Alan Dunstan

Jim - Hopefully with your Shuttle you also acquired the manual. In it at the back you will find Hirobo's recommended pitch ranges for normal, idle 1, idle 2 and throttle hold modes plus example programming of throttle and pitch curves for various radio makes. Normally JR, Futaba and Sanwa/Airtronics. Copying what Hirobo recommend is a very good start point. If you don't have a manual I seriously suggest that you get one before you try anything else. Trying to repair/maintain a helicopter without the manual isn't recommended. To get a manual Midland Helicopters have exploded parts diagrams online and downloadable and may be able to supply you with a real manual, or point you in the direction of someone who can. Other avenues open to you of course are a club member who is familiar with JR radios and helicopters and is willing to do the setting up of the radio for you. Probably the best way actually as if you haven't flown one of these things for a long time, and never a collective pitch one, having someone like that who can at least get the helicopter flying for you is a good start. Basically throttle and pitch curves are just a means to match engine power output and blade lift to pilot demands and with modern radios that also means with selectable modes of flying. Somewhat like using expo to change control surface response with fixed wing aeroplanes. From my experience of JR radios (not what I use) once you have worked out how you get to the various functions in the menus the various settings are pretty easy to fathom. If all else fails set the mechanical pitch range from -4 to +12 degrees and keep the throttle and pitch curves on a straight line in all modes (except throttle hold where throttle is always 0%) and then use the hover trims to get the heli hovering with enough head speed to be comfortable in normal mode. Then read from the Tx what % settings that is for pitch and throttle and transfer those to the mid points for idle 1 and idle 2. Then at least you are generally flying in all modes and won't have problems switching between them. But really you need the manual and preferably someone familiar with the JR Tx and helicopters in general to do the basic setting up and getting it flying and trimmed for you. Remember with these sorts of helicopters virtually any accident, no matter how small will cost in the region of £60 to put right as in my experience any accident always means new blades, new flybar shaft, new feathering shaft, and probably a new mainshaft and boom minimum. It can get really expensive very quickly. Sorry the above is so long but really there isn't any simple solution. Best of luck. Alan

Peter - With the tailplane I just used strips of Solartex (less heat to stick than Solarfilm) then on minimal heat shrunk the tex which pulled the edges of the correx in so rounding the leading edges a little. Looks good even if it doesn't have too much aerodynamic effect. With the servos I agree with Tom. The rudder is an incredibly useful control to have on any flying machine. The extra control it provides more than makes up for the extra cost of 2 servos rather than 1. Like Tom I made the aileron linkage as near to 50% of the span of the aileron as I could to cut down any bending moment. To stick Correx epoxy works ok. I actually drilled a series of fine (<1mm diameter) holes in the centre section top and bottom to make sure the epoxy could penetrate and get good grip. And roughened it somewhat with sandpaper. Seems perfectly sound so far. Alan

Spoilers for sure. Much safer going up as nothing for the gorse/grass clumps etc to hit into and break gears. Also of course you are dumping lift which with slopers is really what you need more so than slowing it down. But with spoilers be ready for the very marked nose up attitude that comes with it. You will need lots of down to compensate, or at least I do.

Definitely for me please

Yes please. Love them

Peter - I have a Bedlam and use it as my every day, every condition aeroplane. Flies very well and with the CofG where specified flies inverted just as well with NO down elevator needed. Standard control throws give very tight loops and nice roll speeds. Elevator I have tamed down somewhat with quite a lot of expo. How fast it is well its ok for me. For you ......... Biggest problem is that the fuselage internally is very narrow. You will need the specified 2/3 AA batteries otherwise nothing fits, a small narrow Rx (I use JR700), and you will need very good resolution small servos. HS 85's or HS81's and please use the metal gear ones. It definitely is worth having the rudder function. On the build main problem is the EPP channels for the spars are tapering (Stan goes into spiel in the instructions saying that the CNC machines used for cutting the spar slots can't  work with tapered wings or something like that, which is total rubbish) so either you have to cut and sand the EPP to size to fit the spars, or sand/cut the spars to fit the EPP slots. Both very time consuming and tedious and really unnecessary. But thats it. Some carbon rods for the Correx tailplane would be useful but mine flies ok without. If you can configure the ailerons as spoilers for landing on your Tx it helps (you will need lots of down elevator compensation) but the aeroplane itself is a pussycat. Flies great. Does everything and doesn't bite when abused. For the £50 it costs great value for money. Regards, Alan

Yes please. I just love biplanes

Me to please

Barry - I have used Sanwa PCM1 now for years and never had a glimmer of a twitch with it in multiple helicopters. I also use the same Sanwa gear, with PPM, in all my power planes and have never had any problems in many years except that single experience described above with my helicopter when I started with them some years ago. I found out afterwards that everyone else flying there knew the site was very prone to interference on PPM due to a phone mast being only around 100 yds away, and in consequence everyone else was already flying PCM exclusively with no problems. So the problem with running PCM, or I believe 2.4Ghz currently, is that they are all proprietary. eg if you run Sanwa PCM you need Sanwa PCM Rx's. If you run Spektrum 2.4Ghz you need Spektrum Rx's. Thats the catch with all of them. I also use a 35 Mhz Multiplex set with all my gliders (because the software allows you to mix and do anything to anything) and use a complete mixture of Rx's with it from the Multiplex IPDS to JR, Schultze, GWS and Hitec and have never had any problems with any of them. So for myself I would say that with any modern equipment, be it 35Mhz or 2.4Ghz, unless you are likely to be flying at a site with known problems any good quality kit would be ok, and the Sanwa you have is good quality kit. If you are worried about interference get a PCM Rx. It's your cheapest option. Otherwise if you can afford it ditch all your existing 35Mhz gear and splash out on 2.4Ghz. But remember its proprietary (like PCM) and I haven't heard of anyone managing to shoehorn 2.4Ghz Rx equipment into a really tight glider yet.

Martyn - For effective braking try about 80 deg on the flaps and about 45 deg on the ailerons. Also if one flap is moving faster than the other are you sure the 2 servos are matched? Sounds like different gear ratios. And to deal with the throws try 1st to cut the movement down mechanically. More servo movement for a given throw adds up to more torque and flaps need torque. After you have done what you can mechanically the only recourse is to alter the servo end points on the Tx. Oh and if using crow brakes on a sloper make sure you retract them just before landing. Flaps hitting tufts of grass, gorse or heather have a way of being torn out of the wing. Alan

Ah Barry you now open another can of worms. How do you set a failsafe in a helicopter? Answer It all depends what you want it to do if/when it loses a signal, and thats where this subject gets tricky and emotive and no one is right and no one is wrong. Tread carefully with failsafes in helis. Best of luck in learning to fly them.

Barry - Unfortunately PCM Rx's are only useable with their own manufacturers Tx equipment, unlike the PPM Rx's which work to a standard. Each manufacturers PCM setup is however proprietary so you can't mix and match Rx's. So as you have a Sanwa RD6000 Super you have to buy Sanwa PCM Rx's if you want to use PCM. As far as I am aware they only have the one available, the 8129, and pricey compared to some PPM ones at around £80. However it is an extremely good and reliable dual conversion 8 channel Rx and is ideal for helicopters. Note dual conversion. Dual conversion crystals are £15 each. I also use Sanwa equipment with my helicopters and the GY401 gyro. When I started with helicopters I used a JR PPM Rx initially but after the 1st lockout I suffered due to interference (fortunately the JR Rx on getting interference simply stayed at the last good signal so as I was in a stable left hand turn at the time it carried on doing the left hand turn and came back under control about 5 seconds later. Phew!!!!) the Rx cost at £80 was a nothing if it meant I kept control, and from then on all I have ever used in helicopters are the Sanwa 8129 PCM Rx's, and I have never even had a glitch since. I run all mine on PCM1. I have no idea how PCM2 differs and the manual doesn't tell you either. You will find however that the helicopter cadre will tell you that Sanwa is no use for helicopters as it doesn't have the functionality or programming etc etc. Absolute rubbish. Within the limitations of only having 6 channels on your Tx you will find you can do anything that the other Tx's can, but you will need to discover lots of it by yourself, as no one else will know. So if you need to know things post it on the forums, here, RCMF or Run Ryder are the best for helicopters. One other thing. Use good quality servos in an i/c helicopter, especially on pitch with plenty of torque and ball raced. Not £6 cheapies. Digitals if you can afford them. The difference they make is amazing and when you have had no problems with them years down the line you will realise what a good investment they actually were.  Hope this helps