My Flybarless N5

[fabian1675]

? ?

[Justin Pucci]

Fabian,

This is absolutely awesome, my friend! I'm building a N5 FBL as we speak (see my build thread here: https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=234153) and I've been struggling with what to do for a head. I thought that I might want to use the RJX one from Helidirect, but I'm not sure yet...

Can you provide a few more up-close photos of your head conversion with a brief description of the modifications and additional parts needed to complete it?

What did you end up with on your cyclic ring and cyclic gain values when you set up the cyclics in the V-Bar software?

What servo ball-to-center distance are you running on the cylics?

When I was looking into this previously, I wasn't sure whether you could get the right combination of mechanical and electrical gain to hit the V-Bar's sweet spot (10 degrees of cyclic @ 70 cyclic ring and a cyclic gain of around 90-110) with the resulting head geometry. I thought I might have to remove the main grip bellcranks and replace them with a long, stationary ball to get a blade grip ball-to-center distance of around 33-35mm, since the distance to the stock balls is around 20-25mm.

Anyway, I look forward to your response! Good on you for going there, man! It would be a shame to replace the sexy Synergy head with another one anyways...

[fabian1675]

O.K. here we go I'll try my best to describe what I've done. A quick note as to why I went this route rather than just buying a complete FBL Head... First I did not like spending $100 for something I was not realy interested, second is I did not like direct linakge set-up wanted to keep the programmable part. I was talking to my budy whose also into helis about FBL head option and he said why don't I just mod the existing head? o.k. easy enought but it was not realy clear to me until he should me a picture of the Kasama FBL head. when I saw that picture it all clicked in. Total time of modding the head to make it FBL probably 30 mins including where to drill and tap. Tools needed for the MOD:

1)Tap 3mm X .5 and of course a dril bit I used 2.5mm od drill bit.
2)Tap wrench
3) Drill press or if you have a realy steady hand a dremel will probably work. I just happen to have a cheap micro milling machine from harbor freight.. very very handy tool

I'm not very good on trying to describe things but if there's a measurement that you needed to be called out just let me know. The other item I purchased to complete the setup is the align FBL wash out base, only because I screwed up modding the Synergy one. I've attached some pictures for you to see, also take a look at the kasama FBL head I think its called cyberhead?

Vbar Dimension:

Swash outball 40mm
Swash innerball 20mm
servo center to ball center 15mm
pitch 10.5 deg at 70 percent

sorry about the pic quality used my cell phone...

[fabian1675]

I needed to make some corrections to the size of the tap. Post now reflect the right size tap

[Justin Pucci]

Interesting! So it looks like you did the following to modify the head:

1. Cut the head pins off.
2. Tap the block just above the jesus bolt for the two balls used to attach the shorter links from the head grips.
3. Use the Align washout base in place of the Synergy.

How were you going to modify the Synergy washout? It seems you'd have to cut a slice in one side and then make sure that the hole for that side's washout arm is tapped through both sides so that you pinch it down on the main shaft.

Am I missing anything? I looked at the Kasama head and sure enough, it looks almost exactly like your version! I don't have a drill press handy, but I could probably get ahold of one as you suggested, since Harbor Freight is only 5 minutes away!

Did you have to buy extra balls, links, or anything extra from Synergy?

[fabian1675]

Originally Posted by Justin Pucci

Interesting! So it looks like you did the following to modify the head:

1. Cut the head pins off.
2. Tap the block just above the jesus bolt for the two balls used to attach the shorter links from the head grips.
3. Use the Align washout base in place of the Synergy.

How were you going to modify the Synergy washout? It seems you'd have to cut a slice in one side and then make sure that the hole for that side's washout arm is tapped through both sides so that you pinch it down on the main shaft.

Am I missing anything? I looked at the Kasama head and sure enough, it looks almost exactly like your version! I don't have a drill press handy, but I could probably get ahold of one as you suggested, since Harbor Freight is only 5 minutes away!

Did you have to buy extra balls, links, or anything extra from Synergy?

I've slit the wash out base using a hacksaw and tap it with 3mm tap. tap part went well, where I screwed up is on the mixing arm, rather than moving the radius arm from short end to the long end I left it where it was and cut off the long end. This created a binding problem specially at max pos. pitch, what I should of done is move the radius arm from short end to the long end, cut off the short end tap the wash out base for s setscrew and not cut the pins. The pins can be used for phasing purposes once you figure where to position your wash out base then cut off the excess pin that protrude beyond the wash out base....I think its better if I just take a picture...Oh I almost forgot you don't need to purchase and additional ball you will be able to use the ones from the flybar cage or the ones from the mixing arm. However, you'll need to get two balls to fit into the align radius arm if you decide to go with the align wash out base

[fabian1675]

Had the chance to take my Newly Moded FBL N5 today. My buddy was helping me out on tuning out the VBAR...Flight result

1) Aileron and Elevator tic-tocs is definetly way faster now compared to how slow it was with the flybar
I was able to do my ail and ele tic-tocs at idle up speed 1850 with no bogging, My guess is getting rid of those extra stuff really helps

2) Tail input is now faster, but its not crisp, it feels moshy, tried different blades still the same played around with the gain settings on VBAR, A&B gain stop it got a little better but still the same.

3) Though the VBAR is not quite "tuned" yet, the overall feel of the heli is a little moshy? mainly the tail, I'm realy pleased with the result...will continue to tweak the vbar and report back will also check geometry measurements....

[fabian1675]

Finally tuned out the VBAR helis feels locked in now lots of power it feels very "light". Now that I've got it tweak I'm ready to move on to other project, so I'm putting this one for sale in the for sale section.. check it out.