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Belt CP Review (Comprehensive)

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Electric RC Helicopters are one of the fastest growing sectors of the radio controlled hobby worldwide. With the introduction of lightweight power sources like the lithium cell, the manufacturers' long awaited key in entering the electric age of RC helicopters is no longer a dream.

There has been a continuous rage of manufacturers to dominate the industry and currently, Align's T-rex helicopter model captures the high-end portion of the market.

More and more players are coming into scene and Align will have to strategize their marketing to maintain supremacy with high quality, good pricing and customer support.

belt-cp2 One of Align's main competitors E-Sky, currently introduced their latest model: the Belt CP. A 450-size electric helicopter which rivals the Align TREX 450XL and the Fully loaded Belt-CP that is categorized to match Align's TREX 450SE.

The Belt CP aims to steal some of the market share Align dominated for quite some time now. Lets see if the current crowned king will be shaken by the newcomer.

First notable point I saw upon opening the box on the Belt-CP is its' looks, although the canopy is well-made, cut and molded correctly. as with other E-sky models, it lacks the sexy curves that the competitors have. The canopy design and looks does not differ from the ESKY king or the CP2, something that E-sky maintained with all there models. But the introduction of the belt system is a great come-on.

The Belt CP is sold as ARTF (almost ready to fly) and will need the following to complete the kit, 4x servos, Motor, ESC, Radio gear, Li-poly battery, and Gyro. Basically it's a CCPM 120° swash configuration helicopter, with a Bell Hiller head configuration. A good radio gear with eCCPM mixing capability is required so its best to get a computer radio or use a radio with similar capabilities.

belt-cp_3The components and design on the Belt-CP is quite impressive. The introductory model is mainly made out of all-plastic from the main frame up to the head parts. These were well- thought of. All linkages and moving parts have ball bearings, from the swashplate, washouts, and mixing arms, to the servo link arms. This is normally found on the bigger boys but for something this size and price, it's a keeper. The Tail boom, and skids are the only parts I found made of aluminum.

The framework is quite good. Lightweight plastic yet durable. Servo holders are located one at the front and two at the backside. The servo slots are designed for E-sky 8g servos only, the supplied servo horn will fit correctly. Using other servos will have to require some modification on the servo holders to able to fit-in the supplied slots. Although for this size helis, I don't suggest using the E-sky 8g servo due to lack of torque, it seems to be well-compensated with the linkage arms that are coupled directly from the servos going to the swashplate. Cyclic and Collective are precise with good positioning of the linking arms which are 90° direct with regards to the 120° swashplate design.


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The motor holder is a plastic plate screwed into the frame that well adapts to various size pinions. I wonder why E-sky did not make this aluminum to give it a better hold on the motor and give it heat-dissipation property. The battery bay is one of the main problems I encountered. There is limited space in which the battery can fit into. An 1800mah li-poly cell will be snug but for higher amperage batteries like the 3E's 2200mah, it will never fit-in. If you plan to use higher capacity lipoly-packs, better use packs made by Thunder Power or if on a budget, the Dual Sky lipoly-packs will fit in nicely. Just make sure that the weight distribution is balanced since there is only limited space to move the battery pack around the bay.

belt-cp_5The head design is similar to Walkera's DF60 or the Esky's King. The Plastic head design has its flybar on top of the blades. I really am not sure on the advantages of having the flybar on top but I guess having it there has some amplified control on cyclic. Its like simple physics. The longer the force arm on the fulcrum the less the amount of force needed to move the object. Well, since the flybar is considered as the disturbing force that produces movement on cyclic, the farther it is on the CG (center of gravity) with regards to the main shaft, the more amplified the forces react. But I have tried both the standard flybar at the bottom of the blades and the one on top, I really don't seem to find any difference on its flight patterns.

After a halfday of building I have finally finished the Belt Cp. The links were set correctly by the factory and need only some slight adjustments based on my preference of flight, but it's good to say E-sky's BELT CP manual (included with the kit) is well-made and detailed. Building a CKD Belt-CP will not be a problem.


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Testing the Belt-CP for the first time is a different experience; I cannot compare its flight patterns to Align's TREX 450XL. The Belt-CP has its own distinctive feel that I've felt only on this heli. The power on collective seems to be very good but lacks a little on cyclic control. Overall, control is quite good for an all-plastic helicopter. The ball links were just right and fit. Not too loose yet not too tight, and binding on the links was not an issue either. There were some binding issues I encountered with the tail assembly belt system and the one-way bearing, but as time passed and break-in period was over, it does get loose. Weight seems to be on the heavy side so it gets most of the Amps from the power packs. But weight also gave this helicopter good stability in hovering. The 315mm wood blades included with the kit seem to hold well even with a 4200Kv motor plugged into it. But a good pair of 315 CF (carbon fiber) blades will surely make this heli move faster and more responsive in cyclic commands.



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For a full 3D-capable heli which can match other helis on its class at a fraction of the cost, this E-sky Belt CP is a good starter heli for those who want to enter the hobby. It is also a full-competition heli with modifications using after-market parts.

Suggested upgrades: Carbon fiber blades, metal head and tail assembly, Carbon fiber mainframe with aluminum inserts. The Belt CP is one good heli to have. E-sky seems to be on the right track on creating good quality low-priced helis that will surely carve a share on the market.

By: Soneebee
Originally Posted At: http://www.rcphilippines.com/article/articleview/18 ( RC Phillipines )
Republished with permission

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