The test flight was an overall success. Collective and cyclic responded well to my radio set up. Tail lock was a bit mushy, probably due to main blades not balanced very well for being brand new. Tail stayed locked, but wandered back and forth a few centimeters. I'll try it again with a balanced set later. I have yet to figure out the finer points of the tail gyro, but at least it locks.... and I think one of the Tx switches toggles into rate-mode as I found out also that I need to fine tune the tail pitch to use that.

 

You should notice a big difference on collective now Beaver. The higher RPM will actually provide a better feel once you get used to it. Higher RPM means everything will have to be better balanced and double check all feathering shaft bolts etc... That starting to get "up there" on a clone...

 

Actually, the headspeed was a bit too hot for the B450. Plastic blade grips don't inspire much in the way of confidence, and I don't want to see the B450 self-destruct in mid-air. .. I put the stock motor back on to get back down to around 3000.
As far as collective goes, its still good at 3000. The problem I had before with the old radio was not enough pulse-width modulation in the collective channel due to fixed rate with no means of adjusting. The new computer radio fixed that! With a decent set of blades on it now, I managed a few minutes of inverted during this mornings flight. Tail held better due to less vibes. I almost put it in once, but managed to get right at the last moment.... about 30cm from the ground! (mental note to self- bring the cyclic rates back up a bit) That got the ol heart racing for sure!
Anyway, the thing is coming together nicely... for an old fly-barred beater.

 

Yes i was a little concerned to say the least. Now you have control back with a better radio you will notice a world of difference. Sometimes more cyclic control is better.

 

I have this bird where I want it.
All stock except for:
325mm CF blades
CX450-Pro tail blades
Align RCE-BL45X ESC (2S to 6S capable)
Turnigy H2223 3500Kv/600W running on 12.72:1 main gears for approximately 3000rpm head speed
CopterX canopy
3S/2400mAh/30C Li-po
Solid 8 minute flights with 25% charge remaining.

I didn't think I would enjoy this Heli as much, being flybared, but it would seem I was wrong.

 

HEY thats awesome! Yes a Fly Bar heli can be fine.... i mean it has been for many years for many pilots. The main disadvantages are: More complexity in the head (but who cares! you can pick parts up for nothing!) and you cant adjust the cyclic feel very easily (ie what you have is what you have).

BUT on the plus side.... its very consistent and natural feel. I see heli pilots doing the most incredible piro flips using a fb head- because its 100% mechanical and natural - if that makes sense.

 

Actually, with the parameters available on the new FS-TH9X radio, I can adjust cyclic servo throws, collective and cyclic stick rates so that it's almost if not more easily adjustable than an FBL, and can be done in a few seconds. Fly, land, adjust and resume flight without even spooling down. Tail gain can be adjusted in-flight.
I absolutely love this new radio.
I agree about the "natural feel" of the fly-bar. It seems as responsive as FBL (when properly trimmed out), but a bit smoother and more consistent.
I don't regret buying it.
...... and now I have an old flybared MS Composite Hornet 2 airframe on the way.... a restoration and modification project.
I think I may be addicted to Heli now.....

 

I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.
Naturally, I end up putting the B450 in the dirt nose first.... f#@k me!!

 

No way @Beaver! It allways happens like that. Was it a dumb thumb? or mechanical failure?

 

You! ...... &#@k off!

 

I'm pretty sure it was thumb.
I was at the park flying (and not just hovering around) doing the usual looping and going inverted. I've noticed a tendency for thumb to drag the stick sideways while working collective, which induces unwanted rudder input. It happened so fast..... I was coming out of inverted and ended up with tail out of phase. By the time I corrected, it was too late. I should have hit ailieron and rolled out sideways, but I didn't that time.

 

You don't have to be a physicist to know what matters....... and your opinion does not.

 

Cx450SE back in air, now its time to rebuild the B450-3D.... no problem, I now have most of the needed replacement parts on hand.
However, there was the small issue of the disfunctional tail servo, which may have been damaged in the crash and ended up with a burnt coreless motor.
DS76T tail servo- $20...
Discovering that all those good used Nano CPx tail motors left over from replacing broken booms are almost exact replacements for the coreless motors in those DS76T servos- priceless.

 

Really? No way! that is amazing.. Your very resourceful @Beaver

 

So I drive 100Km to the neighboring town to check out their selection of heli parts, only to find they did not have as much as I expected for a nationwide store chain. I did however, walk out with $90 worth of Blade 400/450 parts, some of them aluminum upgrade parts, for $20! (75% off)
I didn't find exactly what I was after, but definitely worth the trip.

 

Almost ready to install main blades and get this B450 in the air again.
I thought the G210 tail gyro had gone to shiz as the HH wasn't working during bench test, and I don't like the idea of being stuck with rate-mode. I was about to order another gyro, when I discovered one of the little selector switches on the gyro had moved out of position...... all good now.

 

B450-3D seems to be in good order, but I still have yet to go through the head and install some of the upgrade parts I have, being mainly the all aluminum paddle control frame, as well as new see-saw holder and new fly-bar rod. I managed to straighten the rod from the last accident where it got "pretzeled". It works fine, but still needs to be replaced nevertheless.
I have a new 40A ESC due to arrive, which will replace the E-Blite ESC that Im not fond of due to its lack of programming options and limitation to only 3S power.

 

.....and I did it again.
$200 worth of aluminum upgrade parts for $40. Gotta love clearance sales.