EFlite Apprentice S15e

[cdaivs]

Hi Plankers! I'm still pretty new to flying RC. Picked up DX8 and NanoCPX at Christmas. Been trying to fly it almost daily since. Added a mSR, a mSRX, a couple of NanoQX and 180QX to the hanger since. Then a 180CFX. The quads are easy. NCPX has been beat to death and rebuilt a few times already. The 180CFX has had 9 flights, 6 of which didn't require parts after the "landing". None of these can I fly in the wind, so I started looking for another option. Yesterday morning, the Apprentice landed on my porch. Put it together and took it to the local club field yesterday evening. Joined the beginning of last month, but have yet to catch up with the few heli pros at the field. 1/2 a dozen fixed wing pilots were there. Told them I had a new heli to maiden, but the main rotor was in the wrong place and that I needed some help with it. A couple of them looked it over, said it looked right to them. One of the senior/seasoned pilots reluctantly offered to take it up for the first time. They all laughed when I told him there was no way he was going to hurt it any worse that I was likely to. He made a lap, trimming a little on the way. Set it down and started adjusting the Tx. He left the travels at 100%, but put 65% expo on the aileron, 50% on the elevator. Flying in the intermediate mode, he made a couple more laps trimming, landed, and handed me the sticks. Wished me luck, took a step back, and off I went. 10-12mph wind, but I think it flew great! After about 5 minutes of flying laps around the field, I set it down. With the head wind, it was like landing a heli. Just ease back on the throttle, and with almost no foward speed, it settled onto the wheels and rolled a foot as it came to a stop. Another takeoff, couple laps, and another soft landing. Fresh battery, 12 minutes of flying with 5 more landings, and 0 damage. I'm kinda liking this thing.

Went back this morning, had the field to myself. Winds at 10-15, but I decided to fly. Not long after takeoff I hear a car pull in behind me. Few minutes later, another club member that I hadn't met yet is behind me. He asks me how long I've been flying? Quick glance at my radio and I answer "About 8 minutes.". He says no, how many years? Oh, well, fixed wing, this is flight number 3. Helis for a couple of months. Why? The guy was like, your kidding right? Nope. Now I'm not trying to say that this is like the perfect plane, but if it can make a newb hack like me look good, it can't be to bad

I did try pushing it a bit. In the intermediate mode, I couldn't get more that about a 45 degree rate of climb. Advanced, I did one loop. So that part of the system is working right. Back in intermediate mode, about 180 feet up, I banked it hard left and let the nose drop. Pushed the panic/trainer button. And nothing happened. Continued to to dive. I let go of the button and leveled it out, so no harm, but as I suspected, panic mode is not working. I can't figure out how to get Trainer to Aux1. Or find where to to reverse Aux1. I'm hoping somebody on here is better with the DX8 and can help me with that???

As for the Apprentice, well, the winds were getting stronger. Gusts up to 20 by the time I landed after 15 minutes on the second battery. Still no damage, but that is a bit much for a styrofoam plane IMO. I packed it up and headed off to do the Easter stuff, but I'm very happy with this plane. I'm not done with helis, but when I get done white nuckle and puckered flying them, a nice relaxing flight with this bird is going to be all good

Sorry about writing the novel, and thanks for any help with the DX8 panic mode questions.

Chris

[cdaivs]

I'm now a week into owning and flying the Apprentice. 11 flights, bumped the timer to 18 and going to 20 next time out. 2 stock Eflite 3200 batteries. Super easy to fly. Even in very windy conditions. 20+ and gusting. Yesterday made an inverted pass over the length of the runway at about 100'. Lost the nose. Dropping hard and couldn't recover inverted. About the time the rest of the club gasped, I pulled full up elevator, leveled off 10' off the deck and went back down the runway the other way. Fooled them! So far my worst return to land was in very high winds. Trying to ease it in low over the runway and lost the head wind for a second. Perfect three point landing in a new 4" tall wheat field. Sadly, only 2" of the wheat was above water. More like landing in a race paddie without floats. Had to slog out and get her, but once again, NO damage.

Now for the questions. Still can't get bind/trainer switch on my DX8 to initiate panic recovery mode? And in Experienced Mode, I can roll right 360 degrees all day long, but roll left and when the plane gets to 90 degrees you can her the servos scream as the plane stops rolling. It just won't go on over. Anybody know how to correct this?

[RoganJosh_NI]

Congrats on the Apprentice - 2 months in and 123 flights down, loving almost every minute - a nasty slam into the runway while flying upside down - dumb thumb!
Sorry can't help with the dx8 - my dx6 seemed to work first time just following the instruction manual guide.

Here's a video of my exploits this week.

A brief smattering of RC adventures - with the Apprentice and friends (1 min 57 sec)