E-flite Blade CP

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The E-flite™ Blade™ CP is an extremely popular ready-to-fly 300-class electric micro-R/C helicopter designed and marketed by E-flite, a division of Horizon Hobby of Champaign, Illinois, USA. Introduced in 2005, it comes complete with everything necessary for operation except for eight AA alkaline or nickel cadmium batteries for the transmitter.

The model is so named because it utilizes a collective pitch system (as opposed to the fixed pitch of the lower grade Blade) via a unique and sophisticated four-in-one onboard module which combines the functions of an electronic speed control, receiver, tail rotor control and piezoelectric gyro. The four-in-one unit is compatible with other 72 MHz FM transmitters utilizing negative shift deviation, such as Futaba or Hitec. It operates three E-flite S75 high-torque microservos which manipulate a 120-degree swashplate. E-flite refers to the system as CCPM, or "Cyclic/Collective Pitch Mixing."

Construction is entirely of carbon fiber and composites covered by a thin Lexan canopy, firsts for a micro helicopter of this size and price range. Stock main rotor blades are constructed of balsa covered by standard model aircraft film and weighted internally with thin, short strips of lead. By comparison, a coaxial-bladed Hirobo XRB Sky Robo is mostly constructed of standard plastics, can only be flown indoors due to its light weight and foam blades, has proprietary onboard electronics and retails for US$80 more than the Blade CP. Furthermore, the Blade CP may be upgraded to a fully aerobatic helicopter with the addition of fully-symmetrical main blades (either balsa or carbon fiber), a lithium polymer (or li-po) battery, main drive motor with smaller pinion gear to prevent overspeeding the main head and heat sinks for both the main and tail rotor drive motors. A carbon fiber tail rotor has been recently introduced; it is stiffer than the original composite rotor and will not flex at high RPMs. An "idle up" switch on the transmitter which changes the throttle and pitch curves assists in aerobatic control as well. Use of li-po batteries requires extra care on the part of the pilot since the CCPM mixer does not feature a voltage cutoff feature. Therefore, the helicopter should be landed at the first hint of a drop in performance to prevent overdischarge and damage to the battery.

Each individual model is supposedly test-flown at the factory; it is possible for an experienced pilot to simply add batteries to the transmitter, charge the included nickel metal hydride flight pack with the enclosed AC charger and successfully fly right out of the box. The instructions suggest control inputs be double-checked beforehand, however.

Despite the Blade's small size, it is not recommended for first-time R/C helicopter pilots. A training skid, catalog number EFLH1128, is available separately and makes it simpler for one to learn to fly on the Blade. The transmitter also features a buddy box system and nickel cadmium recharging jack. A suitable charger must be purchased separately. The charging jack's unusual plug polarity limits off-the-shelf choices to chargers made for Japan Radio transmitters.

The popularity of the Blade CP has led to the creation of a number of aftermarket parts and accessories including scale fuselage kits, more durable landing skids, and various metal replacement parts for the rotor head and tail section.

E-flite has also recently (September 2006) introduced a new version of the Blade CP called the Blade CP Pro. The Pro version is differentiated from the standard version by coming with a lithium polymer battery instead of a NiMH battery, symmetrical main rotor blades (for aerobatics), heat sinks on the motors, an improved transmitter, and a more `modular' control unit that makes it easier to add upgrades like a heading-hold gyro and brushless motors.

[edit] Specifications

Rotor span: 20.75"/52.7cm
Weight: 11.6 oz./328.9g
Length: 27.5"/69.9cm
Height: 6.875"/17.463cm
Included radio system Six-channel FM with "CCPM" mixing; available in any of six standard 72 MHz frequencies
Main drive motor: Speed 370
Tail drive motor: N30 Speed 180
Standard battery pack: 9.6V, 650mAh Ni-MH
Recommended battery upgrades: 1200mAh 2S or 900mAh 3S lithium polymer (change of main drive motor and addition of heat sinks required)
Retail/street prices: US$289.99/$219.99
Catalog number: EFLH1100