15 year old Concept 30 maiden today

[Kiwi]

OK,

You guys all know the term closet heli guy, closet alcoholic etc. Well try this.

In 1991 I purchased a Concept 30 Heli on one of my trips to Singapore. At the time I was living in Papua New Guinea and there was no such thing as an RC club or any possibilty of someone to help.

Well I got it home and assembled it, I also purchased one of those funny training stands that was recommended. Well with no help off the internet as it did not exist in those days where I was, I trimmed it and tested it etc. I even had to make my own fuel. Castor oil and alchohol, no nitro available.

Well what do you think happened first time up on the heli stand. KAPOW, broken. Purchased more parts from Singapore, fixed it and yes, twenty seconds later KAPOW!!!!!. More parts later I had it back together but gave up. I used it as a means to invent conversations but left it in the box most times. In 1995 I moved to Chile. It got put away in the storeage shed until I pulled it out a few years back. After a week of soaking the engine in acetone I got it turning, A week later soaking in fuel I started it. It ran real good.

So I went and got some decent servos and a good tail rotor gyro. Hooked it up and it all seems to want to work. I shipped it off to a heli friend who done the setup and radio config and it arrived back yesterday. 15 years after I purchased it.

Well in those 15 years I have put in a huge amount of time on planes and of course simulators. Today I decided to give it a whirl. Gassed it up, fired it up and guess what. 3 tanks of gas later it's still in one peice, it is very docile to fly. I have the heavy flybar paddles on it.

I just might have to go and get another one. I havent enjoyed a new experience like that for years and honestly I really liked it. One of the reasons I think I really liked it was the lack of need for a big flying field which means miles to drive. My yard is heaps big enough so I can now fly everyday.

I'm hooked guys.

Of course mini-kiwi had a go and made me look like a dawk but thats life eh!!

[ShortBus]

That thing is as old as me!!!! lol

[Kiwi]

Well I never looked at it that way Jon. Just goes to show us old fuddies had good toys even when you were in nappies mate.

Kiwi

[ouch!]

Beat it buy 1 year YEH!

The concept never really changed, great design!

[GremlinX]

Duuuuuude... Rocking the Vintage! KIWI, love the look, seriously.

[Propstriker]

Hey Kiwi...That concept 30 was ahead of it`s time...way back when, taught alot of guys how to fly before the Sims became so popular. I never owned one but set up a few...It was fun to fly and easy to fix....Enjoy the new experience....but look out for that heavy equipment you call a flying field!!

[Nitrohuffer]

That is so rad! I would get something else as a daily flyer and keep that as an antique. Parts are scarce. Welcome to the dark side.

[excelpoint]

Nice Al, Nice. Love the look of concentration or is that sheer terror?LOL

[Stu_D]

Hey KIWI my father has one of those hanging from the roof in
his pool . Man you made me laugh with the sequence of events .
He bought one and made me put it together . Same as you we
took it to a local park and crashed it , I was made to put it
back toghther and bingo a week later we did the same thing again .

After the second crash it was rebuilt and is still hanging up there
after all these years . The whole ordeal left me RC scared and I
did not lern to fly (planes)until only a few years ago .

The one thing I got out of this was when I started to fly planes
I got lessons .

PS - I think you are being kind saying 1991 .
his concept 30 is perfect , canopy and all .

Stu

[Kiwi]

Matt,

The facial expression is from the pain from the spibnk pressure mate. Fear was the ultimate barrier given the long and checkered history of this little bugger.

Stu,

I can imagine the laughs and old meories flooding back. This heli was my first RC experience and it left an indelible mark on me for ever. That was heli's are for other to fly not me. It wasn't until I got out of the jungle that I could get back into planks and eventually RC.

Its funny as when I purchased this thing I also got a five channel radio with it. It blew the cobwebs off it the other day and found it to be totally dead. Not worth doing anything with but to my horror I realised it was a mode 1 heli radio. Thank goodness I never got it right or I would have been one of those guys flying RC airplanes with all the controls in the wrong place. JK

Tho other peice of history Irepalced on this was the gyro. It was one of those old electric ones that they sold before the advent of solid state and all that wizardry. It also would not work so I put a Futaba 401 system on it.

Nitro,

Already looking on Ebay for something so I can hang this old girl up in the roof. To me it finally flew so it has done its job. Being my first foray into RC it has a sentimental spot as well so Ithink she's due for the static display.

Kiwi

[Stu_D]

I know there is also NIB JR radio kicking around .
I will get some photos in the next day or two , just
have to get over to my dads place .

Things are a bit nuts at work with end of fin year .

Stu