Servo/Linkage Setup:

I prefer setting up my IdleUp Flight Mode first when building a new heli. I start out by getting my servo arms aligned 90 degrees to my pushrods at mid stick (zero degrees pitch). This way center is center. Now you can proceed to setting my maximum and minimum pitch. Take your time here and do it right the first time, you won're regret the extra attention applied later on when you get some air under those skids. The photo to the left show the Fury Extreme with the servo wheels aligned 90 degrees to the pushrod which is horizontal.

You want to get the most out of your mechanical setup and to do that you must be very consistant with your settings. It's very easy to overlook something.

Setup your linkages and pushrods so that have minimum drag and zero binding, if it binds either you've got too much pitch and you need to reduce some servo travel with some ATV settings or you have something wrong mechanically..

You have to look at your Cyclic Pitch range in addition to your Collective Pitch. You shouldn't need any more than 6 degrees of Cyclic Pitch. The way to check it is to set up the heli at midstick in Idleup. Your main blades (both) should be exactly at zero degrees and your pushrods and servo arms should all be at right angles to each other when possible.

Rotate the main blades until they are 90 degrees to the boom and the flybar is aligned with the boom. From mid stick in IdleUp, apply full forward elevator. Read how much negative pitch is on the left hand blade (assumes a right hand rotation). It is is more or less than -6 degrees adjust the down elevator/forward cyclic to give you -6 degrees at when the right stick is pushed all the way forward.

Now go to the right side of the heli and again have the throttle at mid stick and in Idleup mode. Measure the right main blade pitch when you gove full forward on the right stick. It should be +6 degrees.

Now, rotate the blades 90 degrees so the blades are in line with the tailboom. Go to the front blade and measure the cyclic pitch, again have the heli in Idleup and the throttle at mid stick. Apply full left cyclic/aileron and measure the pitch, it should be at +6 degrees. The rear blade should read -6 degrees.

Depending on what flybar paddles you run and what length of flybar will determine how the heli handles as well as any delta mixing that may or may not be available on the head. You can vary the amount of flybar travel on some helicopters. Even the Raptor 30 has an adjustment for the flybar paddles, It's only a choice of two positions but at least there is adjustment there for those who like to tweak the setup.

Heavy paddles will slow down cyclic authority and make the heli seem more stable. The size, thickness and shape of a paddle can really change the way a paddle handles on a particualr heli.

I've found the white MA 20gram 3D paddles to be the best bang for the buck. I run them on my Fury Extremes (4mm) and my Raptor 50V2 (3mm)

I prefer a stock flybar, some guys like to experiment but I'd rather just fly. I guess I'm not to the point where I want to micro manage that part of my heli. I do run weights on my Fury Extreme. It makes the heli a little smoother and I can use the help. Anything to make me a smoother pilot is good news. I do run -30% Expo on my aileron and elevator (cyclics). I prefer my setup a little softer around hover and center stick. I can slide my flybar weights out toward the paddles if I want to tame it down some or I can pull them back toward the center and increase my cyclic control and speed up my roll and flip rates.