How to improve 3D skills? GAUI 425

[wingspan99]

I am bent on improving my 3D skills. I have come to the conclusion I need to quit flying fixed wing for a while so my brain can get used to flying backwards, and my hand can get used to pulling the left stick down for negative collective instead of idle on the motor.
I have been practicing on the sim as well. My Raptor 50 lacks power at the altitude of 6100' which in the summer is close to 8000' DA. So I picked up a GAUI 425 EP at IRCHA 2011 and have it ready for radio install.
Anyone got any ideas?
I found a set of X-cell 3D paddles, I had the heavy stock ones on my Raptor 50. 30% heli fuel helped too. I have been practicing forward and reverse and side flips over and over.:blockhead:

[Bigugly]

Looks good, should be easy to see in the air.

[CSpaced]

Looks great Tom, now to put some electronics in it :)

Oh, and I'm digging the decals :D

[wingspan99]

I have that ICE80HV Castle ESC, I ordered a 65amp motor from HobbyPartz.com, I couldn't resist the $25 price. It was 1500kv but I figure I'll use the 14 tooth pinion, maybe even get a 13.
Four $5 servos, they are .11sec/6v, and 2200mah 6s Blue Lipo packs in 40C. I bought a painted 500 size fiberglass canopy too.
The Raptor's new 3D paddles ought to speed up the collective. I think I had them on there before but had problems with pitch-ups in high speed. I may make some head dampeners from JB Weld yet. The Raptor's 6mm spindle precludes using KDBB's variable durometer bushings. Maybe I could upgrade it to 8mm with some different bearings? The Titan seems to use the same 6mm spindle. All other manufacturers have gone with 8mm spindles. Amazing what you can learn in 4 days at IRCHA. Walk to a tent, have a conversation IRL, done. No callbacks, no messages left, right to the source, right to the point. Hey maybe I could use those KDBB bushings if I were to add a 1mm thick bushing to my 6mm spindle inside that bushing. That would build it up enough to use them. They are 80 durometer until they are compressed, then the rubber formulation becomes 120 durometer strength, they are the hot ticket for 3d according to KDBB (is that the right name?).
I decided to film a video of my skills with the Raptor 50 now, it's a baseline. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH7KIS-fD5Q

[wingspan99]

I was short one power connector to the ESC but otherwise the radio and power system went in the Gaui. I forgot how many wires there are with the gyro, five servos, the power system, and the antenna.
I have a HV BEC coming for it and a digital dual BB servo for the gyro to run the tail rotor.
I'll post a pic. Got the new feathering shaft for the Raptor, that will go in tomorrow and maybe I'll get a flight on that machine tomorrow afternoon.
The radio install is rather do-it-yourself, there's not even a picture to show where their receiver went on.
Balance is good, maybe 1/16" forward?
The Helium 500 motor was made for 500 size heli's and has the same size 30x25 stator as the Scorpion motor, except this one says 650 watts on it. That will barely be enough to hover it if that's true. Max efficiency was stated as 50-60amps at up to 6S lipo. That doesn't add up so I don't know what to expect from this motor, maybe a big puff of smoke. Here's the motor: http://www.hobbypartz.com/75m62-helium500-3025-1500kv.html . Maybe it's just undersized for this heli? I already regret not buying the Scorpion motor...

[CSpaced]

I guess give the motor a try, and if all else fails get the Scorpion.

Installing all the wiring is an art in itself!

[wingspan99]

Got the first flights accomplished today. This heli is quite ridiculous, with incredible power I have not seen at this altitude (8300' DA) ever. I'm selling the Raptor 50, or converting it to electric, this is great.
One thing I've noticed is that electric heli's are way more dangerous to handle than any glow machine.
There is 100% of rated power available instantaneously. Fortunately I did my first run-ups without blades, on the workbench, while holding it down carefully, and I'm glad I was so careful because I had to reverse the throttle channel on my Fut 9C to get it all working right. Not before it went to full throttle while trying to figure that out though!. I was ready for weird stuff like that and didn't get hurt, but this thing could getcha right on the work bench, no need to fly it to getcha. I can't imagine an 11 yr old safely working on one of these electric heli's by himself...
I bought a rather patriotic 500 sized canopy from Hobbypartz.com for $20. It is very nice but it is waaay smaller than the Gaui's canopy. I can completely slide the new one inside the Gaui canopy. This is probably more like a 450 canopy but it fit just fine and is actually easier to take on and off since it fits so snugly on the nose without any fastener on the bottom, and it has a metallic black canopy painted on, but is way harder to see on big maneuvers so it's all showey but not all goey (gauiey?).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msEnZZljY24

[CSpaced]

Dude that's awesome! Looks like it has plenty of power! How do you like that GY520? :)

Now there is no stopping you, I wanna see some funnels and hurricanes in the next video! :D

So what kind of flight times are you getting?

[wingspan99]

To see funnels and hurricanes, check the Weather Channel this week, there will be plenty of videos there :)
I've been getting four minutes and putting about 2000mah back in my 2200's. I can't comment on the GY520 yet because I don't have a decent servo attached to it and have to run it in rate gyro mode. If I just bump the voltage to the servos to 6v it may speed up enough to run correctly in heading hold.
I am leaving tomorrow morning for a 9 day trip to Yellowstone NP. My other parts orders will come in during that time and I should be able to get lots of flying in at the house. Being able to charge two packs while doing something else around the house is a real advantage. I can't imagine how many packs I'd need to have to get as much flying in at an RC field that I have to drive to. I think a third pack would help keep things moving along either way. At 4 minutes a flight, I have to fly the elec three times to get the time of one glow flight. I've come to the conclusion that quality trumps quantity, and I'd rather have 4 min of ripping the air with the elec heli than 12 min of slower nitro performance. The Castle ICE80HV has data logging turned on and I will be able to view the rpm and amperage draws of my flights. This should give me a window into the performance that I haven't had before.

[nexgen]

Nice looking bird, I've been flying Gaui for a while and really like it. I started with the same bird, and now have a 550 and an X5. The 425 has a great power to weight ratio as it is as light as it is.

[wingspan99]

I've heard I can stretch my 425 to a 550? Do you know what parts are required to do this?

[nexgen]

All you need is the long boom and belt. Then add 550 blades, and longer tail blades.

Depending in your motor, you will want to setup the gearing so you get 2000-2200rpm or so.

[wingspan99]

Thanks for that info. I have that second kit, at least most if it still. I had to borrow some parts...
I did find a servo quick enough for my tail rotor that allows the heading hold mode at 20%. It's a Hitec mini servo, a HS-225BB metal geared servo. I took off and destroyed the tail rotor and a the tail fin in .000003 seconds when it did a 360 in .0000001 seconds then I set it down. It turns out the servo I replaced ran in the opposite direction, like a reverse servo. So a few new parts from the second Gaui kit later, and after reversing the direction in the radio and in the gyro, it flies great. I did about six flights before falling ill for a week with a cold and infection. Now I'm getting back to it again. I feel I'm on the verge of significant flying breakthroughs. I realized that I have been flying my heli like an airplane because I never really learned to do basic heli maneuovers like nose in circles and such, I basically adapted all my airplane skills to the heli. I haven't flown any fixed wing in two months, not even in the sim. I'm still on dextro products today so maybe tomorrow??

[CSpaced]

Hope you're feeling better!

Now that you have that first, inevitable crash out of the way, it should be smooth sailing to 3D city from here.... right? :D :D

[wingspan99]

Thanks Chris! I'm doing better each day. I got my 6v BEC in the mail, this ought to help speed the servos up, and maybe I can get the tail to 40% AVC? The servo I installed is .11sec at 6v.

[raptorbob]

Tom, interesting that you say you have been flying your heli like a fixed wing, sounds a bit like what I might (or did last Sunday) be experiencing. I gave my Zagi throttle just before gliding in for a landing. 10 minutes later I realized since I'd been flying my Raptor all morning I was just giving (a heli) a little collective for a nice flare before touching down. At the time I did it I found myself thinking ***! I had just thrown it in the car at the last minute but I think I will follow suit and focus totally on heli flying! Sorry you had you slight mishap...Guess we get to were we have been doing this a while and forget to do the basics. Glad you're feeling better.

[wingspan99]

I think for learning 3D heli flying, I have to quit the fixed wing for a while. The inverted flying especially demands opposite instincts from fixed wing flying. Today I'm fogged in with 100ft vis!

[raptorbob]

Our weather has gone to crap as well...85 degrees Thursday, 65 (at best) forecasted for today. May clear up by Sunday though! Time to close the pool!