Blade mCP X
MARK FADELY
44 MODEL AVIATION
off in the confines of indoor spaces.
The review model—the RTF version—
came complete with a DX4e four-channel
transmitter. Everything I needed was inside the
box, including transmitter batteries; a charger;
and two 200 mAh single-cell flight batteries.
Also included were two sets of durable main
rotor blades—one for speed flying and the
other for performance aerobatics.
You can also purchase the mCP X as a
Bind-N-Fly without the transmitter. All you
need in that case is a Spektrum transmitter. The
Bind-N-Fly version saves you approximately
$40 and allows the pilot to utilize all of the
mixing options of a DSM2/X transmitter.
This new model carries on the Blade
tradition of making machines that deliver big
on performance. The original Blade co-axial
twin-rotor helicopters have taught thousands of
eager pilots how to fly an RC rotor wing. With
those aircraft, a raw beginner could take to the
air because of their inherent hands-off stability.
Surviving crashes has proven to be another
element of success for the series.
Several other versions of Blades have been
produced throughout the years, but now the
EVERY SO OFTEN a new product is
released that sets the example for others to
follow. That is exactly what happened recently
when Horizon Hobby put the Blade mCP X
ultramicro RC helicopter on the market. MA
was one of the first groups to get its hands on
one of these sensational models.
What is so amazing about this little
wonder? Super-big 3-D performance in the
smallest of airframes. The new Blade can do
all the cool aerobatics, such as flips, rolls,
loops, inverted flight, funnels, and even
pirouetting flips!
This 9-inch machine has all of the hightech
appointments. Amazingly, it is equipped
with a three-gyro flybarless control system.
Eliminating the flybar gets rid of much
unwanted drag and weight, while making the
controls solid.
The tiny model weighs only 1.6 ounces.
That helps it maneuver through aerobatics, and
its low mass minimizes damage from crashes.
The review aircraft has been crashed many
times with no damage whatsoever.
Crash resistance is important in helping
boost a pilot’s confidence while he or she is
learning new moves. Flying inside with no
wind factor is also very nice. You certainly can
fly the mCP X outdoors in light winds as well,
but its nimble performance begs to be shown
The Blade
ultramicro lineup
goes flybarless
Shown are the mCP X “brains.” All
electronics for the receiver and the threeaxis
flybarless gyros fit on this mini circuit
board. There is probably more computing
power on this board than there was on the
first Apollo mission to the moon!
Left: Everything
is in the box; the
RTF version
includes the
transmitter,
charger, two
flight-batteries,
and even dry-cell
batteries for the
DX4e DSM2
transmitter.
The Blade mCP X locks into an inverted
hover, similar to how the bigger
helicopters do. It’s hard to believe that
this model is only 9 inches long and weighs
only 1.60 ounces. It can do flips and rolls,
fly backward, and do nearly anything else
you can imagine.
06sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/21/11 12:50 PM Page 44
June 2011 45
Photos by the author Specifications
Skill level: Intermediate
Type: Ultramicro collective-pitch
helicopter
Rotor diameter: 245mm
Weight: 45.5 grams
Length: 235mm
Height: 93mm
Radio: DX4e DSMX system
(included with RTF)
Power: Two single-cell,
200 mAh 25c batteries
Charger: Celectra 1S 3.7 Variable
Rate DC Li-Poly charger
Flight time: Three to six minutes
Price: $219.99 for RTF;
179.99 for BNF
+
• Wide flight envelope allows pilots
to learn more maneuvers.
• Crash-damage resistance is excellent.
• Ready to fly out of the box; no tuning
or adjustments needed.
• Inexpensive way to get a highperformance
helicopter. -•
Throttle-hold switch is on opposite
side of included transmitter.
• Battery lasts only three minutes for
3-D (and six minutes for sport flying).
progression of great models has skipped
forward a few generations. The mCP X is
smaller, lighter, and packed with more features
than ever.
The components of this diminutive
machine are feats of modern engineering and
manufacturing. The main “brain” electronics
board contains the receiver and flybarless head
system integrated with the linear-movement
cyclic servos. The servos are even dual-ballbearing
supported!
Horizon Hobby is trademarking its
flybarless system and naming it “AS3X.” This
is the first helicopter of this size to incorporate
flybarless head control.
You might be asking yourself if you are
ready for an advanced helicopter such as this.
If you can confidently control one of the other
Blade co-axial or single-rotor machines, yes;
you are ready.
The controls are extremely responsive, such
as those in the larger 3-D helicopters, but the
mCP X is also extraordinarily stable. It is
marketed as an intermediate machine for ages
14 and older and will take your flying to a new
level when you are ready.
Flying: Strap on your seatbelt and get ready
for some big fun when you get this palm-sized
helicopter airborne. Spooling up and lifting off
for the first time was uneventful, because this
ultramicro settled into a solid chest-high hover.
When the mCP X had been in the air for
more than 10 seconds, I thought it was time
for inverted flight. I flipped the idle-up switch
on the left side of the DX4e to “stunt mode.”
A gentle blip of positive collective was
entered immediately before pulling full backelevator
for an easy back flip to nose-in
inverted.
I thought, Wow! This thing feels great.
The special-speed rotor blades had already
been installed, so the little helicopter’s flight
characteristics were docile. I flew it around
inverted in forward and backward circuits for
a while.
The performance blades are a bit more
active and are designed for full-out 3-D in
small spaces. I flew the machine through all of
the basic 3-D maneuvers I could think of, and
it did great!
The only thing that separates it from large
outdoor models is tic-toc and pirouetting
Pluses and Minuses
The author shows
the stability of the
mCP X in inverted
flight. It can be flown
indoors and outdoors
in calm conditions.
Right: The attractive mCP X comes
complete with two sets of rotor blades:
one for crazy aerobatics and the other for
faster, smoother flight. It is totally
aerobatic with either set installed. Stability
and tracking are impressive for such a
small, light machine.
performance; those tricks cannot be executed
as crisply as with larger machines. But that is
to be expected from such a small, lightly
constructed helicopter.
The Blade mCP X fills a niche in the RC
helicopter market that was previously
unoccupied: indoor 3-D. It makes limitedspace
aerobatic practice a reality and is a
godsend for pilots who live where outdoor
weather restricts their flying.
The mCP X is not a replacement for bigger
models; it’s an addition of a fun ultrasmall
machine that has similar performance to its
larger counterparts. I highly recommend this
little gem to anyone who is comfortable with
forward flight with other helicopters. It’s a
blast! MA
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Blade/Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
(800) 338-4639
www.bladehelis.com
06sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/21/11 12:52 PM Page 45
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/06
Page Numbers: 44,45
Edition: Model Aviation - 2011/06
Page Numbers: 44,45
Blade mCP X
MARK FADELY
44 MODEL AVIATION
off in the confines of indoor spaces.
The review model—the RTF version—
came complete with a DX4e four-channel
transmitter. Everything I needed was inside the
box, including transmitter batteries; a charger;
and two 200 mAh single-cell flight batteries.
Also included were two sets of durable main
rotor blades—one for speed flying and the
other for performance aerobatics.
You can also purchase the mCP X as a
Bind-N-Fly without the transmitter. All you
need in that case is a Spektrum transmitter. The
Bind-N-Fly version saves you approximately
$40 and allows the pilot to utilize all of the
mixing options of a DSM2/X transmitter.
This new model carries on the Blade
tradition of making machines that deliver big
on performance. The original Blade co-axial
twin-rotor helicopters have taught thousands of
eager pilots how to fly an RC rotor wing. With
those aircraft, a raw beginner could take to the
air because of their inherent hands-off stability.
Surviving crashes has proven to be another
element of success for the series.
Several other versions of Blades have been
produced throughout the years, but now the
EVERY SO OFTEN a new product is
released that sets the example for others to
follow. That is exactly what happened recently
when Horizon Hobby put the Blade mCP X
ultramicro RC helicopter on the market. MA
was one of the first groups to get its hands on
one of these sensational models.
What is so amazing about this little
wonder? Super-big 3-D performance in the
smallest of airframes. The new Blade can do
all the cool aerobatics, such as flips, rolls,
loops, inverted flight, funnels, and even
pirouetting flips!
This 9-inch machine has all of the hightech
appointments. Amazingly, it is equipped
with a three-gyro flybarless control system.
Eliminating the flybar gets rid of much
unwanted drag and weight, while making the
controls solid.
The tiny model weighs only 1.6 ounces.
That helps it maneuver through aerobatics, and
its low mass minimizes damage from crashes.
The review aircraft has been crashed many
times with no damage whatsoever.
Crash resistance is important in helping
boost a pilot’s confidence while he or she is
learning new moves. Flying inside with no
wind factor is also very nice. You certainly can
fly the mCP X outdoors in light winds as well,
but its nimble performance begs to be shown
The Blade
ultramicro lineup
goes flybarless
Shown are the mCP X “brains.” All
electronics for the receiver and the threeaxis
flybarless gyros fit on this mini circuit
board. There is probably more computing
power on this board than there was on the
first Apollo mission to the moon!
Left: Everything
is in the box; the
RTF version
includes the
transmitter,
charger, two
flight-batteries,
and even dry-cell
batteries for the
DX4e DSM2
transmitter.
The Blade mCP X locks into an inverted
hover, similar to how the bigger
helicopters do. It’s hard to believe that
this model is only 9 inches long and weighs
only 1.60 ounces. It can do flips and rolls,
fly backward, and do nearly anything else
you can imagine.
06sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/21/11 12:50 PM Page 44
June 2011 45
Photos by the author Specifications
Skill level: Intermediate
Type: Ultramicro collective-pitch
helicopter
Rotor diameter: 245mm
Weight: 45.5 grams
Length: 235mm
Height: 93mm
Radio: DX4e DSMX system
(included with RTF)
Power: Two single-cell,
200 mAh 25c batteries
Charger: Celectra 1S 3.7 Variable
Rate DC Li-Poly charger
Flight time: Three to six minutes
Price: $219.99 for RTF;
179.99 for BNF
+
• Wide flight envelope allows pilots
to learn more maneuvers.
• Crash-damage resistance is excellent.
• Ready to fly out of the box; no tuning
or adjustments needed.
• Inexpensive way to get a highperformance
helicopter. -•
Throttle-hold switch is on opposite
side of included transmitter.
• Battery lasts only three minutes for
3-D (and six minutes for sport flying).
progression of great models has skipped
forward a few generations. The mCP X is
smaller, lighter, and packed with more features
than ever.
The components of this diminutive
machine are feats of modern engineering and
manufacturing. The main “brain” electronics
board contains the receiver and flybarless head
system integrated with the linear-movement
cyclic servos. The servos are even dual-ballbearing
supported!
Horizon Hobby is trademarking its
flybarless system and naming it “AS3X.” This
is the first helicopter of this size to incorporate
flybarless head control.
You might be asking yourself if you are
ready for an advanced helicopter such as this.
If you can confidently control one of the other
Blade co-axial or single-rotor machines, yes;
you are ready.
The controls are extremely responsive, such
as those in the larger 3-D helicopters, but the
mCP X is also extraordinarily stable. It is
marketed as an intermediate machine for ages
14 and older and will take your flying to a new
level when you are ready.
Flying: Strap on your seatbelt and get ready
for some big fun when you get this palm-sized
helicopter airborne. Spooling up and lifting off
for the first time was uneventful, because this
ultramicro settled into a solid chest-high hover.
When the mCP X had been in the air for
more than 10 seconds, I thought it was time
for inverted flight. I flipped the idle-up switch
on the left side of the DX4e to “stunt mode.”
A gentle blip of positive collective was
entered immediately before pulling full backelevator
for an easy back flip to nose-in
inverted.
I thought, Wow! This thing feels great.
The special-speed rotor blades had already
been installed, so the little helicopter’s flight
characteristics were docile. I flew it around
inverted in forward and backward circuits for
a while.
The performance blades are a bit more
active and are designed for full-out 3-D in
small spaces. I flew the machine through all of
the basic 3-D maneuvers I could think of, and
it did great!
The only thing that separates it from large
outdoor models is tic-toc and pirouetting
Pluses and Minuses
The author shows
the stability of the
mCP X in inverted
flight. It can be flown
indoors and outdoors
in calm conditions.
Right: The attractive mCP X comes
complete with two sets of rotor blades:
one for crazy aerobatics and the other for
faster, smoother flight. It is totally
aerobatic with either set installed. Stability
and tracking are impressive for such a
small, light machine.
performance; those tricks cannot be executed
as crisply as with larger machines. But that is
to be expected from such a small, lightly
constructed helicopter.
The Blade mCP X fills a niche in the RC
helicopter market that was previously
unoccupied: indoor 3-D. It makes limitedspace
aerobatic practice a reality and is a
godsend for pilots who live where outdoor
weather restricts their flying.
The mCP X is not a replacement for bigger
models; it’s an addition of a fun ultrasmall
machine that has similar performance to its
larger counterparts. I highly recommend this
little gem to anyone who is comfortable with
forward flight with other helicopters. It’s a
blast! MA
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Blade/Horizon Hobby Distributors
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
(800) 338-4639
www.bladehelis.com
06sig2.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 4/21/11 12:52 PM Page 45