Notes & Flight Log Info for Santini Air
This page is where I write whatever changes I may have made, how the helicopter was flying before and after a change, or any other misc info I want to store and share with you.
Original/Current Flying Setup:
Battery - 6S1P 2650mA Lipo
Motor - Century 800Kv fan cooled
ESC - CC ICE HV80
RCVR - JR R921
Servos - Cyclic (3x) HiTec HS5685-MH, Tail is HiTec HS5665-MH
Gyro - Futaba 401
FBL - Skookum SK360
Flight time is around 5 minutes using approx 1700mA. I plan to try using an 8S1P A123 2300mA pack to see how that works.
Mode or Upgrades Section:
Music wire tail drive:
I have not really liked this wire drive from the start. It never really seemed to hold very well. It was always wagging around. I emailed Century to see what options I had, TT or belt.
Oct 4, 2011.
I changed out the music wire tail drive and installed a torque tube drive. The parts are from the Raven 50. Century Heli provided the parts list to make the change. I now know I do not really need to buy the bearings, or the grub screws.
Oct 5, 2011.
Did some test hovering in my yard. It's so darn windy that the heli is all over the place. Not a good day for testing, but I will say the tail seems to be holding better.
Oct 8, 2011.
The torque tube tail drive conversion worked very well with the windy flights conditions of the first flight today. Second flight was very low wind and the tail held great. I think I will
do this conversion on all my Century setups. The Coast Guard project will be next.
Flight Logs:
Oct 8, 2011.
Two flights using the A123 8S pack went very well. Flight time is still around 5 minutes, current usage was 1356mA & 1569mA. Head speed is in the 1550 RPM range. So far I am
happy with the results.
Oct 9, 2011.
I setup the ESC to use GOV. LOW mode and picked 1500, 1550, and 1600 for the three rotor rpm settings. Only 1600 seemed stable enough for the test hovering in my yard. I need
to get to the flying field for some open sky flight testing to determine what it really likes.
Date 12/25/2013:
I am behind on all my projects it seems. This heli has been flying great. It flies very smooth and predictable. I pretty much fly it at the 1600 head speed, but if it's really calm I will go
to 1550. I did not fly the heli at all during 2013 as it is taken apart and waiting for paint. If things go well it will be back in the air for 2014 with the Santini Air paint scheme.