Comments on: The DreamHost Helicopter! http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/ Tales From the Inside! Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:18:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: SuperDave’s BLOG » Blog Archive » Will my Excel .40 ever fly again? http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-5525 SuperDave’s BLOG » Blog Archive » Will my Excel .40 ever fly again? Tue, 30 May 2006 06:15:13 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-5525 [...] After getting the fuel situation all sorted out I started on the radio setup. I disabled the collective channel so I would adjust the throttle without the helicopter trying to take off of my test stand. I got my flight box battery fully charged, tested my starter motor and glow plug starter. So far so good. But my luck was about to change - significantly. I had just filled the gas tank about 3/4 full. When I removed the filler tube all of the gas I just pumped in just shot right out all over the grass! What was that all about?!?! The tank shouldn’t be pressurized until the engine is running! Something was wrong. Perhaps the muffler line was clogged. So I disconnected it and filled the tank again. This time the gas stayed in. I reconnected the muffler line again. I turned everything on, connected the glow plug starter, set the throttle and started to turn the engine over. Nothing. I adjusted the throttle. Still nothing. I pumped some gas directly into the carburetor. I removed the glow plug so I could crank the engine to get the fuel flowing. That seemed to work so I replaced the glow plug and tried to start it again. Miraculously it started! For some reason it revved and slowed over and over again. I’m not sure what that was all about. The throttle servo (and others) seemed to be going crazy oscillating back and forth. I don’t know why. Without the engine running the electronics seemed to be working properly. I tried several times to get the engine running and stable, but couldn’t. When the electronics wasn’t oscillating wildly the engine seemed to be having real problems. I finally had to pull the fuel line to shut it down. I had been holding the rotor head to keep it from spinning and may have burned out the clutch in the process. It was smoking by the time I got the engine stopped! What a mess! I’m not sure if this thing will ever fly again. I’ve been so spoiled with electric copters I don’t know if I could ever go back to nitro. But since this copter has to be so much more stable than my Hummingbird V2 (Fixed Pitch) copter I would love to fly it just one more time to see how much better it handles than the little Hummingbird does. Since this was my first RC chopper and I’ve invested so much in it I kind of hate to just walk away from it. The last time I flew it I still had the training gear on it. I did pretty well at hovering at any altitude (up to 50 feet) but I had to keep the tail pointed at me to maintain orientation. Since then I’ve been using several computer simulators to improve my skills. I’ve been using a R/C AeroChopper (DOS program with wire frame graphics) for many many years. The graphics aren’t great, but it’s a pretty good simulator. I’ve become quite a “hot shot” on that simulator. Lately I’ve upgraded to a Real Flight G3, which has awesome graphics including several photo realistic flying fields. My personal favorite is the “sod farm”. It takes a good bit of skill and experience to take off, turn around and run straight into the van parked behind me. So far I can only hit it (directly) 2 out of 10 times. I guess I still need more practice. Anyway, I’ve been flying my FP Hummingbird (in the house) for quite a while now and I’m getting pretty good at keeping it in one place (reasonably under control). I’ve even flown it at work, check out the video on the DreamHost blog! On the Real Flight G3 I’m flying the Bell 222 (modified so the retractable landing gear works) and can keep it reasonably under control. I’m getting pretty good at nose-in flying and disaster recovery. That’s why I thought if I could get the Excel airborne again I could probably do pretty well with it because it’s got plenty of power to handle a bit of wind and it reacts very well too. Oh well, we’ll see if that ever happens. [...] [...] After getting the fuel situation all sorted out I started on the radio setup. I disabled the collective channel so I would adjust the throttle without the helicopter trying to take off of my test stand. I got my flight box battery fully charged, tested my starter motor and glow plug starter. So far so good. But my luck was about to change – significantly. I had just filled the gas tank about 3/4 full. When I removed the filler tube all of the gas I just pumped in just shot right out all over the grass! What was that all about?!?! The tank shouldn’t be pressurized until the engine is running! Something was wrong. Perhaps the muffler line was clogged. So I disconnected it and filled the tank again. This time the gas stayed in. I reconnected the muffler line again. I turned everything on, connected the glow plug starter, set the throttle and started to turn the engine over. Nothing. I adjusted the throttle. Still nothing. I pumped some gas directly into the carburetor. I removed the glow plug so I could crank the engine to get the fuel flowing. That seemed to work so I replaced the glow plug and tried to start it again. Miraculously it started! For some reason it revved and slowed over and over again. I’m not sure what that was all about. The throttle servo (and others) seemed to be going crazy oscillating back and forth. I don’t know why. Without the engine running the electronics seemed to be working properly. I tried several times to get the engine running and stable, but couldn’t. When the electronics wasn’t oscillating wildly the engine seemed to be having real problems. I finally had to pull the fuel line to shut it down. I had been holding the rotor head to keep it from spinning and may have burned out the clutch in the process. It was smoking by the time I got the engine stopped! What a mess! I’m not sure if this thing will ever fly again. I’ve been so spoiled with electric copters I don’t know if I could ever go back to nitro. But since this copter has to be so much more stable than my Hummingbird V2 (Fixed Pitch) copter I would love to fly it just one more time to see how much better it handles than the little Hummingbird does. Since this was my first RC chopper and I’ve invested so much in it I kind of hate to just walk away from it. The last time I flew it I still had the training gear on it. I did pretty well at hovering at any altitude (up to 50 feet) but I had to keep the tail pointed at me to maintain orientation. Since then I’ve been using several computer simulators to improve my skills. I’ve been using a R/C AeroChopper (DOS program with wire frame graphics) for many many years. The graphics aren’t great, but it’s a pretty good simulator. I’ve become quite a “hot shot” on that simulator. Lately I’ve upgraded to a Real Flight G3, which has awesome graphics including several photo realistic flying fields. My personal favorite is the “sod farm”. It takes a good bit of skill and experience to take off, turn around and run straight into the van parked behind me. So far I can only hit it (directly) 2 out of 10 times. I guess I still need more practice. Anyway, I’ve been flying my FP Hummingbird (in the house) for quite a while now and I’m getting pretty good at keeping it in one place (reasonably under control). I’ve even flown it at work, check out the video on the DreamHost blog! On the Real Flight G3 I’m flying the Bell 222 (modified so the retractable landing gear works) and can keep it reasonably under control. I’m getting pretty good at nose-in flying and disaster recovery. That’s why I thought if I could get the Excel airborne again I could probably do pretty well with it because it’s got plenty of power to handle a bit of wind and it reacts very well too. Oh well, we’ll see if that ever happens. [...]

]]> By: Chris http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2813 Chris Sun, 29 Jan 2006 01:04:30 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2813 Ugh.. I had to download the file and open in VLC so it wouldnt buffer for 20 years. Ugh.. I had to download the file and open in VLC so it wouldnt buffer for 20 years.

]]> By: Chris http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2812 Chris Sun, 29 Jan 2006 01:02:34 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2812 BUFFERING BUFFERING BUFFERING.. why didnt you do a Quicktime movie? /got an Apple 20.1" Cinema Display a couple months ago.. its awesome. //goes well with the DP 2.5 G5 =) BUFFERING BUFFERING BUFFERING.. why didnt you do a Quicktime movie?

/got an Apple 20.1″ Cinema Display a couple months ago.. its awesome.
//goes well with the DP 2.5 G5 =)

]]> By: David Harrison http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2811 David Harrison Sat, 28 Jan 2006 19:07:14 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2811 Oooh, I got one of those Dell 2001FP's, they're niiice. Oooh, I got one of those Dell 2001FP’s, they’re niiice.

]]> By: Dee http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2805 Dee Sat, 28 Jan 2006 00:11:17 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2805 Sweet! i want one now lol Sweet! i want one now lol

]]> By: noa http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2763 noa Fri, 27 Jan 2006 05:48:17 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2763 Just when I thought you guys were weird enough! xD! Just when I thought you guys were weird enough! xD!

]]> By: David http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2728 David Tue, 24 Jan 2006 20:49:37 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2728 That's OK, I'm still learning. I can only hope to aspire to reach a portion of Alan's greatness. That’s OK, I’m still learning. I can only hope to aspire to reach a portion of Alan’s greatness.

]]> By: JCAB http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2727 JCAB Tue, 24 Jan 2006 20:13:23 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2727 Try these ones for size: <a href="http://www.digitalcreations.net/helistuff/raptor90-alanszabojr.wmv" rel="nofollow">http://www.digitalcreations.net/helistuff/raptor90-alanszabojr.wmv</a> <a href="http://www.digitalcreations.net/helistuff/raptor90-alanszabojr2.wmv" rel="nofollow">http://www.digitalcreations.net/helistuff/raptor90-alanszabojr2.wmv</a> Sorry, David, for busting your chops, but I just _had_ to do it. :) JCAB Try these ones for size:

http://www.digitalcreations.net/helistuff/raptor90-alanszabojr.wmv
http://www.digitalcreations.net/helistuff/raptor90-alanszabojr2.wmv

Sorry, David, for busting your chops, but I just _had_ to do it. :)

JCAB

]]> By: phoenix http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2726 phoenix Tue, 24 Jan 2006 18:49:40 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2726 Sweet! If I apply for a job, will you guys pick me up in the chopper? (in before "GET TO THE CHOPPA" jokes) Sweet! If I apply for a job, will you guys pick me up in the chopper?

(in before “GET TO THE CHOPPA” jokes)

]]> By: Kelly http://blog.dreamhost.com/2006/01/23/the-dreamhost-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-2725 Kelly Tue, 24 Jan 2006 18:36:14 +0000 http://blog.dreamhost.com/?p=70#comment-2725 Re: Chris Meller All of us. :) Dell 2001FP's. Re: Chris Meller

All of us. :) Dell 2001FP’s.

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