sung to the words of "My Sharona."
What is the recipe for having a great flying Tsurugi? Well, primarily practice, but it doesn't hurt to have the best equipment that you can afford. I have listed the equipment that I am using. Everything has pleased me with quality, durability, reliability, and value for money.
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My Tsurugi XX waiting for fuel |
Tsurugi
XX
OS 61SX
Hatori SB9
JR PCM10SX with
3x4131, 1x4000, 1x2700G
Arcamax Heading Hold Gyro
Miniature Aircraft 3D symmetrical 690mm
Kavan Planetary Geared Starter
Morgan Fuels, Cool Power 30%
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Another Tsurugi XX picture |
You have the option of purchasing either the standard Tsurugi or the XX Tsurugi. Scanning various magazines shows that most advertised are of the XX version. The differences being: Pretrimmed canopy, premade blades, additional ball bearings, slipper drive clutch, stainless steel tube drive, curved tip tail rotor blades, longer arms on the washout unit, metal autorotation hub, revised main gear, reduced tail rotor gearing, metal bearing blocks (main and start shaft).
Now before you go writing to me, it is true that several of these modifications have found their way into the standard kit. Still, I think the XX is better value.
There seems to be little doubt that the OS 61SX is the horsepower king. It is also docile and forgiving on a Hatori muffler and 15-30% nitro. I have also flown my XX on a YS engine which provided for no noticeable change in power levels; however, I just could not get the mixture right on this engine, which may be one of the reasons there are 3 or 4 needle changes in the production YS so far.
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OS SX 61 |
On the OS, you must first set the main needle then adjust the midrange. My midrange needle is open about 1.25 turns, and my main is open about 1.5 turns. Read my OS setup hints on how to do this.
And finally, the OS has an awesome warranty. I flew mine over 400 flights when the rear bearing went and took the engine with it. It was totally replaced free of charge, even though it was 3 months out of the warranty period.
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Nice and stable, any way you cut it. |
A simple muffler that just lasts and lasts. I do not think it is possible for this muffler to fall apart. The header is isolated from the can by 2 Viton o-rings and the can is mounted using a sturdy bracket. I have tried many other mufflers but none stays together like the Hatori.
The SB9 comes in 2 versions: and SB9 and an SB9 MkII. The difference is that the SB9 MkII has a much shorter header more suitable for the X-Cell or Eagle helicopters. The standard SB9's header is long enough to take the muffler clear of the fuel tank on the Tsurugi.
Prior to buying this radio, I thought that anyone spending $1100 on such an item was crazy. In reality, this radio has worked out to be a great learning tool for me. It has clear and simple programming, and has just about everything a pilot could wish for.
This versatility allowed me to program dedicated mixes for pitch-to-tail rotor, trim, cyclic-to-throttle. I needed a radio like this, and then came along the GV-1 and Arcamax Heading Hold gyro...
If I was going to choose another radio, it would be the Airtronics Stylus. This radio is arguably better than the JR PCM 10SX/II; essentially because all the switches are soft and can be programmed to perform any function.
As I was saying above; I needed the features of the JR radio to give me programmable pitch-to-tail rotor curves. Then comes along this most excellent gyro and obliviates the need for anything to do with the tail. That is certainly progress. For more on this gyro jump to my review: Arcamax Heading Hold Gyro.
These may be the best helicopter accessory that Miniature Aircraft provides. I say provides because Miniature Aircraft do not make these blades. They are made in Germany and imported by MA. If you look at their recent line of imported carbon fiber tail rotor blades, they even have the manufacturer's name molded on the blade.
A combination of perfect CG and perfect airfoil, and weight make these blades my favorite. The only problem is price. At $160 more or less, they are expensive. I have tried the NHP semi-symmetrical FAI blades in my Eagle, and have been pleased with the excellent autorotation performance; however, the best all round performance for the money has to be the RotorSports.
I have also tried the square tipped NHP sport symmetricals. They performed admirably but were a little noisy and were missing a little "something" at the bottom of autos. The great point about them is that they can be had for $125 making them great value.
This starter is less than half the size and weight of my Sullivan starter. Size is not everything, I'm pleased to tell you, because this jewel has much more torque than the Sullivan. Kavan have produced a starter that out performs in every way its larger counterparts. I purchased mine from Hobby-Lobby for just $30. Money well spent.
There is nothing like hovering in the calm of a summer's evening with a thick cloud of blue exhaust keeping the mosquitos at bay. After seeing so many other folk flying with 30% nitro and seeing how smooth and rich everything was running, I tried some for myself. Yes, there is a perceptable increase in both power and my fuel bill (can you believe, I spend more on Cool Power in one month than in gasoline for my car!).
It is a luxury to use this fuel, and to tell you the truth, I was most pleased with their 15% fuel aswell. Will I change? Only when I feel like consuming a gallon of fuel retuning my carburettor.
There you have it! If you want to know the technical details such as pitch, power, rpm, gyro settings and other data, it will be posted shortly.
The Tsurugi Web Site
Copyright © 1998 Chris Berardi. All rights reserved.
Revised: November 25, 1999.
