E-flite Blade mCX Tandem Rescue RTF

RC Heli Pilot Staff January 10, 2011 Product Reviews

Easy-To-Fly Tandem Heli In Ready-To-Fly Trim

FLIGHT COMMENTS
A common misconception is that tandem helicopters are difficult to fly, but the crew from E-flite has designed its mCX Blade to be easy enough for RC heli beginners with some coax (twin rotor) experience. The Tandem comes out of the box completely assembled and factory testflown, and it does not require any extra components to get airborne. Just load the alkaline batteries into the 2.4GHz DSM2 transmitter and charge the 250mAh LiPo pack. Charging takes approximately half an hour. Like the previous

mCX helis, the Tandem Rescue is equipped with a 5-in-1 control unit that houses the receiver, ESC, mixer, gyro and servos, and unlike its predecessors, the pitch is controlled by altering the speed of the rotor heads instead of utilizing a servo. Once it takes off and clears the ground effect caused by the rotors, the Tandem is stable and completely controllable. I was able to fly it in every direction and maneuver around tight areas. The lift created by the dual coaxial rotors makes it possible to launch this heli off the ground like a rocket. Just give it full throttle and it shoots straight up without any loss of control. I quickly learned the importance of being smooth on the controls, especially when reducing throttle or inputting rudder movement. A few times, I was too fast with these controls and caused the Tandem to crash. Fortunately, it wasn’t damaged. With every freshly charged pack, I became increasingly proficient and even mastered rolling landings. The included 250mAh LiPo pack provides 9 to 10 minutes of flying, and if you want your rescue missions to last longer, additional battery packs cost only about $11.

The Blade mCX Tandem Rescue helicopter is the latest offering from E-flite. It builds on the success of the original Blade mCX and ups the cool factor with its scale good looks, functioning nav lights and, best of all, dual rotors. I have wanted a tandem helicopter ever since I saw a full-size Chinook in action at an air show when I was about 10 years old. Now I have one, and its size allows me to fly it in the comfort of my living room. It comes out of the box completely ready to fly (batteries included) and includes the Celectra variable-rate battery charger with AC adapter so you can charge more than one type of battery. E-flite products have long established themselves as being well-made, easy to fly and durableâ€”a tall order to live up to. Does new Blade mCX Tandem Rescue live up to the E-flite name?

TIPS FOR SUCCESSTake the time to read the instruction manual; it’s a surefire way to guarantee success on your first flight. It clearly explains everything from charging the tiny LiPo pack to understanding the flight controls. I found that it is best not to lift off very slowly or hover it close to the ground because the ground effect of the four spinning blades makes it unstable and a little difficult to control. You must also be smooth when giving aileron input and decreasing the throttle. Quick, jerky movements on these controls will inevitably lead to a crash.

CONCLUSIONClearly, I am a big fan of the RTF Blade mCX Tandem Rescue helicopter, and it lives up to the high standards set by other E-flite products. It’s well made and easy to fly, and it stood up to many crashes, as I pushed it to its limits. It’s ready to fly when you take it out of the box, and with its realistic scale looks, it’s hard to beat. A shorter charging time would be nice, but that can easily be offset by buying extra LiPo packs. Experienced and new heli pilots will find the mCX Tandem Rescue a worthwhile purchase.

Links:
E-flite, distributed exclusively by Horizon Hobby Distributors,
www.horizonhobby.com,
(877) 504-0233

SPECS
HELICOPTER: Blade mCX Tandem Rescue RTF
MANUFACTURER: E-flite
DISTRIBUTOR: Horizon Hobby
TYPE: Ultra micro tandem coaxial heli
FOR: Beginners w/ some coax experience
FLYING WEIGHT: 2 oz.
LENGTH: 15.5 in.
ROTOR SPAN: 7.5 in.
ROTOR-DISK AREA: 176.72 sq. in.
ROTOR-DISK LOADING: 1.63 oz./sq. ft.
RADIO: 4-channels required; flown w/included MLP4DSM 2.4GHz DSM2 4-channel transmitter, factory-installed 5-in-1 DSM2 receiver, ESC, mixer/gyro, servo-control unit, 4 AA alkaline batteries for transmitter
POWER SYSTEM: Included; installed 4 micro, coreless, motors, 5-in-1 control unit, 1S 3.7V 250mAh LiPo battery
DURATION: 9-10 min.
MINIMAL FLYING AREA: Any open indoor area
PRICE: $179.99
COMPONENTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE: Nothing

SUMMARY:E-flite’s Blade mCX Tandem Rescue helicopter is easy to fly, and at under $200, it is quite affordable. It comes with everything you need to get it flying around your living room. It includes a variable rate charger and has great scale looks that mimic the full-size Canadian Labrador rescue helicopter and is complete with working navigation lights.