Hints, Tips and Checklists

Checklists

Download these files, make printouts and laminate for use in Fieldbox.

• First Flight / Post Crash Pre-Flight Checklist
• Radio Setup Checklist
• Daily Pre-Flight/Pre-Start Checklist
• Daily Post-Flight/Shut-Down Checklist
• Post Crash Checklist
• Engine Troubleshooting Matrix
• Sample Throttle and Pitch Curves for Radio setup.
• The above Checklists in Word4Windows format (Zipped).
• Excel for Windows Futaba 8UHx Worksheet and Pitch/Throttle Graphs (Zipped).
• Build your own Futaba 8Ux CamPac and PC Interface for unlimited model memories for under U$10.
• CSM ICG360 Heading Hold Piezo Gyro Setup Suggestions.

Remote Glow Adapter

Remote glow adapters are getting hard to find and run around U$ 15 or more. Here is a cheapo alternative for those desperate hours. It requires an old glowplug, wire, a dremel tool with cutoff wheel, soldering iron and some epoxy. Cut off the threads of the plug to gain access to the center post. Cut a groove into the center post and on one side of the body to facilitate soldering the wire onto the plug. After connecting the wires, seal the back with epoxy. On the end of one of the wires - which should be long enough to reach the engine glowplug from whatever mounting position - solder a small alligator clip. This clips to the engine glow plug. The other wire requires a terminal lug - or not, you choice - and goes to the engine metal body. Mount the remote on a convenient spot on the heli with either a metal or plastic square.

Header Tank Setup

Here is a typical setup for a Header Tank Installation:
A Header Tank is most commonly used as a Bubble Trap to prevent unwanted interruptions in the fuel flow to the carburator. Bubbles in the fuel line usually occur when violent 3D manouvers temporarily expose the fuel pickup clunk in the main tank or when Fuel foams due to a high frequency vibration which can cause the fuel to agitate and become saturated with air. In either case, since the Header tank fuel pickup is always submerged in fuel, all of the air is trapped and floats to the top of the header tank.
Refering to the picture:

• The Main Tank is shown with a standard muffler pressure to the top layout. Refer to the UNIFLOW heading for alternate setup.
• The Header Tank is shown in a horizontal position. The fuel inlet must be at the TOP of the tank in respect to the earths' gravity.
• The Header Tank fuel pickup is in its center as viewed from the side and from the top.
• A Clunk type pickup in the center of the header is optional. There is about a 50/50 split among heli pilots in the clunk vs. fixed fuel pickup.
• A Header Tank does not influence the fuel pressure in any way until the main tank is empty and fuel is drawn soley from the header tank. Think of it as a very big section of fuel line.

UNIFLOW Tank Setup

Here is the setup for a UNIFLOW tank installation:
As the maintank empties of fuel the fuel pressure changes resulting in a change in mixture, usually leaner. In some cases, especially with sensitive tuned pipe setups, the change is large enough too cause inconsistent engine operation. In the UNIFLOW setup, the muffler pressure line is, like the fuel pickup, a freefloating clunk submerged in fuel. The theory is that as the fuel is burned, less fuel 'weight' opposes the incoming muffler pressure so the air pressure in the tank rises resulting in constant pressure at the carburator. Two caveats are that during quick throttle changes from max power to idle the tank stays pressurised resulting in excess fuel at the carburator. Also a third vent line is needed on the main tank to facilitate fueling. This Vent line is plugged during flight operations, the tanks are filled into the line going to the carb or by a third line into the header tank which is also plugged during flight.. See the picture.

Typical UNIFLOW with Header Tank Setup

Here is a typical installation involving both the UNIFLOW and Header Tank.
While it seems somewhat complicated at first glance this setup will provide the most consistant engine runs. Muffler pressure (red) flows thru a filter (green) to eliminate particle contamination into the Main Tank via a clunk line going to the bottom of the tank. Fuel is drawn from the Main Tank clunk line (green) and goes into the top of the Header Tank. At the Header Tank the fuel is sucked from the horizontal and vertical center of the Tank (pink) which is always surrounded by fuel since airbubbles rise to the top. The fuel goes thru a filter (green) into the carb. During down time, the fuel shutoff clips (dark red) and the two vent lines (blue) should remain closed. To run the system, the two fuel shutoff clips (dark red) are open and the two vents (blue) are closed. To add fuel, close the two shutoff clips (dark red), open the Main Tank vent line (blue) to allow air to escape and stick the refueling probe into the Header Tank Vent (blue). This fills the Header Tank first then fuel will run into the Main Tank until the fuel level reaches the vent line (blue) on top. To start the engine, close the two vents (blue) and open the shutoff clips (dark red). Alternatively, the Header Tank vent (blue) can be eliminated by fueling thru the carb line fuel filter (green).

Headloaders

WARNING! Do this at your own risk! Failure of the Headloaders may cause serious injury or death or even worse damage your heli!
NHP in the UK makes a device which is a aluminum bar with a ball attached to the end. It bolts on to the head in place of the main rotor blades. It's purpose is to load the engine down to prevent overrevving during ground runup and adjustment. They come in 3 sizes for 30, 46 and 60+ size engines. I build my own set since I figured I wouldn't use the U$50 thingies more than once or twice. I used a set of old wood blades and cut them off about 12 inches (30cm) from the blade bolt. Next I trimmed away the balsawood trailing edge until only the hardwood center spar to which the blade grip attaches was left. Two inches from the outside edge of the blade I drilled a 3mm hole and inserted a long (35mm or longer) bolt. Nyloc nuts on top and bottom hold the bolt on the blade. Over the long part of the bolt slides some fuel tubing to spread the load of the wiffleball. There is the danger of the wood splitting on the outside of the bolthole due to centrifical forces so I used some string and 5 minute epoxy to reinforce the wooden blade from the bolt outward. The sizes listed here are fine for 30 and 46 size engines but are too small for a strong 60. You can add another two balls to the headloader for increased air resistance. It is very important to balance the headloaders identical to blades to minimize vibrations. There may be large variations and out of balance conditions. In my case I simply added more string and epoxy to come real close. This also improves structural integrity. I am not crazy enough to get close to the heli when it howls at full power, I hide behind a concrete wall. However it will work excellently for breaking in engines in helis. Just park the sucker on a clear spot and let it rev. Make sure you adjust your tail rotor trim to prevent the heli from rotating on the ground. There should be little difference between headloader runs and actual flying since the torque load of the blades is simulated by the balls.

I use 'em for:

• Engine Break In
• Setting Basic Mixture
• Finding Glitches
• Run Up after Rebuild to check for loose parts
• Annoy the Neighbors and scare the cat

A Simple Way to Balance Main Rotor Blades.

The main purpose of rotor blades is to make the heli fly, not to spend numerous hours on the bench bolted to U$80 balancers. This is a simple and effective procedure to match CGs and weight. While not 100% vibration proof, it has worked for both my 30 , 46 and 60 size woodies. If you don't want to go thru the pain of balancing, buy a set of NHP Carbon blades and bolt them on.

1. Glue on the blade root reinforcements iaw instructions using slow Epoxy or CA glue.
2. Bolt both blades together so they are in one straight line.
3. Using two drinking glasses put the blade bolt on their rims to tether/tother the blades.
4. Mark the heavier blade (Master) and lighter blade (Slave), unbolt the two blades.
5. Use the Master blade and a sharp edge (Razorblade or triangular ruler) find the CG of the blade by balancing the blade at a right anglr to the sharp edge. Mark this location with a fine line.
6. Using a blade bolt, hang both blades from it and transfer the CG mark to the Slave blade at the SAME location.
7. Seperate the blades and lay the light blade with the CG mark on the sharp edge.
8. Add weight to either the tip or the root of the Slave blade to balance it on the transfered CG mark.
9. Both blades should now be balanced on the CG mark.
10. Bold the blades together in a straight line and balance the blade bolt on the glass rims again.
11. Add weight AT THE CG MARK of the blade which is now lighter to balance the two blades out.
12. Now the weight (glass balance) and the CGs (sharp edge at 90deg balance) are identical.
13. Cover the blades with the sticky tape or heatshrink and go back to step 2.
14. Bolt on and fly. If the balance was too perfect to add tracking tape simply blacken one blade tip with a sharpie permanent marker for tracking adjustments.

The more time spend balancing, the longer the tears are shed when the "unusual event" occurs.

Decals for (almost) free.

Need some simple black and white decals? Don't want to spend U$ 10 on a sheet of Decal paper? Here is an easy and cheap way to make small decals such as your name, numbers, catch phrases or logos with your computer, a laser printer and clear packing tape.

1. Use a paint program to draw or scan the picture you want to make.
2. Print the logo with a Laser printer (not an inkjet) on plain white cheap paper.
3. Put the clear packing tape over the logo and press on it hard to ensure complete adhesion.
4. Throw the paper with the logo under tape into the sink and submerge it in water for at least an hour.
5. Once the paper is dissolving, rup the paper off with your fingers. Be careful not to rub off the black toner that now adheres to the clear tape.
6. Cut around the logo as close as posible.
7. If you use waterproof tape, the adhesive on the tape will still be active and the decal will stick to whatever you want to.
8. When clearcoat is not used, seal the edge with thin CA.

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