I dIdn’t do this project alone. I have my
father and brother to thank, not only for the
help, but also for learning to fly helicopters
in the first place.
The little Heli-Max Novus CX I started
with proved to be a great learning tool and a
lot of fun. From that practice, I had almost
no trouble learning to fly the Axe 400 RTF.
The Axe 400 is available in two
versions. The Rx-R is the fully assembled
helicopter (ready for your receiver). The
RTF includes the bulletproof Futaba 6EX
FASST (Futaba Advanced Spread Spectrum
Technology) radio with a seven-channel
R617 FASST receiver already installed.
Each model needs a suitable flight
battery and compatible charger. I’m flying
the RTF, and my brother, William, picked
up the Rx-R version for some fun. We
traded canopies. The RTF comes with a red
design, and the green canopy comes with the
Rx-R machine.
I call the Axe 400 a “basic” helicopter,
meaning that it mainly consists of plastic
parts but is designed around a robust and
trustworthy mechanical system. This keeps
the cost low and replacement parts less
expensive.
A plastic helicopter is fine for basic
flying and better in some cases, because the
parts will flex instead of bend or break. Even
the frame is plastic, and it has only three
main pieces. It’s not at all complex, like
those carbon designs with 10 times the parts.
The head mechanics include stainlesssteel
ball links and pushrods that have fine
threads for precise adjustment. The
swashplate links to three Futaba S3114
microservos (which I like for their power
and good center-finding ability) and a fourth
point on the swashplate for rotation
prevention. That’s great support for an area
of the Axe that means everything to stability.
The flybar cage is the underslung,
wraparound type that is known to be stable
and needing no maintenance. The paddles
are thin and light, which will be an asset later
when aerobatics will be my interest.
The plastic head and blade grips offer
decent support with average dampening.
Twin bearings in each grip offer enough
support for sport and less-aggressive 3-D
flying.
A belt drives from a spur gear at the
frame to the tail rotor. The tail control itself
includes a dual-point slide linkage that was
tight out of the box.
Some light oil and exercise with my
fingers loosened the slider after a few
minutes of work. A smooth-operating tail
linkage will help a pilot experience a precise
feel in flight.
The included 425 brushless outrunner
motor offers a lot of power; I had no
complaints, anyway. The supplied ESC did
really well for me while I was learning to
hover and doing basic flight.
Not much cool air can circulate inside the
canopy. A 3-D pilot would be smart to
relocate the ESC to an area outside the
canopy on the frame.
Dad was playing with the machine one
day and accidentally switched from the
throttle-hold mode straight to the aerobatic
mode and “popped” the controller—he let
the smoke out. Since then my Axe has been
set up with an ESC that offers slow startup.
That should prevent an accidental switch
goof from causing permanent damage.
The box reads “3D Ready,” but don’t let
that scare you if you’re a novice hoverer, as I
am. We found out that the programming
suggestions included with the Rx-R manual
described a tame setup.
My RTF came with swashplate mixing
on the collective (throttle) stick at 35%—
less-sensitive response. This way it is easy to
hold the machine in a rock-solid hover. I
think that I advanced a lot quicker into other
hover attitudes and soon into forward flight.
You 3-D pilots will want to change the
“Swash AFR” so that the servos input more
collective pitch throw. A CCPM
(Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing) collective
value of 50% made my helicopter much
more aggressive; climbouts were faster, and
so were the stops.
The recommended high and low rates
were on the money, as far as I was
concerned. The recommended exponential
September 2010 47
This model is available as an RTF (shown) or Rx-R version that needs only your favorite
transmitter and receiver. The instructions are well written.
The flight battery and charger are required
for either the Rx-R or RTF Axe 400. A 25-
30C 2100 mAh 3S Li-Poly will provide up
to eight minutes of flying.
Included Futaba S3114 servos are strong
and installed mechanically centered so they
will work with any brand of radio system.
The Heli-Max Web site includes updated
tips on adjusting the included headinglock
gyro.
programming in the rudder will probably be
removed as I develop a more aggressive flying
style.
The Axe 400 is decorated with an oversized
canopy that is colored on the inside for a long
and durable finish. The servos are correctly
centered and the pushrod lengths are set at the
factory. That’s a tedious job sometimes.
The flight-mode switch on the transmitter
didn’t work at first. For 3-D aerobatics and
inverted flying, programming in the transmitter
has to be uninhibited and adjusted.
That wasn’t hard to do. The Axe 400
instructions and full Futaba 6EX FASST
manual are clearly written and simple to
follow. The model manual takes the user step
by step through every part of the helicopter and
its setup.
Even though the helicopter came ready to
fly, it’s nice to learn how easily everything
works. When I’ve broken it—okay, my dad
broke it—the manual was great for helping us
find what parts were needed and how to tear
down the mechanics and replace the pieces.
Choose a high-quality, three-cell Li-Poly
flight pack, such as that from ElectriFly, that
has a capacity of at least 2100 mAh. It will
provide four to eight minutes of flying time and
can take the power demand from the strong
motor system. We use the new ElectriFly
Triton EQ charger to replenish the battery and
monitor the cell conditions to make sure they
are healthy.
The Futaba 6EX FASST radio included
with the RTF is good for any airplane or
helicopter, and it has memory for five other
aircraft. The system takes eight AA batteries so
the transmitter is quickly ready to use, like the
Li-Poly batteries used in the helicopter.
Whether you pick the Rx-R or RTF Axe
400, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by
the forward flight performance—and backward
flight performance at that. There are a few
things to check before the first hover.
Look at the paddles and be certain that they
are aligned with the cage and each other. One
of our machines came with a tight gear mesh
between the main gear and motor. Make sure
there is just enough lash between the teeth to
prevent strain and premature wear of the parts.
The gyro mode came with 45% headinghold
gain in both switch positions. The RTF
and Rx-R needed tail-control tweaking.
We made one of the transmitter gyro switch
positions the normal gyro mode point with the
same recommended gain (45%). In the normal
mode we quickly learned what mechanical
The author’s big brother liked the Axe 400 so much that he got an Rx-R version.
Indoors or out, this is a solid aircraft.
Photos by Michael and William Ramsey
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:00 AM Page 47
48 MODEL AVIATION
Specifications adjustment was required to center the tail
linkage. Once that was done, the heading-hold
mode worked perfectly.
Don’t forget to check the blade tracking.
Instructions and tracking tape are included, but
you’ll want a good blade balancer such as the
Heli-Max Heli Blade Balancer (item
HMXR4855) to nail the blade CG and total
weight. Good balance, blade CG, and tracking
will virtually eliminate the largest sources of
vibration from causing havoc.
Aerobatic mode increases the head speed
approximately 20%, which helps the Axe 400
penetrate wind and carry energy into tall loops
and rolling maneuvers that could go from one
end of the runway to the other. The bright
canopy and white tail fins help tremendously
with visibility.
Preset limits of the controls offer smooth
commands. When I want faster flip and roll
rates, I’ll increase the swashplate mixing values.
The Axe has been a lot of fun to fly. In a
winter and summer of flying I’ve worn through
the plastic tail box; the shaft bearings came
loose inside the plastic case. I’m also starting to
wear out the head mechanics.
Heli-Max has yet to release the aluminum
upgrades for this machine. I have found out that
the dimensions of the Axe closely match those
of the models sold overseas as aftermarket TRex
clones.
The swashplate has been a tricky match to
find in aluminum, but experimentation with
parts and discovery of what makes a helicopter
work has been a fun part of the hobby that I
never knew existed.
My only wish is that future Axes come with
a more advanced gyro. I’ve upgraded my
helicopter to use the Futaba GY-401 gyro,
which has more reliable sensing electronics. A
high-speed tail-rotor servo greatly improves
tail-rotor holding power.
I recommend the Axe 400 to anyone who is
starting with advanced RC helicopters. The
RTF is a great value for the money. It will help
a flier through the early stages of hovering and
later speed him or her into advanced flying.
The instructions for this model are
extremely well written for the beginner,
which helped me to better understand how
these aircraft work. That encouraged me to
look forward to my next 3-D helicopter
experience. MA
Jacob Ramsey
[email protected]
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Heli-Max/Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
(217) 398-8970
www.helimax-rc.com
Sources:
Futaba
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com
ElectriFly
(217) 398-8970
www.electrifly.com
Pluses and Minuses
+•
Simple design with solid mechanics.
• Reliable Futaba servos and FASST
control system.
• 30-amp brushless ESC with 2-amp BEC.
• Brushless outrunner with built-in
cooling fan.
• Full ball-bearing support and solid inflight
feel. -•
Heli-Max 4000 heading lock gyro has
limited performance.
• Flight battery and charger not included.
Test-Model Details
Motor used: Heli-Max 420 Brushless
outrunner (included)
Battery: ElectriFly Power Series T-Rex
2200 mAh, 11.1-volt 25C Li-Poly
Radio system: Futaba 6EX FASST
transmitter, R617 receiver, four Futaba
S3114 servos, Heli-Max Heading Lock
Gyro (item HM4000), ElectriFly 30-amp
ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 25 ounces
Flight duration: 4-8 minutes
Type: RTF or Rx-R 450-class electricpowered
helicopter
Skill level: Beginner
Rotor diameter: 27.5 inches
Blade size: 325mm
Length: 24 inches
Motor: 300-watt high-kV outrunner
Construction: Molded plastic main
frame and mechanics
Control system: Direct-link eCCPM
mechanics
Tail control: Aluminum tube with belt
tail drive
Canopy: Interior finish, lightweight
plastic
Power: 3S 20-30C Li-Poly recommended
RTF requires: Eight AA batteries, 3S
Li-Poly flight battery, charger
RxR requires: Six-channel helicopter
transmitter and receiver, 3S Li-Poly
battery, charger
Price: $199.98 (Rx-R) to $329.97 (RTF)
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:01 AM Page 48
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/09
Page Numbers: 46,47,48
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/09
Page Numbers: 46,47,48
I dIdn’t do this project alone. I have my
father and brother to thank, not only for the
help, but also for learning to fly helicopters
in the first place.
The little Heli-Max Novus CX I started
with proved to be a great learning tool and a
lot of fun. From that practice, I had almost
no trouble learning to fly the Axe 400 RTF.
The Axe 400 is available in two
versions. The Rx-R is the fully assembled
helicopter (ready for your receiver). The
RTF includes the bulletproof Futaba 6EX
FASST (Futaba Advanced Spread Spectrum
Technology) radio with a seven-channel
R617 FASST receiver already installed.
Each model needs a suitable flight
battery and compatible charger. I’m flying
the RTF, and my brother, William, picked
up the Rx-R version for some fun. We
traded canopies. The RTF comes with a red
design, and the green canopy comes with the
Rx-R machine.
I call the Axe 400 a “basic” helicopter,
meaning that it mainly consists of plastic
parts but is designed around a robust and
trustworthy mechanical system. This keeps
the cost low and replacement parts less
expensive.
A plastic helicopter is fine for basic
flying and better in some cases, because the
parts will flex instead of bend or break. Even
the frame is plastic, and it has only three
main pieces. It’s not at all complex, like
those carbon designs with 10 times the parts.
The head mechanics include stainlesssteel
ball links and pushrods that have fine
threads for precise adjustment. The
swashplate links to three Futaba S3114
microservos (which I like for their power
and good center-finding ability) and a fourth
point on the swashplate for rotation
prevention. That’s great support for an area
of the Axe that means everything to stability.
The flybar cage is the underslung,
wraparound type that is known to be stable
and needing no maintenance. The paddles
are thin and light, which will be an asset later
when aerobatics will be my interest.
The plastic head and blade grips offer
decent support with average dampening.
Twin bearings in each grip offer enough
support for sport and less-aggressive 3-D
flying.
A belt drives from a spur gear at the
frame to the tail rotor. The tail control itself
includes a dual-point slide linkage that was
tight out of the box.
Some light oil and exercise with my
fingers loosened the slider after a few
minutes of work. A smooth-operating tail
linkage will help a pilot experience a precise
feel in flight.
The included 425 brushless outrunner
motor offers a lot of power; I had no
complaints, anyway. The supplied ESC did
really well for me while I was learning to
hover and doing basic flight.
Not much cool air can circulate inside the
canopy. A 3-D pilot would be smart to
relocate the ESC to an area outside the
canopy on the frame.
Dad was playing with the machine one
day and accidentally switched from the
throttle-hold mode straight to the aerobatic
mode and “popped” the controller—he let
the smoke out. Since then my Axe has been
set up with an ESC that offers slow startup.
That should prevent an accidental switch
goof from causing permanent damage.
The box reads “3D Ready,” but don’t let
that scare you if you’re a novice hoverer, as I
am. We found out that the programming
suggestions included with the Rx-R manual
described a tame setup.
My RTF came with swashplate mixing
on the collective (throttle) stick at 35%—
less-sensitive response. This way it is easy to
hold the machine in a rock-solid hover. I
think that I advanced a lot quicker into other
hover attitudes and soon into forward flight.
You 3-D pilots will want to change the
“Swash AFR” so that the servos input more
collective pitch throw. A CCPM
(Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing) collective
value of 50% made my helicopter much
more aggressive; climbouts were faster, and
so were the stops.
The recommended high and low rates
were on the money, as far as I was
concerned. The recommended exponential
September 2010 47
This model is available as an RTF (shown) or Rx-R version that needs only your favorite
transmitter and receiver. The instructions are well written.
The flight battery and charger are required
for either the Rx-R or RTF Axe 400. A 25-
30C 2100 mAh 3S Li-Poly will provide up
to eight minutes of flying.
Included Futaba S3114 servos are strong
and installed mechanically centered so they
will work with any brand of radio system.
The Heli-Max Web site includes updated
tips on adjusting the included headinglock
gyro.
programming in the rudder will probably be
removed as I develop a more aggressive flying
style.
The Axe 400 is decorated with an oversized
canopy that is colored on the inside for a long
and durable finish. The servos are correctly
centered and the pushrod lengths are set at the
factory. That’s a tedious job sometimes.
The flight-mode switch on the transmitter
didn’t work at first. For 3-D aerobatics and
inverted flying, programming in the transmitter
has to be uninhibited and adjusted.
That wasn’t hard to do. The Axe 400
instructions and full Futaba 6EX FASST
manual are clearly written and simple to
follow. The model manual takes the user step
by step through every part of the helicopter and
its setup.
Even though the helicopter came ready to
fly, it’s nice to learn how easily everything
works. When I’ve broken it—okay, my dad
broke it—the manual was great for helping us
find what parts were needed and how to tear
down the mechanics and replace the pieces.
Choose a high-quality, three-cell Li-Poly
flight pack, such as that from ElectriFly, that
has a capacity of at least 2100 mAh. It will
provide four to eight minutes of flying time and
can take the power demand from the strong
motor system. We use the new ElectriFly
Triton EQ charger to replenish the battery and
monitor the cell conditions to make sure they
are healthy.
The Futaba 6EX FASST radio included
with the RTF is good for any airplane or
helicopter, and it has memory for five other
aircraft. The system takes eight AA batteries so
the transmitter is quickly ready to use, like the
Li-Poly batteries used in the helicopter.
Whether you pick the Rx-R or RTF Axe
400, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by
the forward flight performance—and backward
flight performance at that. There are a few
things to check before the first hover.
Look at the paddles and be certain that they
are aligned with the cage and each other. One
of our machines came with a tight gear mesh
between the main gear and motor. Make sure
there is just enough lash between the teeth to
prevent strain and premature wear of the parts.
The gyro mode came with 45% headinghold
gain in both switch positions. The RTF
and Rx-R needed tail-control tweaking.
We made one of the transmitter gyro switch
positions the normal gyro mode point with the
same recommended gain (45%). In the normal
mode we quickly learned what mechanical
The author’s big brother liked the Axe 400 so much that he got an Rx-R version.
Indoors or out, this is a solid aircraft.
Photos by Michael and William Ramsey
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:00 AM Page 47
48 MODEL AVIATION
Specifications adjustment was required to center the tail
linkage. Once that was done, the heading-hold
mode worked perfectly.
Don’t forget to check the blade tracking.
Instructions and tracking tape are included, but
you’ll want a good blade balancer such as the
Heli-Max Heli Blade Balancer (item
HMXR4855) to nail the blade CG and total
weight. Good balance, blade CG, and tracking
will virtually eliminate the largest sources of
vibration from causing havoc.
Aerobatic mode increases the head speed
approximately 20%, which helps the Axe 400
penetrate wind and carry energy into tall loops
and rolling maneuvers that could go from one
end of the runway to the other. The bright
canopy and white tail fins help tremendously
with visibility.
Preset limits of the controls offer smooth
commands. When I want faster flip and roll
rates, I’ll increase the swashplate mixing values.
The Axe has been a lot of fun to fly. In a
winter and summer of flying I’ve worn through
the plastic tail box; the shaft bearings came
loose inside the plastic case. I’m also starting to
wear out the head mechanics.
Heli-Max has yet to release the aluminum
upgrades for this machine. I have found out that
the dimensions of the Axe closely match those
of the models sold overseas as aftermarket TRex
clones.
The swashplate has been a tricky match to
find in aluminum, but experimentation with
parts and discovery of what makes a helicopter
work has been a fun part of the hobby that I
never knew existed.
My only wish is that future Axes come with
a more advanced gyro. I’ve upgraded my
helicopter to use the Futaba GY-401 gyro,
which has more reliable sensing electronics. A
high-speed tail-rotor servo greatly improves
tail-rotor holding power.
I recommend the Axe 400 to anyone who is
starting with advanced RC helicopters. The
RTF is a great value for the money. It will help
a flier through the early stages of hovering and
later speed him or her into advanced flying.
The instructions for this model are
extremely well written for the beginner,
which helped me to better understand how
these aircraft work. That encouraged me to
look forward to my next 3-D helicopter
experience. MA
Jacob Ramsey
[email protected]
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Heli-Max/Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
(217) 398-8970
www.helimax-rc.com
Sources:
Futaba
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com
ElectriFly
(217) 398-8970
www.electrifly.com
Pluses and Minuses
+•
Simple design with solid mechanics.
• Reliable Futaba servos and FASST
control system.
• 30-amp brushless ESC with 2-amp BEC.
• Brushless outrunner with built-in
cooling fan.
• Full ball-bearing support and solid inflight
feel. -•
Heli-Max 4000 heading lock gyro has
limited performance.
• Flight battery and charger not included.
Test-Model Details
Motor used: Heli-Max 420 Brushless
outrunner (included)
Battery: ElectriFly Power Series T-Rex
2200 mAh, 11.1-volt 25C Li-Poly
Radio system: Futaba 6EX FASST
transmitter, R617 receiver, four Futaba
S3114 servos, Heli-Max Heading Lock
Gyro (item HM4000), ElectriFly 30-amp
ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 25 ounces
Flight duration: 4-8 minutes
Type: RTF or Rx-R 450-class electricpowered
helicopter
Skill level: Beginner
Rotor diameter: 27.5 inches
Blade size: 325mm
Length: 24 inches
Motor: 300-watt high-kV outrunner
Construction: Molded plastic main
frame and mechanics
Control system: Direct-link eCCPM
mechanics
Tail control: Aluminum tube with belt
tail drive
Canopy: Interior finish, lightweight
plastic
Power: 3S 20-30C Li-Poly recommended
RTF requires: Eight AA batteries, 3S
Li-Poly flight battery, charger
RxR requires: Six-channel helicopter
transmitter and receiver, 3S Li-Poly
battery, charger
Price: $199.98 (Rx-R) to $329.97 (RTF)
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:01 AM Page 48
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/09
Page Numbers: 46,47,48
I dIdn’t do this project alone. I have my
father and brother to thank, not only for the
help, but also for learning to fly helicopters
in the first place.
The little Heli-Max Novus CX I started
with proved to be a great learning tool and a
lot of fun. From that practice, I had almost
no trouble learning to fly the Axe 400 RTF.
The Axe 400 is available in two
versions. The Rx-R is the fully assembled
helicopter (ready for your receiver). The
RTF includes the bulletproof Futaba 6EX
FASST (Futaba Advanced Spread Spectrum
Technology) radio with a seven-channel
R617 FASST receiver already installed.
Each model needs a suitable flight
battery and compatible charger. I’m flying
the RTF, and my brother, William, picked
up the Rx-R version for some fun. We
traded canopies. The RTF comes with a red
design, and the green canopy comes with the
Rx-R machine.
I call the Axe 400 a “basic” helicopter,
meaning that it mainly consists of plastic
parts but is designed around a robust and
trustworthy mechanical system. This keeps
the cost low and replacement parts less
expensive.
A plastic helicopter is fine for basic
flying and better in some cases, because the
parts will flex instead of bend or break. Even
the frame is plastic, and it has only three
main pieces. It’s not at all complex, like
those carbon designs with 10 times the parts.
The head mechanics include stainlesssteel
ball links and pushrods that have fine
threads for precise adjustment. The
swashplate links to three Futaba S3114
microservos (which I like for their power
and good center-finding ability) and a fourth
point on the swashplate for rotation
prevention. That’s great support for an area
of the Axe that means everything to stability.
The flybar cage is the underslung,
wraparound type that is known to be stable
and needing no maintenance. The paddles
are thin and light, which will be an asset later
when aerobatics will be my interest.
The plastic head and blade grips offer
decent support with average dampening.
Twin bearings in each grip offer enough
support for sport and less-aggressive 3-D
flying.
A belt drives from a spur gear at the
frame to the tail rotor. The tail control itself
includes a dual-point slide linkage that was
tight out of the box.
Some light oil and exercise with my
fingers loosened the slider after a few
minutes of work. A smooth-operating tail
linkage will help a pilot experience a precise
feel in flight.
The included 425 brushless outrunner
motor offers a lot of power; I had no
complaints, anyway. The supplied ESC did
really well for me while I was learning to
hover and doing basic flight.
Not much cool air can circulate inside the
canopy. A 3-D pilot would be smart to
relocate the ESC to an area outside the
canopy on the frame.
Dad was playing with the machine one
day and accidentally switched from the
throttle-hold mode straight to the aerobatic
mode and “popped” the controller—he let
the smoke out. Since then my Axe has been
set up with an ESC that offers slow startup.
That should prevent an accidental switch
goof from causing permanent damage.
The box reads “3D Ready,” but don’t let
that scare you if you’re a novice hoverer, as I
am. We found out that the programming
suggestions included with the Rx-R manual
described a tame setup.
My RTF came with swashplate mixing
on the collective (throttle) stick at 35%—
less-sensitive response. This way it is easy to
hold the machine in a rock-solid hover. I
think that I advanced a lot quicker into other
hover attitudes and soon into forward flight.
You 3-D pilots will want to change the
“Swash AFR” so that the servos input more
collective pitch throw. A CCPM
(Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing) collective
value of 50% made my helicopter much
more aggressive; climbouts were faster, and
so were the stops.
The recommended high and low rates
were on the money, as far as I was
concerned. The recommended exponential
September 2010 47
This model is available as an RTF (shown) or Rx-R version that needs only your favorite
transmitter and receiver. The instructions are well written.
The flight battery and charger are required
for either the Rx-R or RTF Axe 400. A 25-
30C 2100 mAh 3S Li-Poly will provide up
to eight minutes of flying.
Included Futaba S3114 servos are strong
and installed mechanically centered so they
will work with any brand of radio system.
The Heli-Max Web site includes updated
tips on adjusting the included headinglock
gyro.
programming in the rudder will probably be
removed as I develop a more aggressive flying
style.
The Axe 400 is decorated with an oversized
canopy that is colored on the inside for a long
and durable finish. The servos are correctly
centered and the pushrod lengths are set at the
factory. That’s a tedious job sometimes.
The flight-mode switch on the transmitter
didn’t work at first. For 3-D aerobatics and
inverted flying, programming in the transmitter
has to be uninhibited and adjusted.
That wasn’t hard to do. The Axe 400
instructions and full Futaba 6EX FASST
manual are clearly written and simple to
follow. The model manual takes the user step
by step through every part of the helicopter and
its setup.
Even though the helicopter came ready to
fly, it’s nice to learn how easily everything
works. When I’ve broken it—okay, my dad
broke it—the manual was great for helping us
find what parts were needed and how to tear
down the mechanics and replace the pieces.
Choose a high-quality, three-cell Li-Poly
flight pack, such as that from ElectriFly, that
has a capacity of at least 2100 mAh. It will
provide four to eight minutes of flying time and
can take the power demand from the strong
motor system. We use the new ElectriFly
Triton EQ charger to replenish the battery and
monitor the cell conditions to make sure they
are healthy.
The Futaba 6EX FASST radio included
with the RTF is good for any airplane or
helicopter, and it has memory for five other
aircraft. The system takes eight AA batteries so
the transmitter is quickly ready to use, like the
Li-Poly batteries used in the helicopter.
Whether you pick the Rx-R or RTF Axe
400, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by
the forward flight performance—and backward
flight performance at that. There are a few
things to check before the first hover.
Look at the paddles and be certain that they
are aligned with the cage and each other. One
of our machines came with a tight gear mesh
between the main gear and motor. Make sure
there is just enough lash between the teeth to
prevent strain and premature wear of the parts.
The gyro mode came with 45% headinghold
gain in both switch positions. The RTF
and Rx-R needed tail-control tweaking.
We made one of the transmitter gyro switch
positions the normal gyro mode point with the
same recommended gain (45%). In the normal
mode we quickly learned what mechanical
The author’s big brother liked the Axe 400 so much that he got an Rx-R version.
Indoors or out, this is a solid aircraft.
Photos by Michael and William Ramsey
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48 MODEL AVIATION
Specifications adjustment was required to center the tail
linkage. Once that was done, the heading-hold
mode worked perfectly.
Don’t forget to check the blade tracking.
Instructions and tracking tape are included, but
you’ll want a good blade balancer such as the
Heli-Max Heli Blade Balancer (item
HMXR4855) to nail the blade CG and total
weight. Good balance, blade CG, and tracking
will virtually eliminate the largest sources of
vibration from causing havoc.
Aerobatic mode increases the head speed
approximately 20%, which helps the Axe 400
penetrate wind and carry energy into tall loops
and rolling maneuvers that could go from one
end of the runway to the other. The bright
canopy and white tail fins help tremendously
with visibility.
Preset limits of the controls offer smooth
commands. When I want faster flip and roll
rates, I’ll increase the swashplate mixing values.
The Axe has been a lot of fun to fly. In a
winter and summer of flying I’ve worn through
the plastic tail box; the shaft bearings came
loose inside the plastic case. I’m also starting to
wear out the head mechanics.
Heli-Max has yet to release the aluminum
upgrades for this machine. I have found out that
the dimensions of the Axe closely match those
of the models sold overseas as aftermarket TRex
clones.
The swashplate has been a tricky match to
find in aluminum, but experimentation with
parts and discovery of what makes a helicopter
work has been a fun part of the hobby that I
never knew existed.
My only wish is that future Axes come with
a more advanced gyro. I’ve upgraded my
helicopter to use the Futaba GY-401 gyro,
which has more reliable sensing electronics. A
high-speed tail-rotor servo greatly improves
tail-rotor holding power.
I recommend the Axe 400 to anyone who is
starting with advanced RC helicopters. The
RTF is a great value for the money. It will help
a flier through the early stages of hovering and
later speed him or her into advanced flying.
The instructions for this model are
extremely well written for the beginner,
which helped me to better understand how
these aircraft work. That encouraged me to
look forward to my next 3-D helicopter
experience. MA
Jacob Ramsey
[email protected]
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Heli-Max/Great Planes Model Distributors
Box 9021
Champaign IL 61826
(217) 398-8970
www.helimax-rc.com
Sources:
Futaba
(217) 398-8970
www.futaba-rc.com
ElectriFly
(217) 398-8970
www.electrifly.com
Pluses and Minuses
+•
Simple design with solid mechanics.
• Reliable Futaba servos and FASST
control system.
• 30-amp brushless ESC with 2-amp BEC.
• Brushless outrunner with built-in
cooling fan.
• Full ball-bearing support and solid inflight
feel. -•
Heli-Max 4000 heading lock gyro has
limited performance.
• Flight battery and charger not included.
Test-Model Details
Motor used: Heli-Max 420 Brushless
outrunner (included)
Battery: ElectriFly Power Series T-Rex
2200 mAh, 11.1-volt 25C Li-Poly
Radio system: Futaba 6EX FASST
transmitter, R617 receiver, four Futaba
S3114 servos, Heli-Max Heading Lock
Gyro (item HM4000), ElectriFly 30-amp
ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 25 ounces
Flight duration: 4-8 minutes
Type: RTF or Rx-R 450-class electricpowered
helicopter
Skill level: Beginner
Rotor diameter: 27.5 inches
Blade size: 325mm
Length: 24 inches
Motor: 300-watt high-kV outrunner
Construction: Molded plastic main
frame and mechanics
Control system: Direct-link eCCPM
mechanics
Tail control: Aluminum tube with belt
tail drive
Canopy: Interior finish, lightweight
plastic
Power: 3S 20-30C Li-Poly recommended
RTF requires: Eight AA batteries, 3S
Li-Poly flight battery, charger
RxR requires: Six-channel helicopter
transmitter and receiver, 3S Li-Poly
battery, charger
Price: $199.98 (Rx-R) to $329.97 (RTF)
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