Plane Talk: E-flite Blade CP
Michael Ramsey
Thanks to the latest distribution efforts (including those on eBay), the fixed-pitch, electric-powered helicopter market has been booming with remarkably low-priced RTF models. I’ve been fortunate enough to play with a number of these, and the experience has been challenging and rewarding. I’ve spent hours practice-hovering such helicopters. They are well engineered for durability.
I also found that the lack of adjustable blade pitch becomes an unwelcome handicap when trying to maneuver in forward flight. A helicopter acquires most of its stability from the spinning blades: the faster they spin, the more stable and maneuverable the helicopter is. Fixed-pitch models work well in a hover since they need a relatively high head speed to stay aloft. Push them into forward flight and the lift generated from the oncoming airflow causes the models to climb. To maintain altitude while flying forward, the throttle must be reduced. This decreases head speed and therefore stability. Forward flight is best performed with a helicopter that can adjust the blades’ pitch angle — Collective Pitch mixing — because stability can be maintained while reducing blade pitch and keeping head speed comfortable.
The E-flite Blade CP (Collective Pitch) from Horizon Hobby is a 300-class micro electric helicopter; the “300” reference is to the Speed 370 motor used for the main rotor. This model is an RTF package — you take it out of the box and fly. Hold onto the box: it’s excellent for storage and transport. To fly it the first time, all a pilot needs is some helicopter experience and eight AA batteries for the transmitter.
What do I mean by “some helicopter experience”? Although the Blade’s price says “try me,” it is not intended for the very first-time helicopter pilot. The control response is sensitive; new pilots typically prefer a softer control feel. For a pilot with some helicopter experience, the Blade is a great deal of fun because of its maneuverability. Helicopters of this size are also a challenge to fly in wind; the Blade is a delight to fly indoors, but a typical living room isn’t always a practical place because of its size. If you’re thinking of making the Blade CP your first helicopter, consider yourself warned.
If you are a new pilot, get as much simulator time as possible beforehand. Also consider buying the E-flite Training Gear Set (EFLH1128), made specifically for this model.
Pluses and Minuses
Pluses:
- Great value; ready to fly right out of the box.
- Rugged design with lots of upgrade potential.
- Good flying characteristics, even in light winds.
Minuses:
- Throttle control on the transmitter needs to be smoother.
- Tail-rotor trim drifts in flight.
Sharp Blade
Now that the disclaimers are out of the way, here’s the fun part. I took the Blade out of the box and flew it immediately, as the instructions suggested. In less than a minute the included eight-cell NiMH 650 mAh battery was drained; I recharged it with the included wall charger.
The charger is quick but not peak-detect, so you must monitor the 90–120 minute charge time. When the battery gets warm, it’s finished charging.
On that first hop the Blade seemed fairly well trimmed, so I suspect it was factory test-flown before packing. After that initial session I inspected everything.
The Blade is a complete helicopter package with three servos, a gyro, an ESC, a receiver, and a transmitter. Three E-flite microservos (item EFLH1030) are arranged at 120° points around the swashplate to implement Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing (CCPM). This system reduces parts count and overall weight while increasing mechanical advantage.
All three servos must be mixed for CCPM to work. The included transmitter has that mixing preprogrammed and includes Idle-Up mixing that makes inverted flight possible. Almost the only thing missing on the transmitter is a Throttle Hold feature. The throttle stick detents are coarse, which makes smooth throttle changes difficult. There is a trainer switch and buddy-cord jack, so a dual-transmitter training system can be set up.
Inside the plastic canopy is a small black 4-in-1 box where all the motor and servo wires converge. E-flite calls this the 4-in-1 mixer: a compact unit containing the receiver, ESC, tail-rotor mixer, and piezo gyro. The mixer and gyro can be adjusted from the side of the 4-in-1 with a small screwdriver.
The Blade is available in six different frequencies on the 72 MHz band. The receiver uses negative shift deviation and is FM, so it will work with other transmitters.
The ESC will handle roughly 8 amps but does not feature any voltage cutoff. The helicopter’s frame is a mix of fiber-reinforced plastic, carbon-fiber rod, and tubing, assembled with cyanoacrylate glue and fuel tubing. For light weight and durability this design is effective, and very little maintenance is required.
Specifications
- Rotor span: 20.75 inches
- Weight: 11.6 ounces
- Length: 27.5 inches
- Height: 6.875 inches
- Radio: Six channels (included)
- Main motor: Speed 370 (included)
- Tail motor: N30 Speed 180 (included)
- Power: 9.6-volt NiMH battery (included)
- Street price: $219.99
I’ve had enough mishaps while practice-flying the Blade to know it will hold up exceptionally well. Although it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of a multidollar 3-D machine, it is maneuverable and can be flown smoothly.
The included flight pack is good for roughly five to eight minutes of flying; I’ve gotten longer flights when slow-charging the pack on a variable-rate charger and using it right after the charge cycle. There was a little “wag” to the tail that I initially attributed to too-high gyro gain. The 4-in-1 unit’s gain and mixer can be adjusted; reducing the gain about 10° settled the tail.
The Blade’s feel took some getting used to. One early issue was a lag in pitch response when advancing collective for liftoff: head speed would be high but the helicopter wouldn’t lift until around 60% stick, when it would leap up. Horizon Hobby’s troubleshooting guide suggests this lag is caused by the mechanics in the head sticking; options include disassembling and fine-tuning clearances.
My first check was servo response to collective movement. The servos worked, but slop at the ball link on the lower paddle control pushrod prevented effective transfer. The ball ends on the upper swashplate were undersized. I coated them with thin cyanoacrylate glue — three coats enlarged the ball enough to improve linkage fit. After that the collective moved instantly to the head and the Blade lifted smoothly.
Control-stick movement is a tad sensitive; with a computer radio you can program exponential into the cyclic controls to suit your flying style. The mixer does a good job managing torque from the blades, but extreme collective changes (for example, a fast climbout) can cause the helicopter to swing left; adjusting the mixer compensates for this.
The flat-bottom blades that come with the helicopter generate extra lift, which is good for hovering practice. If you plan lots of hovering practice, an ideal upgrade is a two-cell Li-Poly battery pack and the motor with an 11-tooth pinion (item EFLH1110D). Also pick up the E-flite Aerobatic Enhancement Kit (item EFLH1168) — it includes aerobatic wood blades, heat sinks, and a new Speed 370 motor with a smaller pinion to make the system suitable for three-cell Li-Poly power. The heat sinks dramatically improve motor life by removing brush heat.
A two-cell 1200 mAh Li-Poly battery is inexpensive and will roughly double flight time over the stock NiMH pack. Because the ESC has no voltage cutoff, protect Li-Poly batteries by landing at the first sign of motor power loss.
For all-out performance the Blade can be further upgraded. The aerobatic enhancement kit includes symmetrical blades and a new motor with a nine-tooth pinion. The gear change lets you use a higher-voltage battery without overspeeding the head. A 900 mAh three-cell (11.1 V) Li-Poly battery is needed to complete the enhancement. With symmetrical blades and the extra power you can loop, roll, and sustain inverted flight and inverted hover.
The Idle-Up feature on the transmitter is key to aerobatic flight. The Idle-Up switch changes the collective so that zero blade pitch is at stick center: moving the stick forward adds positive pitch; moving it down adds negative pitch. Motor speed is kept high so stability is maintained and pitch changes take immediate effect.
When using higher-voltage batteries, adjustments to the gyro and mixer are necessary. Extra power to the tail rotor means gyro gain usually needs to be reduced. Higher head speed can change the mixer compensation required for tail-rotor authority. The manual warns that voltage changes affect mixing; tail-rotor trim will change throughout a flight as the battery goes from peak to drained. In my flights the tail-rotor trim started left and ended right as the pack depleted — predictable, and manageable.
One practical mod that helped my flying was reducing the ratchet effect on the transmitter throttle control. The ratchet helps hold throttle position for airplanes, but throttle (collective) is the primary control for helicopter altitude. The Blade’s hover sweet spot was between throttle notches. I opened the transmitter and filed down the ridges behind the throttle until it felt right.
I’ve been flying the E-flite Blade for about three months and have seen a lot of online discussion. Many people feel, as I do, that the Blade is well worth the money and a lot of fun. The basic Blade can be outfitted with many upgrades, and there are even scale fuselage bodies available now. Horizon’s service has been great; their website lists every Blade part, which adds value.
I’d recommend the Blade CP to anyone with some helicopter experience.
MA Michael Ramsey [email protected]
Distributor
Horizon Hobby Distributors 4105 Fieldstone Rd. Champaign, IL 61822 (217) 352-1913 www.horizonhobby.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
