planning stages for Century scale Airstar 350

[Garland]

its kinda a ways off but after My Pantera is all settled I want to devote most of time to scale. Ive tried to be a 100% devoted 3D guy for years and well its time for change. spending all my cash on the latest and greatest performance items or kits lost its appeal i guess. So I'll just do my thing with my raven and panteras and start a new direction. I have some scale helis already, but they intimidate the hell outta me so they just sit. I need to start somewhere so it will be a sport scale 50.

i want a 3 blade Century AS350. I have a Falcon SE I could use but the deals on the scale mechs include 3 blade head and electric conversion parts....

My real question is the painted fuselages worth the added 200$? i'll probably buy unpainted so I can afford the 3 blade mechs. I'll have to learn to use my airbrush sooner or later

http://www.centuryheli.com/products/...?currentid=734

http://www.centuryheli.com/products/...?currentid=821

nexus servos:
http://www.genesishobby.com/Products...B/Default.aspx
http://www.genesishobby.com/Products...G/Default.aspx

plettenberg motor 300/25/a3 850kv 20-24cells

Schulze future 35ho ESC 16-30 cells, 35/45 Amp

CSM sl720 FBL system

i hope this project would fly great on what looks like a 8s lipo power system. Or will I need to update from what I have just laying around here?

Thanks for any input.

[Cletus]

I too am planning to do an Airstar 350 just as soon as I return from IRCHA 2011, it's a sweet machine.

Here's my planned system:
AS350 W/Century Scale Mechanics Electric Conversion 3-blade (clutched)
Century Outrunner 650A Plus, 800kV Motor
CSEM7500 Castle Creations Phoenix Ice HV 80A
Turnigy 6S 5000mAh Battery packs
Metal Clutch bell CN2225
DeLight Light Controller
Futaba S9252 Servos (cyclic and pitch)
Futaba S9254 Tail
Skookum SK-720 Electronic Stabilizer
Dual Spektrum Satellites
Model Solutions Sound Board (maybe)
Unique LEDs (ultra-brite Red, Green, White) for nav and landing lights

I am hoping for maybe an 8-minute flight time at around 1450-1500RPM head-speed

I already have the SK-720, Servos, Batteries,and Satellites in-hand. With the exception of the AS350/Scale-Mechanics combo, everything else is on order. Will place the order for the kit when I get back from IRCHA.

[Donnie D]

Donnie D

[Cletus]

....Don't tell my wife!

[Cletus]

OK! .....everything is in Trinidad and should be here in the shop tomorrow
(there's always such excitement when a new kit arrives)

Somehow in the haste to order, I ended-up pulling the trigger on six Turnigy 5800mAh 6s 25C batteries (it's all Jack Daniels' fault at IRCHA), I think it will work for this setup though (comments welcome)

[Cletus]

OK !! ......the kit arrived in the shop yesterday, and the build started last night. Electric conversion and 3-blade setup is a breeze. Most of the mechanics is done and i'm setting-up the Skookum SK-720 now. Tonight I build the tail-section. Hoping for first spool-up and maybe a test hover on Sunday. Will be testing the mechanics only, on a pair of skids. Want the whole rig flying smoothly before I install it in the scale fuse.
Will post some pics.

[Cletus]

Head setup done. Now on to building the tail.

[Donnie D]

GITRDUUUNNN!!

Donnie D

[paulmedford]

Pics Pics!

[Cletus]

Does not look like much yet. Got it bolted to my "Test-Rig" (a set of skids, with a Velcro-covered lexan deck) so I can throw stuff together and systems-test as I build.

[Cletus]

YIKES!!! ....The supplied Tail Rotor Hub in this kit is CRAP! ....I just can't trust that thing! (top hub)
I immediately replaced it with the older type (bottom hub) as I had spares from an older kit.
The one they supplied with the kit has short extensions and the bolt holding the blade grips cannot be tightened-down (they were very loose) and must be left loose relying only on loctite and the grace of God to keep it in place. If you tighten down on it it binds the bearing (maybe spacers would help).
The older type allows one to tighten down on those bolts and on to the bearing inner race without binding.

OOPS! ....sorry, I did not mean to hijack Garland's thread. .....Should I take all this somewhere else??


Starting to look like a helicopter now. Will probably get to fly this Test -Rig sometime next week, trim and tweak the flight characteristics and only when I'm happy with it, does it go into the fuse:

[Cletus]

Here's an aluminum mount-plate I made for the ESC and also the ESC / BEC Installation:
Damned! .....now I see there's a recall on these controllers. Just sent an e-mail to Steve at Castle Creations to verify. I just bought this thing and shipped it all the way to Trinidad and paid duties and taxes etc. If I do have to ship it back and forth again, I will probably just go to a Kontronik Jive instead and be done with it.

[Cletus]

Today at the field I decided that I do not want the stress of flying and having to constantly worry about the dubious reliability and safety of the ESC in my expensive scale model. So I bought me a Kontronik Jive 80+ HV, from a buddy, for this project. Expensive, but I guess peace of mind comes at a price.

This thought weighed heavily on my mind today as I flew and pondered Service Advisory 2011-03: PHOENIX ICE HV, MAMBA XL, HYDRA ICE HV dated 08/20/2011 issued by Castle Creations.
The salient points being:

1) Castle Phoenix Ice HV 60, Ice HV 80, Ice HV 120, Ice HV 160, Ice HV 160 Lite, Mamba XL and Hydra Ice HV 200 controllers

2) For your safety, we request that all customers cease operation of these controllers immediately

3) Send all of these controllers back to Castle for modifications required to improve the safety and reliability of these products

4) If you insist on using these controllers, please be advised that the risks of continued usage begin with severe burns to you and/or others, as well as property damage to your RC vehicle or surroundings.

5) Please wear fire-proof gloves when connecting any HV controllers that use 8 or 10 gauge wire to their power source.

6) We cannot give you an exact estimate of the time required to return your controllers

Read it in its entirety here:
http://www.castlecreations.com/suppo...ydraicehv.html

[Cletus]

Kontronik ESC installed and setup for smooth +, just gave the test rig a short test hover. Blade-tracking perfect right off the bench, tail holds good at a gain of 50, no vibes or bad habits ....very stable and smooth in a hover
This was done on my front lawn (not much wiggle-room). This is my first real multi-blade experience, maybe I will do some more hovering at the field later today

[Cletus]

Just back from the field! ......test flights of the mechanics went well. Spools-up real nice like a turbine! Needed some more tail-authority but a change of tail-blades took good care of that issue. Kontronik ESC barely get's warm.
A buddy took some pics and I will post them as soon as....

[Cletus]

E-mail response just in from Steve Rogers at Castle Creations "Any ICE HV out there except the 40 is affected by the recall. There has not been any of the ICE 2’s released yet till all the testing is complete."

I'm starting to feel better about spending those bucks on the Kontronik already!

[Cletus]

Working on the fuse now. Skids, stabs, lighting, etc. before the mechanics go in.
Wrecked a 9-LED flashlight to make the ideal landing light. a 47-ohm 1/2w resistor is the perfect ballast for operation at 5.2v .......this thing is bright!
All lights (strobe white tail, strobe red top of vert stab, port/stbd on horiz stab, red rotating beacon fuse belly and fwd landing light) controlled by DeLight Controller with signal from throttle stick position.

[Donnie D]

Donnie D

[Cletus]

Of course, the Chinese had to go and spell "Helicopter" incorrectly on the Doghouse ..."Helicoptop"
Public holidays here today and tomorrow, but did not fly, as I'm in bed for the last couple of days with a bad cold.
I did get the lighting done and mechanics installed though. Hopefully tomorrow I install the glass and the landing light.

[Garland]

AWESOME Cletus!!

i have been busy else where so i havent even thought of helis lately though this project WILL be in the works hopefully this year.

I am very excited to see what ya got cooking for sure!! Looks great so far keep em coming