E-FLITE Blade 400 3D, Manual

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As you will find, the Blade 400 3D requires minor throttle/collective pitch adjustments to maintain its
altitude in hover. Remember to keep these adjustments as minimal as possible as large adjustments
could result in a loss of control and/or a possible crash.
• While attempting to establish a low-level hover, you can also check to see if any trim adjustments
are required to help keep the Blade 400 3D from constantly drifting in various directions. If you find
the helicopter constantly drifts without any directional control input, it will be best to land the model
before making any adjustments to the trim levers. Additional details regarding the location and
function of the trim levers can be found in the “Understanding the Primary Flight Controls” section of
this manual.
If the nose of the helicopter is drifting to the left or right, you will need to adjust the rudder trim.
If the helicopter is drifting forward or backward, you will need to adjust the elevator trim.
If the helicopter is drifting to the left or right, you will need to adjust the aileron trim.
Continue to make trim adjustments until the helicopter can hover at a low altitude with very little
drifting and directional control input.
• Once you have the Blade 400 3D properly trimmed and maintaining a stable low-level hover,
practice using the rudder, elevator and aileron controls to get a feel for how the helicopter responds
to control inputs. Remember to keep the control inputs as minimal as possible to prevent over-
controlling the helicopter, especially when in hover.
• After becoming comfortable with hovering the Blade 400 3D at low-levels of altitude just a few
inches off the ground, you can transition to hovering and flying the helicopter at higher altitudes of
approximately three to four feet. At these higher altitudes you will be able to get a feel for the flight
characteristics of the Blade 400 3D when it is flying out of “ground effect.”
• If at any time during flight you feel like the helicopter is drifiting out of control, it is best to return all
controls to neutral and to lower the throttle stick completely or activate Throttle Hold. This will help
reduce the amount of damage that may be caused in the event of a crash.
• In the unfortunate event of a crash or rotor blade strIke, no
matter how mInor or major, you must lower the throttle (left-
hand) stIck to the lowest possIble posItIon (when In the normal
flIght mode only) as quIckly as possIble to prevent damage to
the esc. you can also actIvate throttle hold In any flIght mode,
regardless of throttle stIck posItIon.
Failure to lower the throttle stick to the lowest possible position (in the Normal Flight mode only) or to
activate Throttle Hold (in any flight mode) in the event of a crash could result in damage to the ESC.
While the ESC is readily capable of handling all in-flight power loads, and even brief momentary
bursts beyond these typical loads, it can be damaged if an excessive amount of current is pulled
through it for an extended period of time. This period of time may vary depending on conditions, so it
is best to keep any momentary overloads as short as possible in order to prevent damage to the ESC.
Note: Crash damage is not covered under warranty.
• It is extremely important when hovering and flying the Blade 400 3D to be aware of the power level
of the Li-Po battery pack. If at any time the helicopter begins to require more throttle than typical to
maintain hover or flight or has lost significant power, you must land the helicopter IMMEDIATELY to
prevent a sudden loss in power that could result in a crash.
Main Rotor Blade Tracking Adjustment
Caution: Be sure to maintain a safe distance from the helicopter (10–15 feet) when tracking the
main rotor blades.
Blade tracking is a critical element to the flight performance of just about any helicopter, including
the Blade 400 3D. Main rotor blades that are out of track may cause vibration, instability, and loss
of power due to increased drag. Although the main rotor blades of each Blade 400 3D model are
tracked at the factory, minor adjustments to blade tracking may be required after blade changes,
linkage adjustments or repairs.
To check main rotor blade tracking and make any required adjustments, please note the following tips:
• Before proceeding with the test flight of a new model, or any model to which changes or repairs
have been made, be certain that the main rotor blades have been properly installed and secured.
The main rotor blade mounting bolts should be tightened so the blades can pivot in the blade grip
when moderate pressure is applied. Never allow the main rotor blades to swing freely in their grips.
• After powering the model on and allowing the ESC and gyro to properly arm and initialize, bring
the main rotor blades of your Blade 400 3D up to speed. You can check the blade tracking either on
the ground or in the air at approximately eye level. It might be a good idea to have an assistant on
hand to help sight the blades. Again, be certain to maintain a safe distance of 10–15 feet from the
helicopter when checking the tracking of the main rotor blades.
• Once the main rotor blades have been brought up to speed, note which blade is running low and
which blade is running high (by the colored tracking tape).
Blades Out of
Track —Adjustment
Necessary