THANKS FOR
stopping by this
month. I hope some
of you are enjoying
a break from the
cold weather by
now.
I have been
discussing how
indoor flying helps
soothe the bite of
winter weather and
our grounded
outdoor aircraft.
Increasingly popular, indoor events
keep RC skills sharp by piloting small
electric-powered aircraft. Although
everyone seems to enjoy indoor
models, there is still nothing like the
larger, nitromethane-powered outdoor
craft.
Sometimes I hear pilots say, “It
flies almost like a 90.” Nearly
everyone agrees that the 90-size nitro
helicopters are what everything else is
judged against. When it comes to pure
flight performance and duration,
nothing can come close.
When you prepare your model for
its first flights of the season, there are
a few things you should check. It is a
good idea to run some oil through the
engine, to help eliminate any rust buildup. There are several
“after-run” oils on the market for this purpose.
If you store your helicopters in an unheated area, rust can
quickly foul the inside of a nitro engine. It is prudent to remove
the backplate so that the rear bearing can be inspected. If there is
rust, you should remove the bearing and clean all of the inner
surfaces of the engine before starting it. Most modern fuels have a
rust inhibitor in the formula, but some are more effective than
others.
Flight-pack batteries are another important item to watch
closely. In time, all batteries lose capacity, and other chemical
changes can occur in the cells during long periods of inactivity.
Wow, why didn’t I check that?
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Preparing for the season’s first
flights
• Tom Schwyn’s T-Rex 250
• The Revell Fire Strike
• The Thunder Tiger mini Titan
Above: The four independent
rotor blades of the Revell Fire
Strike Pro 4 steer the model
with uncanny effectiveness.
Left: Michael Ramsey shows
off his stable and responsive
Cobra gunship. Mechanics
are from a mini Titan e325.
MA’s Michael Ramsey (center) and Jay Smith (with camera) had a
great time at the Westfield IN Indoor Fun-Fly.
Jim McDonald of Kokomo IN bought this Blade CX-2 from AMA’s
Jack Frost. Jack installed a custom-designed light set on this micro
coaxial helicopter.
To be on the safe side, I replace the batteries in my helicopters
every year.
Remove the canopy and carefully inspect all of the wiring.
Follow each wire along its entire length, to make sure there is no
fraying or chafing. If you see a spot where some insulation has
been rubbed off, reroute the wires to eliminate that interference.
Wire chafing is a major problem for our models as well as fullscale
helicopters. In older FM-modulated radio systems, a
April 2009 125
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 10:55 AM Page 125
126 MODEL AVIATION
helicopter would usually start glitching when wire chafing got
worse. That was a nice warning signal that something needed to
be fixed before it was too late.
Glitches are masked by the new 2.4 GHz spread spectrum
radio systems. The signal and link to the aircraft is so good that
small interferences go unnoticed. That makes thoroughly
inspecting our machines even more crucial.
Other parts of the mechanics should be inspected closely as
well. Over time, stress cracks can form in nearly any part of the
helicopter. Aluminum side frames are especially notorious for
this problem.
Remove the canopy from your model and examine all areas
of the framework. Look for missing bolts, too. Sometimes a
bolt will break off and you never even know it. Landing-gear
bolts are known for this. If you find any shafts with rust, now is
a good time to wipe them off and apply a thin coat of oil.
Nitro-powered models are usually self-lubricating and do
not need to be oiled, but some large outdoor electric models
gather a significant coating of rust on some components. Check
all the things you can to avoid that bad feeling you get when
something goes wrong and you think, “Wow, why didn’t I
check that?”
Indoor flying is still the main event for model flying at this
time of year. Locally we had a recent get-together in Anderson,
Indiana. We fly inside an aircraft hangar at the Anderson
Municipal Airport.
On Saturdays during the winter, 35-40 pilots come out of
hibernation to enjoy some room-temperature flying. During my
most recent trip to Anderson, I met up with my friend, Tom
Schwyn. Tom had a new T-Rex 250 with him. The 250-size
models are becoming popular.
Gaui offers a 200-size helicopter that is slightly smaller than
the T-Rex version. The 200-class models are small, but their
control systems are configured identically to those in the bigger
450- and 500-class models.
I asked Tom what his thoughts were on the new micro TRex
250. He said:
“I really like the T-Rex 250. I have a number of the Align
machines and I would say what impresses me most about this
little 250 is how tight the mechanics are. It is very stable in
flight because of the good fit of the components. It feels like
you are flying a larger helicopter because it is so smooth. The
parts look exactly like the larger T-Rex 450, just in a smaller
size.
“The parts are
also all CNC
Early reports have fueled a frenzy of interest in this micro helicopter. The T-Rex 250 is
fully 3-D-capable and stable in flight.
Tom Schwyn’s Align T-Rex 250 combines
all the features of the larger machines in a
scaled-down size.
machine made for close tolerances. I have the optional carbon
fiber side frames on mine and I’m using the carbon 3-D main
blades.”
Thanks for the information, Tom. That looks like a fun little
model to fly. Who would have thought there would be a fully 3-
D-capable model in such a small size? It is amazing!
I have to mention another model that my son and I have had fun
with. It is the Revell Fire Strike CH-47 indoor helicopter. This
little machine is built from foam and has twin rotors, as does the
full-scale CH-47. It is prepainted with all of the military
markings.
We have had a blast with this micro helicopter, because you
can crash it myriad ways and it seldom sustains damage. It has
an IR (infrared) control system that works well as long as no
interference is present. Our model has crashed at full speed,
inverted, from 50 feet, and lived to fly again.
The twin-rotor system is coaxial; there are four main rotor
blades. An internal computer coordinates the four independent
rotor blades, enabling full proportional control over altitude,
cyclic, and rudder. Flying it takes some getting used to, because
the yaw control is on the right stick instead of the left.
Michael Ramsey and Jay Smith, MA’s editor and assistant
editor, made a trip to fly at one of our local indoor events this
season. It was the first time I had met Jay. He has been working
for MA for only a few months. You might remember seeing his
great coverage of the 2008 Nats in the magazine.
Michael brought his Thunder Tiger mini Titan E325 in a
Super Cobra body. His model is the receiver-ready version,
which includes an eCCPM mixer and rudder gyro unit.
Michael says that the little helicopter is extremely stable with
a positive feel on the controls. I watched him wring it out in the
indoor arena and it looked impressive. The Cobra fuselage looks
fantastic.
Next month I will share a report about the Great Planes E-Fest.
That will be our last indoor report for the year.
We are lucky to be able to fly models indoors during the
winter, but I am looking forward to getting back outside and
flying larger machines. As I mentioned earlier, make sure you
check your helicopters thoroughly before those initial flights of
the new season.
I hope everyone has a good start to the flying season. I will
be back here next time. MA
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 11:03 AM Page 126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 125,126
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/04
Page Numbers: 125,126
THANKS FOR
stopping by this
month. I hope some
of you are enjoying
a break from the
cold weather by
now.
I have been
discussing how
indoor flying helps
soothe the bite of
winter weather and
our grounded
outdoor aircraft.
Increasingly popular, indoor events
keep RC skills sharp by piloting small
electric-powered aircraft. Although
everyone seems to enjoy indoor
models, there is still nothing like the
larger, nitromethane-powered outdoor
craft.
Sometimes I hear pilots say, “It
flies almost like a 90.” Nearly
everyone agrees that the 90-size nitro
helicopters are what everything else is
judged against. When it comes to pure
flight performance and duration,
nothing can come close.
When you prepare your model for
its first flights of the season, there are
a few things you should check. It is a
good idea to run some oil through the
engine, to help eliminate any rust buildup. There are several
“after-run” oils on the market for this purpose.
If you store your helicopters in an unheated area, rust can
quickly foul the inside of a nitro engine. It is prudent to remove
the backplate so that the rear bearing can be inspected. If there is
rust, you should remove the bearing and clean all of the inner
surfaces of the engine before starting it. Most modern fuels have a
rust inhibitor in the formula, but some are more effective than
others.
Flight-pack batteries are another important item to watch
closely. In time, all batteries lose capacity, and other chemical
changes can occur in the cells during long periods of inactivity.
Wow, why didn’t I check that?
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Preparing for the season’s first
flights
• Tom Schwyn’s T-Rex 250
• The Revell Fire Strike
• The Thunder Tiger mini Titan
Above: The four independent
rotor blades of the Revell Fire
Strike Pro 4 steer the model
with uncanny effectiveness.
Left: Michael Ramsey shows
off his stable and responsive
Cobra gunship. Mechanics
are from a mini Titan e325.
MA’s Michael Ramsey (center) and Jay Smith (with camera) had a
great time at the Westfield IN Indoor Fun-Fly.
Jim McDonald of Kokomo IN bought this Blade CX-2 from AMA’s
Jack Frost. Jack installed a custom-designed light set on this micro
coaxial helicopter.
To be on the safe side, I replace the batteries in my helicopters
every year.
Remove the canopy and carefully inspect all of the wiring.
Follow each wire along its entire length, to make sure there is no
fraying or chafing. If you see a spot where some insulation has
been rubbed off, reroute the wires to eliminate that interference.
Wire chafing is a major problem for our models as well as fullscale
helicopters. In older FM-modulated radio systems, a
April 2009 125
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 10:55 AM Page 125
126 MODEL AVIATION
helicopter would usually start glitching when wire chafing got
worse. That was a nice warning signal that something needed to
be fixed before it was too late.
Glitches are masked by the new 2.4 GHz spread spectrum
radio systems. The signal and link to the aircraft is so good that
small interferences go unnoticed. That makes thoroughly
inspecting our machines even more crucial.
Other parts of the mechanics should be inspected closely as
well. Over time, stress cracks can form in nearly any part of the
helicopter. Aluminum side frames are especially notorious for
this problem.
Remove the canopy from your model and examine all areas
of the framework. Look for missing bolts, too. Sometimes a
bolt will break off and you never even know it. Landing-gear
bolts are known for this. If you find any shafts with rust, now is
a good time to wipe them off and apply a thin coat of oil.
Nitro-powered models are usually self-lubricating and do
not need to be oiled, but some large outdoor electric models
gather a significant coating of rust on some components. Check
all the things you can to avoid that bad feeling you get when
something goes wrong and you think, “Wow, why didn’t I
check that?”
Indoor flying is still the main event for model flying at this
time of year. Locally we had a recent get-together in Anderson,
Indiana. We fly inside an aircraft hangar at the Anderson
Municipal Airport.
On Saturdays during the winter, 35-40 pilots come out of
hibernation to enjoy some room-temperature flying. During my
most recent trip to Anderson, I met up with my friend, Tom
Schwyn. Tom had a new T-Rex 250 with him. The 250-size
models are becoming popular.
Gaui offers a 200-size helicopter that is slightly smaller than
the T-Rex version. The 200-class models are small, but their
control systems are configured identically to those in the bigger
450- and 500-class models.
I asked Tom what his thoughts were on the new micro TRex
250. He said:
“I really like the T-Rex 250. I have a number of the Align
machines and I would say what impresses me most about this
little 250 is how tight the mechanics are. It is very stable in
flight because of the good fit of the components. It feels like
you are flying a larger helicopter because it is so smooth. The
parts look exactly like the larger T-Rex 450, just in a smaller
size.
“The parts are
also all CNC
Early reports have fueled a frenzy of interest in this micro helicopter. The T-Rex 250 is
fully 3-D-capable and stable in flight.
Tom Schwyn’s Align T-Rex 250 combines
all the features of the larger machines in a
scaled-down size.
machine made for close tolerances. I have the optional carbon
fiber side frames on mine and I’m using the carbon 3-D main
blades.”
Thanks for the information, Tom. That looks like a fun little
model to fly. Who would have thought there would be a fully 3-
D-capable model in such a small size? It is amazing!
I have to mention another model that my son and I have had fun
with. It is the Revell Fire Strike CH-47 indoor helicopter. This
little machine is built from foam and has twin rotors, as does the
full-scale CH-47. It is prepainted with all of the military
markings.
We have had a blast with this micro helicopter, because you
can crash it myriad ways and it seldom sustains damage. It has
an IR (infrared) control system that works well as long as no
interference is present. Our model has crashed at full speed,
inverted, from 50 feet, and lived to fly again.
The twin-rotor system is coaxial; there are four main rotor
blades. An internal computer coordinates the four independent
rotor blades, enabling full proportional control over altitude,
cyclic, and rudder. Flying it takes some getting used to, because
the yaw control is on the right stick instead of the left.
Michael Ramsey and Jay Smith, MA’s editor and assistant
editor, made a trip to fly at one of our local indoor events this
season. It was the first time I had met Jay. He has been working
for MA for only a few months. You might remember seeing his
great coverage of the 2008 Nats in the magazine.
Michael brought his Thunder Tiger mini Titan E325 in a
Super Cobra body. His model is the receiver-ready version,
which includes an eCCPM mixer and rudder gyro unit.
Michael says that the little helicopter is extremely stable with
a positive feel on the controls. I watched him wring it out in the
indoor arena and it looked impressive. The Cobra fuselage looks
fantastic.
Next month I will share a report about the Great Planes E-Fest.
That will be our last indoor report for the year.
We are lucky to be able to fly models indoors during the
winter, but I am looking forward to getting back outside and
flying larger machines. As I mentioned earlier, make sure you
check your helicopters thoroughly before those initial flights of
the new season.
I hope everyone has a good start to the flying season. I will
be back here next time. MA
04sig4.QXD 2/24/09 11:03 AM Page 126