Well yeah the Raptor 50 has taken my hobby time. However, i am waiting for the 3.5 MM bullet connectors before i can install the ESC and motor.. Hope to have that next week

Getting back here.
Still need to figure out how to mount the rudder servo. The heli has an aluminium servo mount but the opening is for a larger servo. I have a micro servo and its too loose to fit .
Plus the pushrod comes up way high.
See attached, and please suggest what to do.
From what I think, i would need to make a plywood mount. It would be dumb on HK's part to make a mount that can not take smaller micro servos.

Well, my heli had a boom servo mount, so I am unaware on how to solve that problem, BTW cant you mount the servo on One edge with the servo mounting holes aligning to the right or the left holes?

Gaurav - The most common tail servos are mini-servos (Futaba s9650, s9257, Align DS520 etc), that is why it was NOT designed for micro servos or standard servos. You are up for some DIY it seems.

BTW, micro servos have not had a good history when it comes to tail control on 450 sized helis (even from Align, you have choice between the DS420 which is micro and DS520 which is mini; and the DS520 is always recommended).

If you insist on using a micro servo and not in the mood for DIY, this will do it :

http://www.hk-parts.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=108&products_id=1205

I am seeing many unsatisfied customers of Turnigy DS480 and many are settling onto the Hyperion for a few dollars more.

Well, I do have the micro servo, and will go the DIY way. Cannot spend more for something I can make in a few hours out of some scrap balsa and ply .
Will post pictures as soon as done , hopefully by evening today.

Here is a seller for parts.

http://www.hk-parts.com

I saw this hk-parts site a few months back, quality seems top notch and prices a lot lot less than Align. I am sticking to the E bay seller fmt_model, low quality, but good for a guy like me who crashes initially.

http://stores.ebay.com/FMTmodel_450PRO-Heli-Parts-For-TREX_W0QQ_fsubZ1320211012QQ_sidZ773537222QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322

Guys,
Just got back after a 2 week long trip. Good thing - I got my Futaba 10C back, after the trim tab problem was fixed by their Support.

I landed back on Sunday and the first thing I wanted to do was to finish this HK-450GT and get it in the air.
Had to od the following -
- Make a wooden mount to mount the micro servo ( HK-450GT has a mini servo mount )
- Install motor, ESC, Gyro and zip-tie all wiring
- Install receiver .

Now I did this over the last 2 evenings, and powered it up today. After a few clicks of trim, and correcting the Gyro reversing etc, i was able to hover it ! Few things I noted :

-- Rudder control is very very sensitve. I mean if i just touch the stick, the heli swings very fast ( compared to my miniTitan )
-- The gyro gain is at around 10. If i increase it a little, i get the tail wag. If i decrease it, then there is a slight drift.

I think those are all the problems i seem have at the moment.
Will be doing more flights today evening to see how it goes. Will post videos here too.

-Gaurav

Welcome back !

Quote from: gauravag on June 09, 2010, 09:49:18 AM
-- Rudder control is very very sensitve. I mean if i just touch the stick, the heli swings very fast ( compared to my miniTitan )

To control piro rate, reduce the end points (travel adjustment / EPA / ATV) on the rudder channel.  I typically keep mine at around 80% on both sides.  You can go even lower, to get a piro rate that you feel comfortable with.

Quote from: gauravag on June 09, 2010, 09:49:18 AM
-- The gyro gain is at around 10. If i increase it a little, i get the tail wag. If i decrease it, then there is a slight drift.

Move the linkage one (or possibly two) holes inside on the rudder servo arm. That usually helps.  BTW, gain is pretty much what it is, as long as the heli holds steady.  But 10 seems uncharacteristically low.

Been flying the heli lately. Have had around 30 flights. Flight characteristics are good. Responsive, agile, and stable with 30% expo.

That said, I wouldn't recommend this heli to anyone who can afford a better quality heli like a Compass Models Atom or TT Mini Titan. Reason being, that the quality of parts is not good, and you spend more time fiddling around than flying really.

For people on a tight budget, it can get them in the air cheaply, for others, I suggest give it a pass.

-Gaurav

Hello Gaurav.
firstly, let me introduce myself, I am Dorwin from Goa, currently in Kuwait.
Is this the GT Pro you brought and built?

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=10900

because this one is in my cart, if you would'nt recommend this one, which do you think is the best kit for a 450 size set up?
BTW, mine will go with a 5 rotor head assembly as I am going scale now, no 3D!

Regards,

Dorwin

No this isnt the one.
The one I bought and built was : http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=10902&Product_Name=HK-450GT_Pro_3D_Belt-Drive_Helicopter_Kit_(Align_T-Rex_Compat.)

Hey Gaurav, nice to see you around. BTW, ya these helis require fiddling a lot initially, as the saying goes what you pay is what you get. But these helis have thought me how to make even crap fly well   

See my thread here:

http://www.rcindia.org/helis/hk-450-v2-plastic-build-thread/

Hello Vinay,
Yes good to be back to the RCI community, Had 3 months of extensive travelling, but back now. Look forward to lots of flying, and lots of postings here !

I have been following your threads on both your helis. These helis do give an affordable way to get in the air, but I am not sure what their long term cost is. Cost/flight and Time tweaking/flight for my MiniTitan came out to be less than that of HK BTW . Though this depends on individual, and the kind of flying/skills one does.

One more observation, i would like to post here, since I have owned both a miniTitan and the HK 450 GT Pro (whichi is a Align 450 Pro clone ) , is, that the miniTitan was faaaar easy to work with. ie if you wanted to take out a servo, or a motor, then time to do it on mini Titan would be 20% of what would be on HK450 PRO. I am not sure if all Aligns are like that, but I somehow had the liking to how easy it was to work on the MT.

Flying wise, the HK was much more agile, and kind of "wanted" to do 3D itself MT seemed to be a very gentle heli !

BTW the GT Pro is a sports clone with a PRO tail.