Micro Blade 180 3-blade head

[USAF_Ret]

Is anyone running a 3-blade head on the 180CFX? I have seen the upgrade on the Lynx and Microheli sites and it looks interesting but want to check with anyone who might be running this setup.

Thanks.

Paul

 

[Admiral]

I'm not, it took a bit to get it flying the way it does so I'm going with the adage "if it ain't broke don"t fix it"

But from my friends experience on larger helis, multi bladed heads when set up properly (Phasing) are more stable.

 

[leedude1]

I just picked one up actually (lynx trio heads and blades) and Im going to jot down my gain values on my radio swap it out and try em... anybody have advice on set up here?

I think im going to have to drop pitch and increase headspeed due to the extra blade but really not sure... for now im going fiddle with the swash leveling and balancing of the blades and then go from there.

 

[Smoggie]

Usually with a 3 blade head you would want to run slightly lower headspeed. If you run the same or higher RPM flight times will take a big hit.

 

[leedude1]

Anyone running the lynx trio head on the cfx 180? I'm getting a head wobble on the elevator axis only ...so when applying forward or backward input... I have dropped the PID gains down from 50 50 50 which was running perfect with 82 gyro TX gain on the two bladed head to 30 30 30 which is a little better but now have a bounce back on the tail. I'm getting tired of playing and want to fly
So any help on gain settings that have worked id like to hear about them. I can swap out to the two bladed head but I really want to see and feel the trio and what its all about but, I cant really fly it like it it is comfortably.

 

[Tony]

You say you dropped the PID's from 50, but what did you drop them to?

 

[leedude1]

30 a piece

 

[Tony]

What did you change though, the P, I or the D? More than likely, all you needed to do was add a little I gain to the pitch.

 

[leedude1]

I had changed all 3 P,I, and D gains to 30 a piece leaving the cyclic response one at 100 (gradually reducing from the 50 on the two bladed head setting) the instructions for each one in the CFX advance settings are pretty vague and simply state " higher gain will result in high stability...lower less and that to high a setting may result in oscillations, but they don't really tell you what each is doing or what they are for... so all my changes are really winging it so to speak and looking to see if things are better or worse but with no rhyme or reason to the changes. So decided to give up on the random and see if some one else had been there. The second set of PIDS are for the tail and I left all those at factory 100.

I left my tx gain at 82 as I dont believe there would be any necessary difference with the just the head change.. This is turning out to be quite the adventure I must say.

 

[leedude1]

So my final PID numbers are P =0, I= 10, D = 3 ...gyro is at 81 for normal and 79 I1.

Got it out today for a couple of batteries at the park... hey any time you can fly in Montreal Canada in mid January ... man was that ever awesome... felt great to get some air in the blades.
I'm not sure if I prefer the 3 bladed head or not. Ill need more air time, but again flying mid January... niiiice.
Thought I would share, you can't see the smile boys. ..but it is a big one.

 

[leedude1]

Here's some heli porn of the 3 bladed head on the CFX. Gonna put the standard head on and reset PIDS and see if I have a preference... it definately flies different with the 3 blades... sounds nice, but quickly I think Im going to prefer the standard head .... but spring time and more air will tell and ill post up once I decide. But you what, its just fun to be able to get a different feel with the same bird by simply swapping out a few screws. I will fly them both and let you know once a determination on my behalf has been made.

 

[USAF_Ret]

Mike, curious as to whether you are using the stock FBL or something else?

Paul

 

[leedude1]

Stock, I know some have upgraded to ikon but I was reading all kinds of stuff on programming issues and the like. For my purposes the 2 blade zeal set up with the lynx head tail and servos was rock solid..so I really didn't see and need to throw all the bucks at it when it would be performing for the most part, the same.
I'm trying the 3 bladed set up for a look see and as I mentioned had to play with the advanced PIDS quite a bit to find a good setting. There is still a slight quick 1/2 second bobble on the elevator when I make a quick change but the system settles it quickly. I managed to do some fff last month and it was arrow straight in flight.
That's where I am with it and why Im not decided on 2 or 3 blades as a favorite. I think I have to flip the setup a few times to have a true comparison.
Waiting on some high grade bearings to top it off and call it complete.

 

[leedude1]

Went back to the 2 Zeal blades...its official I personally prefer the 2 bladed head. I could never get the 3 bladed head to be perfectly stable there was always a little bobble..with the 2 blades ..its all butter smooth. Verdict in

 

[Smoggie]

Interesting conclusion Mike. Personally I've never been convinced on the advantages of the three blade head. I admit that I've no experience of actually flying one, but seems to me that most people just go three blade because it looks 'different'. Any actual advantages in how the heli flies seem to be highly subjective and impossible to demonstrate, flight time though does take a hit. I notice that even Kyle Stacy himself (who could be credited as starting the 3 blade trend with the Goblin KSE range) has now, since he moved on from being an official SAB team pilot, gone back to flying 2 blade. I dont think there are any of the top 'pro' pilots that fly 3 blade heads now.

I was recently offered a three blade head and tail and blades off a Goblin 700 KSE as a straight swap for the two blade setup on one of my Goblins. It was tempting because on paper it's higher in value, and they do look great, but I turned it down as I'm pretty much convinced 2 blade is better overall.

 

[leedude1]

My original thought was a little more pop/float with a lower headspeed as the cfx has the power to spare. I was really just curious to see what the set would provide in terms of feel and performance difference.

I didn't hate it, but on a smaller heli things definitely work harder overall as a result. The servos (especially with the small bobble. The constant correction was warming them up at times), motor and taxing on the batterries.

When I threw the 2 bladed head back on , I could almost hear the heli sigh .
Maybe on a bigger bird there are advantages but for the cfx I didn't think so. I don't think I'll put the 3 back on unless I go for a small scale look at one point or If put in another fbl unit other than stock to work out the last bit of bobbles..its was at 98-99% but not perfect (and I'm anal for these things it's all I saw).

But honestly I love this bird in the 2 head set up just because it provides the possibility to really fly when the field and the bigger birds are not an option for whatever reason.

 

[murankar]

I don't think 3 blade will ever replace a 2 nlade setup. It kills flight time with no added benifit. So say it adds some pop to the cyclic response and that's about it. The only application I could see it doing good is speed. Even that's a stretch.

 

[leedude1]

Agreed, but had to try it for myself. 2 bladed for sure, and the zeals are great blades for this bird.

 

[Tony]

Then there is the new Goblin 770 Sport. Two blade main with a 3 blade tail so you can run ultra low head speeds and still have good tail authority.

 

[leedude1]

I would love to get a another big machine, but Im already struggling as it is to get to the field to fly the ones I have. Ever since my other field got caught up in all that governmental red tape and is closed until further notice the nearest field is 40 minutes out..

Good news is I took a vacation day tomorrow got all the packs charged,the van loaded for a day in the sun and the birds from the 180 up packed and ready to go.

Make a lunch, pack the thermos and a few cokes , and yes a smile. and just fly.

Fill you in on the results, its my first time at the new field so uncertain what the exact layout is but seems like a farmland type scenario with nothing but space ..and NO SOCCER BALLS .