450 Tarot 450 Pro v2 FBL Maiden Flight! Help please?

[D.O.G.]

I learn to fly on my Tarot 450. I like there 3 point locking system on their DFC/FBL heads. Another benefit is that Align parts, most, will fit the Tarot. Just like Geena said," It would be really cool to see some progression videos as you move along. " PLUS

 

[Blade 400]

The Tarot should be an excellent helicopter for you to learn on, and way better that the Blades helicopters as far as quality and performance. It would be really cool to see some progression videos as you move along.

Funny you should say that Geena, I was thinking of filming a few flights! Just off to test her to make sure the Beast x is still happy and to check that she`s not turning when in the air

 

[Blade 400]

I learn to fly on my Tarot 450. I like there 3 point locking system on their DFC/FBL heads. Another benefit is that Align parts, most, will fit the Tarot. Just like Geena said," It would be really cool to see some progression videos as you move along. " PLUS

Nice one D.O.G. and great flying
I will post some vids when I'm happy she`s setup properly (I don`t want to take any chances with her)
The head speed is much faster than the Blade 400 which I have at 70%, so the Tarot is very sensitive on cyclic - I only have to give a very light touch to get her moving. I`ve been practising skinny figure 8`s in the Sim but feel I need to tame the cyclic down before trying it for real! Do you change all settings using the FBL Gyro or are some still in the TX please??? As for parts there was a local charity shop selling a job lot of Align trex 450 parts, so I`m good for ages (hopefully)

 

[Geena]

Nice one D.O.G. and great flying
I will post some vids when I'm happy she`s setup properly (I don`t want to take any chances with her)
The head speed is much faster than the Blade 400 which I have at 70%, so the Tarot is very sensitive on cyclic - I only have to give a very light touch to get her moving. I`ve been practising skinny figure 8`s in the Sim but feel I need to tame the cyclic down before trying it for real! Do you change all settings using the FBL Gyro or are some still in the TX please??? As for parts there was a local charity shop selling a job lot of Align trex 450 parts, so I`m good for ages (hopefully)

Add some expo in the transmitter for elevator and aileron. Make sure that the expo for elevator and aileron as the same. You don`t want one to be say....25% and the other to be 30%...That will make the helicopter feel weird when you fly it. (Start with around 25-30% of positive expo....unless you are using a Futaba transmitter. If you are using Futaba transmitter, you need negative expo).

That will soften up the feel a bit. If you are using a linear pitch curve in normal mode, try using 40%,45%,50%,75%,100%. That will make the helicopter a little more docile in hover, and reduce the negative pitch range. This will help you with getting smoother landings too. Based on 12 degrees of pitch, this pitch curve should give you 12 degrees of positive pitch at high stick, and 2.5....ish degrees of negative pitch at low stick.

 

[Geena]

Funny you should say that Geena, I was thinking of filming a few flights! Just off to test her to make sure the Beast x is still happy and to check that she`s not turning when in the air

Awesome! I hope it flies the way you want it to. I have a maiden flight to do this coming weekend myself. My Miniature aircraft Fury 57. I`ve had this helicopter for a month now, and haven`t been able to fly it, due to engine troubles. The new engine got here yesterday, and it`s installed and ready to fly now. I`ll be posting a maiden flight video soon.

 

[RandyDSok]

I will post some vids when I'm happy she`s setup properly (I don`t want to take any chances with her)

If it's not too much trouble to setup for vids during your flight setup portions.... go ahead and video them anyway. If there is nothing of importance in them you can always delete them but if you do come across something you have a question about... a video may make it easier to get some help about it in some cases.

I've had clients ( I fix/repair/build Windows based computers ) that have called with problems over the phone and of course I do try to provide some answers or general direction when possible. There are often times those suggestions didn't help and then they bring it in... and I see some minor detail they didn't mention and was able to quickly address their issue. The same is easily true with just about anything and often a simple video can show what may be a minor issue to someone used to seeing it.

 

[Blade 400]

If it's not too much trouble to setup for vids during your flight setup portions.... go ahead and video them anyway. If there is nothing of importance in them you can always delete them but if you do come across something you have a question about... a video may make it easier to get some help about it in some cases.

I've had clients ( I fix/repair/build Windows based computers ) that have called with problems over the phone and of course I do try to provide some answers or general direction when possible. There are often times those suggestions didn't help and then they bring it in... and I see some minor detail they didn't mention and was able to quickly address their issue. The same is easily true with just about anything and often a simple video can show what may be a minor issue to someone used to seeing it.

Great advice Randy, much appreciated

 

[Blade 400]

Awesome! I hope it flies the way you want it to. I have a maiden flight to do this coming weekend myself. My Miniature aircraft Fury 57. I`ve had this helicopter for a month now, and haven`t been able to fly it, due to engine troubles. The new engine got here yesterday, and it`s installed and ready to fly now. I`ll be posting a maiden flight video soon.

I hope all goes well for you at the weekend Geena and look forward to seeing the flight

 

[Blade 400]

Add some expo in the transmitter for elevator and aileron. Make sure that the expo for elevator and aileron as the same. You don`t want one to be say....25% and the other to be 30%...That will make the helicopter feel weird when you fly it. (Start with around 25-30% of positive expo....unless you are using a Futaba transmitter. If you are using Futaba transmitter, you need negative expo).

That will soften up the feel a bit. If you are using a linear pitch curve in normal mode, try using 40%,45%,50%,75%,100%. That will make the helicopter a little more docile in hover, and reduce the negative pitch range. This will help you with getting smoother landings too. Based on 12 degrees of pitch, this pitch curve should give you 12 degrees of positive pitch at high stick, and 2.5....ish degrees of negative pitch at low stick.

Thanks so much Geena, I will follow this guidance prior to flying her next but, I have a bit of a problem currently?
I did a test flight earlier just to check if she was turning in the air (not just on the ground and unfortunately the nose is turning to the left significantly when she`s in the air? Also, when I plugged the battery in again later to try and look at the tail for adjustment, the FBL Gyro isn`t initializing, she just has one row of flashing moving orange lights? I tried re-binding my receiver without success so I swapped her for another which did bind but, the FBL Gyro is still acting the same???
UPDATE: I`ve just gone through the FBL Receiver setup holding the button in before connecting the battery, an orange light flashes by letter `A` and I then hold the button in for 2 secs each time till I get a purple status light for the Spektrum receiver. I`m then instructed to hold the button briefly which moves the orange flashing light to `B` and it says the status light should turn from red to blue? mine is just staying red??? Any ideas please?

 

[Geena]

Most of the time when a FBL unit fails to initialize on power up, it’s because the helicopter moved before the unit could finish initializing. But if the status are not the colours they should be, you might want to consider a fresh setup

 

[Blade 400]

Most of the time when a FBL unit fails to initialize on power up, it’s because the helicopter moved before the unit could finish initializing. But if the status are not the colours they should be, you might want to consider a fresh setup

Thanks Geena, I have other Heli`s to fly so I`m not desperate at the moment Lol!
It will do me good to go through a fresh setup as I didn`t set her up originally, so will learn a lot from doing it - I do enjoy this side of RC Helicopters too

But ........................... I much prefer flying

 

[Geena]

Nice looking helicopter. I used to have an Align T-Rex 450 Pro V2........WAY back when. It was a great little helicopter. Any time I get a used helicopter from someone, I A:WAYS do a fresh setup on it. I don`t know if the person I got it from knew how to set one up, so I don`t trust their setup. It`s always a good idea to do a fresh setup on any helicopter you get. Even if they set "it`s set up".

 

[Admiral]

Looks good, also pay to check that metal to metal screws have been Thread Locked, sorry I don't trust anyone else's build, been caught out years ago.

 

[Blade 400]

Nice looking helicopter. I used to have an Align T-Rex 450 Pro V2........WAY back when. It was a great little helicopter. Any time I get a used helicopter from someone, I A:WAYS do a fresh setup on it. I don`t know if the person I got it from knew how to set one up, so I don`t trust their setup. It`s always a good idea to do a fresh setup on any helicopter you get. Even if they set "it`s set up".

Cheers Geena, I will definitely check her out and set her up properly. As you know she`s new to me so its another learning curve but that`s fine
The weather is really good here, would have been perfect for the Tarot and putting new moves in to real flying but, I still have my Blades (Msr, 120sr, MCPX, Nanp Cps & 400`s) I`m charging my Lipo`s now and taking the new Blade 400 out later! Just put new CF Blades on, her first set

 

[Blade 400]

Looks good, also pay to check that metal to metal screws have been Thread Locked, sorry I don't trust anyone else's build, been caught out years ago.

Thanks Admiral, I`ll do that and thanks again for all of your previous help and advice

 

[Blade 400]

Add some expo in the transmitter for elevator and aileron. Make sure that the expo for elevator and aileron as the same. You don`t want one to be say....25% and the other to be 30%...That will make the helicopter feel weird when you fly it. (Start with around 25-30% of positive expo....unless you are using a Futaba transmitter. If you are using Futaba transmitter, you need negative expo).

That will soften up the feel a bit. If you are using a linear pitch curve in normal mode, try using 40%,45%,50%,75%,100%. That will make the helicopter a little more docile in hover, and reduce the negative pitch range. This will help you with getting smoother landings too. Based on 12 degrees of pitch, this pitch curve should give you 12 degrees of positive pitch at high stick, and 2.5....ish degrees of negative pitch at low stick.

Hi Geena,
I just dialled these in and tested her, I have 30% expo dialled in for my Blade 400 so I know it will help a lot. The Pitch for the Tarot was a straight line in normal mode from 0 to 100! I did find it was trying to suck into the ground when landing She`ll be nice a smooth now My throttle curve is a straight line 0 to 100? Can I change that in the TX as well and what would you advise please? It`s rarely calm here wind wise Thanks

 

[Geena]

Hi Geena,
I just dialled these in and tested her, I have 30% expo dialled in for my Blade 400 so I know it will help a lot. The Pitch for the Tarot was a straight line in normal mode from 0 to 100! I did find it was trying to suck into the ground when landing She`ll be nice a smooth now My throttle curve is a straight line 0 to 100? Can I change that in the TX as well and what would you advise please? It`s rarely calm here wind wise Thanks

You will be happier with flat throttle curves. When you have linear curves, your motor will speed up and down with collective inputs. Try setting normal throttle curve to 0,70,70,70,70. Set stunt 1 to flat 75,75,75,75,75 and stunt 2 to flat 80,80,80,80,80. Your motor will stay constant on rpm and some of the twitchyness in the collective should go away due to constant throttle.

 

[Geena]

You will be happier with flat throttle curves. When you have linear curves, your motor will speed up and down with collective inputs. Try setting normal throttle curve to 0,70,70,70,70. Set stunt 1 to flat 75,75,75,75,75 and stunt 2 to flat 80,80,80,80,80. Your motor will stay constant on rpm and some of the twitchyness in the collective should go away due to constant throttle.

BTW. yes, you change throttle curves in the transmitter.

 

[Blade 400]

You will be happier with flat throttle curves. When you have linear curves, your motor will speed up and down with collective inputs. Try setting normal throttle curve to 0,70,70,70,70. Set stunt 1 to flat 75,75,75,75,75 and stunt 2 to flat 80,80,80,80,80. Your motor will stay constant on rpm and some of the twitchyness in the collective should go away due to constant throttle.

Great, I`ll try those with the Blade 400 too Thank you

 

[Blade 400]

Great, I`ll try those with the Blade 400 too Thank you

Hi Geena,
The TX settings you gave me worked really well (just a little bit of tweaking to suit my level of flying = poor)

I still have a problem with the tail? I initialized the FBL gyro and the tail had some pitch so, with all Tx trims centered, I mechanically adjusted the pushrod so that the tail visually appeared to be without pitch. When I took her up, I once again had to give full right trim on my TX to get her to hold tail in??? I know you have told me previously that you NEVER adjust trim on the TX with a FBL Heli, but she wouldn`t hold in the air without rotating left unless I held in constant right stick with the rudder trim centered???
Thanks Geena and I realise that I have taken so much of your time with issue`s with my Tarot, so after this question, I will post generally I Promise