Horizon Hobby Blade 500 X Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual Bedienungsanleitung Manuel d’utilisation Manuale di Istruzioni

500 X

Age Recommendation: For advanced ﬂ iers ages 14 and above. This is not a toy.

WARNING: Read the ENTIRE instruction manual to become familiar with the features of the product before operating. Failure to operate the product correctly can result in

damage to the product, personal property and cause serious injury.

This is a sophisticated hobby product for advanced helicopter pilots with previous experience in the operation of CCPM helicopters (Cyclic Collective Pitch Mixing or Collective Pitch Helicopter) such as the Blade SR or the Blade mCP X. It must be operated with caution and common sense and requires some basic mechanical ability. Failure to operate this product in a safe and responsible manner could result in injury or damage to the product or other property. This product is not intended for use by children without direct adult supervision. Do not attempt disassembly, use with incompatible components or augment product in any way without the approval of Horizon Hobby, Inc. This manual contains instructions for safety, operation and maintenance. It is essential to read and follow all the instructions and warnings in the manual, prior to assembly, setup or use, in order to operate correctly and avoid damage or serious injury.

The following terms are used throughout the product literature to indicate various levels of potential harm when operating this product: The purpose of safety symbols is to atttract your attention to possible dangers. The safety symbols, and their explanations, deserve your careful attention and understanding. The

safety warnings do not by themselves eliminate any danger. The instructions or warnings they give are not substitutes for proper accident prevention measures.

NOTICE: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create a possibility of physical property damage AND a little or no possibility of injury.

CAUTION: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of physical property damage AND a possibility of serious injury.

WARNING: Procedures, which if not properly followed, create the probability of property damage, collateral damage, serious injury or death OR create a high probability of superﬁ -

cial injury.

General Safety Precautions and Warnings

• Always keep a safe distance in all directions around your model to avoid collisions or injury. This model is controlled by a radio signal subject to interference from many sources outside your control. Interference can cause momentary loss of control.

• Always ensure you fully understand the controls on your transmitter and how they affect the movement of the helicopter.

• Always operate your model in large, open spaces away from full-size vehicles, trafﬁ c and people.

• Always carefully follow the directions and warnings for this and any optional support equipment (chargers, rechargeable battery packs, etc.).

• Always keep all chemicals, small parts and anything electrical out of the reach of children.

• Always avoid water exposure to all equipment not speciﬁ cally designed and protected for this purpose. Moisture causes damage to electronics.

• Always keep children out of the vicinity of this product at all times. Always store this product well out of the reach of children.

• Always keep hair secured above your shoulders so it cannot get caught in the blades.

• Always maintain and operate this product in daylight.

• Always ensure all fasteners are secure before use.

• Always store product in a dry, secure location.

• Always ensure failsafe is properly set before ﬂ ying.

• Do not touch the motor as it can become extremely hot during use.

• Do not ﬂ y this helicopter indoors.

• Do not exclusively rely on the safety mechanisms built into your transmitter and receiver. Always ensure you understand the product and how to operate it.

• Only use Horizon-approved replacement parts and accessories for this product.

• Never place any portion of the model in your mouth as it could cause serious injury or even death.

• Never operate your model with low transmitter batteries.

• Never connect the battery unless using or testing the product.

• Never operate this product if you are tired, not feeling well, taking any medications that impair judgment or are under the inﬂ uence of alcohol or drugs.

• Never wear or have dangling and loose items on your person when maintaining or operating this product.

• Never spray glass cleaner or any other liquid on this product.

• Never operate this product in rain or inclement weather.

• Never perform maintenance with the battery installed in the helicopter.

NOTICE

All instructions, warranties and other collateral documents are subject to change at the sole discretion of Horizon Hobby, Inc. For up-to-date product literature, visit horizonhobby. com and click on the support tab for this product.

Meaning of Special Language

WARNING: Failure to follow all instructions can lead to damage to your helicopter, property damage and bodily injury or death.

CAUTION: Do not make changes or adjustments to the product not shown in the instruction manual.

WARNING: This is a large model helicopter with Blades that spin at very high RPM. Always use extreme caution and common sense when

maintaining and operating this product. If you are unsure about ANY function or procedure described in this manual, DO NOT operate. Contact Horizon Product Support for assistance.

WARNING: Always ensure you are operating the helicopter a safe distance, 45 feet (13 meters), away from yourself and others.

Safety Alert: Indicates warning or caution. Attention is required in order to avoid serious personal injury.

Table of Contents

Blade 500 X Speciﬁ cations

Length

33.5 in (850mm)

Height

11.8 in (300mm)

Main Rotor Diameter

38.2 in (970mm)

Tail Rotor Diameter

7.8 in (198mm)

Flying Weight

3.88 lb (1760 g)

Components

Motor

520H Brushless outrunner, 1320Kv (installed)

ESC

70-amp brushless (installed)

Battery

6S 22.2V 2900mAh 30C Li-Po (included)

Charger

DC Li-Po Balancing Charger (included)

Flybarless Unit

Spektrum AR7200BX and remote receiver with BeastX™ technology (installed)

Swash Servos

Spektrum SH310 (installed)

Tail Servo

Spektrum SH410 (installed)

To register your product online, visit www.bladehelis.com

Charging the Flight Battery ...........................................................................4

Battery Charging Codes ................................................................................4

Charging Warnings........................................................................................4

Programming Your Transmitter ......................................................................5

Binding the Transmitter and Receiver ............................................................8

Throttle Hold ................................................................................................. 8

Installing the Flight Battery ...........................................................................8

Conﬁ rming Control Test Directions ................................................................ 9

Low Voltage Cutoff (LVC) ............................................................................. 10

Flight Guidelines and Warnings ................................................................... 10

Adjusting the Rudder Gyro Gain ..................................................................11

Adjusting the Drive Belt Tension ..................................................................11

Post-Flight Inspections and Maintenance .................................................... 11

AR7200BX Default Blade 500 X Setup ......................................................... 12

AR7200BX Parameter Menu Tips ................................................................13

AR7200BX Fine-tuning and Adjustment .......................................................13

Blade 500 X Troubleshooting Guide .............................................................13

Blade 500 X Troubleshooting Guide, continued ............................................ 14

Limited Warranty ........................................................................................14

Warranty and Service Contact Information ..................................................15

Customer Service Information ..................................................................... 15

AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code ....................................................15

AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code, continued ...................................16

Compliance Information for the European Union ..........................................16

Parts List ....................................................................................................63

Optional Parts ............................................................................................. 65

WARNING: This helicopter is equipped with carbon ﬁ ber blades that spin at a very high RPM. Always follow all safety precautions found in this manual.

500 X

BLH4080

Charging the Flight Battery

The Battery Charging Process

1. Charge only batteries that are cool to the touch and are not damaged. Make sure the battery is not swollen, bent or punctured.

2. Connect the charger to a 12V power source (minimum 10A power supply), noting proper polarity.

3. The CHARGE STATUS LED glows solid red.

4. Connect the Li-Po battery balance lead to the charger. The balance connector is keyed to prevent reverse polarity.

5. The CELL STATUS LEDs glow solid green or yellow and the CHARGE STATUS LED glows solid red when the battery is charging.

6. Battery charging is complete when all LEDs glow solid red.

7. Disconnect the battery from the charger when the charging process is complete.

The Blade® 500 X BNF comes with a Li-Po DC balancing charger and 6S Li-Po battery. Use only Horizon Hobby approved battery packs and chargers compatible with this product. Never leave the battery and charger unattended during the charge process. Failure to follow the instructions properly could result in a ﬁ re. When charging, ensure the battery is on a heat-resistant surface. Charge the ﬂ ight battery before binding the helicopter and performing control tests.

DC Li-Po Balancing Charger Features

• Charges 6-cell lithium polymer battery packs

• 2.5A charge rate

• LED charge status indicator

• LED cell balance indicator

• 12V alligator clip input cord

Speciﬁ cations

• Input power: 10.6–15V DC, minimum 10.0 amp

• Charges 6-cell Li-Po packs with minimum capacity of 2500mAh

6S 22.2V 2900mAh Li-Po Battery Pack

The Blade 500 X 6S Li-Po battery pack features a balancing lead that allows you to safely charge your battery pack when used with the included Blade 500 Li-Po balancing charger. The included battery is safe to charge up to 3C (8.7A).

WARNING: The balance connector must be inserted into the correct port of your charger prior to charging!

Battery Charging Codes

Cell Status LEDs Charge Status LED Instruction

Off Red Solid Battery charger is powered. Li-Po battery is not connected. Yellow Red Solid Li-Po battery is connected. Charger is balancing the battery pack cells Green Red Solid Li-Po battery is connected and charging Red Red Solid Li-Po battery is connected and charging is complete

Off Blinking Red

No Li-Po battery connected: Voltage is outside the input voltage range Li-Po battery connected: At least one battery cell voltage is below 2.6V

CAUTION: You must follow all battery instructions and warnings in this manual. Mishandling of Li-Po batteries can result in a ﬁ re, personal injury, and/or property damage.

• By handling, charging or using the included Li-Po battery, you assume all risks associated with lithium batteries.

• If at any time the battery begins to balloon or swell, discontinue use immediately. If charging or discharging, discontinue and disconnect. Continuing to use, charge or discharge a battery that is ballooning or swelling can result in ﬁ re.

• Always store the battery at room temperature in a dry area for best results.

• Always transport or temporarily store the battery in a temperature range of 40–120º F (4–49º C). Do not store battery or model in a car or direct sunlight. If stored in a hot car, the battery can be damaged or even catch ﬁ re.

• Always charge batteries away from ﬂ ammable materials.

• Always inspect the battery before charging and never charge damaged batteries.

• Only use a charger speciﬁ cally designed to charge Li-Po batteries. Failure to charge the battery with a compatible charger may cause ﬁ re resulting in personal injury and/or property damage

• Always constantly monitor the temperature of the battery pack while charging.

• Always disconnect the battery after charging and let the charger cool between charges.

• Never discharge Li-Po cells to below 3V under load.

• Never cover warning labels with hook and loop strips.

• Never leave charging batteries unattended.

• Never charge batteries outside recommended levels.

• Only charge batteries that are cool to the touch.

• Never attempt to dismantle or alter the charger.

• Never allow minors to charge battery packs.

• Never charge batteries in extremely hot or cold places (recommended between 40–120° F or 4–49° C) or place in direct sunlight.

Charging Warnings

CAUTION: Only use a charger speciﬁ cally designed to charge a Li-Po battery. Failure to do so could result in ﬁ re causing injury or property damage. CAUTION: Never exceed the recommended charge rate.

Spektrum DX6i Transmitter Setup

SETUP LIST

SYSTEM LIST

ADJUST LIST

POS-0POS-0 POS-1

Spektrum DX7/DX7se Transmitter Setup

Model Type Reverse Swash Type Timer

HELI THRO—N 1 Servo 90 Degree Type—Down

AILE—N Time—4:00

ELEV—R

Switch—

Trainer RUDD—R GYRO—N PITC—R

Model Type Swash Type Input Select

HELI

1 Servo Norm

AUX2 GEAR

INH GYRO

D/R Expo

AILE 0 100% INH ELEV 0 100% INH RUDD 0 100% INH

AILE 1 85% INH ELEV 1 85% INH RUDD 1 85% INH

AUTO D/R EXP

NORM INH ST-1 INH ST-2 INH HOLD INH

AILE ELEV RUDD

EXP LIN EXP LIN EXP LIN D/R 100% D/R 100% D/R 100%

AILE ELEV RUDD

EXP LIN EXP LIN EXP LIN D/R 85% D/R 85% D/R 85%

TRAVEL ADJUST

THRO 100% AILE 100% ELEV 100% RUDD 100% GYRO 100% PITC 100%

TRAVEL ADJUST

THRO AILE

H 100% L 100% L 100% R 100%

ELEV RUDD

D 100% L 100% U 100% R 100%

GEAR PIT

+ 100% H 100%

- 100% L 100%

AUX2

+ 100%

- 100%

SUB-TRIM*

THRO 0 AILE 0* ELEV 0* RUDD 0* GYRO 0 PITC 0

SUB-TRIM*

THRO 0 AILE 0* ELEV 0* RUDD 0* GEAR 0 PITC 0 AUX2 0

GYRO

Rate SW-F. Mode 0 68.0% NORM 0 1 67.0% STUNT 1

GYRO SENS

AUTO F. MODE RATE NORM 0 0 79.0% STNT 1 1 71.0% HOLD 0

THRO HOLD

HOLD POS 0.0% SW RUDD D/R

TIMER

DOWN-T 4:00

SWASH MIX

INH

REVERSING SW

THRO AILE ELEV RUDD GEAR PIT AUX2 NNRRNNN

THRO CUR

L234H NORM 0% 30% 60% 60% 60% STUNT 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% HOLD 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%

THRO CURVE

L123H NORM 0% 30% 60% 60% 60% ST-1 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% ST-2 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

PITC CUR

L234H NORM 30% 40% 50% 75% 100% STUNT 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% HOLD 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

PITCH CURVE

L123H NORM 30% 40% 50% 75% 100% ST-1 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% ST-2 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% HOLD 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

SWASH MIX

INHIBIT

* Never use sub-trims or trims on AILE, ELEV or RUDD channels with the AR7200BX.

Programming Your Transmitter

Program your transmitter before attempting to bind or ﬂ y the helicopter. Transmitter programming values are shown below for the Spektrum DX6i, DX7/DX7se, DX7s and DX8. The Spektrum model ﬁ les for AirWare™ transmitters are also available for download on the Spektrum Community website.

CAUTION: When using a Futaba transmitter with a Spektrum DSM module, you must reverse the throttle channel and rebind. Refer to your Spektrum module manual for binding and failsafe instructions. Refer to your Futaba transmitter manual for instructions on reversing the throttle channel.

Programming Your Transmitter

SYSTEM LIST

FUNCTION LIST

Spektrum DX7s Transmitter Setup

SERVO SETUP

TRAVEL SUB TRIM* REVERSE

THROTTLE 100 100 THROTTLE 0 THROTTLE N AILERON 100 100 AILERON 0* AILERON N ELEVATOR 100 100 ELEVATOR 0* ELEVATOR R RUDDER 100 100 RUDDER 0* RUDDER R GYRO 100 100 GYRO 0 GYRO N PITCH 100 100 PITCH 0 PITCH N AUX2 100 100 AUX2 0 AUX2 N

D/R AND EXPO

POS D/R D/R EXPO SW

AILERON 0 100 100 0 AILE D/R AILERON 1 85 85 0 AILE D/R ELEVATOR 0 100 100 0 ELEV D/R ELEVATOR 1 85 85 0 ELEV D/R RUDDER 0 100 100 0 RUDD D/R RUDDER 1 85 85 0 RUDD D/R

GYRO

SW F Mode CH Gear NORMAL/POS 0 34.5 STUNT 1/POS 1 32.5 HOLD 34.5

TIMER

MODE Countdown TIME 4:00 Tone/Vibe START Throttle Out POS 10

THROTTLE CURVE

LOW 25% 50% 75% HIGH EXPO N 0 30 60 60 60 INH 1 100 100 100 100 100 INH H 0 0 0 0 0 INH

TAIL CURVE

LOW 25% 50% 75% HIGH EXPO N 0 0 0 0 0 INH 1 0 0 0 0 0 INH H 0 0 0 0 0 INH

PITCH CURVE

LOW 25% 50% 75% HIGH EXPO N 30 40 50 75 100 INH 1 0 25 50 75 100 INH H 0 25 50 75 100 INH

Model Type Swash Type Switch Select F Mode Setup Warnings Frame Rate

Helicopter

1 Servo Normal

All Switches INH

Flight Mode — F Mode

Throttle —Over 10

11ms

Hold — Hold

Stunt 1—Active DSMX Hold

—Active

Alarm—Tone/Vibe

THROTTLE CUT

INHIBIT

GOVERNOR

SW-INHIBIT

* Never use sub-trims or trims on AILE, ELEV or RUDD channels with the AR7200BX.

SYSTEM LIST

FUNCTION LIST

Spektrum DX8 Transmitter Setup

SERVO SETUP

TRAVEL SUB TRIM* REVERSE SPEED

THROTTLE 100 100 THROTTLE 0 THROTTLE N THROTTLE NORM AILERON 100 100 AILERON 0* AILERON N AILERON NORM ELEVATOR 100 100 ELEVATOR 0* ELEVATOR R ELEVATOR NORM RUDDER 100 100 RUDDER 0* RUDDER R RUDDER NORM GYRO 100 100 GYRO 0 GYRO N GYRO NORM PITCH 100 100 PITCH 0 PITCH N PITCH NORM AUX2 100 100 AUX2 0 AUX2 N AUX2 NORM AUX3 100 100 AUX3 0 AUX3 N AUX3 NORM

D/R AND EXPO

POS D/R D/R EXPO SW

AILERON 0 100 100 0 AILE D/R AILERON 1,2 85 85 0 AILE D/R ELEVATOR 0 100 100 0 ELEV D/R ELEVATOR 1,2 85 85 0 ELEV D/R RUDDER 0 100 100 0 RUDD D/R RUDDER 1,2 85 85 0 RUDD D/R

GYRO

SW F Mode CH Gear NORMAL/POS 0 34.5 STUNT 1/POS 1 32.5 STUNT 2/POS 2 32.5 HOLD 34.5

TIMER

MODE Countdown TIME 4:00 Tone/Vibe START Throttle Out POS 25

THROTTLE CURVE

LOW 25% 50% 75% HIGH EXPO N 0 30 60 60 60 INH 1 100 100 100 100 100 INH 2 100 100 100 100 100 INH H0 0 000INH

TAIL CURVE

LOW 25% 50% 75% HIGH EXPO N 0 0 0 0 0 INH 1 0 0 0 0 0 INH 2 0 0 0 0 0 INH H 0 0 0 0 0 INH

PITCH CURVE

LOW 25% 50% 75% HIGH EXPO N 30 40 50 75 100 INH 1 0 25 50 75 100 INH 2 0 25 50 75 100 INH H 0 25 50 75 100 INH

Model Type Swash Type Switch Select F Mode Setup Trim Step Warnings Frame Rate

Helicopter 1 Servo Normal All Switches INH Flight Mode — F Mode THR 5 Throttle —Over 10 11ms

Hold — Hold AIL** 0 Stunt 1—Act DSMX

ELE** 0 Stunt 2—Act RUD** 0 Hold—Act R TRIM 0 Alarm—Tone/Vibe L TRIM 0 TYPE Common

THROTTLE CUT

INHIBIT

SWASHPLATE

INHIBIT

GOVERNOR

INHIBIT

**Changing trim step to zero disables the trim for that channel.

* Never use sub-trims or trims on AILE, ELEV or RUDD channels with the AR7200BX.

Programming Your Transmitter

Binding is the process of programming the receiver to recognize the GUID (Globally Unique Identiﬁ er) code of a single speciﬁ c transmitter. You need to ‘bind’ your Spektrum™ DSM® transmitter to the ﬂ ybarless unit before ﬂ ying your helicopter. Please visit www.bindnﬂ y.com to see a list of compatible DSM transmitters.

Binding the Transmitter and Receiver

Installing the Flight Battery

Throttle Hold

When you move the throttle hold switch to the ON position, the helicopter motor turns off. You will still have control of the helicopter cyclic and rudder commands.

The blades spin if throttle hold is OFF. For safety, turn throttle hold ON any time you need to touch the helicopter or check the direction controls.

You should also turn throttle hold ON to minimize damage if the helicopter is out of control or in danger of crashing.

See your transmitter manual for more information on programming throttle hold.

1. Lower the throttle.

2. Power on the transmitter.

3. Center the throttle trim.

4. Turn throttle hold ON.

5. Attach hook material to the helicopter frame and loop material to the battery.

6. Install the ﬂ ight battery on the helicopter frame. Secure the ﬂ ight battery with a hook and loop strap.

7. Connect the battery cable to the ESC.

8. Do not move the helicopter until the AR7200BX initializes. The swashplate will move up and down, indicating that the unit is ready. The AR7200BX will also emit a solid BLUE Status LED when it is ready

9. The helicopter motor will emit a series of tones, indicating the ESC is armed.

Binding Procedure

1. Program your transmitter using the Transmitter Setup values found in this manual.

2. Insert the bind plug in the BND/DAT port on the ﬂ ybarless unit.

3. Connect the ﬂ ight battery to the ESC. The H menu LED ﬂ ashes, indicating the AR7200BX is in bind mode.

4. Move the throttle stick to the LOW/OFF position and move the ﬂ ight mode switch to select Normal ﬂ ight mode.

5. Put your transmitter in bind mode. The system connects within a few seconds. The H LED stops ﬂ ashing and the AR7200BX starts the initialization process.

6. When the initialization process is complete, menu LED turns OFF and the Status LED light turns ON solid BLUE.

7. Disconnect the ﬂ ight battery and remove the bind plug from the AR7200BX. Store the bind plug in a convenient place.

WARNING: You must move the throttle to the LOW/OFF position during binding. Failure to do so may cause the rotor blades to spin and the helicopter to lift during the AR7200BX initialization, which could result in damage to property and injury.

NOTICE: Remove the bind plug to prevent the system from entering bind mode the next time the power is turned on.

If you encounter problems, follow the binding instructions and see the AR7200BX instruction manual for more information. If needed, contact the appropriate Horizon Product Support ofﬁ ce.

CAUTION: Always disconnect the Li-Po battery from the aircraft receiver when not in use to avoid over-discharging the battery. Batteries discharged to a voltage below the lowest manufacturer’s approved voltage may become damaged, resulting in loss of performance and potential ﬁ re when batteries are charged.

+ 16 hidden pages

Horizon Hobby Blade 500 X Instruction Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual