E-Flite Blade CP first flight

[dlesnick]

My friends hobby shop got their first shipment of Blade CPs today. I happened to walk in while they were unpacking the boxes. I was lucky enough to get the first flight on the store demo unit. We honestly pulled it out of the box, charged the flight battery, and put AAs in the radio and flew it in the parking lot. There is zero no setup unless you count attaching the velcro to the battery pack and the bottom of the frame.

I just flew it on the stock 8 cell pack and flat bottom stock blades. It came of the ground pretty easily with out a lot of corrrections. The stock setup is very stable in a hover for a micro. The cyclic control was strong but not twitchy or real quick feeling. The flybar weights come all the out. I am sure cyclic can be speeded up by moving them in or removing them. The tail holds ok but it seems to hunt a bit with the wind. I am not sure if it just needs the sensitivity needs tweaking or if that is just how it is going to behave.

Slow flight and hovering was all I was able to manage since the parking lot was pretty full. Flighttime was about 8 minutes on the 650mah pack but we did not allow time for a full charge and it was the first charge on the pack.

I brought one home along with the Acrobatic hop up pack which has symmetrical blades, a motor with a 9t pinion and the heat sinks for the main motor and tail motor. I hope to have a more complete flight report on both the stock config and the hopped up version on lipolys.

[Jason M]

Great report dlesnick - thank you for taking the time to keep us posted! Blade CPs shipped late last week so I was wondering just how soon until we heard our first report. Congrats - youre the first so far Hopefully we'll hear more and more reports from others too in the coming weeks!

In the box stock configuration, flight times around 8-10 minutes are pretty typical on a full charge. The stock set up has proven to be a very good combination of duration, power and stability. Look forward to hearing more of your comments on the stock set up once you get your model in the air!

When you install the Aerobatic Enhancement Kit, which 3S LiPo packs will you be using for power? We've found the 10C+ capable 860-900mAh packs (Like the E-flite and Thunder Power packs recommended in the manual) to provide the best overall balance of weight, power and duration (15+ minutes typically). For aerobatics, these packs combined with the enhancement kit and moving the flybar weights in to the paddle control frame really work very well. Larger packs up to 1320mAh also perform quite well with added duration (20-25+ minutes in some cases), at the expense of a little less manueverability due to the higher weight (good for flying in windier conditions though!).

Good luck and enjoy your new heli!

Jason Merkle
E-flite Product Manager
Horizon Hobby
http://www.horizonhobby.com

[rcman]

I did the same thing today at our LHS, walked in the door and the Blade was on the counter with a fresh charged battery, the owner asked if I would set it up and get it ready to fly so I browsed throught the manual and said lets go fly
It was a little windy around 8 to 10 MPH so it bounced around a little because of the flat bottom blades, but it was pretty stable for a micro, tail was alittle out, made a little adjustment and flew the rest of the pack out, I even got a chance to get it upside down :0 with the flat blades I wouldn't recomand doing that if you have not flown a heli a lot
But WOW it flys out of the box as dlesnick and Jason both say
Need less to say I took one home as well with the Aerobatic Enhancement kit

$225.00 for a RTR heli you can't ask for a better deal and it flys out of the box
NO UPGRADES
Eflite has done a great job!!!!

I just got done installing the Aerobatic Enhancment kit. Went togather very very easy I hope to get some time on it tomorrow. I also will be using Thunder Power 3 cell 860 lipos on it
I'll let you know how it works out, maybe I can get the wife to video a little of it as well,
Take care,
David

[dlesnick]

Jason,

I already have several of the TP1320 10-12C packs and I picked up one of the new TP900s. I am sure like you said the 900 will be the hot pack for aerobatics but I am hoping the 1320s added weight will be useful for outdoor general flying.

I will add some updates if I get some more flying in today. The weather is pretty crummy so far this morning.

I did do some more hovering in the basement last night. I cleared out about a 6' x 6' area just to see what it was going to be like in no wind. I had no problems with popping it up in a hover and doing slow piros and nose in in that tight of an area.

Dru

[TheX]

In-flight Pics or vids soon?

[HoverDown3K]

I think a 3s lipo at 11.1 volt pack will burn up the brushed motors quick. The tail motor will burn out within 3 flights

[dlesnick]

I will see if I can get some pics today or tomorrow. It will depend on the weather. I should at least be able to get some pics flying it inside at the office tomorrow

As far as the lipos burning up the motors the Twist CP (The version over the pond) has been shipping with lipos for quite a while. I will give you all a report after some inside flying tonight with the 9T and symmetrical blades and TP1320 packs.

[Jason M]

Originally Posted by HoverDown3K

I think a 3s lipo at 11.1 volt pack will burn up the brushed motors quick. The tail motor will burn out within 3 flights

Actually, we have not found this to be the case at all. I have demo models with dozens and dozens of flights using the same brushed main and tail motors on both the stock 8 cell NiMh and 3S LiPo packs with no problems at all.

The tail motor is N30 sized which is far better suited for use with 3S LiPo packs than the N20 motors used on other similar models that may burn out in just a few flights. After a 15 minute flight using the 3S LiPo packs and heatsink the tail motor is hardly even warm or above ambient temps. We have not had a tail motor burn out yet with the stock 8 cell NiMh or optional 3S LiPo packs.

As for the main motor, it too has performed very well for many dozens of aerobatic flights using the 3S LiPo packs. As long as you follow the manual's advice of using a motor with 8T pinion when flying 3S LiPo packs on the flat bottom blades or motor with 9T pinion when flying the symmetrical blades, along with the use of the main motor heatsink, you will have very good motor life. We have not had a main motor burn out yet with the stock 8 cell NiMh or optional 3S LiPo packs.

Motor life may vary based on the care and use of each particular model, but when used and cared for properly motor life should indeed be very good if not some the best of any brushed motors in models this size. Some tips for longer main and tail motor life:

- Use the set ups as recommended above and in the manual when using 3S LiPo packs
- Be sure to set the proper gear mesh when installing the new main motors with smaller pinions
- Install the optional main and tail motor heatsinks included with the Aerobatic Enhancement Kit or available seperately:

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByC...rodID=EFLH1132

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByC...rodID=EFLH1131

- Allow the motors to cool to ambient temperature between flights and freshly charged packs
- Power down immediately in the event of a crash. Dont forget if you are in "Idle Up" to flip back to normal mode and lower the throttle stick and throttle trim completely and as quickly as possible

Dru -

Your TP 1320 packs will work great for general sport and aerobatic flying with excellent duration. The 900 pack will be even better for all out aerobatics while still providing very good duration too.

Good luck and we look forward to your flight report!

[Palmtree]

Jason, maybe you can answer a question for me. I see on the Horizon site the the Blade is available as a "replacement airframe" for $99. Is this the whole kit(motors, blades) less all the electronics and servos? I don't need the servos, battery, transmitter, mixer, etc., and am wondering if it's a barebones kit.

Could you fill us in?

[thomer]

Where can I buy one online? I just took back a crummy EF Sabre and want a Blade instead!

[uav51]

Jason do you have any vids of this heli flying aerobatics stock, albeit with your enhancement kit? Would like to see what it can actually do as they are the only electric CP's available locally here. Thanks

[Jason M]

Originally Posted by uav51

Jason do you have any vids of this heli flying aerobatics stock, albeit with your enhancement kit? Would like to see what it can actually do as they are the only electric CP's available locally here. Thanks

Unfortunately we do not have any video posted on the web at this time but we are hoping to remedy this soon. Maybe someone can post video from the demos we have flown at Toledo, SEFF, NRHSA or RCX? We have demoed the helis quite a bit and always received very favorable comments on both the stock and "enhanced" model performance.

Originally Posted by thomer

Where can I buy one online? I just took back a crummy EF Sabre and want a Blade instead!

You might try a quick web search for "E-flite Blade CP" as a number of dealers do indeed have models in stock and ready to ship. I may suggest that you call first to confirm availability. But be sure to try your local shops first if you have some - it is possible they have some in stock or will have more in stock soon.

Originally Posted by Palmtree

Jason, maybe you can answer a question for me. I see on the Horizon site the the Blade is available as a "replacement airframe" for $99. Is this the whole kit(motors, blades) less all the electronics and servos? I don't need the servos, battery, transmitter, mixer, etc., and am wondering if it's a barebones kit.

Could you fill us in?

"EFLH1101" is the "Blade CP ARF Replacement Airframe," as you can see with a detailed note about half way down the page here:

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByC...s&SubCategory=

Hope that helps a bit!

[Hoverup]

Got a barebones on the way. How can you go wrong for $99.00 and you get to pick your favorite electronics. This is a very good move on the part of the product manager and marketing team. Good show!

Cheers - Boyd AMA 80393
Major USAF
Retired

[thomer]

Jason,

Thanks for the info. I did find lots of dealers who have them in stock. Another question for you if you don't mind answering. I am new to helis and don't want to spend an arm and a leg for a complete setup, thus, the Blade is attractive. However, would it be suitable for my skill level or should I look at a different bird?

[jameotron]

I look forward to seeing videos of these with big-arse brushless setups in them