Chronister
Dec 17, 2003, 09:03 AM
As the US dealer for Cybird, I'd like to offer some suggestions for anyone having problems with these birds.
The most common problem is not CG related. Rather, the Cybird is sensitive to the elevator trim setting on the transmitter. If the tail is raised too much, the Cybird will stall easily and tend to drop abruptly when you make a turn. Very slow flight is not normal for the Cybird; it is near a stall and will not handle well. Cybird turns very well once the elevator trim is correct. It's amazing how much the elevator trim affects turning.
The CG should be approximately below the plastic pins that secure the top of the body wrap just behind the wing hinge assembly.
The manufacturer does not recommend flying without the body. That would save a little weight, but it would increase the air resistance and remove some crash protection offered by the rubber head piece. The body wrap is made of a flexible material that may seem cheaply made but it is completely unbreakable in a crash because it's so flexible.
The most common repairs for the Cybird are the wing and the stroke stem, which is the part the wing snaps onto. The stroke stems now are made with a stronger steel than earlier versions so this part will be more durable. The wings are hollow so they tend to break if you crash with a sideways orientation. This feature also makes the wings very light and efficient.
The correct battery is a 1200 mah lipoly or 720 mah, 6 cell nimh. Using a larger battery could cause the bird to stall more easily, or it might cause the gears to fail. The battery must be of the high discharge variety.
Some Cybirds were shipped with batteries that did not perform well. If everything else is correct, but the Cybird does not climb properly, you may need to use a different battery to achieve good performance.
If you are considering one of the small RC ornithopters, we now have both the Cybird and the Kinkade Sunbird in stock, ready for immediate shipment. More details on either model can be found in our online store, www.ornithopter.org/store.
Nathan Chronister
The Ornithopter Zone
www.ornithopter.org
The most common problem is not CG related. Rather, the Cybird is sensitive to the elevator trim setting on the transmitter. If the tail is raised too much, the Cybird will stall easily and tend to drop abruptly when you make a turn. Very slow flight is not normal for the Cybird; it is near a stall and will not handle well. Cybird turns very well once the elevator trim is correct. It's amazing how much the elevator trim affects turning.
The CG should be approximately below the plastic pins that secure the top of the body wrap just behind the wing hinge assembly.
The manufacturer does not recommend flying without the body. That would save a little weight, but it would increase the air resistance and remove some crash protection offered by the rubber head piece. The body wrap is made of a flexible material that may seem cheaply made but it is completely unbreakable in a crash because it's so flexible.
The most common repairs for the Cybird are the wing and the stroke stem, which is the part the wing snaps onto. The stroke stems now are made with a stronger steel than earlier versions so this part will be more durable. The wings are hollow so they tend to break if you crash with a sideways orientation. This feature also makes the wings very light and efficient.
The correct battery is a 1200 mah lipoly or 720 mah, 6 cell nimh. Using a larger battery could cause the bird to stall more easily, or it might cause the gears to fail. The battery must be of the high discharge variety.
Some Cybirds were shipped with batteries that did not perform well. If everything else is correct, but the Cybird does not climb properly, you may need to use a different battery to achieve good performance.
If you are considering one of the small RC ornithopters, we now have both the Cybird and the Kinkade Sunbird in stock, ready for immediate shipment. More details on either model can be found in our online store, www.ornithopter.org/store.
Nathan Chronister
The Ornithopter Zone
www.ornithopter.org