From: rimbold@apollo.hp.com (Robert Rimbold)
Subject: Re: Yippeee! (starting heli)
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 19:24:03 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA

In article <1992Jul10.212227.26499@leland.Stanford.EDU> zimmer@calvin.stanford.edu (Andrew Zimmerman) writes:
>In article <1992Jul10.180211.6926@pixel.kodak.com> weimer@pixel.kodak.com writes:
>>Well, I thought it would be years before I could afford a heli, but then
>>a friend mentioned last night that he was selling his and I couldn't resist...

Congrats!

>> - Concept 30 (with upgrades it aproximates the SR)
>    ^ General question for Concept owners.  The DX comes with aluminum
>paddles, while the SE and up appear to use plastic (or nylon).  For a 
>beginner, are the aluminum paddles better?  I've heard that the aluminum
>paddles are heavier and slower, making the helicopter a little easier
>to control in a hover (for a beginner.)  Any comments?

I've got a Concept 30 DX that I've upgraded with new parts so that it
is approximately an SE now. The aluminum paddles have more mass than the
plastic ones, making their response to control inputs just a little slower.
They're worthwhile to use while learning, especially hovering.

>>
>>What I'll need soon (and could use recommendations on esp. from other
>>Concept owners):
>  You might want to get a pitch guage.  More experience people on the net
>can tell you more than me on this, but I think I might get two of them.
>A standard one that you set to a particular pitch (ie Kalt, Minicraft, etc)
>and one that is made by Century.  The century requires that paddles to be
>parallel to ground, and uses a mechinisim like a balance scale.  I thought
>it might be easier to check different pitche setings with it.  (high pitch,
>neutral and low pitch without having to adjust the gauage each time.)

I've got a Robarts gauge that I like. Setting the pitch of the main rotor
blades is done relative to the flybar. The Robarts system has a quickly
attaching arm that locks the flybar into an adjustable position. A small
bubble-level (comes w/ the package) is hung from the flybar so that you
can set it level. The pitch meter is attached to the blade and uses simple
gravity to move the balance needle that tells you the pitch setting in
degrees.

I've seen other systems that have things extending from main blades that
you sight against the flybar to read the pitch angle. It seems less
precise. Of course, two different pitch gauges are likely to be at least
one degree different in their measurements of the same blade. :-)

>> - some kind of flight box
>  I went with a standard wood flight box.  However, for RC cars, I use a 
>plastic box made by Plano.  If I were to buy a box today, I might go with
>a plastic box instead.  It might be that the fuel will melt the plastic, and
>that is why people don't use them.

I've got a wooden box from Custom Woodcraft (they advertise in the AMA
magazine) that I really like. In fact, I know three other people who
have them and also would use nothing else.

>> - (trickle?) charger for 12V battery (flight box battery)

I've got a Hobbico MAFREC battery that I charge about once per month
using a cheapo 12v charger. I wouldn't worry too much about that. Don't
scrimp on the care you give your flight batteries.

>> - #64? rubber bands

You'll only need them to connect your heli to the training gear. Any
size will work. I use the leftovers from the box I had for a fixed-wing
plane. (Sold it, BTW, cause rubber banding a wing is a real pain. I much
prefer bolt-on wing planes.)

For training gear on the heli, you could try to find a hula hoop. Mount
four wooden dowels inside it with duct tape so that you have a square
in the center to rubber the heli to. The hoop will slide better on grass
than the dowell/ball assembly and provides protection on more directions.

>> - other?

Buy another set of main blades and a spare boom now :-)

>>Why I'm posting:
>> - get any warnings specific to Concept 30
>>      (eg. the bolt holding the thingie to the whatsit always comes loose,
>>            flying under a full moon causes the chopper to flip, etc. :-)

No specific warnings, but you should definitely make sure that you've
got it mechanically set up perfectly before the first flight. Have an
experienced pilot help you set it up, and then fly it.

---
Rob Rimbold
Email: rimbold@apollo.hp.com
Work: (508) 436-4528
-- 

---
Rob Rimbold
Hewlett Packard VAB Technical Consulting