This STE heli is a real Frankenstein, but still it is 80%+ Minuature Aircraft stuff.

And, 99% of the new stuff came from Ricks’ www.ronlund.com

SEE the CCPM PAGE

UPDATED on 12/20/02

Specs:

Weight: 10 lb

Engine: YS91

Muffler: Hatori SB-14

Radio: Futaba 9CHP w/ 9252 ccpm, 9253 tail, 9001 throttle

Gyro/Gov: Futaba GV-1 governor, Futaba Gy 502 gyro

My Setup – rarly imitated, thank god.

MODS and Parts:

1. I made a aluminium “L” bracket for the servo tray. The kit has a pair of bent L-brackets that hold the lower portion of the tray to the front bulkhead. These brackets tend to crack after time, so I machined a bracket out of solid Aluminium on a Bridgeport milling machine. I tapped the holes, and there is no way this thing will crack!
2. I didn’t want to buy another swashplate, so I milled out those slots in the plate that allow ball link pliers to be used. MinAir is now shipping plates that have this done already.
3. See the STE Pics page to see the Bergen frame changes
4. I use aluminiun screws and nuts wherever possible to save every gram. I try not to use washers and such when not absolutely nessesary. Over the years of building and fixing these, I learned what things loosen, and slip.
5. I use a big lower bearing on the mainshaft. The Fury uses 4 bearings on the shaft, but there is no good way to use a lower bearing on the SE, so I have to do the next best thing. For now, I use a 50% thicker bearing on the lower, and dual bearings on the upper. I am finishing up a CNC bearing block that allows using 2 regular bearings, or one thrust+radial. Since the elevator swingarm is not there, there is plenty of clearance for any bearing(s) I want.
6. I use a Bergen Torque Tube system. It has one universal at the front, and uses a solid connection at the rear. It uses $5 tubular arrow shafts, and they are easy to change, and a LOT cheaper than the MinAir carbon shafts. My tail drive also has almost no wind-up; even the carbon system on the Fury has some twisting, but the arrow shafts are MUCH more rigid.