Blade MSR: Finding it very frustrating

payne9999

MY MSR came today. I figured it would be harder to fly than the MCX and MCX2 but it seems very unstable. Here is what I am noticing:

1. The fly bar impacts the main rotor when I am making directional input. I can hear it chattering as it hits. Seems like this would impact stability. I wonder if this is typical/normal?

2. After input of a certain direction it continues in that direction even if the stick is returned to center. I know this is normal to a degree but it is not just a subtle effect but it continues at almost full clip. Opposite stick is required to stop it and sometimes this leads to a sort of harmonic overcompensation that causes me to chop the throttle and land to avoid a messy crash.

3. The rudder trim doesn't stop the tail from rotating. After adjusting the trim it either rotates slowly in one direction or the other. This adds a level of distraction when trying to achieve a stable hover or direction of flight.

4. It toilet bowls in a horizontal axis and sometimes will change to a vertical axis circling motion.

Flying it feels like trying to balance a marble on a pencil tip. Also, the aileron response is annoying. sometimes when compensating for a left slide at takeoff it fails to respond and then suddenly responds and tips over.

On dual rate there is not enough control and on full-rate it is squirelly.

I have spent over a year flying the MCX & MCX2, 20 years as an RC airplane pilot as well as several years as a full scale pilot. I am not sure why this heli is giving me such a difficult time.

Even though it is a low cost heli, I don't want to break stuff. After flying it I feel like I downed 10 cups of coffee Shocked

Anyway, I hope I can figure it out instead of having to return it.

DGP

pjdog · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:57 am Post subject:

payne9999:

How well I remember the MSR when I forst got it. I had developed rc Helicopter skills on an Exceed falcon 40 V2 FP heli. So I thought the MSR would be an easy thing to do. The little MSR must be balanced the in perfect trim or it just will not fly.

All though I have not flown the MSR in a while I know it's a handful but lots of fun.

Your having all the trouble because it's not trimmed correctly. From here in Louisiana It's very hard for me to help you trim your helicopter. Just fix one thing at a time. You will get it and be very happy with the MSR when you do. Just fix the tail spin first, when do the left or right drift. That's how I did it.

Don't take it back.

Jack

payne9999 · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:18 pm Post subject:

Well, I have been working on it all evening and there are two factors I can't overcome:

1. The tail spinning will not center with trim, it either spins left or right slowly but it is distracting and makes it hard to fly straight.

2. The battery is pushed all the way forward in the holder and still I max out the forward trim and it still wants to back up all the time. I have to hover with forward stick. maybe I need to adjust the linkages to center it.

I put in a longer/heavier 160mah battery that if pushed in all the way should move the cg forward and still it wants to fly tailward (so to speak).

I have trimmed out the MCX and MCX2 many times and I understand the process but I am out of range on the "elevator" trim.

Even when I get an approximate hover by feeding forward stick it tends to trace out a big horizontal circle (toilet bowl syndrome). Did your MSR have the fly bar slapping the main rotor when feeding in forward, aft or left/right stick? Mine makes a buzzing noise as the flybar slaps into the rotor. I held it in my hand and added some directional input and I could see it hitting.

Well, I may adjust the linkage and then try some more trimming.

Thanks,

DGP

chopper54 · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:51 pm Post subject:

memories payne9999
oh how i recall trying to fly my new msr, what a handful.
to help forward trim you can mechanically adjust the links or add a bit of weight in the nose cone.
also make sure the rotor blades are loose in the holders. its best if you have them quite floppy. too tight and it will cause awful tbe.
to try and cure the left or right trimming you can carefully twist a bit more pitch on the rear rotor to centralise between the trim settings.

payne9999 · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:08 pm Post subject:

I think I will adjust the linkage to get back in trim range and go to work a couple hours early so I can fly in a large room with high ceilings.

I have been noticing that in a hover it seems to like tiny pulses of correction rather than a more intentional stick input. Also, once the blades are spinning when it is sitting on the floor it likes to be popped up off the floor rather than a slow takeoff. In a slow takeoff it seems to be rather hard to control the sideways drift that disappears once it gains some alttitude.

Thanks for the advice, I am glad there are forums like this....

DGP

payne9999 · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:38 pm Post subject:

Ok, got to work at 6:30am, check the stars for correct alignment, had a good nights sleep, made sure my glasses were clean, adjusted the linkage, got into a 30'X30' room with 12' ceilings and lifted it off.

I just let it drift about, landed and trimmed over and over. It was way out all right. so after a using almost a full battery to trim I got a stable hover.

I guess for now I need to learn in this big room before I fly at home. It is fast.

Thanks again to all of you for the advice,

DGP

chopper54 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:06 am Post subject: post subject

hi payne9999
i used to be quite good with my msr but now i prefer to use my two
120 sr for indoor practice. they are a bit bigger and more stable. and because i dont fly the msr too often now i actually find it easier to hover my blade 400 than the msr. to be good with the msr takes plenty of practice and it does take a bit of time and then when you move up to collective pitch you start learning all over again.

pjdog · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:32 am Post subject:

Payne9999:

The reason you are having to pop it off the floor is because it's out of trim. As you get it closer it will just lift off. Once you get the thing trimmed it's sweet

Dumb Thumbs · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 5:17 am Post subject:

I cnan't see how the flybar could be making contact with the main rotor blades. Right there something seems wrong.

tombo242 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 5:36 am Post subject:

payne9999 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 5:47 am Post subject:

Dumb Thumbs · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:53 am Post subject:

Nope, no chatter in mine. If your flybar is hitting the blades check that the head is assembled correctly. Also it could be that the anti-rotation collar (pt# 30010) is slipping. I've got a few MicroHeli blings on mine, but the setup is the same as stock.

payne9999 · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:45 am Post subject:

Now that my MSR is trimmed I am not hearing the sound any longer. I am not sure how/why it happens.

However, I have been flying this heli for 3 days now practicing a lot and I have noticed that even though it is quite challenging I am getting it slowly. Also, when I go back and fly the MCX2 I notice my flying skills have improved significantly. So, I think the challenge of the MSR is helping my flying skills and that is really a plus.

Now that E-Flite is going to offer a micro CP heli, I think my path will be easier and maybe it will go something like this:

1. Continue working hard with the MSR.
2. Get a 120SR so I can fly outside when weather permits.
3. Get a good simulator and practice, practice practice.
4. Try the CPx out eventually especially since it probably will be cheaper to maintain than a large CP heli.
5. Someday graduate to a 400 size CP heli.

DGP

chopper54 · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:17 am Post subject: post subject

hi payne9999
when you have mastered the msr in a couple of weeks and can hover
without trying you will wonder why you couldn't do it straight away.
Smile

the challenge i am trying to beat at the moment is nose in hover with the
blade 400. this hobby is so addictive because the learning never ends.

Scott · Extreme 3D Joined: 11 Nov 2010 Posts: 340

Same callenge here Chopper. Got another 400 ordered, so mI don`t
have to practice with the one with the scale fuselage. Got another
RTF for $369.00 . PlugN play is nolonger available around here
due to the new 450 I`m told. I will have an extra DX-6i I might
want to part with.