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To make the first flights easier, I broke in the
O.S. 50SX-H on the bench. This allowed me to get the carb closely dialed
in and made it easier to start the engine. For fuel, I used Wildcat 30
percent heli fuel and a set of Northern Helicopter Products (NHP) 600mm
carbon-fiber blades with great results. Before flying the Venture, I dialed
in pitch and throttle curves for normal and aerobatic flight modes.
GENERAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS
The Venture 50 is a nice, midsize heli that I enjoyed flying
from the very start. During the first liftoff, a slight bladetracking
adjustment was needed to bring the blades into alignment. This indicates
that the factory-set pushrod lengths were very close. After that, slight
adjustments to the hovering and pitch curves were needed to suit my requirements.
This resulted in a very stable, rock-solid hover. The cyclic response
is very positive and quick. After a few tanks of fuel had been run through
the Venture, it was time to fly; the Venture showed a lot of agility.
Basic aerobatics such as loops and rolls were very uneventful. Fastforward
flight didn't show any tendencies to pitch up or down.
AEROBATICS
Aggressive
aerobatics were next on the list, and the model took it all in stride.
The tail held well during backward flight and during pirouetting maneuvers.
A 3D pitch curve of -9 degrees to +9 degrees suited the heli nicely. Tumbling
and flipping maneuvers were effortless, as were other 3D-type maneuvers
-a sign of powerful, well-balanced cyclic controls. The heli felt very
comfortable with a head speed of around 1800rpm. The Venture 50 is a user-friendly
heli that inspires confidence.
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