Upgrading the ECO, Part II

• Booms and Blades
• The Swashplate
• The Upgraded Tail Pitch Slider
• Carbon Frames and Aluminium Motor Mount
• The Aluminium Head and Washout Mixer Arms

Booms and Blades

The question is often asked as to when the Eco pilot should change from his standard boom and blades. The simple answer is when he no longer suffers from boomstrikes! The standard boom is much criticised for being so soft and easily damaged. Whilst this is true, it is a property that can be very useful in the early days as a boomstrike with the standard boom fitted will generally not damage the blades, which are fair more expensive to replace.

The same occurrence with a nice set of carbon blades and a carbon boom fitted can be very expensive. So wait.

The benefits of a set of true running and smooth blades and a stiff carbon boom will not be fully realised in those early flights in any case. Later as the pilot becomes more proficient a set of good glass or carbon blades can transform the way an Eco flies and of course a change to symmetrical blades is essential before the joys (?) of inverted flying can be sampled. If you intend staying right side up there is something to be said for staying with semi-symmetrical blade profile, as there are gains to be had in terms of duration over a set of symmetrical blades. [Put simply, they will produce more lift and so require less power to keep the helicopter airborne.]

The Swashplate

If you have been flying your Eco for a while and still have a swashplate in one piece, you have done well. If it has survived intact it is almost certainly exhibiting a fair amount of play, which will be making the flying controls very much less precise.

The solution is to replace the swashplate with an aluminium upgrade. This is a beautifully made part that is both durable and free of play. It will transform the accuracy with which the helicopter can be flown and has the added benefit of offering a choice of either 120° or 90° ccpm.

The aluminium swashplate might at first sight seem an expensive part but it is in truth only the cost of two standard swashplates and will outlast both of them whilst offering much improved control.

Should you damage the standard swashplate then replace it with the upgrade unless funds are very limited. Otherwise keep it at the top of your shopping list.

The Upgraded Tail Pitch Slider

In use the standard tail pitch slider wears rapidly and develops play, which has a detrimental effect on tail rotor control. No only does tail control feel less precise but it is quite possible that the gain on the gyro will have to be turned down to prevent it “hunting” back and forth in this area of free play.

A ballraced aluminium upgraded is available that is a smooth and accurate fit on the tail rotor shaft. When combined with a ballraced control arm this upgrade will produce a superbly accurate tail control system.

Carbon Frames and Aluminium Motor Mount

I place these two upgrades together as fitting either will require a major rebuild of the Eco so it makes sense to fit them together. That said either upgrade can be used alone to good effect.

In part one we looked at ways to stiffen the helicopter, as this is the key to good control. Much can be achieved with the standard frames and a brace but a better solution is to employ carbon frames. These are both stiffer and lighter than the originals. When combined with the aluminium motor mount and a frame brace they produce a very rigid structure on which to build your Eco.

An added advantage of the upgraded motor mount is that not only is it rigid but it is also a good conductor of heat and will help to cool a hot brushed motor. [If your brushless motor is getting hot I would look at your set up as it is clearly not running efficiently!]

The Aluminium Head and Washout Mixer Arms

If you have upgraded your Eco as discussed above you should now have very accurate control from the ccpm servos to the washout mixer. There will be much less free play in the controls than before but the smaller amounts in the wash out unit and the head will start to show up.

If you want the ultimate in control precision the standard washout mixer and head can be upgraded.

The mixer is a simple replacement of the standard arms but built in rigid aluminium and dual ball raced on each side. Fitting these parts will give accurate and smooth control inputs from the servos, through the swashplate and then via the mixer to the head.

The washout hub should be inspected for play on the main shaft when upgrading the arms as play here will undo the good work of the ball raced mixer arms.

The aluminium head must be the ultimate Eco upgrade but will only work to it’s full effect when combined with the other work discussed here.

The head is the last part of the chain from servo to rotor disk and the upgrade will ensure that the accuracy added to our control system is translated to the blades themselves.

The upgraded head is smooth in operation and rigid and accurate in flight.