GrumpyGnome

A nut and bolt holds the blade within the blade holder. A bolt holds the blade holder onto the feathering spindle. The control arms from the servos to the swash plate/blade holders are push fit. A Blade (230 or 150) in full stabilised mode, is an excellent heli, and quite easy to fly. You need a modern radio capable of mixing the tx Bind button to be able to set the stabilisation up properly (I don't think you can do this with a silver DX6i - download the manual for a Blade 150/230 and check). Parts are relatively cheap and available. There really is no comparison between these and an old-school TRex with a flybar in terms of stability or ease of set up. Anyway..... I think you have your answers. Good luck with your TRex.

I suspect from your questions, and the fact that you tried to fly it without checking it over thoroughly, you're not an experienced helicopter flyer. Find an experienced helicopter flyer to help you fix it, check it out, set it up, and help you to fly it. If you don't, you'll definitely spend more time fixing it than flying it, will accumulate repair costs at a high rate, and possibly injure yourself or others. Start with the BMFA club finder ti try and locate someone.... And, of course, you need to comply with the CAA regulations to fly something that size. Plus, insurance is highly recommended... Having recently fixed and set up a couple of TRex 450's for a friend, they're far from ideal learning tools. Sorry.

Well, I'd agree that the frst thing is to find out what your club needs for you to be able to fly solo.... then practice that until it's of the required standard. I'd be surprised if that includes a touch and go.....

Unplug the battery - leave the ESC plugged into the receiver..... 🙂

Or just as you've taken off......

I'm just praying for a few consecutive dry days so we can mow the runways........

I flew my little TopRC FW190 on my backup Taranis today - A,E,T,R on channels 1-4, Gyro on Ch5 with a 3 position switch, Ch 6 assigned to a momentary switch for gyro calibration. I have ailerons and elevator at 50% rate when in 'expert' mode. The Ch5 3 position switch also drives separate flight modes so I can have trims assigned to each mode. Was flying it this morning in about 12-15 mph winds - was much more controllable than it previously has been in 'expert' mode.. Not sure if that's because I've actually assigned Ch6, or just because it was on my Taranis with an IRX4+ and not my Radiomaster with internal MPM. Anyway, I was launching and landing in 'intermediate' mode, flying around in 'expert' mode. Really pleased. Also did some more zipping around with my little Arrows Hawk. I used to prefer this on 1500 3S but recently have been using 2200 3S and am now actually preferring the higher loading. Looking at the pics above, it badly needs a good clean! Had a couple of flights with my Double Trouble but it was a real handful - I think in adding it to the Taranis, I've messed up the rates etc...... Also tried to get rid of the 'flat spot' in my Saito 82. Stopped fiddling when I saw loads of bubble in the fuel feed - will need to sort this out before any more fiddling. In summary, a nice morning but colder, windier than yesterday.

Do you mean you can't turn stabilisation off ? Or, you can but then they are rather challenging to fly?

Great day toto! Soon be able to fly when you want to.... very pleased for you.

Lovely day on NE coast. Sunny, warm, bit more than gentle breeze. Following my TX16 challenges, I put 3 models onto my emergency tranny..... several others in the club have FlySky stuff and get on with it fine. Everything felt 'jerky' for me when flying. Had a couple of flights with the Hawk and Double Trouble but they were distinctively uncomfortable. Having checked the range on my old Taranis with a few FlySky, FrSky and Spekkie rxs, I decided to ditch the FlySky stuff and put an FrSky rx in the Hawk, and use the Taranis. 5 mins later, the Hawk was back to where I like it! Didn't do the others 'cos the rxs aren't as accessible (subsequently added to the Taranis at home). KM flew his big beautiful Pilot aerobat with his usual gusto, once he persuaded the engine to play ball. IP couldn't fly due to a firmware version conflict between his tx and rx. We too pity and let him fly the clubp Apprentice. With suitable joshing of course. IH was trying out his new contact lenses. Had a couple of flights but decided he needs to go back to the opticians. DS had a decidedly 'roller-coaster-like' flight with his big Ultrastick. On landing, he found that his elevator trim was only working on one of his two elevator servos. 30 minutes later he had it sorted - as well as a similar issue on ailerons, which he hadn't used the trims on. I bit my tongue and didn't mention how easy that would be with EdgeTX 🙂 Looks like being nice tomorrow too. Hopefully a less eventful day!

A FlySky FS-i6 (10 channels), which is usually just used on Phoenix sim. I only have 4 FlySky receivers, and one is embedded quite deeply in my P47, so just three available. Ready for the weekend I have my Double Trouble, my Spacewalker, and my baby Arrows Hawk - all nice and simple. There are a few of these transmitters in the club, and although it feels tiny and toy-like, they seem really reliable. Unsure whether to repair or replace my TX16S. It's charging circuit is broken (my fault), the handle is broken (cats fault) and I think the RF board us goosed (see thread about EdgeTX logs). Parts for all that will cost close to the cost of a new one - if I can get parts for my MK1 version.. I have borrowed an old Taranis X9D+, fjxed the ariel, added my irx4+, and updated it to EdgeRX, so may use that for a while, once I've given it a thorough range checking and replaced the rtc battery. I'd have the fancy programming capability of my TX16S, so could use all my models, but without that beautiful colour touch screen.... Anyway, here's to some nice flying weather!

Forecast looking great for Saturday and Sunday. Limited with plane selection though as I'm using my backup/emergency transmitter which isn't multi-protocol. After I get my main radio (TX16S) back in service, I'll look for a better backup....

Probably safe enough if flying on your own.....

Sometimes called Side Force Generators - supposes to help in things like knife edge. Just about all indoor aerobats have them. No idea if it's just fashion!

Earlier today, I plugged the irx4 into a friends Taranis X9D....... worked fine. I did try flashing the irx4 via Flash-Multi but I never managed to do it - I kept getting messages about lack of a USB Bootloader. I'll try again tomorrow when I have more time. It'll be user error on my part 🙂

I have plugged a new irx4 into the 'jr' bay, and it is not responding. I could plug an ELRS into the same bay, using the same pins, but my suspicion is that wouldn't work either.... Yes, swapping that board looks easy - my question was whether or not a board for a MK2 tx, would fit in my MK1 case.... Yes, it could be an antenna problem - all connections look ok. I suspect the board because the irx4 plugs into that but won't work.....

It must be difficult to maintain LOS with a plane whilst looking at the ground........

The DT has a FlySky IA6B, the Hawk has an FrSky Rx6R, the W4 had a FlySky FlySky IA10. If I get an ELRS module, presumably I lose the ability to use my Spektrum and Futaba receivers, plus the V761 protocol receiver in my baby FW190.............

A while ago, my much loved Wot4 completely lost radio contact and buried itself in a large field of soft mud and Wheat. It was not interference, just total loss of radio contact - no warning messages apart from a 'Telemetry Lost' voice alert.... So, I went and did some experimenting. I switched on logging, and, following range checks (both in Range Check mode and the old-fashioned way)I flew circuits around myself, getting wider and wider to see if I got and 'RSSI Low' or 'RSSI Critical' messages. I've looked at a couple - this is from my ic powered Double Trouble: RSSI(dB) TRSS(dB) TQly Max 94 112 97 Min 45 38 64 Average 66.91 70.45 87.83 This is from my little EDF Hawk (I may have inadvertently turned the volume down and missed any verbal warnings...): RSSI(dB) TRSS(dB) TQly Max 90 125 100 Min 36 47 94 Average 69.12 92.24 96.54 The numbers in bold seem a little perturbing to my uneducated eye. I whacked the new iRange IRX4+ in the back but I am unable to flash it from the radio - receiving messages saying the device is not responding. My conclusion is that the RF board (presumably that's the internal MPM board) is goosed. Anyone have a different theory? Second question - does anyone know if a new MPM Module for a TX16S MK2 will fit and work in a TX16S MK1? In the meantime, my beloved TX16S is shelved and I'm using a back up radio for just a few models..... Thanks in advance. Mark (aka GrumpyGnome)

Lovely day at WHMFC..... strikes me we are a tad untidy! I flew my Blade and little K110 hslis - usually they only fly indoors. Had great fun doing fast(ish) figures of 8 and circuits with the K110, and slow circuits with the Blade. Had some nice flights with the Spacewalker, Double Trouble Hawk, baby FW190... Kev wrung out his big blue aerobat, and did some beautiful slow passes with his old T-Bolt, sun glinting off the silver covering, and Laser pop-popping away... Great day.

Nice engine......

Despite all the little 'add-on' costs that arrive at check-out, an the challenge of actually finding what you want, it's still pretty good, and you will save money if you're patient...... I do feel guilty using them but assuage my guilt by buying online from the UK based shops as well.

Personally, I'd always use something where the clevis and rod are attached mechanically, rather than glued...... but that's just me! You can always use a die to cut a thread into a metal rod to make pushrods of the correct length - no soldering required.

Flying Widgets on ebay also sell used airframes- in East Yorks. Not everything is listed on ebay so may be worth contacting him - he's on Facebook too

Impressive work there! Just starting to get warmer here - heating actually stayed off this morning.. fingers crossed you have a mild winter (so you don't 'freeze in the workshop), and we actually get some sun and dry weather....