ATAOF, Almost to old to fly

[tweeter1]

I 'm a 62 year old heli pilot. I started with a GMP Competitor, upgraded to the Schluter Champion, then to the Schluter Scout, gotta love that System 88, when the Futura Se came out I thought I bought my last machine, baring any crashes, the Se will always be my true first love in helicopters. Took about 20 years off, now I have two sons and two grandsons flying Trex 500's. I've kinda lost some of the old skills but they are coming back, slowly !!!!!

The Old Futura Se is a little under powered by todays standards so I bought a JR 50 Nex, my first CCPM machine, and I love it. With nitro getting a little pricey I decided to try a Gasser, MA's Whiplash Gasser seemed the perfect choice, gas is a lot cheaper than nitro, and the Whiplash is big enough my old eyes can actually see it when I'm out yanking and banking. I sent the Zenoah 290 to BH Hanson , this is a 13 lb machine and it flies lite, like my JR 50. I have only run I gal of fuel through the Whiplash so I am still braking in the engine and dialing things in. So far so good this is going to be fun, I wonder how big the first loop will be???

I live in Draper Utah so we fly at 4500 ft, and I don't like the winters, guess I am a fair weather pilot, what a wuss. We own a carpet store , big deal and who cares but it gave me something else to say, I have a great love of chocolate, I am presently builing a 1/9 scale Wingspan Models B17, and chocolate is the only thing that has gotten me through the hard times and difficulties, this thing is just to big and to many engines, with a 12 ft wingspan it is occupying a large area of the bsmnt frm.

One of the reasons I joined this website Is; I am a technological "LOOSER", I fly with the Futba GV-1 governor and all my helis, and I still fly the old reliable Futaba GY401, because that is all I have ever used, and the thought of these new gyro/governors scares me. I have read novels that have less passages than the instruction manuals for these things, I need to take a break and get some chocolate, I am getting all worked up, I'm back and I'm better. PAUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok; Well I went out and did it, I purchased a TREX450 Pro, That's right with the 3GX, I have seen Tony's you tube videos, I have downloaded the 3GX destructions, and I am thinking "what have I done", there's no flybar on this stupid thing, there's no GV-1, there's no Gy 401, and where do I pump the nitro? there's no fuel tank, and I read something about a USB cable, hold on guy's I need to go get more chocolate........................I'm back again I think I need to go get a bag of Nestles chocolate chips, cause I'm running low.

Well I am getting worked up here, so I am going to clean the pond filters feed the fish and say thanks for listening. My cute blonde type wife asked if I was really going to post this, which I am. I bought this heli to practice various manuvers. I figure it would be cheaper to fix, needs a much smaller air space to fly. and if I crash The Futura, Whiplash or JR I would need more chocolate than the market is presently carrying to get me through the depression. I am close to needing help with the 3GX, so all the input you have will be greatly appreciated. This is my first electric, first flybarless, first time needing any computer skills, which I have none. So thanks for listening/reading, by the way I Use a Futaba 10chg, which is only one year old I was still flying my Futaba 72mhz 9c which I still use on the Futura.

Thanks Bob, the man, the wuss, the myth

 

[EyeStation]

Great intro there Bob! Would live to see some pic's of those older Heli's.

 

[Tony]

Bob, welcome to the forum! The 450 Pro is a great helicopter and you will have great success with it. Don't be intimidated with teh 3GX, it's not that bad. I have made some videos on how to exactly set this gyro up and make it almost as stable as a 600 size bird. Which for a 450, that is impressive. As for the computer stuff, you can do everything without the computer if you want, but then use the computer to fine tune your settings. If the gyro had V2.1 in it, just leave that setting in the gyro. Start a thread in teh gyro section and I will walk you though the 2.1 setup. However, if you want to upgrade to, or it already has 3.1, the videos in teh link below will be perfect. Basically the only difference is the Anti-Torque Compensation (you may know this as "Revo Gain") depending on where the gyro is mounted. As stated though, we are here to help however we can, you just have to ask.

http://www.rc-help.com/showthread.php/9455-Align-3GX-Setup-Series

And a Pond huh? I'm guessing Koi? In the lounge I have a saltwater tank thread for my 90g reef with my custom built 40 gallon sump. Love that tank. Something about fish in water that helps calm you down after lawn darting a heli into the ground lol. The fact that you have a pond makes me want to go rent a back hoe lmao.

Hope to see many pictures and videos of your "toys".

 

[idon'tknow!]

Welcome aboard Bob! I love those old birds... they look like tons of fun, have never got mine running (anyways, back on topic)... I'm sure you love the t-rex 450, and can't wait to see some photo's/videos.

 

[tweeter1]

Hi guys
Just finish edging and feeding the fish, yes Koi, accidentally shocked me and them once we all survived, did you know when you wade into a pond you don't take an electrical cord with you!!, then drop into the water that really smarts, even though the fish survived they haven't been the same , now I am afraid to go into the water, they just look at me differently. Thanks for the input, My 3gx is v3.0, it's nice to know I don't need the computer, thank goodness!!! By next weekend I will need help with the 3gx. I am using a Futaba 7ch receiver so I will post my requests on the your," to dumb to be flying", page and hope someone walks me through it.

The only heli I still own from the old days is the Futura Se, first heli I did a loop with, kind of dump doing a loop when your tank is empty, just flipped her over and atuo'd, or as we use to call it, split the needles. Well thanks again, oh I didn't know you could post pics but then the previous post has pics I'll ask my kids how to do it, I am clueless. i'll see if they can post pics of the old Se with system 88.

Thamks Bob

 

[Tony]

I HIGHLY suggest you update the firmware from 3.0 to 3.1. 3.0 will work, but it has a HORRIBLE tendency to tip over on take off. And with you just getting back into the game and not being used to the flybarless (you don't touch the cyclic on take off), it can get hairy lol. Update the firmware to 3.1 and call it done.

Here is the video on how to flash the firmware in these 3GX's. This video was done with 3.0, but it's the same process with 3.1. At the time of this video, 3.1 had not come out yet.

Click the link below to download the 3.1 software for your computer.
http://rc-help.com/3GX/3GX_V3.1.zip

3GX Setup Part 2 How To Flash The Firmware To Version 3.0 - YouTube

 

[Lee]

Welcome to the forum Bob,
The wife and i are both Chocoholics. Is the Whiplash Gasser Flybarred? I would love to get a gasser heli in the future. Like you said, its much cheaper the Nitro.

 

[Karubah]

Welcome to the forum Bob. LOVE your writing style, it's very entertaining. You will like this forum, the blokes on here are very willing to answer any questions you may have and I look forward to seeing a few pics of your squadron. Cheers from the land down under.

 

[tweeter1]

Hi Andy, thanks for writing;

I have a good friend in Australia. We are each building a Wingspan Models B17 G, his name is Paul Bridge, I don't remember off the top of my head where he lives, while I've never met him we have become good friends over the last two years.

Guess I get a little long winded sometimes, well a lot of the time, maybe most of the time, actually it seems I don't know when to shut up.

The Whiplash Gasser is running a flybar, I am very old school, I started flying in the early eighties, as I mentioned, I fell in love with Schluter's helis especially the Champion, then Schluter came out with system 88, that did it, I was hooked, I fell in love all over again, I am married so I didn't dare tell Gayla, it might have upset her. I was not impressed with the gasser's back in the eighties, but with nitro getting more and more expensive I thought I would look at gas again. I did a lot of research and selected the Miniature Aircraft's Whiplash, in my opinion the best built heli available. Next I researched the engine, the Whiplash is built around the Zenoah 260RC, BH Hanson who did the upgrade or blueprinting on the engine recommended the Zenoah 290, it has a little larger displacement and a 4 bolt head instead of a two bolt,this thing has incredible power, the 13 lb Whiplash flies very light, like my JR50 NEX.

Like I mentioned I fly older technology because that's what I learned on, I love the Futaba GV-1, and the old reliable GY401, they work, they are reliable and I'm not technologically minded enough to figure out all this new cool stuff, yep I am a looser, totally hopeless. That's the same reason I fly nitro, that's all I've ever known, I haven't run a gallon of fuel through the Whiplash yet so I'm still dialing her in, but she sure looks good in the air. As soon as I get a few more flights on the Whip, I am going to crank the head speed up to 1850, then she's going to be awesome, I am running about 1650 on the head right now , it's just to slow.

I notice you run a couple of Trex machines, are using the 3gx gyro, this maybe the only fbl heli I ever buy, we will see how it goes, I think I am going to have nothing but headaches when I start setting up the 3gx, I will have a 2lb bag of Nestles chocolate chips and an IV standing buy.

Buy the way I love the smell of burnt nitro, as Cpt Jack Sparrow would say "THE SWEET BOUQUET THAT IS BURNT NITRO", they should make a mans cologne or after shave wit that sweet bouquet, and oh the sound of a two stroke turning 16,000 to 18,000 rpm, and of course the smoke trail has an added bonus it not only looks cool but it helps these 62 year old eyes locate the heli in the sky.

Thanks for writing good hearing from you;

AND REMEMBER NEVER FLY TO LOW, LEST THE GROUND RISE UP AND SMITE THEE...............

Bob, almost to old to fly, Ward

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did this work???

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Some have asked to see my 20 year old Futura Se; I pulled it out for my grandson and hovered it in the front yard, this was taken 6 months ago. Good ole OS 61 started right up.

This was a test to see if I could post a pic without my kids help, not bad considering I didn't know what I was doing, it took about 10 minutes but I did it.

Congrates to me, first time I pulled pitch in many years.
Bob

 

[tweeter1]

Hi Lee

Thanks for writing it's late and I answered your question in my reply to Andy, man am I loosing it. It's good to hear from fellow chocoholics, you know you can never have too much chocolate. What are you doing in Spain?

I will let you know how things go with the Whiplash. This thing is very high quality. After a few more flights I will dial up the head speed and start pushing it harder. The Whiplash comes with a pull start and it starts easily. So no ni-starter, no starter just fill it up and pull the line. It looks big and beautiful in the air. I think the Zenoah 290 upgraded by Bh Hanson is a great engine, it has more than enough power for the Whiplash.

Right now I am flying a JR 50 NEX nitro
Schluter Futura SE nitro
MA Whiplash gasser
I have a Century 30 Hawk PRO, I am training my daughters on. nitro
I just purchased a TREX 450 pro fbl, my first and only electric, to high tech for me, man I am in trouble
All my machines have a flybar and are nitro except the TREX

Thanks Again for writing, Bob

 

[tweeter1]

Ok guys here is where it begins Trex 450 pro, 3gx version 3.0. I'm using a Futaba R617fs receiver
I hooked up the ESc to the throttle slot in the 3gx, the esc says hi , the 3gx is staring back at me doing nothing, but the receiver is happy and lights up green. Yes the transmitter is on. As I said before this new technology is going to kill me, "Where's the chocolate?"

There are days when I get excited if I can turn the lights on and off in my house.

Thanks for listening.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok guys here is where it begins Trex 450 pro, 3gx version 3.0. I'm using a Futaba R617fs receiver
I hooked up the ESc to the throttle slot in the 3gx, the esc says hi , the 3gx is staring back at me doing nothing, but the receiver is happy and lights up green. Yes the transmitter is on. As I said before this new technology is going to kill me, "Where's the chocolate?"

There are days when I get excited if I can turn the lights on and off in my house.

Thanks for listening.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok guys here is where it begins Trex 450 pro, 3gx version 3.0. I'm using a Futaba R617fs receiver
I hooked up the ESc to the throttle slot in the 3gx, the esc says hi , the 3gx is staring back at me doing nothing, but the receiver is happy and lights up green. Yes the transmitter is on. As I said before this new technology is going to kill me, "Where's the chocolate?"

There are days when I get excited if I can turn the lights on and off in my house.

Thanks for listening.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok guys here is where it begins Trex 450 pro, 3gx version 3.0. I'm using a Futaba R617fs receiver
I hooked up the ESc to the throttle slot in the 3gx, the esc says hi , the 3gx is staring back at me doing nothing, but the receiver is happy and lights up green. Yes the transmitter is on. As I said before this new technology is going to kill me, "Where's the chocolate?"

There are days when I get excited if I can turn the lights on and off in my house.

Thanks for listening.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok guys here is where it begins Trex 450 pro, 3gx version 3.0. I'm using a Futaba R617fs receiver
I hooked up the ESc to the throttle slot in the 3gx, the esc says hi , the 3gx is staring back at me doing nothing, but the receiver is happy and lights up green. Yes the transmitter is on. As I said before this new technology is going to kill me, "Where's the chocolate?"

There are days when I get excited if I can turn the lights on and off in my house.

Thanks for listening.

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Sorry, I don't know what I just did. but I did it

 

[Karubah]

Bob, Would mind reposting this question in the Heli section under 450 s as Tony can get upset if you ask questions in the introduction thread. It can cause confusion when not in the right section. Cheers

 

[tweeter1]

Thanks Andy I will do that tomorrow, I hope

Bob

 

[Tony]

I don't know about upset Andy, but they are better off in the tech section. Most members come in here to this forum and go directly to the tech section for info. It's just a better place for them.

As for what has just happened, I'm trying to work on that double posting issue. There is a little hiccup in the server that is causing it. Not sure what is going on. But I will find it in due time.