Flight Tested: Heli-Max UH-60 Black Hawk & EC145 Eurocopter

High-quality micro helis are everywhere these days, and with so many on the market, it’s hard to keep up with them all. That said, scale is my first love, so Heli-Max really caught my eye with two highly detailed models in 1/43 scale. The first is a Eurocopter EC145 and the second is an even more eye-catching UH-60 Black Hawk. Both helis are available in ready-to-fly and transmitter-ready versions and include a LiPo flight battery and AC charger so you can be flying in minutes. Both feature scale rotor heads, brushless power, and — best of all! — TAGS (Triple-Axis Gyro System) stabilization, so they fly with the stability of a larger bird.

Because the full-scale Black Hawk is a much larger heli than the EC145, the two models differ in that the Black Hawk’s variable pitch tail rotor is driven by a torque tube, while the Eurocopter’s tail rotor is a motorized fixed-pitch type.

Both models are 1/43 scale, so this side-by-side view shows what a big machine the full-scale Black Hawk is. However, it can fit inside a C-130 for long-range deployments.

 

I set up both helis with my Futaba 8JH transmitter using the Tactic AnyLink module. This simple-to-use external module allows you to fly a whole range of Tx-R and SLT (Secure Link Technology) models with your existing radio. Setup is practically plug and play, and linking models is a snap. With radio preparations complete, it was time to set up the helis. I would note that both these helis are best suited for pilots who already have some heli time logged. They aren’t difficult to fly, but their detailed bodies are not intended for the bumps and bruises of primary training.

UH-60 Black Hawk

Heli-Max’s UH-60 Black Hawk is a superbly detailed micro heli that looks very realistic in the air. Flybarless stabilization and a torque tube tail provide smooth handling even in a moderate breeze.

The detailed Black Hawk looks more like a high-quality plastic display model than a micro RC heli. The body has full surface detailing, sliding cabin doors, and added details like cable cutters, windshield wipers, and pitot tubes. There are even micro LED nav lights. It almost looks too nice to fly!

Under the detailed body is a well-engineered micro heli. The scale 4-blade rotor head has TAGS flybarless stabilization, the upswept tail is driven by a torque tube, and power is provided by a brushless outrunner motor. The whole installation is tidy and businesslike.

For lower-time pilots, the kit includes oversize low-bounce tires, and there are also spares for detail parts that might get snapped off.

IN THE AIR

I started out with the manual’s recommended Futaba radio settings. From the initial liftoff, I was immediately impressed with the Black Hawk’s smooth and solid handling.

GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE

• Stability: Thanks to the TAGS stabilization, no trimming is needed. In fact, just as with flybarless systems in larger helis, you should never use transmitter trims as the flybarless system will interpret these as control inputs.
• Tracking: The Black Hawk tracks smoothly in forward flight. The driven tail rotor provides solid heading control even in crosswind conditions. Tail hold was solid even with aggressive pop-ups.
• Aerobatics: The model easily handles high-speed figure-8s, chandelles, and pirouettes. In Idle-Up mode, it’s capable of basic aerobatics up through loops and mild inverted flight.
• Landing: Landings are a breeze; switch to Normal throttle mode, make a standard approach, and lower the collective. The landing gear is stout enough to stand up to less-than-perfect landings.

PILOT DEBRIEFING

Literally, the only change I made to the recommended control settings was to adjust the Normal throttle curve so that there wouldn’t be an abrupt change in head speed when I switched in and out of Idle-Up mode. Everything else felt just right with the stock settings.

I’ve logged a couple dozen flights on the Black Hawk so far, and I really enjoy it. The scale appearance is impressive, and it’s just the ticket for backyard evening sorties. It’s a great-handling machine that really looks the part.

Eurocopter EC145

The Eurocopter EC145 looks really sharp and can handle mild aerobatics. It does best in calmer weather or indoor flying, but it can handle breezes above 10mph.

The EC145 is built to the same 1/43 scale as the Black Hawk, which results in a significantly smaller model. Like the Black Hawk, the 145 has a scale 4-blade rotor head, but because of its smaller size, it uses a fixed-pitch motorized tail rotor. The removable nose, which provides access to the flight battery and electronics, slides on rails and locks in place with tiny, rare earth magnets.

IN THE AIR

As with the Black Hawk, I used the manual’s recommended radio settings and takeoff was uneventful. The recommended throttle curve settings worked perfectly, with no significant change in head speed when switching in and out of Idle-Up mode. The 145 is small and light enough that you can hit Throttle Hold at any time, and it will drop uneventfully into the grass.

GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE

• Stability: For a very small scale heli, stability in hover and slow forward flight is very good. Thanks to the TAGS stabilization, no trimming is required.
• Tracking: Motorized tails are sometimes a little looser than driven versions, but I found the Eurocopter to have solid hold even in sideways flight in breezy conditions. Hard pop-ups showed no noticeable tail kick, and the pirouette rate is consistent in both directions. I did find it helpful to hold a little aft cyclic in pirouettes.
• Aerobatics: The 145 performs nicely flying figure-8s, chandelles, and pirouettes. It can also handle flips and rolls. With its small size, damage in a normal crackup is unlikely if you’re quick on the Throttle Hold switch.
• Landing: Landings are simple — switch to Normal mode and make a straight-in approach.

PILOT DEBRIEFING

For a micro-scale model, the Eurocopter is a nice flyer. Even with the detailed injection molded body, it doesn’t fly at all “heavy,” and it looks really sharp. Indoors or out, it’s a fun machine.