450 Setting up the Align 450 Pro

[Tony]

There is no way to reset the 3GX to factory settings.

Make sure in your Tx that you have 100% travel on EVERYTHING in the servo menu, make sure you do NOT have any DR set in your Tx as well. From there, follow along with the setup series and pay careful attention to the part when setting the tail servo endpoints. Like I stated before in this thread, I usually have to do the tail setup a few times before it's perfect.

 

[billryalls]

well, im obviously doing something wrong but what it is IDK. In the start of the video the second step is to plug in my tail servo but when I do it bends the hell outta the connecting rod so I cant continue with the video. Not with my servo screaming at me...

 

[Tony]

Okay, what tail servo are you using and what are your settings for the tail servo in the gyro?

 

[billryalls]

align ds520 gyro 0:65.0 1:50.0

 

[Tony]

what are the settings in the gyro? The steps before you plug the tail servo in. You should be on 1520 and DS in the first couple of steps.

 

[billryalls]

correct

- - - Updated - - -

1520 is the setting

 

[Tony]

Okay, I would pull the servo horn off of the servo and let it center, then reposition the arm on teh servo. Make sure to check the teeth in there, they may have stripped out. Once you get it back on, you will have to go back into the DIR setup and recenter the servo and completely go through teh setup process again. Basically from step 1 in the 3GX setup series.

 

[billryalls]

sounds like a plan thanks back at ya later

 

[Tomhintz]

I have respoved my collective sensitivity problem. After consultiong with the 450 bunch at our flying field they decided that the 12.5 plus and 12.5 negative pitch was just too much for me right now. we sort of took a vote and they decided on 11 degrees plus and 11 negative would be a good place to start. I just di the first few flights at that collective setting and it si WAY more comfortable. Plenty of vertical control but I can use the tail rotor without it zooming up or down. the idea is that i will leave the collective like this for a while and as I get comfortable, bump it up a tick until I work my way back up to around 12.5 each way which is where most of the other guys are doing all their 3D stuff now with the 450.
Now for a bunch of practice........

 

[Tony]

I think I suggested lowering the collective quite a while ago. Glad it's working for you now.

 

[Tomhintz]

I think I suggested lowering the collective quite a while ago. Glad it's working for you now.

You did and I tried it then but I didn't have everything else set up right. this last tweak was at the end of several days of going through everything else to get it right all over. Lots of help here got me on the right track and then the in person, hands-on stuff added to that!

 

[Tomhintz]

I forgot somewthing important in all this. Since the last time Tony made suggestoins for me I changed the 450 over to a DX8 and had several issues getting that set right and then making use of everything it offered. One of the things the guys did (all use the DX8) was help me dial in decent dual rates and expos. That made a ton of difference over what I had been using also.
One thing for sure is that after all I have been through with this helo I am getting good at putting it togeether and setting it up. Everybody complimented me on that as they see lots of beginner goofups, you know like what I was doing a couple weeks ago!
Another thing thaqt really impresses me is that it has been a long time since the last crash and I have been flying the crap out of this thing in the yard. Lots of position practice and moving it around the yard trying to be precise with where it starts and stops. then when I get out to the field I can use all the room to work on other things like making turns and stuff. Baby steps but they are adding up.

 

[Tony]

All that matters is that you are having fun with it. And if you think you are having fun now, just wait until you get a 550 or bigger hehe. Those are REALLY fun and sound great in the air!

 

[Tomhintz]

All that matters is that you are having fun with it. And if you think you are having fun now, just wait until you get a 550 or bigger hehe. Those are REALLY fun and sound great in the air!

Evrybody at our field has 600, 700, etc. I got to fly a 550 for a little and it does feel a bunch more solid in the air. maybe this winter. I am looking at a 550 or 600 Align. I just have to see how the doctors andthose costs go. It's almost time for this years round of neurology tests.....not cheap!

 

[Tomhintz]

Had a great day at the field this morning, was finally doing some forward flight going back and forth side to side, pulling it up and swinging the tail around and coming back down, across in front of myself, up the other side and repeat. Did it a bunch of times even though we were getting some decent winds left to right. The wife came to pick me up and I thought one more flight to show her my new skills. That went fine until on what turned out to be the last downwind it felt like a gust of wind got under the trusty 450 and it sank closer to the ground than I had been going (I was going too low before, like 2ft up at the lowest point) and I saw it sinking, gave it more collective, pulled the nose up a bit but it failed to miss the ground.
All in all it does not look too bad. Event the main blades are fine. When it hit with that forward motion the battery shot out of it and killed the motor before anything bad could happen I guess. I'll start taking it apart in a couple days. I have a warbirds fly-in tomorrow then my 550 comes Tuesday and I just found out my new plane is due in here on Wednesday!
Other than that I am just goofing off!

 

[pvolcko]

Oops! Yeah, gusty wind can be a problem, especially with the smaller helis. I flew my 500 a couple days ago on a windy day (20 mph gusts) and ended up having to hover an extra half minute waiting for a lull in the gusting. Can be a bit harrowing!