Flight Log 09.22.08

On my way home from work I stopped by the Duck Pond and flew my little red low wing plane. It was a little breezy...sometimes the tiny little plane was thrown way off course...but, it always found its way back to me (well, most of the time).

While I was flying I noticed a guy and his pug flying his Align Heli -- he was very good. His heli had no idea there was a breeze...My Blade CP Pro would have crashed another horrible crash, if it were flight worthy (I stopped putting it back together after the last crash). I watched the guy burn through a couple batteries doing loops, flips, inverts etc. it was very cool!

Flight Log 09.13.08

Went flying this morning at the Duck Pond, see favorite places to fly in the right margin. This morning our church cub scouts came out for some buddy-boxing. My flying buddy Dave has the buddy-box setup with a DX6i and a JR transmitter and his Formosa top-wing trainer. The scouts flew well...at least the ones that were interested in flying, over the one's distracted by one of the kids PSP.

I can't believe that not one of brought a camera...but, it was a beautiful morning. I flew my Supercub for a good 10 minutes or so. I flew my red & yellow Chinese toy planes (The Red low-wing is totally outperforming the Yellow top-wing, I'm really enjoying every flight with it). I flew my Enticement. And, had fun flying my 2 channel toy heli from China (Click on the label "China" below to see more posts about the Chinese toys, and "Enticement" to read more about my Enticement etc.).

Hotshot Heli Pilots can win $3000

...in 3rd Annual Micro-Heli Cup

TIME IS RUNNING OUT! Are you a hotshot micro-heli pilot? Do you have the right stuff? Wanna win some moola, cash, dinero? If so then click on over to www.empirerc.com and download the pilot application for more details. If selected to compete you will have a shot at winning cash and bragging rights in the 3rd Annual 2007 World Micro-Heli Cup sponsored by Empire RC and RC Universe.

Total prize pool is $3000 with first prize in mini class at $1,500!The event will be covered on RC Universe and in various other websites and media.The event takes place on October 20th and 21st at the iHobbyExpo in Rosemont, llinois.

New high score on the heli game

1368... See original post.

Only flew in simulation this weekend

Not as fun as the real thing...but, it usually makes me look pretty good. I use FMS (because it's FREE), and my new favorite heli model is the "Colco Lynx-380XL.par" -- it's a fun 3D heli.

Cool Blade Upgrade

...the airwolf canopy at HeliDirect. This will be my next upgrade I think. Here's a video of someone who's done the upgrade already.

My PiccoZ...knock-off

Dark video...sorry:

More heli flights this morning

It was a little misty at the duck pond this morning, but worth it. I met up with my ESky HoneyBee buddy and we flew our heli's. I'm pround that I used up two full batteries on my Blade CP Pro without breaking or bending anything -- what satisfaction.

É um dia grande a voar! (Look it up, it's Português)

I also flew my new imports: the 2-channel heli and the yellow & red planes. They flew great too...until I ran out of plane battery mid-flight with the little yellow plane. It went right into the pond! But, guess what...It's foam and it floats. After about 10min. it drifted back closer to the pond's edge. And...I was able to use the prop to propel it closer to me, so I could grab it!! And...it still flys too! So, I'm really pleased with this plane.

The only bad thing about flying this morning was that halfway to the park I realized I had left my video camera at home :( and so I got no shot of my little yellow sea plane -- maybe next time it goes in the pond I'll be prepared.

You get what you pay for??? part three

I'm warming up to my cheap 2 channel heli -- see previous posts...I flew some more today, and it was pretty fun. It's still more of a loop around or boomerang flight, but it lands well and takes hard landings reallllly well.

I also flew the little yellow top-wing plane that I got with the helicopter. I've listed in a previous post that a con was it's either on or off throttle...but, it didn't seem to bad today. I think it's because the plane can also glide pretty well without the motor. You can get this little plane pretty high, and a slight breeze is also a plus, and this little guy will fly for quite some time.

So, I think I might order some and make them available for order...stay tuned.

These look cool...

Precision Micro Heli's

Replaced another Blade CP Tail Boom Today

I'm getting real good at this! I even replaced my tail motor...the original one was poping it's gear out on me -- the hobby shop guy says that's normal for these things. And, as you might guess, if the gear from the motor pops away from the big black tail rotor gear...you have no more tail rotor...and if you have no tail rotor, you're spinning out of control.

Tip: It's definately easier to replace the boom by un-soldering the wires from
the tail motor and sliding the boom off the wires...than trying to disconnect the wires from the receiver and pulling them through the boom that way.

Hey Joe...why you replacing your tail boom anyways? Good question. I have had my last few flights (See previous posts) on a boom that was slightly damaged and held together with some tape. Today, while making some tail rotor adjustments with the tail motor pot onboard the Blade...an adjustment I made was a bit too extreme, so I crashed and ruined my already damaged boom : )

The new boom and motor run great in my hovering tests...I can't wait till the next flying day to do some real flying.

Cascade Rotory Wings Fun Fly Day 2

It was a cold and breezy day, but it was fun. As a first impression (Since this was my first all heli event)...I'd say RC helicopter people are more "Hey, look at me!"...while RC airplane people are more "Hey, look at you!" I still enjoyed myself though and don't get me wrong, noone was mean...it just seems to be a more 'me' based side of the hobby than my airplane experiences so far. Anyway, here are some pictures and video I took.

Here's a T-Rex with a cool custom paint job...It was a nice change from most of the standard paint schemes everyone else had.






One heli that didn't make it today...

So sad : (

More Cascade Rotory Wings Fly In, Fri. Night

Here are the videos.

This heli had light strings all over it defining it's shape. My cheap video camera could only capture the lights on the rotors...Heli's are totally cool when lit up at night!


This heli was lit-up by a huge flashlight!

And this is video of one of the heli's with light strings defining it's features.

Friday Night at the Cascade Rotory Wings Fly In

I went to the Cascade Rotory Wings Fly In tonight and took some pics and some video. In was a tight-knit group of people huddled around their campers and tents. I felt a little bit like an outsider, but nobody was unfriendly when you spoke to them. But, I kindof felt the way I did when I started surfing in Southern California -- like you're maybe not truly welcome until you've proven yourself in the air...But, like I said, noone was unfriendly when I spoke to them...it just felt different than the airplane based fly-in's I've gone to. It could have also been just a side effect of the night??? Here are some pictures...

Flying my Blade!

I had 3 great flights today with my Blade CP Pro and didn't break anything!!! Here's some video of my first flight at my favorite place, The Duck Pond:

So, you think you can fly a helicopter?

Try this, http://www.topgamez.net/games/helicopter.html

Heli Fun Fly this weekend in Brooks, OR

The Cascade Rotory Wings are hosting a Fun Fly this weekend, September 28 - 29 - 30, 2007. It will be in Brooks, Oregon -- From Portland that's I-5 South, Exit 263, Go Right, Head West till road T's, Turn Right and keep a lookout on the right side of the road.

*update* Pilots meeting at nine o'clock and running from there. Dinner Sat night...at five they will start cooking -- steak or chicken -- till 7:30. When dark there will be night flying.

I'm not sure I'll be up to flying my Blade...or, if it'll be in one piece that long :)...but, it sounds like fun. I haven't been to an all Helicopter event yet.

Did you know about IRCHA? I didn't until today. The "President's Perspective" in the October issue of "Model Aviation", by the president of the AMA, mentions how big this group is now and talks about the helicopter event they conducted just after the Joe Nall Fly-In.

The 2-Channel Heli can fly pretty well...

...with the proper mods. I ended up taping two AA batteries to the front of the canopy, a little left of center, and it's flew pretty well today. I didn't have the supplies with me to properly mount my Cobra DMC300 5-in-1 camera to the heli, but I managed to stuff it inside the cockpit. Below is some really bad/shaky video of one of the flights. I'll try to be better prepared for the next flight.

So, the camera was mounted upside down at an angle...as I said, I wasn't prepared, so I just fit it in the cockpit the best I could. I used my video editing software, Pinnacle Studio, to try to flip the video so you wouldn't have to tilt your head too much.

Flight Tests of my new 2-channel Heli

I got this heli the other day...see previous posts...and found that it flew backwards by default...So, I tested it today with weight (taped on 2 AA batteries) added to the front -- like we've all done with our Picco-Z heli's. It seemed to make a difference. You can also see, in the video, that this is a pretty durable copter. I smack it to the ground pretty hard several times and it's only received a few cracks in its canopy. The main rotor blades are a flexible rubber and are pretty strong -- I'm impressed. I still have some more testing to try, but it's not too bad of a heli as long as you're OK with Picco-Z performance i.e., it pretty much flys where it wants to go with limited controllability by the pilot.

Hey Joe, what's it cost to own an E-flite Blade CP Pro?

Whew! I think I wish I hadn't have done this...but, here's a link to a spreadsheet I just put together detailing my costs for my 1st year with my Blade CP Pro.

Click Here for the data