RAPTOR NEWSLETTER #7 July 19, 2000 Hello Raptor owners: Here is our Raptor newsletter number 7. This is published by Thunder Tiger/Ace. The purpose is to keep Raptor owners updated on what's happening. We will be sending this out by email to everyone who is on our tthelihotline email list. It is also on our website at www.acehobby.com. Please pass it along to your Raptor friends. In Newsletter #7 we will brief everyone on what's new about the Raptor 60 and offer new tips on the Raptor 30 Raptor 60 news from the company president: Since the introduction of the Raptor 60 in January 2001, we have sold many Raptor 60s worldwide. Currently we offer three versions of the Raptor 60: a kit version, an ARF (almost ready to fly) version that is 90% built, and an ARF version that comes complete with a 2.5 horsepower TT Pro 70H engine and muffler installed. In the last seven months we have received many constructive feedback from our Raptor 60 customers. We have listened carefully to what you have told us, and then addressed every issue. As an example, around March, we have modified PV0124 flybar control rod, BK0335 elevator arm link, and PV0245 washout links. We have changed the plastic injection porting position in the mold. Started in March, we added an extra canopy support to steady the canopy during violent 3D maneuvers. Recently, we have enhanced the autorotation hub design and changed the rotor hub manufacturing process. Starting July 1st, 2001, every Raptor 60 sold will be the new Raptor 60 Version 2. The Raptor 60 V2 includes the following changes with no price increase: Main rotor hub with precisely bored holes All new tail rotor drive gears (five of them) Autorotation hub with NSK bearing and high strength metal hub Harden steel sleeve for autorotation hub Free rotor blade grip spacer for 12 mm carbon/fiberglass blades Pointed set screws for the tail rotor hub Two 1.8 mm thick washers for the main rotor feathering spindle Eight 6 mm i.d. shims for fine tuning tail drive gear mesh New flybar control rod New elevator arm link New washout link Additional canopy support Raptor 60 Specifications: Main Rotor Dia: 1540 ~1580 mm (using 660 or 680 mm blades) Gear Ratio : 9.3 : 1: 4.6 Full equipped weight : 9.8 lb (Optional 11 teeth and 12 teeth pinion gears are available to make the main gear ratio into 7.75 and 8.45 to 1 for operation with the 80 and 90 size heli engines.) For additional information on the Raptor 60 Version 2 please see our web page at www.acehobby.com My staff and I will be attending the F3C Helicopter World Championship and IRCHA Jamboree at the AMA flying field at Muncie, Indiana. We will have a Thunder Tiger/Ace tent there to show our new products and answer questions. We will be showing our new Raptor 90 and Raptor 50 that will be available in October 2001. Same as last year, we will hold a group photo session for all Raptor pilots. Last year we had 100 pilots attending and we want to beat that this year. There will be free prizes giving out again. We will take the pictures at 12 noon on Sunday, September 16. Please stop by the TT/Ace booth to find out more information. We will have the TT/Ace booth at the World Championship event flying field from September 13 to 18. We look forward to meet you there. Mr. Aling Lai, president of Thunder Tiger Corporation Here are some hints from our R&D team for Raptor 60 owners: For 3D flying, use the full mechanical travel of the tilting pitch frame (BK0336) to get +12 to -12 degrees of collective travel. For this type of extreme 3D flying, use a 2 cm long servo arm for the collective servo. Set the ATV for channel 6 to about 120% or whatever necessary to get full tilt on the pitch frame in Idle-up. Then adjust the two pushrods (BK0318) as shown in page 23 of the manual until the blade pitch is zero degree at half throttle stick in Idle-up. Be sure the little pushrods as shown in page 18 of the Manual are set to 43 mm long. We are in the process of making a pushrod drawing for the Raptor 60 like the one we have done for the Raptor 30 on the Ace web site. We will install the Raptor 60 pushrod length drawing soon at www.acehobby.com For extreme 3D flying please use the full tilting capability in the swashplate. We recommend setting the ATV to 100% for both the Aileron channel and for the Elevator channel. Then choose a servo arm length that will allow the swashplate to tilt to its full range without binding. Best to do this check when the throttle/collective stick is in the middle position. For extreme 3D flying, we recommend using a heading hold gyro. For example, the Futaba 401, 502, 601, JR 3000, JR 5000, etc. The Futaba 240 will not hold as good as the 401 or higher models. We have tried mounting the gyro behind the rotor shaft and on top of the servo tray. Mounting behind the rotor shaft gives better performance. If tail oscillates even with the gyro gain turned down, then try different thickness double sided tape. We do not recommend changing the Hiller control paddle. The stock Raptor 60 paddles are designed to provide excellent stability and control. For 3D flying, use about 1800 rpm in Idle-up and use the full range of swashplate tilt; this will give very nice 3D performance. We suggest adding 15% to 30% exponential in the Aileron and Elevator channels to make 3D maneuvers smooth and beautiful. The expo will improve your level flight too. It is not necessary to use expo on the tail rotor channel. Additional tips: (1) Remember, please inspect the silicone fuel tubing inside the Raptor 30 and 60 fuel tank frequently. The line should be replaced if it becomes soggy. We recommend replacing them at least once every two months. More frequently if 30% nitro fuel are used. (2) A brand new TT Pro 36H or the Pro 70H engine requires around two gallons of fuel to fully break in. Tender care to the engine during the break in period will provide a smoother and powerful engine later on. In the first gallon or two, the Pro 36H will experience a very rich spot at around one-third throttle position. If this happen, then pinch the fuel line before revving up the main rotor for taking off. This will lean out the engine and burn off the excess fuel and allow throttling up without quitting. (3) The Pro 70H has a completely new design and it will provide excellent idle and transition without a rich spot at the one-third throttle position. We think you will like the TT Pro 70H engine very much. On the dyno it registered a whopping 2.5 horsepower. The Pro 70H has the exact same physical dimension, crankshaft thread, and muffler attachment point as the OS 61 SX WC. The inexpensive Pro 70H will be a good choice for your next 60 size helicopter. (4) By the end of September, you will be able to purchase our new TT Pro 90H and Pro 50H engines. Both are ring engines. The Pro 70H has over 2.9 horsepower and the Pro 50H has over 1.8 horsepower. With a 10x7 propeller, the Pro 50H exceeded 13850 rpm using low nitro fuel and muffler. (5) The Raptor 30 to 50 conversion kit is available now. In includes 600 mm long wood blades, longer tail boom, longer tail belt, new cooling fan and all the parts for converting the Raptor 30 to 46 or 50 size engine operation. It will provide lots more power and fantastic 3D capability. Now you will not have to worry about not enough power to bail out from mistakes. Check www.acehobby.com for the conversion kit content. (6) The Raptor 30 canopy latch is now available for sale by itself. The part number is PV0067. (7) The engine carburetor needles have been set at the factory using precision instruments. In case you need to readjust the Pro 36H, try 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 turns open for the main needle valve and 1/2 to 1 turns open for the idle mixture screw. For the Pro 70H use around 3 turn for the main needle and 1 to 2 turns for the low speed. The low speed mixture screw position must be checked when the throttle barrel is at the closed position. A properly setup engine should not run hot. Check it by touching with your finger at the crankcase where the crankshaft bearing is at. It should be very warm and not hot enough to burn you. Do this check right after you shut down the engine from flying. (8) We will release a beautiful, molded flightbox in August. It is molded in an impact resistant blue plastic. It holds the electric starter, fuel pump, tools and fuel jar. Please take a look at our website. (9) We suggest adding a large rubber extension on the Raptor 60 muffler (Ace part number 1114). This will keep the fuel residue away from the helicopter. We suggest installing the rubber tube backward so the long portion is attached to the muffler and the short portion faces downward. This moves the engine exhaust far away from the helicopter. The rubber extension for the Raptor 30 is No. 1113. They are only 3 to 4 dollar each. (10) We have a red and blue color foam blade holder that will fit the Raptor 30 and 60. The part number is No. 3800. This is useful for transporting the models with the blades folded. (11) We suggest with any new TT Pro 36H or 70H engine, please check the engine head bolts and backplate bolts for tightness. We have found one of two of them were not tighten fully, so we want to bring this to your attention. One of our test pilots recommends removing the small retention screw on the carburetor that retains the throttle barrel. He says adding some Locktite to the thread and re-install that screw. Do not get any Locktite on the tip of the small screw, or that will lock up the throttle barrel. (12) Another test pilot recommends periodically remove the autorotation unit from the Raptor 30 and 60 helicopters and remove the steel sleeve and add Triflow to the autorotation free wheeling bearing. This will keep the autorotation working smoothly. We found Triflow works well, it is available in hobby shops. Other teflon or silicone based oil can be used. Add some Triflow to the autorotation bearing when building a new helicopter too. (13) We add Triflow to all the moving bearings too. When adding oil to the swashplate center ball, the oil will splash out after the first flight and come out as dark streaks. Do not worry, just clean them off. We oil the moving parts about every 30 flights. (14) If you need any parts support or have warranty issue, please contact the Thunder Tiger distributor in your country. The hotline can only answer technical questions, we can not send out any replacement parts. For US customers, you can find our address and service department numbers at www.acehobby.com Have a great flying season. Previous newsletters are on our web at www.acehobby.com. ===== Thank you for contacting us at Thunder Tiger Helicopter Hotline. Our goal is make sure that you enjoy your Raptor RC helicopter at anytime, all the time. Dr. Rap tthelihotline@yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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