Stepping into 600N

[colemn615]

I have been fling my 450l for a while now and would like something that can handle the wind. I found a used 600N Pro that was converted to FBL.

This will be my first big heli and my first nitro one as well. What items should I be concerned about? Also which fbl controller should I use? My skills are not amazing so I don't fly smack 3d but I am working on that.

Any help would be awesome.

[Hekicopter]

From my experience....

Check it over real good.
Does the engine have good compression?
Makes sure the servos aren't sloppy along with the servo balls and links.
Fuel lines don't last forever. It may be best to just replace them all to make sure.
Mufflers are notorious for loosening up.
Do the main blades spin up quickly or does the engine have to really rev up to get them to move. If so the clutch lining may be worn.
The large 10mm bearing that's in the clutch bell on the Trex 600N is known to go bad fairly quickly.
If it has the Align 2 in1 regulator/glo igniter then the switch is known to be problematic. There is a thread on soldering the contacts to bypass the switch.
Does it have a governor? Not necessary when just starting out but you'll find it helpful once you start to progress.
You'll need a 7 channel TX and RX if you want to use a governor.

I use the AR7200BX FBL controller on mine with great success. I'm no 3D pilot either but I'm learning, albeit very slowly.

[meowguy]

Some good advice in the previous post.

Also check that the tail rotor hub is secure on the tail shaft and that the nut on the backside of the tail slider is tight. (Part No. 201 on the diagram at the back of the manual, stock no. 50T101-2 in the 600 Nitro Pro Manual)

With regard to the fuel tank, make sure the rubber plug (bong) is airtight and does not leak fuel under pressure.

I also recommend the AR7200BX controller mounted with two layers of 3m 411 tape.

[Helicrazy2]

Welcome to Nitro World!

[ticedoff8]

First and best advise:
Find a guy in your club / area that flies nitro helis!

I just went through this process with a local guy.
He is a super pilot of Logo and various 600 & 700 e-helis.
He wanted to buy a nice 600N DFC and knew I could help.
He hasn't had any failures making the transition.

I could list about 1000 things you need to look out for - and the one I miss will be the one that cause you to crash.

First, find a local source of 30% Helicopter fuel; otherwise, you are buying it online and you pay HazMat fees for delivery
Look for fuel with a 21% to 23% lubrication package. It must be 100% synthetic and not a caster / synth blend. Some companies list the fuel as "Heli Fuel" and it is only 17% or 18% lube.
Expect to get 7 to 8 flights per gallon of fuel.
Expect to pay between $30 and $36 per gal for a quality fuel. If you find a "bargain" fuel at $25 per gal, there is something wrong.

Make sure you know which motor you are getting.
More than likely, this heli is a collection of his old spare parts and an old engine.
Check the motor and then look online for the manual.
Make sure you know the difference between an "Align", YS or OS motor.
There is a BIG difference between an Align 50, OS 50SX and OS 50HZ. Know the differences before you pay. The motor can be the basis for the higher price of a used heli.

You will need a flight box that consists of:
* Fuel pump (I use a manual fuel pump that screws onto the top of that bottle).
* Ignition battery (if it is not the Align 2-in-1 regulator)
* Spare glow plugs and a glow plug wrench.
* Forceps (clamp off the fuel line as you fill the tank)
* Rags and paper towels - Nitro is messy and you must keep the heli clean.
* Starter and starter "extension". If you pay more than about $60 new for this, you bought the wrong one. I could easily pay $200 for a starter. My starter is a 30 year old Sullivan Hi-Torq starter with a $20 starter extension and a 3S LiPo pack grafted on the side. I start my YS60SR (Trex 600N) and my YS 120SR-X (Trex 700N) with this.

I am sure others will add more details

[DaveHolland]

Now that we covered all of that. Dont forget tuning. Its not quite like an airplane. If you want max power and response you have to tune it daily and throughout your day of flying.

Most people get a good range tune in and then just run it with out readjusting. If this style works for you then life will be easier. Tim Jones has a great tuning video that talks about a lot of tuning. It took about a year of nitro flying for it all to sink in with me before I got my tuning ear.

The biggest thing is just to not run it lean when your start out. Smoke is always a good indicator of a lean engine but its not always going to show like that. Plenty of times I have gone lean but still had a good smoke trail. I could tell lean by the power it was making and engine temp.