers that I've never had an issue with, I didn't see the reasoning to acquiring an expensive "big name" radio and all new receivers. I would have bought the new Airtronics 2.4Ghz radio, but the receivers are MASSIVE and expensive!
With the X8D hack, there are only 3 wires to solder onto your existing transmitter. Typically this is easy and with forum help the chances of someone knowing your radio is great. I had help from Agrabusic since he has done this to his RD8000 (same thing really). So thanks to him!
Assan makes snap in modules for the guys that have the futaba, JR, etc. type module on the back of the radio. For everyone els, this X8D hack is the way to go.
Here is how my hack went. But first, take a look as these receivers next to my berg.
Tiny. Like gum.
Taking apart the transmitter is simple. Remove the battery (no you wont loose your model memory), unscrew the main antenna and remove that too. There should be phillips screws around the edge of the unit for you to remove (be sure to get them all). Then just un-snap the casing apart.
The RD6000 has pretty easy acces to everything. Here is where I need to solder my X8D to my PCB.
For the negative, there is no solder point. I just scratched away a spot on the PCB (remove some green). Made a nice shiny circle and heated a spot of solder to it. I then cut off the stock little pins that come on the hack module leads, stripped the 3 wires and tinned them with solder.
Once you know where your +, -, sig connections are - solder up. I think this is my trainer port wires..
Plug up the lipo and test the TX. The normal TX sound should happen and a couple seconds later you should see the light on the X8D and hear a loud BEEP.
Once I tested, I decided to find a spot to land this module. This spot is fine and the battery bay just barley touches it once everything is put back together.
At this point you can use a zip-tie, hotglue or reinforced packing tape all which are non conductive to make it stay. But even if it's not "tied down", this thing wont be able to move anyways.
Be sure to test the 72mhz antenna in place while finding a space for the X8D.
Once I knew things where going to sit properly, it was time to make the external antenna for the X8D stick out of the TX. To do this, use a 1/4 drill bit -it's a perfect fit. Just screw it on and test the fitting. One nut for the outside and one for the inside. Tighten down once you have the proper length sticking out for the duck antenna.
Anyways, done.
It works as it should. To "disable" 72mhz broadcasting, I will just pull the CH crystal out.
Here are other options you can do during this procedure: * Make a physical switch for "72/2.4" on the outside. (I wasn't sure where the wires for the 72 where..) Here is a diagram for this mod: * Make the LED from the X8D to the external of the casing (It's a loud beep, not needed for me) * I wanted to make a physical switch for "throttle hold". (so the TH trim pot just wont work - I wasn't sure how.)
So far, I have not yet flown with this but just bench testing it works great. The old worn SuperFly will be the test subject.
Pros: - Very cost effective 2.4Ghz "freedom" ($60 for module and $20 for RXs) - Very fast controls (over my 72mHz) - Small light RXs - Easy to install - Support is great
Cons: - You will have to void your warranty on your TX (ahhhh) - Not quite as "smooth" control surfaces as my bergs (although throttle is smooth) - The system only works with a PPM radio and in PPM mode - They don't offer a long antenna 'full range' 4ch RX (why not?)
The pros outweigh the cons for me. I will still use long antenna Bergs for my gliders and sailplanes. But.. I think the smaller planes will be slowly moved over to 2.4 as I test.
I will update this page once I get to really try this out.
Manufacturer: JS Models Distributor: A Main Hobbies Type: 50 Size Nitro Helicopter Flying Weight: 8 lbs 8 oz / 3,855 grams ( fueled ) Engine: OS 50 Hyper Pipe: CY MP5 Fuel: CY 20% and 30% ( normally 20% ) Main Blades: CY Radix 600 mm Tail Blades: Stock and KBDD 95 mm Electronics/Radio: TX - JR x9303 2.4ghz, RX - Spektrum AR7000, Cyclic servos - Hyperion DS20-FMD, Throttle Servo - JR DS537, TJ RevMax Rev Limiter, Gyro - CY Solid-G, Tail Servo - Futaba 9253, Regulator - Align 2 in 1, Lipo - GeForce 2250 2S
Overview
I am always on the look out for good performing RC Helicopters that are priced right. I was surfing around on HeliFreak Forums one day and saw a post about a new 50 size nitro RC Helicopter that was selling for $219.99. WOW! So I immediately headed to A Main Hobbies website to check it out as they are the distributor for this helicopter in the US. I was shocked to see what they were offering for that price. The helicopter design looked great in the pictures. The rotor head has the mixers on the grips which I have come to really like after owning other helicopters with this type of head. The servo and frame layout was nice. There is CNC aluminum bits in the head in all the right places. JS Models had pulled together some good designs from other RC helicopters and put them into one package. When talking with Chris about this helicopter, we both agreed that if the quality was there then this would be one really nice 50 size helicopter. So after a few phone calls and emails with Dan Smith at A Main Hobbies, they agreed to send me a kit for review..
Build
Wanting to keep with the "low cost" theme, I decided to not fit out this model with a bunch of "high-end" and high priced components. With a little bit of shopping around and/or looking in various forums classified sections, you can easily fit out a 3D Frenzy for the same cost as a typical 450 class electric build. That is saying A LOT considering we are talking about a helicopter that is considerable larger then a 450 electric. The only thing I did not "skimp" on was the Gyro. With the level of flying I am doing these days, I want to have a Gyro on my helicopter that I am confident in.
There is really not much "building" when putting the 3D Frenzy together. When you open the box you will find that all of the sub-assemblies are already built at the factory for you. All you need to do is fit all the sub-assemblies together and install your engine, radio equipment and main blades. This is becoming more and more common these days.
The manual covers building the 3D Frenzy as if you were building it from a "bag-o-parts". So you will skip around in the manual a bit when putting the 3D Frenzy together. I found the manual to be pretty much on par with every other RC helicopter manual I have seen. Not great and not bad. Dan told me that they are working on a new manual for the 3D Frenzy that will be better than the one provided from the factory.
The only "issue" I had when putting the 3D Frenzy together was with the links that you install on the model, those from the servo to the bell cranks and from the bell cranks to the swash. None of them measured to the listed sizes in the manual. It is my understanding that the frame has been thru numerous revisions and I believe that the manual was printed for one of the earlier revisions. This is not too big of a deal as the sizes listed give you a good starting point to set up the head. Also, with different servos, the sizes of links can change as not all servos are built to the same specs. I have never really considered a manual's listed link lengths to be gospel anyway. I typically just set the rotor heads up on my helicopters the same and size the links as needed. While we are on the subject of the links, make sure you have a GOOD set of ball link pliers. The links snap on and off the balls with quite a bit more force then I was used to. I was a little worried that this would stretch out the links and cause some slop, but that is not the case. While removing a link with my "home made" ball link pliers, I broke one of the bell cranks. So heed my warning, make sure you have a good set of ball link pliers!
Included in the kit is an updated tail drive set. From what I have read, the original set's top bearing was wearing out prematurely. They have now put a bigger bearing in the top block and this should take care of that issue. It was nice to see that they included the updated part in the kit and did not require you to purchase it. JS Models and A Main have been very good about taking care of a few minor issues that have come up with this new model. Do not let these minor issues sway you in any way, all new kits will have a few "teething" issues crop up here and there. What is more important is how the manufacturer and distributor handle the issues. Without a doubt JS and A Main are doing a top notch job!
Servo installation on the Frenzy was thought out really well. Installing servos is the one part of a helicopter build I truly hate. Usually within 20 minutes I am screaming at the helicopter when installing servos. With the Frenzy, I was done before I knew it. They have put holes opposite the servo mounting holes on the frame so you can easily get to the bolt while installing servos. Oh, did I mention that they include nylock nuts and bolts to install the servos rather then screws and plastic mounts? They also include servo mounting plates! Very nice touch! To make your servo installation even easier, insert the bolts from inside the frame with the nuts on the outside. This way, you do not have to fight getting the nuts on the bolts between the frames. Just a little build tip!
The rotor head has adjustable ratios on the washout arms, mixer levers and flybar carrier. Out of the box, they have it setup for what I would call an intermediate setup. The manual does not touch on the different possible setups. Hopefully this is something that A Main will address when they put together the new manual. I am not going to go into detail as to what each ratio does as there is plenty of info on various forums that will explain it to you.
Installing the engine was quite easy to do. Mount the clutch and fan onto the engine crank shaft and then just slide it up into the frame. You need to do this before you install the landing gear and bottom plate. The bearing block that holds the clutch bell and start shaft is adjustable. After you get the engine in place, you can then adjust the clutch bell to get it properly lined up with the clutch. The process is really quite simple and covered well in the manual. Since the clutch threads onto the engine crank shaft, there is really no need to dial indicate anything. It is one of those "it is what it is" type of setups.
The quality of the parts is very good. Much better then I expected when considering the price of the kit. The aluminum parts are not polished, but they do not look bad at all. The plastic molded parts are very nice as well. They are also very "stout" to say the least.
Flight Report
For the first few flights I left the 3D Frenzy in its stock "out of the box" form. Out of the box the 3D Frenzy flies great! The collective and cyclic response is very good. The cyclic is not super fast, but more than adequate to pull off just about any 3D maneuver you can throw at it. It tracks very well in both forward and backwards flight. The 3D Frenzy settles into a hover very nicely from both take off and forward/backward flight. It is a very stable and smooth helicopter. I had no problems performing smooth loops and rolls as well as doing quick flips out of the box. For the beginner or intermediate flyer, I see no reason to make any changes to the 3D Frenzy out of the box. You will have a hard time "out-flying" it.
For my head speeds, I setup FM1 at 1950 rpm and FM2 at 2100 rpm. In flight mode one, I found when doing maneuvers that required a lot of pitch or cyclic that the engine would bog a bit. This is due to the 8.5:1 gear ratio of the 3D Frenzy. At 1950 rpm, the OS 50 is running below its optimal rpm. Switching to FM2 took care of this as now the OS 50 is running just above its optimal rpm. Now when you load up the head, the engine will fall into the optimal rpm and maintain head speed better. I kicked the head speed up to 2200 rpm for a couple of flights and the 3D Frenzy maintained head speed even better. If you are looking to do some hard 3D, then I would suggest you run the head speed above 2100 rpm. For general aerobatics and forward/backward flight, 1800-1900 rpm will be just fine as you will not be loading the up the engine.
The stock tail blades are more than adequate and handled just about anything I could throw at the tail. I could not get the tail to blow out even once. The winds were blowing around 10 mph with 25 mph gusts on this particular day. Doing tail slides from 100+ feet with a cross wind did not even phase the tail on the 3D Frenzy. You will see in some of the pictures and the flight video that I swapped out the stock tail blades for a set of KBDD yellow tail blades. I did this because I like how visible the tail is with those particular tail blades. I also swapped out the stock landing struts for the same reason.
After a few flights with the stock setup, I then put on a set of KBDD paddles. I was looking to increase they flip and roll rates a bit. These paddles did just that. They are lighter and smaller then the stock paddles. So with a few inexpensive changes, you can turn the 3D Frenzy into a quick 3D machine. A longer flybar and changing the mixing ratios will improve the flip and roll rates even more. I have not experimented with these two things yet, but will update when I do.
To sum it up, it did not matter if I was flying slow, precise, fast or hard, the 3D Frenzy performed great.
Comments
There is really only one thing I would change on the 3D Frenzy. The gear ratio. For the "3D Monsters" out there, the 8.5:1 ratio is perfect. They can run up the head speed to 2200 rpm and let her rip. But for the "mere mortals" such as myself, a ratio of 8.7:1 would be better. This would allow you to run the head speed around 2000 rpm and provide more than enough pop and keep the engine running just above its optimal rpm. Being that the clutch system is pretty much a Raptor 50 setup, I am going to try the optional 8.7:1 gearing that can be purchased for the Raptor 50. Again, I will update later when I have chance to install them..
Conclusion
The JS Models TZ-V2 3D Frenzy is a very well rounded helicopter. Out of the box, it will be a great machine for the beginner as well as the intermediate flyer. With a few changes to the mixing ratios and swapping out the flybar and paddles, it will please even the best of the 3D flyers out there. With the low purchase price and replacement parts cost, the 3D Frenzy makes a wonder model to train on. A typical crash, if there is such a thing, will not cost you much more than crashing a 450 size electric helicopter. So if you are a beginner looking for a good trainer or an intermediate/advance flyer looking for something to learn new maneuvers, then look no further then the 3D Frenzy.
Updates
Since originally writing this review, I have a few updates that I would like to address. The first one is the lengths of the links as supplied to me by the factory. Dan has informed me that this issue has been addressed at the factory and that now all links are coming in the kits sized properly. He mentioned that he is hearing from many customers that when they put their Frenzy together, they do not have to adjust any link lengths. Just snap it all together and fly with proper blade tracking and pitch ranges. This will save you some time as well as sore fingers! Another nice touch with this kit.
Also, I got around to installing the Raptor 50 Optional 8.7:1 gear set into my Frenzy. This is just what it needed if you are wanting to run your Frenzy around 1900-2000 RPM head speed. This now had the engine running just above it's optimal operating RPM and will fall into that range when you load up the head. Before this change, when I would do anything that loaded up the head, the head speed would decay throughout the maneuver and I would have to back off my collective to let the head speed build back up. I am no longer having to do this. If you like to run a 2200 RPM head speed, then you would not really need to be looking at doing this change.
You can hear more about the Frenzy by tuning in and listening to our show. Currently the following shows we talk about the Frenzy and there will be more later as I spend more time with the Frenzy. Episode 52 Episode 51
Here is one of my Flights at the Austin Fun Fly, man was it windy!
Here is a video of Ben Storik working the Frenzy HARD! A Main has signed Ben up as Sponsored Flyer for them.
Compass Knight 600E
Sun, 05 Apr
Chris "JustPlaneChris" Boultinghouse
Specifications:
Manufacturer:Compass Model Distributor: Common Sense RC Type: 600 electric aerobatic helicopter For: intermediate to advanced pilots Flying weight (review model): 7.9 lbs / 3.58 kg Radio: JR X9303 transmitter, Spektrum 7000 receiver, 3 Futaba 9452 servos on cyclic, and a JR on the tail (JR 770 3D gyro) Power system: Stock 790kv outrunner, Hobby Wing Platinum 120A-HV ESC, and CSRC 8S 3700mah battery
Background
Those of you who follow InsideHeli.com podcast probably know that I’ve been pondering the purchase of a 600mm electric helicopter for quite a while. I already have a 550mm heli (Century Swift) and the fact that it was almost as big kept me away from them for a while.
However, time goes on and after flying my nitro Compass Knight 3D for a while and feeling the goodness of 600mm blades I started looking seriously at the E-version again. Why the Knight 600E instead of the more popular Align T-Rex 600E? Several reasons:
The Knight is (in my opinion) a better flying helicopter. Yes, I know that’s largely subjective. But I’ve flown both and simply prefer the cyclic response and feel of the Knight’s head design over the T-Rex.
The T-Rex 600 is designed around a 6S power system. It is somewhat controversial, but I’m in the camp that says 6S is insufficient voltage for such a large helicopter. The watts required to fly it demand a lot of amps from the battery packs, which shortens their useful lifespan. Compass offers a 6S Knight (presumably for the T-Rex owner who wants to try one) but they also offer one with a motor suitable for 8S.
I already have a Knight, so compatible spares is appealing
The Knight looks better. (I know, that’s vanity talking. So I’m shallow.)
Once the decision was made, it was time to see about getting one. As luck would have it, a conversation on HeliFreak regarding the Compass helis put me in touch with Dick at KBDD, LLC – then the US distributor of Compass products, and also their own line of excellent tail blades, dampers and paddles. One thing led to another, and Dick offered to send me a Knight 600E (8S version) to review for InsideHeli.com! He also included a set of dampers, tail blades and paddles. More about those items later.
One thing to note is that during the course of this review, the US distributorship has changed from KBDD, LLC to Common Sense RC. This does not reflect poorly at all on KBDD, in fact they did a lot to get the Compass name out there. CSRC is simply in a better position to further the brand and get them out to the hobbyists through their substantial local hobby shop network. This also frees up KBDD to continue development of their own product line.
Since CSRC was now involved, they provided a pair of their excellent 4S 3700 mah 35c lipo packs to use in a serial configuration for this review. These packs are loafing along in this application, and run so cool it’s hard to even tell they are warmer than ambient temperature after a flight!
The Knight kit included the Compass motor, but of course I still needed a speed controller – and a high voltage one at that! That means it was time to ring up my friend Greg Alderman at HeliDirect.com and see what neat goodies they have. Greg told me about the new Platinum series from Hobby Wing, and said that the Outrage team had been flying them for a while and really were impressed. That’s a good enough endorsement for me, so Greg worked a little pricing magic for me (thanks Greg!) and soon a Hobby Wing Platinum 120A-HV arrived at my doorstep.
That just left me needing cyclic servos, gyro, and a way to power the radio. To save time (and money), I just “borrowed” the cyclic servos and gyro from my nitro Knight. To power the radio, I ordered a Medusa HV regulator from my friend Bobby Smith at RREModels.com. And while there, I just couldn’t resist a shiny new Fusono Knight canopy. (There’s that vanity thing again….)
Okay, all the bits and pieces were in hand, so I was out of excuses. Time to build this thing!
Building
The Knight comes largely pre-assembled, so this will be a rather short read. The frame is assembled, the head is assembled (only needing flybar installation) and the tail mechanism is pre-assembled as well. What I’ll do is just touch on things that I had trouble with, or that needed some clarification. Speaking of clarification, if you haven’t already seen them be sure to check out Finless Bob’s Knight 600E build video series on HeliFreak.com. Between his videos and the pictures that accompany this review, you should have no excuses when it comes to putting this thing together correctly!
First, a few words about the manual: While it’s not horrible, it’s not fantastic either. Unfortunately, this is typical of many helicopter kits. If you’ve built a few helicopters, this won’t bother you at all. And frankly, if you haven’t built a few helicopters you probably shouldn’t be building this one! The information you need is all there, but sometimes requires a bit of study and pondering before the light bulb comes on and you say “Oh, I get it!”
There is one thing that really annoyed me though: If you follow the sequence of assembly steps in the manual, you’ll be removing the motor later on in order to install the tailboom and belt assembly! Silly me, I followed the instructions and then had to remove the (already loctited) motor assembly later on. Bob didn’t have that issue in his build videos, because he followed a different assembly sequence for clarity during filming.
Onward! Everything goes together very well, and I had very few issues. I did need to shorten two of the link rods by about 2mm on each end to allow the links to thread on further, but that may or may not happen when you build yours. Link length is a very individual thing, and may vary slightly due to differences in servo arm geometry, etc.
Servo installation is straightforward, though there is a trick to getting the upper left servo into the frame. See the online photo album for a sequence of pictures showing how to work it into the frame without having to take the frame apart.
I did find aligning the flybar control arms to be frustrating at first, but then I realized it was much easier if I pivoted the arm all the way against the seesaw, snugged it down, then did the other one the same way. This assures they are parallel with each other, then you can simply adjust the paddles to align with the arms. Neat!
One other noteworthy item: The spindle bolts are not loctited, and this is clearly pointed out in an addendum to the instructions. I just want to be sure and point it out again for safety’s sake!
Other interesting or important things to note:
The frame has alignment / guide holes to help you get the bellcranks in the proper alignment during setup.
The tail case has a molded boss to install an anti-rotation bolt.
The mainshaft locking collar goes under the top bearing, and above the elevator A-arm assembly.
There is no gear lash adjustment for the pinion-to-spur gear. It is what it is (and it’s correct).
That’s really about all there is to the assembly. Please browse through the online album for plenty of pictures taken during the assembly.
Power System
As mentioned, the motor was included with the kit. It is a Compass-sourced outrunner of unknown manufacture. There is a sticker on the side that lists it as 760KV, and the headspeed measurements show that to be reasonably accurate. Note that it’s 8 pole, not 16 pole as written on the label in the photos. The motor has a 10 tooth pinion factory installed, and nice gold bullet-connectors are soldered onto the leads.
The ESC is the Hobby Wing Platinum as mentioned in the introduction. This is a large unit, with a beefy heat sink. I like the mounting bracket, as it allows one to bolt it to the frame. I had to slightly enlongate one of the mounting bracket holes for alignment, but the location is just perfect for nice wire routing. Programming was done with the “stick and beep” method since the programmer box was out of stock at the time of this review.
The BEC / voltage regulator is a Medusa Potencia 3.5A 5/6volt unit. While this may seem a bit on the low side, it has proven itself quite capable of handling the power needs of a 50 size helicopter by many owners.
Cyclic servos are Futaba 9452, while tail duties are handled by a JR 7703D paired with the JR 8900G.
And finally, power to the whole thing is supplied by a pair of 4S 3700mah 35C CSRC packs, connected in series. This is very easy to do since I use Anderson Powerpole connectors. Charging is typically done in parallel, since this equalizes voltage across the packs automatically. These batteries are beasts, and the 35C rating is actually overkill for a HV power system like the Knight. However, overhead is a nice thing to have since it keeps everything cool and un-stressed.
Flying
Be honest, you skipped right to this section didn’t you? Don’t feel bad, I do it to. Just be sure and eventually go back and read the rest of it, ok?
If you’ve listened to the podcast, you have no doubt heard James and me ramble on and on about how incredibly well the Knight 3D flies, so take all that and apply it to the Knight 600E – minus the engine noise and smoke trail. With the headspeed dialed in at 1950, the cyclic and collective response is (not surprisingly) just the same as my nitro-powered Knight 3D at the same headspeed. Flight times on the 3700 mah pack are a comfortable 6 minutes, without breaking the “80% rule” of the battery capacity.
Due to the design of the battery mounting area, you can run much larger packs if you so desire and get longer flights. Simply shift them fore / aft to get the CG where you want and strap ‘em down. In fact, I recommend larger batteries just because they will work less and last longer!
But wait Chris, only 1950 rpm you say? Not enough for you, Mr. Headspeed Junkie? No problem! Just dial up the throttle curve a little and go nuts! My initial spoolup with an 80% transmitter setting in governor mode netted a scary 2550 rpm! While that’s certainly not necessary (or recommended!) it’s good to know the power system has the guts to really crank those big 600mm sticks.
Conclusion
The Compass Knight 600E is a fantastic machine! In the right hands it is capable of the most hardcore smackdown 3D imaginable. Not my hands, of course. But even for my more sedate flying style, it’s a very enjoyable machine. I can honestly say I’ve never flown any other helicopter that has this same seductive mix of power, stability, and agility. Every flight brings a perma-grin to my face, and that’s what this hobby is all about. If you are in the market for a 600mm e-bird, do yourself a favor and find someone who has a Knight 600E and check it out. I think you’ll be impressed.
Videos, Podcasts, and Photos
I took quite a few pictures during the assembly, and you can find them all in this online photo album along with a couple of Eagle Tree data logs from the first couple of flights. We discussed the Knight in three episodes of InsideHeli Podcast. Here are direct links to all three shows (mp3 files):
Here's a video of the 2nd flight, with the stock plastic canopy and one of my "trademark" dayglow paint jobs.
And finally here's a video with some more aggressive flying (not me!), and shows the Fusono canopy:
MS composit Swift II
Sat, 31 Jan
By Jamie "GFBurke"
Specifications Name: Swift II Dragon Distributor:mscompositusa.com Type: Electric EPP foam wing. For: Beginner to advanced pilots Flying weight: cca 300 g (10.6 oz) Size: 810mm Prop:8x6 Radio: Airtronics RD6000 Super / Berg4 / 2x 7-9g servos Power system: SCM-3223 motor / Scanner RC SCS-15A ESC / Dualsky 3s CG: 180-185mm from nose tip
Introduction: The swift series has been one of the best selling series in RC wings across the board. With many modifications, a wide variety of power systems to choose from and unique flying characteristics setups, the swift platform is a very affordable RC plane. Also make note, there are a wide variety of custom printed wings to choose from (even plane white). The Swift II is the middle man in the swift wings. There is also a Swift Mini and I currently own and fly the Maxi Swift. The Maxi Swift is a bit slower and "floatier" then the II and mini. Unpacking: Everything you need in the wing kit is included for the Swift. Take a look at these pictures for a close up as to what you get. Really, you will just need electronics and CA (or goop).Control horns, rods, tubes (etc.) and manual are all here. I decided on going with this Dragon scheme. MS Composite also sent me this motor and speed controller. This combo is esthetically sexy being red and black. I've never used Scanner products before, but I'm already a fan.
Building: I always start off by laying everything out so I can see it. Read through the manual (5 times) to make sure I wont miss anything. The first step was to put the two halves of the main wing together. Be sure the bottom the wing is facing up when you join them. I used a thin spread of goop, then some CA and kicker around the edges to make it stay while the goop dried.
While the main wings where drying, it was time to get my electronics laid out, tested and soldered together. I don't use bullets any longer, I would rather solder the motor to the ESC directly. The motor and the Swift kit did not include long enough screws to go through the motor mount and into the motor. Luckily I found some screws that where a bit longer and the same thread type for the motor. (In some of these pictures you will notice I did attempt to put the motor inside the motor mount - this would have worked, however I would have had to use a tiny prop)
The pre-hinged EPP planes are great. I'd rather have them do it then me attempting to make hinges. The swift series all have pre-hinged control surfaces. One issue that we find with pre-hinge, is that the control surface is much to stiff of the box. Some attempt to cut and re-hinge, some say to bend them back and forth to loosen them up. However I found a method that didn't take ANY work and made them feel like tape hinges. Just fold the surfaces up under the plane. Let sit over night. When you go to test them out, you will be amazed on how they feel. The stock control horn will no longer be an issue (some where putting larger horns on attempting to get a better throw).
It's really nice of the manufacture to make holes where the electronics go. The placement and size of the holes may have made since at one point in time, however the electronics used today will not work with the stock cutouts. I do like the fact they show you where to put the servos, but beyond that, they cut outs are not much help. You will have to cut the holes larger depending on what electronics your going for. Lay them all out and decide where to put things. Remember, on a wing you want everything up front as far as you can.
Glue in the motor mount with the motor set in. Put your servos in where they should go. Then you will see where to put the rest.
Once things are laid out well. Cut your holes out the exact size you need. I used some of the EPP that I had to cut out and used it to fill in the part of the holes I didn't need.
Next up was figuring out where and how to mount a lipo. I'm going with a 1000mAh 3s lipo. The instructions are not much help (generally) and after you see how others are dong it, you will come up with a method. Some mount the lipo on top of the plane, some don't for cosmetics reasons. I'm one of them. Find out where you need your CG with the battery. I then cut out the battery compartment so my 3s would have a snug fit. It's very hard not to cut all the way through the wing when doing this. I then took some Gorilla Glue and made a thin layer on the inside of this compartment. Then laying down some velcro, let this sit overnight. When you come back, you will notice you have a very hardened compartment.
I then took some very strong 3M reinforced tape and layered it to make a door. It's about 4 layers of this really strong tape. I then glued one side into this compartment I made. Placed my lipo inside and found where the tape went over the lipo and touched the EPP on the other side. Once determined, I made a velcro spot on the EPP for the door. I did end up using staples on the velcro and tape door. Then tape over the edges.
This is a very strong door and I will only be landing in grass.
The other mod I had to do was to make protectors for my servos. Again, this may be why many builders put the servos on the top of the wing. But again.. I wanted to keep the top really clean. So I found some round servo horns and slid them half way into the EPP with CA. These should work fine as they are taller than the servo arm.
Finishing up:
It was time to find my CG and do the bench tests. Finding out the power pull and figuring flight times. Here is where it came out:
18A @ 204w with 8x6 GWS HD prop - 3s Xpower 1000mAh 25C 14.6A @166w with 8x4 GWS HD prop - 3s Xpower 1000mAh 25C 308g RTF (with lipo) 218g (no lipo) I figured to go with the 8x4 prop since I'm using a 15A ESC and for longer flight times.
Here is the finished look
(next to Maxi)
Flying:
The very first maiden of this craft was amazing. My building skills must be getting better because I did not have to touch trim or move CG - it was perfect. Gave it an underhanded toss at around 1/2 throttle and the swift just lifted up. I was able to maintain flight at around 1/3 to 1/2 throttle. This kept it nice, slow and floaty. Once I got the real feel of her, I punched it. The 14A of power made it go from slow, to ballistic! Really, this did not look natural transitioning to full throttle. It took off so fast, it really did remind me of a UFO video when the little dot just zips away! BAM - gone. I was blown away at the preciseness even after the speed boost. Still, no trims needed. Pointing the nose to the clouds revealed she didn't care and would just keep going. Taking it to a speck, then cutting the throttle and floating around is just 'fun'.
Landing on grass is what I do. She has no issues coming is slow and plopping down at your feet. All around.. just what I've wanted from RC flying. Slow and floaty if you want. Fast and furious if you want. Then easy landings.
A beginner aircraft? If you have help from someone that has a delta wing and could assist in building, CG, trimming. Yes. I have taken this from 7ft up, full throttle into the ground nose first. It bounces and laughs. Of course fly in a grass field and you should be fine. I see no reason why this could not be a second plane to an RC enthusiast if you have your orientation down.
Things I would have done differently now that I've built one: This is the first time I can say this - NONE. Now that I have an airbrush, I may go over the bottom electronics with white paint. :)
Conclusion: -Buy one. Buy two. You need this. - MSComposit should give us the cut out EPP chunks that they have removed - Scanner RC should give longer screws OR MSComposite should include the screws needed for this setup - How do you program this ESC? Manual does not make since (to me).
I enjoy this much more then I do the bigger brother - the Maxi Swift.
Specifications Name: EPP Edge 540T ARF Distributor:E-foamies.com Type: Electric foam 3D Edge 540T. For: Intermediate to advanced pilots Flying weight: 12-14oz AUW Size: 34in wing Prop: 10x4.7 Radio: Airtronics RD6000 Super / Berg4 / 4x 7-9g servos Power system: Xmotor 2826CA-18T / 18A ESC CG: 1-2in behind the wing spar
Introduction: Looking at the long list of foam 3D planes, there seems to be only a handful that incorporate a full fuse and airfoil design. The Edge 540T from E-foamies is just that and looks great out of the box. Here is a nice list from e-foamies planes to choose from. It seems this Edge and the Revolution are quite popular and everybody who has them - flies them for years. The EPP construction is a great feature that allows people like myself to fly without much worry. I've heard nothing but good things from this line, so I decided to give the 540T a go!
My 3D experience so far is a Flash 3D and a ParkZone Typhoon 2, so I’m looking forward to a full fuse 3D-capable EPP model.
Unpacking:
I'm used to getting fed flat pieces of EPP foam and having it called an "ARF". Almost ready to fly meant one thing to me until I got into RC. But wow! Opening the box I seriously thought my shipment was opened up during a UPS shipping operation and the employees started to build my plane. But looking closer I have learned that this is the way they come! Check out the photos - Main fuse about all put together, wings with CF spar and tape, nice airfoil and painted. The work alone in getting this part done would justify the cost of this kit..
Building:
Well since the build was almost done (I opened the box) it was time to put those finishing touches on her. I will try to follow the manual, but I do things a certain way. This comes from building a few planes and creating your style.
First things to do were to get the main wings on. Slider her in and glue it down. I used standard CA on this since it's EPP. Be sure to measure wing tip to fuse on both sides so you know you have it in even.
Next up was the tail. Use the vertical stab as the template just like the instructions say to do. It doesn't have to be perfect, but you can see how I lined up the template to the fuse in the pictures Also what you can see I have done is made my tape hinges on the control surfaces. I used this method to do so. Works out great! Although, do leave a small gap between the surfaces when taping.
If there were a difficult spot of the build, your at it now. The spot where you have to get all your hinges, control horns and tail setup and square. Take your time and do use a square. If you do, your flights will be much smoother and happier. Remember to only use "foam safe CA" for this area. Depron will melt with normal CA.
Continuing on the controls (since I have the tools out) we hit the ailerons now. This is how I do my 45deg angles. Use a new blade and lay the foam on a table. Not a brown coffee table that's expensive and nice. or your wife will let you have it later..
I used the same tape hinges here. It was time to put in the electronics now. Be sure to always test your electronics outside of the craft. You don't want to glue them in to find out a servo doesn't work. I did follow the instructions on placement for the servos. But if you know me, I have a stack of typhoon control rods laying around - so I used these. The kit does come with CF and bits to make your own rods, but these typhoon ones are just too easy (but if you do notice from the pictures, I did end up having to use the 'glue some CF' to make my ailerons control rods a bit longer.)
Next up is the ESC and motor. If you notice I have the ESC laid up against the side of the fuse. Don't do that. It will be in the way of the upper fuse when it's time. Lay it down and use hotglue. Motor was easy to do. The brick of solid EPP is great and makes the nose really stiff once it's in. I lubed it up with goop and slid it in. I made it sit at a slight angle. It seems every plane I have the right thrust mod really helps. We will try here too.
The second "hard part" would be putting the top and bottom of the fuse together. The top part is pretty easy, I used goop and small spots of foam safe CA because I needed time to get it aligned well. Use pins to hold in place while gluing. Don't try to use tacs, they are too large.. Once the top of the fuse was on, I used a red Sharpe marker to color the top ridge of the fuse to match the rest. The leading edge got taped up with 3M reinforced packing tape.
The bottom fuse piece takes some time. Line up the tail end and slowly with foam safe CA and accelerator work your way towards the front. It was too long, so I did cut the larger end off. You will see it when you get to it. Take your time here.
Once this was on, I cut a door in the bottom for the battery. I used CA to hold the velcro to the tape, then tape over velcro. The tape is strong and can be used like a hinge. I had a piece of coroplast, but cold not find it. But that makes a great door too. I used gorilla glue to hold down the velcro for the lipo.
Once the plane is about done, take a good look and make sure things are lined up and square. I found my horizontal stab to have a slight droop on one side. This is probably a feature due to my awesome building skills. So I used a small piece of zip tie, cut a slit in the epp and placed it in to wedge that side down a bit. Works great as I have done this on a few builds.
Finishing up: Now it's time to check center of gravity (CG) and test your control surfaces. Do this with no prop on the motor. This Edge was pretty simple to set CG just right due to following the basic placement of the electronics via the instructions and other pictures I've seen. I always make a mark for CG points on the planes. I did add a bit of paint and tape to the plane. The canopy was painted from the inside out then glued down with normal CA. Again I use a prop saver and fly in grass so I don't use the landing gear. Although the wheels that came with it are nice!
Power specs: 14.4A @ 165 WOT All up weight with lipo (rtf) = 419g
Maiden one: - Need to set CG back a bit. Had it up closer to the 1in mark. A little nose heavy. - Need to lower the expo a bit. I have 70% on surfaces. Almost too squishy controls.
Maiden part two: - CG is perfect at 2in behind CF spar - Expo is great at 50%.
Flying: This is a great plane for a 3D trainer. It feels much more "loose" than the Flash3D. She will fly slow or a bit quick if needed. The Xmotor 2826CA-18T, 10x4.7 prop, prop saver and Dualsky 3s lipo all do a perfect job. I am very happy that snap-rolls and harriers are simple to do, again assuming you have a perfect CG. Mine could be a bit lighter, however I wanted this to really last. It's a beautiful plane and flies as such. As the instructions say, DO make your control surfaces fly as much as they physically can without binding onto something.
A beginner aircraft? I'd have to say the building part of the plane could be done by a beginner as long as they had somebody who had experience helping. Also, taking the time and not rushing really helps out. But you may be better off having one or two EPP planes built first - it will really help in the build process (practice on something cheaper). Flying the aircraft as a beginner again could be done provided the beginner had 3D sim experience. My first plane was a Typhoon II. Yet I practiced the Typhoon on the sim for many hours so I was able to do it out of the box. But not a person that's never felt a real TX before. If anything, a person that is experienced in CG, control surfaces, lipo management is helping out on the buddy box, sure.
Things I would have done differently now that I've built one: Every plane I've built, I've always found myself thinking "I'd do that differently". In the Edge 540's case, I would probably try to make her even lighter. Not that it's heavy, but maybe using less glue in some places. Also, taking even more time to make sure that tail is lined up before the glue dries. I'm not awesome at cutting out plastic canopies, so I did rush just a bit. I suppose I would scoot the aileron servos back just a bit so the stock typhoon control rods would have reached.
Conclusion: If you have a bit of 3D flight or 3D sim flight experience, then this plane is a wonderful addition to your fleet! You would be hard pressed to match the build quality, resilience to damage, fun and price. If you want to get into 3D, do practice on the trainer for a couple hours a day for a week or two. That's what I've done and I'm happy diving right into foam 3D.
Video - Coming soon! (when the sun is out and I have a camera man)
A flight simulator is a wonderful tool that can either help a beginner learn to fly, or a seasoned pilot learn a few new tricks. I started flying RC with a Picco Z knockoff and then a Blade CX2. I really didn’t need a sim for this, but eventually wanted to fly something a bit more realistic. I did a lot of reading and discovered that a flight sim was available to help an aspiring pilot by saving him some time repairing and some cash from replacing. I went out and picked one up and it did help me greatly. While I never mastered flight with a helicopter, I could do some basic sport flying and hovering. Then I moved to fixed wing, and after a couple of weeks on the flight sim, I was ready for the real thing and did exceptionally well my first time out.
Jason of Hobby-Lobby was gracious enough to join us for an episode of ATTF earlier this year and while we were interviewing him he mentioned Aerofly Professional Deluxe Flight Simulator (AFPD for short). I have tried most of the well known sims, but never had a chance to fly AFPD. Jason mentioned Hodges Hobbies Field and that the USA edition Add-On included Hodges field as one of the scenery options. I was fairly excited about the ability to fly virtually at Hodges without enduring the 10 hour drive from Raleigh. A few weeks following our interview with Jason, a package from Hobby-Lobby showed up on my door step with Aerofly Professional Deluxe and the USA Edition Add-On5.
Installation and Packaging
Aerofly Pro Deluxe can be purchased with or without a controller. The version I received included a USB controller. At first I was not thrilled at the included controller and considered picking up the USB adapter cable that would allow me to use my own transmitter. After the first few flights, I was for the most part convinced that I would in fact purchase the adapter so I wouldn’t have to use the provided stiff and featureless controller, I really didn’t like it. Well, a few weeks later I gave it another try and found that after getting used to it, I prefer it. I don’t have to find my TX or keep it near my PC. I also don’t run the risk of leaving my TX on and running down the battery. While trying some 3D moves, I found that I do better with the high tension sticks since I don’t tend to drift my thumbs. You must make very deliberate moves with this controller and it prevents your thumbs from drifting left or right when you are moving the sticks up and down. I am a thumber, not a pincher and I think I am going to add even more tension to the sticks of my DX7 after using this controller.
The install goes quick and smooth. I had no issues at all. I didn’t even open the manual. Simply drop in the CD and follow the prompts. I tried running the program before updating it. I found that without the patches it runs well. However, I did update it by going to the AFPD website and downloading the latest update. It included all previous updates which makes it easy. Just download the latest version. Once the download is completed simply double click the file and follow the prompts. It is very easy to install and update AFPD. Even a technophobe could do it.
As for the instruction manual, it seems to be very thorough. I didn’t spend a great deal of time with it, but it does seem to answer any question you would have about the install or the controller. And it does a very good job of showing you where items are in the menu system of the sim itself.
LAHeli Ricco SE Review
Picture taken by:Kevin MorrisJames "sparx" Kovach
Chris "JustPlaneChris" Boultinghouse
By Jamie "GFBurke"
By Jamie "GFBurke"
