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| Issue 31 (January 2009) |
Words: Brandon Updike |
I'm pretty sure that everyone at one point in time has been annoyed trying keep the flybar level while setting up pitch. Granted, there are flybar locks out there but understandingly they cannot be universal. Not all brands have a flybar lock, so the good people at HeliProz came up with a clever solution. They developed a contraption to level your swash and lock your flybar at the same time during setup. This in-house tool was seen in the swash plate How-To in last month's issue. Since then, we put the tool in good use to determine how well it performed its advertised features.
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Includes
The lock and leveler tool is made of blue anodized CNC machined components. You bolt the bridge directly to the head block using an aluminum nut. The two vertical scales sit on the flybar to keep it locked and bolt to each side of the bridge. There is also a pointer that bolts directly to the flybar used to help level the swash.
Features
The main feature of the tool is the way it's threaded in the hole located in the center of the head block. This allows it to be used on a wide range of helicopter brands, such as the entire Align lineup (including the 450), the Miniature Aircraft Stratus and others with the threaded hole, the JR Vibe products, the Hirobo EVO 90, and many more. When threaded into the head block, it has two arms that lock the flybar simultaneously. When adjusting your pitch, that flybar stays rock solid. The standoff on the bridge contains small notches and is a small diameter, so it can be used on all helicopters ranging from 450's and up. Not only does it level your swash but also it is also capable of detecting static CCPM interaction.
Putting it To Use
Fly Bar Lock
For the most part, the whole contraption went onto the helicopter without a hitch. Initially, looking at all the components left me a little confused and I found myself questioning such a tool. However, once I read the instructions it turned out to be much simpler than it appeared. The flybar locking capabilities are pretty straightforward. Place your bridge horizontally to the flybar and bolt it down to the head block. Apply the two scales the bridge loosely at first, then adjust your flybar until it's perpendicular to the main shaft, then go ahead and tighten it down. You can then use the scale lines to make sure your flybar is straight. Once finished, you can then check your pitch using your trusty pitch gauge. The tool performed as advertised and kept the flybar on lockdown with absolutely no complaints.
Swash Plate Leveling
The instructions require that you apply a small wire to the end of the bridge and use a paperclip as an example. I followed HeliProz's advice and cut a piece of a paper clip and applied it to the bridge. You then secure the wire using a 2.5mm set screw. Once your wire is secure, you then apply the pointer to the flybar and line the tip up to the wire but not touching.
Now, spin the head but remember where the tip of the pointer is relative to the wire, if it moves at all your swash is not level. The instructions states that the tool checks for any slop in the setup so gives a tip to "pre-load" your control system by making one of the main blades lag or lead a little. With no slop, you should be able to detect very small changes for perfect fine-tuning.
The interaction test consists of checking the level at high pitch, low pitch, and mid pitch. Initially, the tool showed very minor adjustments because our swashplates were pretty centered but not quite perfect. I played with settings a bit and watched how it worked in different extremes. Overall, the tool is quite effective and worked as advertised.
Conclusion
This tool is perfect for anyone who loves to fine tune their helicopters for absolute perfection. It's a good investment for the sheer fact that it kills two birds with one stone. Initially, it may come off as a complicated tool, but proved to be quite simple and effective. This tool is a great investment to anyone who wants to be sure that their setup is accurate to the max.
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HITS
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• Does as advertised
• Quality machine work
• Ease of use
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MISSES
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• A little expensive
MANUFACTURER:
PART NUMBER(S): #ELRC500
STREET PRICE: $30
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