E-flite Blade 400

- my review of this CP electric helicopter

Update: Since writing this page the 400 has been replaced with the Blade 450.

The E-flite Blade 400 electric rc helicopter can be seen as the 'flagship' of the hugely popular Blade range of helicopters and is a fully 3D capable model despite being marketed as "suitable for beginners".

The RTF version is sold with the Spektrum DX6i radio, a great 2.4GHz system, but there is also a PNP (Plug-N-Play) version which is the one that I purchased, simply because I already had a DX6i.

Good intro to CP helicopters

Until my Blade 400 arrived in the post, my only rc helicopter flying experience was with FP (Fixed Pitch) models and CP time on an rc flight simulator. But despite the horror stories of how difficult a collective pitch radio control helicopter is to fly, I was quietly confident that I could get my new heli airborne without too much trouble thanks to my somewhat limited experience.

On opening the box, I was relieved to see that my shiny new E-flite Blade 400 had survived its overseas trip unscathed; as with all Horizon Hobby distributed products the box is sturdy and the heli well packed.

Being the PNP version there was a notable absence of Tx, charger and motor battery pack - the only items to accompany the helicopter in the box were the instruction manual and a small plastic bag of tools and accessories (Allen keys, screwdriver, zip ties...).

Initial inspection of my E-flite Blade 400 revealed a definite 'quality' feel to it and it looked to be a very well thought out heli indeed. The positioning of all the components was good, and access to all the crucial parts looked relatively unimpeded. The helicopter felt solid too, certainly not a cheap 'n' cheerful model that was going to fall to pieces after three flights!
Of course, being 3D capable the Blade 400 has been designed and manufactured accordingly, hence its solid feel. It's a nice size too, a typical 'class 400' electric rc CP helicopter.

Above: a very well thought out and not overly complicated heli, I think!

Now, the fact that the E-flite Blade 400 is 3D capable doesn't mean that mine is ever likely to see any 3D action! The fact that this is my very first Collective Pitch rc helicopter means that mastering straightforward flight is the number one priority, and the fact that I can do a few basic 3D maneuvers on the sim doesn't mean that I'll ever have the nerves to try them for real!

Anyway, back to the setting up... I had chosen to go with the same receiver for my PNP version heli that the RTF one is sold with, the Spektrum AR6100e. Following the manual's guidelines, installation of the Rx was very straightforward - some double-sided sticky tape and a small zip tie did the job of holding the receiver comfortable in place on the base of the main frame, behind the ESC.

The other crucial component not supplied with a PNP aircraft is of course a motor battery pack, but fortunately I already had a suitable pack (2100mAH 11.1V 3S) ready for action. Although marginally larger and heavier than the recommended E-flite pack, it fits perfectly well in place, held securely by the velcro strip and strap.

Above: my 'FlyPo' pack and the receiver (arrowed yellow) in place

Time to spool up!

As I said earlier, I'm not a complete newbie to rc helicopters but this E-flite Blade 400 was an entirely different beastie to anything I'd flown before. Following the invaluable advice given in John Salt's excellent eBook "Setup & Tips for 400 Size RC Helicopters", I invested in a set of rc helicopter training gear, reduced the Pitch and throttle Curve settings from the factory-set default 3D values (essential if you want to keep your heli in one piece!) and prepared my nerves for action...

Doing exactly what you shouldn't do, I placed my heli in a small, enclosed space (our laundry area) knowing full well that the downwash created by the spinning main blades wouldn't get cleared away because of the four walls closely surrounding the helicopter, but instead would cause havoc with the heli's stability. But I justified this potentially dangerous decision simply because I knew that I could hover an FP helicopter without problem, and could hover a CP one on the sim.

On spooling up the Blade 400 my initial surprise was at the noise of those 325mm blades. Wow, impressive! Of course, the sound was amplified because of the four walls but it sounded great.

The next thing I had to get used to was that I could have the blades spinning at speed without the heli lifting, in total contrast to a Fixed Pitch helicopter that starts to lift as soon as the main blades pick up any speed.
So, with the 400 sat there, blades spinning and my heart pounding, I slowly increased the throttle stick to start introducing some positive pitch and the helicopter gracefully lifted off the ground. A small amount of right cyclic was needed to counteract the left drift caused by the tail rotor, but I had anticipated this being the case so was fully prepared.
Below is a short video of this momentous occasion - see what I mean by the enclosed space?!!...

After a minute or so of hovering, and managing to keep the thing clear of the walls (and towels!) I powered down and let my heart rate stabilise. I'd done it, controlled a CP heli at last!

A very nice CP helicopter

Having not had any previous CP electric rc helicopter experience to compare my E-flite Blade 400 to, I personally think that this is a great helicopter indeed. The RTF package represents excellent value with the included Spektrum DX6i radio; bear in mind that this Tx has 10 model memory and is perfect for use with the ever-growing range of Bind-N-Fly rc aircraft, as well as any other.

The quality of the Blade 400 is perfectly adequate for someone like me, although I'm sure that the more experienced helicopter pilots out there would find faults and want to upgrade parts. The only issue I've had so far is that the lower bearing of the motor seized with well under and hour's running time on it. I've been told that this is a known issue with some Blade 400s, and the motor was duly replaced by Horizon Hobby.

All in all, I'd recommend the E-flite Blade 400 to anyone looking at getting in to CP helicopter flying. And to prove that it is up to the job, see what it's capable of in the right hands (not mine!...) on the official promo Blade 400 video (my flight vid is yet to be made...).