Helicopters

From micros to 3D machines


The 65" long fuselage was drawn in Rhino 3D to verify fit for the internal mechanics.

AH-56 Cheyenne Project – Part 5 – CNC Machined Plug

This installment continues construction of my 700-size AH-56 Cheyenne, which began here. After a break to pursue some other projects, I’m back to work on the 700 size Cheyenne.  The next step was making the plug which I’d use to lay up the female mold for the fiberglass fuselage.  As noted in the first installment of […]
AH-56 Cheyenne Project – Part 5 – Tail Controls

AH-56 Cheyenne Project – Part 5 – Tail Controls

This installment continues construction of my 700-size AH-56 Cheyenne.  The project begins here. Since the Cheyenne’s tail rotor is mounted at the end of a long extension shaft, I needed to fabricate a control linkage with a bellcrank,.  I’ve just gotten into having parts 3D printed by Shapeways.com, and this was a perfect application for their […]
The two tail servos were mounted in a tray milled from 2mm carbon fiber.

AH-56 Cheyenne Project – Part 4 – Tail Boom

This installment continues construction of my 700-size AH-56 Cheyenne.  The project begins here. With the Cheyenne’s powertrain and cyclic control issues resolved, next step for the project was completing the tail boom.  As noted previously, I’m stretching a Blade 600 X to 700 size, so I needed to fit a longer tail boom and torque […]
Photo by Gerry Yarrish

AH-56 Cheyenne Project – Part 3 – Powertrain and Cyclic Servos

Here we continue my Cheyenne scale heli project, introduced here.  The construction of the complex tail unit was covered here.   MAIN GEAR AND CYCLIC SERVOS: While I had good reasons to choose the Blade 600 X for my mechanics, there was one feature of this particular heli that cost me some extra work. You […]
The Cheyenne's most notable feature was the variable-pitch pusher prop.  This and the small wings allowed the AH-56 to fly much like an airplane, hitting speeds up to 250MPH.

AH-56 Cheyenne Project – Part 2 – Mechanics

BUILDING THE MECHANICS: As noted in my intro posting, my first priority for my 700-size Cheyenne project was to build and test fly the mechanics. After all, if I couldn’t get the outrigger tail and variable-pitch pusher prop to work properly, what was the point? First decision was choosing the basic mechanics. Although this is […]
Ready for Halloween?

Ready for Halloween?

This quadcopter ghost is guaranteed to spook trick-or-treaters! Whoever made this costume did a great job: nice head, arms and lightweight flowing shroud combine nicely. We hope this inspires you to come up with your own quad costume for Halloween and that you’ll send videos to us at man@airage.com! Thanks to Alton Porter for posting this to YouTube.
Making helicopter pushrods: a fast & easy solution!

Making helicopter pushrods: a fast & easy solution!

Charlie Hynes has a lot of helicopters, and he found an easier way to assemble pushrods and ball links, using his cordless drill. Check out his how to! A lot of helicopters come with ball links and pushrods that need to be assembled by hand. Here’s how you can use a drill motor instead of pliers […]
Engine out? Better know how to do an auto!

Engine out? Better know how to do an auto!

Every helicopter pilot should be proficient in performing autorotations to cope with engine or motor failure. They are demanding and should be practiced periodically. The model should have sufficient pitch range before you attempt this maneuver. A steady breeze of about 10mph will make initial attempts easier. The engine should be running at a fast […]
Russian Gunship from Down Under

Russian Gunship from Down Under

Check out this 1/6.7-scale, turbine-powered Mil 24 Hind from Down Under … New Zealand, that is! This beauty is from Heli Classics and flown by NZMC club member Carl.  Thanks to RCheliclub NZMC for taking these videos and posting them on YouTube. If you’re interested in getting your own, East Coast Scale Products can sell you a partially […]
Torque-Tube Tail Upgrade

Torque-Tube Tail Upgrade

For several years, Align’s T-Rex 450 series has dominated the small helicopter market. Rather than resting on a proven design with excellent quality and fit, Align has gradually upgraded the heli to keep up with (or ahead of) their competitors, imitators, and outright copiers. With the release of the T-Rex 450 Pro, Align raised the […]
Super-Scale “Super Puma”

Super-Scale “Super Puma”

If you like military birds, you’ll love Roger Nieto’s great scale EC 725 Caracal, filmed in Coëtquidan, France. Equipped with Vario mechanics and a Baumann fuselage, the helicopter is powered by a gas engine turning a five-blade main rotor and four-blade tail. Robart retracts add to its scale appeal. Great helicopter, excellent flying … just wish we could hear those […]
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