RCU Review: Century Swift

 RCU Review: Century Swift More On This Product
Show user ratings Check for Retailers Contributed by: Eric Balay | Published: April 2006 | Views: 92546 |
Email this Article | PDF
Review by: Eric Balay, Photos by Michael Kranitz & Eric Balay
Specifications
Assembly
Flight Report Summary
Manufacturer Info
Century Swift 16
Manufactured by:
Century Helicopter
Products Are you looking for the perfect electric helicopter? Then look no
further as the new Century Swift 16 delivers all the 3D snap
that you crave. The helicopter is available as a kit, or for only
$30 extra as a 90% assembled ARF (or ARH - Almost Ready to
Hover). Since the early 1990's, Century Helicopters has been
producing cutting-edge model helicopter kits, scale fuselages
and upgrade parts. The Swift 16 is their newest offering, a
30-sized electric aerobat that is inexpensive, yet full of 3D
excitement!
1740-C Junction Ave.
San Jose, CA
95112
U.S.A
Phone: (408) 451-1155
Website
Email
Swift Video
CLICK HERE to Watch
Part Quality
Performance
Ease of Assembly
Kit Name: Century Swift Price: $249.99 USD (ARF), $229.99 USD (kit) Rotor Blades: 515 to 550mm
Length: 41.3 " (105cm) Height: 13.5" (34.4cm)
Flying Weight (as tested): 5.4 pounds Motor: Century 600 outrunner brushless motor
Speed Controller: Castle Creations Phoenix 80 ESC Battery:
Tanic Packs 6s 3650mah Li-poly battery pack Radio Used:
Futaba 14MZHP w/ R5014 DPS receiver Gyro Used: Futaba GY401 w/ 9253 tail servo
Servos Used: JR DS811 Digital (3)
Price (typical): $1,189.86 USD
Price (as tested): $3,144.74 USD Aerobatic ability
Durability
Price
Manual
Awesome performance Smooth hovering Inexpensive Kit & Parts Also available for the Century Swift: Century RotorTech 515mm Carbon Blades ($89.99) Astro Flight 109 Li-po charger ($129.99)
NEU 1907 1.5Y brushless motor ($193.00) Century Electron 55/70 ESC ($79.95) Century Swift Carbon Gyro Plate ($4.95) Century Swift Painted Glass Canopy ($89.95) Century Swift Yellow Canopy ($13.95) Century 600 Outrunner ($109.95) Tanic Packs 6s 3650mah Li-poly ($229.99) Castle Creations Phoenix 80 ESC ($139.99) Anti-rotation link binds Landing gear weak Mast collar too tall Sharp Box Art Inside the Box Stickers
Century 600 Outrunner NEU 1907 1.5Y Motor Tanic Packs 6s Li-po Our review model is the extensively pre-assembled ARF version, which arrives carefully packaged in
a colorful box. My first reaction when unpacking the model was, "Wow, it's already put together!" It
took me about an additional 30 minutes to finish the mechanical assembly, and about 4 hours to
complete the electronics installation. I tried two different motors in the Swift. Century has released a
new out-runner style brushless motor specifically designed for the Swift, the Century 600. I
compared its performance with a NEU 1907 1.5Y brushless in-runner style brushless, named ORK
(Out-Runner Killer). The TanicPacks 6s1p lithium-polymer battery delivers 3650mah at 22.2v, while
weighing a scant 700 grams. This battery is a good choice for maximum performance. Beginners
might opt for a 4s battery for reasons of economy. You'll also need to purchase a pinion for the motor, as well as motor mounting hardware and
electrical connectors, as none of these items are included in the kit. With the Century 600, I used a
15 tooth pinion. The NEU motor worked best with an 11 tooth pinion. Pre-assembled
Tail Section Main Gear & Auto Hub Rotor Head CCPM Bellcranks Horizontal 3D Fin Nice Swashplate
Lightweight Mainshaft Tail Drive Pinion File Flats for Security Dremel O-ring Hooks Protect O-rings The well designed rotor head and linkages are pre-assembled, saving the modeler lots of time. The
supplied ball linkages fit very well without needing any link fitting adjustments - not too tight, and
without slop. A hollow 10mm main shaft saves valuable weight, and is mated to a large main gear
complete with an autorotation hub. In inspecting the tail drive pinion that drives the tail belt, I filed
two flats on the bearing pin to add security to the set screw connections. Be sure to Dremel the o-ring hooks edges on the carbon baseplate to prevent any sharp edges from
slicing the o-rings that retain the battery. Don't forget to do this outside to avoid breathing in or
touching the loose carbon fibers. Anti-Rotation Normal Binding at Extremes Stock Anti-Rotation Grind Away Grind Away No More Binding Century Mast Collar Century L, Quick UK R Quick UK Mast Collar With the servo arms lengths set as described in the setup section below, I found that the swashplate
anti-rotation bracket restricted movement of the aft swash pushrod. The ball link end attached to the
servo horn hits the bracket during extreme swashplate deflections, causing the anti-rotation bracket
to bend. With a few minutes of carving with my trusty Dremel tool, I was able to remove enough
material to allow the linkage to move smoothly. I believe this part should be redesigned to eliminate
the problem. Century advised me that with the rear servo horn ball placed at 20.5mm, there is
adequate clearance. They also indicate that if there is binding, that a longer servo horn should be
used, with adjustments in radio settings to fine tune and eliminate CCPM interaction. I found that the
pushrod contacts the anti-rotation bracket when the ball is placed at the optimum 20.5mm position,
thus the need for the dremel work, as I wanted all three output balls to be equally spaced to prevent
any possibility of CCPM interaction. The Swift manual does not cover these details of servo horn ball
placement. I also discovered that the Century mast collar limits the lower swashplate movements. Although not
necessary, I replaced it with a low profile mast collar manufactured by Quick UK. This change allowed
me to extend the cyclic pitch range at the lower extreme collective pitch position. Century claims that
during their testing, plus and minus 11.5 degrees of collective pitch are available without binding. I
found that the Century mast collar restricted full cyclic movement at plus and minus 11.0 degrees of
collective pitch. Switching to the Quick UK collar resolved this issue on the RCU Swift. Stock Wooden Blades Epoxy Root Fittings Clamp While Curing Belt Drive Pushrod Support Can't Tail Section The stock wooden main rotor blades require attachment of the root reinforcing fittings. Use 30
minute epoxy to glue on the root ends, affix the bolts, and securely clamp and allow to cure
overnight. This will ensure that the blade roots are adequately reinforced to prevent blade failure.
The stock wooden rotor blade roots in my kit did not fit the blade grips without using a shim, which
was not provided in the kit. The blade root thickness is 11mm, while the grip is designed to accept
12mm blades. Century advises the modeler to clamp down on the blade holders rather than
expanding them which allows you to adjust the tightness of your blades. Century also states that if
the blade root and grips are the same exact size, then you would have to force the blade into the
blade holders causing the blades to be too tight. I opted to add a 1mm shim to avoid undue stress on
the blade grips while still allowing the blades to be properly tightened. I also found that the blade
bolt hole in the shock wooden blades was 4mm, while the blade fixing bolt measures 3mm. (Editor's
Note: Century has resolved the blade bolt hole issue, and all Swift kits now include bushings to fit the
3mm bolts.) The belt driven tail assembly can be removed from the main frames as a unit, thanks to the integral
front pinion drive. Belt tension can be adjusted with the position of the pinion drive housing on the
tail boom. Tail control is accomplished through a carbon tail rotor pushrod and a boom mounted tail
rotor servo. This affords the modeler freedom to align the servo and output arm for optimal pushrod
movement. Included in the kit is a support for the carbon pushrod, although I did not use it since it
was not the right length and caused the pushrod to bind. By altering the servo mount and servo
output horn position it is possible to make the pushrod support work properly, although the servo
mounting brackets must be reversed from the factory installed position. Perhaps an adjustable
support would be better suited for this task. The unsupported length of pushrod was short enough to
allow the support to be abandoned without undue vibration. Century recommends the modeler adjust
the servo position and horn configuration to allow use of the pushrod support as the guide reduces
lateral stress on the servo, thus prolonging its life. Cut Out Windscreen Cooling Hole
Canopy Assembled Grease Thrust Bearings Aluminum Spindle Oil Please One of the few parts not pre-assembled in the Swift ARF kit is the canopy. Cut out the windscreen,
drill, and screw it to the blow-molded plastic canopy with the tiny Philips head screws that usually find
their way out of my grasp and onto the floor. Add the rubber mounting grommets, and the canopy is
ready for the included stickers. I chose to paint my canopy in a hi-visibility white/neon pink/gold
scheme.
An inspection of the thrust bearings in the pre-assembled rotor head revealed that they are
assembled without grease. Remove the bearings and apply a liberal amount of grease to the
bearings and both races. Make sure that you re-assemble the thrust bearings correctly - the race with
the larger ID is placed inboard. Always remember to lock-tite the hardware. Now is also a good time
to apply a bit of oil to the moving linkages. I usually omit this step with my nitro helis as they receive
a good dousing of oil while 3D'ing through the exhaust smoke. With the electric models, I
periodically check the moving parts and oil as necessary.
With Century Motor ESC & RX Mounting Gyro on Bottom With NEU Motor RotorTech 515's Ready To Go 5.4 Pounds w/ Batt Hi-vis Paint New Skids & Paddles The Swift uses electronic 120-degree CCPM swashplate mixing. With Cyclic Collective Pitch Mixing
setups, it's critical to use three matching servos and identical length servo arms. I used three JR
DS811 digital servos and heavy-duty JR servo arms. Some CCPM designs feature short linkages
directly from each servo to the swashplate balls, which dictate the use of 3 identical length servo
arms. The Swift control configuration also features a single pushrod from the rear mounted servo
directly to the swashplate. Because of servo placement, the two side servos move an intermediate
bellcrank, which in turn transfers the motion to the swashplate balls. The center-to-ball distance of
the vertical swash linkage on the intermediate bellcrank determines the required servo horn output
ball placement length on the rear mounted servo (20.5mm). The servo horn ball placement on the
two side mounted servos must match the ball placement lengths on the intermediate bellcranks,
which is 12.5mm. Confused? Then trust the RCUniverse heli gurus and follow these directions. Place
the output ball on the rear servo horn at 20.5mm. The dual output balls on the two side mounted
servos should be placed at 12.5mm each, from the center of the servo horn. I was left to figure this
out on my own, as ball placement on the servo horns is not covered in the manual. The elevator servo should be installed first as its installed facing inside the chassis. This servo, as
mounted, placed the output horn out of alignment (left of centerline). The output ball needs to be
inline with the helicopter mainshaft to eliminate control interaction. To remedy this situation, I added
two spacers which are included in the kit. The instructions did not explain why they are required, or
how they should be installed. Add the spacers under the servo mounting tabs to move the servo horn
farther inward. The two roll servos are then mounted, and servo horns attached. Once all three
servos are mounted and links prepared, plug all three into the receiver and center the
throttle/collective stick. Be sure that your transmitter is set to three-servo 120-degree mixing. Now
install the servo arms making sure that they are exactly horizontal. It's acceptable to use small
amounts of sub trim to achieve proper centering. Attach the pushrods to the servo arms and
swashplate and check the operation of the swashplate. It should rise and fall with the
throttle/collective stick without any interaction. Also check that left is left, right is right, etc. When all
is working correctly, install the rudder servo and attach the tail rotor pitch pushrod. Adjustment of
the tail rotor pushrod follows the gyro installation.
I mounted the Futaba GY401 gyro to the under side of the front platform, using double stick foam
tape. Century offers an upgrade gyro mounting plate, which allows you to place the gyro aft of the
mainshaft, above the tail drive pinion housing. I chose to mount the gyro up front. After making the
necessary endpoint adjustments with the gyro potentiometer, I added a few wraps of electrical tape
to the unit to further secure it to the helicopter should the foam tape fail. As the punchline goes, "It
is disconcerting to the passengers to see parts of the aircraft lost in flight." Trust me, it's similarly
disconcerting to the rc pilot, should the gyro come loose in flight. To control the motor, I used a Castle Creations Phoenix 80 brushless controller. Several options for
parameter adjustment can be made, either through a sequence of blinking lights and tones where
selections are made with the throttle stick position, or by using the handy USB interface and a
computer. Although a little confusing at first, I was able to configure the Phoenix 80 using the
throttle stick. Make certain that you DO NOT HAVE THE MAIN BLADES ATTACHED TO THE ROTOR
HEAD when programming the speed controller. Also be sure to restrain the airframe as it's possible
for the motor to spool up unexpectedly, which can cause serious injury. If you are at all unsure of
how to do this safely, PLEASE seek the help of an experienced modeler. I set the governor mode &
throttle curves to give approximately 2000 rpm headspeed. Due to the constraints of the Phoenix 80
when used with the 6s battery pack (beyond the BEC rating), I needed to add a small battery to
power the servos, gyro and receiver. Install the receiver, battery and switch. As you route the servo leads through the chassis and around
the main shaft, make sure that they do not rub against any moving parts (like the out-runner motor)
or sharp edges (use an exacto to dull the edges of the plastic frames where wires might touch).
Ideally, a BEC should be used to further eliminate weight. In my case, I also needed a switch for the
600mah receiver battery. The switch mounting position on the electronics tray does not allow for
convenient access when the canopy is on. I had to make a wire extension to actuate this switch. The Futaba 14MZ radio has many options for adjusting the control of CCPM swashplates. I made a
few adjustments to these settings as needed to resolve any control interaction. The 14MZ transmits
servo signals in groups (as opposed to the standard sequential channel signal transmission),
commanding each servo in that group simultaneously to a desired position. I grouped the three
swashplate servos together to eliminate any possibility of control delay during a swashplate
command. I chose to set the pitch ranges to suit my flying preferences as follows:
Flight Mode
Low Stick
Half Stick
High Stick
Normal
-5.5 degrees
2.5 degrees
11 degrees
3D
-11 degrees
0 degrees
11 degrees
-5.5 degrees 2.5 degrees 11 degrees Autorotation
The final assembly step is a check of the center-of-gravity balance point. Our Swift balanced right on
the money. The ready-to-fly weight (including the battery) is 5.4 pounds.
From the first time I flew it, I was really
impressed with the ease of hovering the Swift.
It's smooth and yet quite responsive. Tracking
the main blades was easy, needing hardly any
tweaking. As equipped, the Swift will leap off the
ground like a bottle rocket and scream across the
sky with headspeeds above 2000rpm. Expect to
put on a 6-7 minute of jaw-dropping 3D airshow
that will make you the envy of your flying
buddies. Air Time
Flying the Swift really gets my adrenaline going the instantaneous torque from the electric motor
gives maneuvers plenty of pop. The Century 600
outrunner has monster torque, and flew the
Swift with authority. The performance with the
NEU motor was also fantastic - plenty of power
for all those nasty 3D maneuvers that would
leave a nitro engine begging for mercy. I added 30% expo to the cyclic, finding a good
balance between responsiveness and control. The
120 degree CCPM response is instantaneous, and
ultra-precise. Rolling maneuvers are quick.
Collective response is powerful, given the
available torque of three DS811 servos, and
super-fast response of the electric powerplant.
Fast pirouettes, asymmetrical loops, tick-tocks,
funnels, hurricanes, piro-flips, backward rolls,
and death spirals are typical stunts during a
Swift flight. The stock flybar paddles are quick, but not as
stable as I prefer. Tracking in forward flight was
imprecise, resulting from the thin, "pitchy"
paddles. I swapped them for a pair of Thunder
Tiger "greenies", which really focused the
tracking, yet retained the super quick cyclic rates
that make the Swift so snappy. Charging a 6s li-po is no easy task. I used an
Astro Flight 109 Lithium charger to refuel the
TanicPacks battery, with flawless results. Simply
connect the battery and adjust the current level
and the 109 automatically determines the
number of cells in the pack and corresponding
charge parameters. The charger "times out" after
1 hour of charge as a safety precaution. The stock landing gear is weak, and will break if
you're not very careful to land the Swift softly.
We snapped a skid off by landing with a bit of
forward speed. However, even this damage was
not enough to turn RCU Michael Kranitz's smile
upside down. (Editor's Note: Century has
addressed this concern. The Swift kits currently
being shipped have revised landing gear parts
that have been beefed up in the critical areas. All
new kits currently shipping have the revised
parts.) The flexibility of the landing gear exhibits
some ground resonance vibration on spool-down,
but it wasn't a major problem. Everyone who has
had a turn at the sticks of the Swift has been
impressed with its smoothness and performance! See the Century Swift in action!
Small Video ------- Large Video The mostly pre-assembled $249 Swift is inexpensive, and delivers lots of 3D excitement. Part quality
is good, although some parts would benefit from redesign. Assembly of the ARF kit is quick, and the
instruction manual is fair - lacking in some important details, although the pictures are quite helpful. I
found a few design issues in building the Swift - the anti-rotation link that binds against the linkage,
and the tall mast collar that limits swashplate travel. The stock flybar paddles are responsive, but
pitchy in forward flight. The landing gear is flimsy, and won't withstand abuse. These are relatively
minor issues. Overall, the helicopter is designed well and the performance of the review model is
absolutely sparkling. Maneuvers are stunningly crisp, thanks to the compact 120 degree CCPM
controls. 3D maneuvers are well within the Swifts capability, and autos are predictable. Loops and
rolls have the authority of a 50 sized nitro model. The rock solid tail control from the well designed
tail pitch mechanism makes even the most fledgling pilots confident. The Swift is a bargain electric in
this size, and its fantastic performance won't disappoint!
Century Swift 16 Helicopter, 600 Outrunner Motor
Manufactured by:
Century Helicopter Products 1740-C Junction Ave.
San Jose, CA
95112
U.S.A
Phone:(408) 451-1155 Fax:(408) 451-1156
Website: www.centuryheli.com
email: sales@heli-world.com
Tanic Packs 6s 3650mah Lithium-Polymer Battery Pack
Manufactured by:
Tanic Packs
4609 West 75th St.
Prairie Village, KS
66208
U.S.A
Phone:(800) RCTOYS-6
Website: www.tanicpacks.com
email: rctoys@kc.rr.com
Castle Creations Phoenix 80 Brushless Speed Control
Manufactured by:
Castle Creations
235 S. Kansas Ave.
Olathe, KS
66061
U.S.A
Phone:(913) 390-6939, Fax: (913) 390-6164
Website: www.castlecreations.com
email: sales@castlecreations com
Futaba Electronics (14MZHP radio, GY401 gyro, S9253 servo)
Distributed by:
Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O. Box 9021
Champaign, IL
61820
U.S.A
Phone:(217) 398-6300
Website: www.futaba-rc.com
email: support@futaba-rc.com
JR Electronics (DS811 servos)
Distributed by:
Horizon Hobby
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign, IL 61822
Support Phone: (877) 504-0233
Sales Phone: (800) 338-4639
Website: www.horizonhobby.com
email: support@horizonhobby.com
Quick UK Mast Collar
Manufactured by:
Quick UK
Unit 2, Threshold Way
West Entrance
Fairoaks Airport
Chobham, Woking, Surrey
GU24 8HX, England
Support Phone: (979) 828-4269
Fax: (979) 828-4269
Website: www.quickuk.co.uk/acatalog/r_index.htm
email: quickuk@aol.com
NEU 1907 1.5Y Brushless Motor
Distributed by:
TPpacks.com Coto de Caza, CA
U.S.A
Website: www.tppacks.com
email: info@tppacks.com
Comments on RCU Review: Century Swift
Posted by: Phily on 10/07/2008
Profile Page: 1 The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply
generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in
products like the one featured in the review. EMAIL THIS ARTICLE OR CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT REVIEWS!
Photo
Manufacturer
Product
MOTIV
Summary
“M-Code” Brushless Ok, enough about Paul because this article is
about the MOTIV line of “M-Code” line of motors.
RC Moto
The “M-Code” motors come in ma...
Reviewed
12/06/2015
Trinity
D4 1S
In late June, 2014, Trinity released the D4 motor
to replace the D3.5. Since that time, the D4 has
powered cars to 8 ROAR Nat...
12/06/2015
Matt
Lemay
Airbrushing – Take I’ve decided to create a series of articles
dedicated to helping the average hobbyist get
Your Painting To
into, or at least consider whether ...
12/06/2015
Tamiya
As an official vehicle of the 2014 Sochi Olympics,
Amarok Custom Lift Volkswagen built specialized polar edition custom
lifted Amarok vehicles u...
11/24/2015
Traxxas
Slash VXL Brushless In June, I tested and wrote about the Traxxas
Slash w/ OBA and how much I enjoyed what the
with OBA
Slash offers. It's been a goto veh...
11/23/2015
RCGF
21cc Twin Cylinder RCGF, a Chinese manufacturer of gasoline
engines, designs and manufactures engines
Gasoline Engine
specifically for 'the RC aircraft market. ...
11/23/2015
RCGF
120cc Twin Cylinder RCGF, a Chinese manufacturer of gasoline
engines, designs and manufactures engines
Gasoline Engine
specifically for the RC aircraft market. T...
11/23/2015
Tower
Hobbies
J-3 Cub
Hobbico
Estes Proto-Z
Seagull
Models
With its distinctive looks, it is probably safe to say
that the J-3 Cub is one of the most recognized
11/23/2015
and known airplanes in ...
The Proto-Z is a Blast of micro-sized fun! It's the
ultimate user-friendly drone- The fastest, easiset
and most economical wa...
11/22/2015
Steen Super Skybolt Seagull Models introduced this biplane early on in
2015, and SIG mfg. had a pre-production sample
15cc ARF
at the Toledo Expo. That pr...
11/20/2015
RCGF
10cc Gasoline
Engine
RCGF, a Chinese manufacturer of gasoline
engines, designs and manufactures engines
specifically for 'the RC aircraft market. ...
11/17/2015
RCGF
20cc Gasoline
Engine
RCGF, a Chinese manufacturer of gasoline
engines, designs and manufactures engines
specifically for 'the RC aircraft market. ...
11/15/2015
The
World
Models
HeliMax
30% PT-17
Some may call me lucky. I would agree! One of
Stearman ARF (U.S. the reasons that the PT-17 is so close to my heart 10/03/2015
ARMY)
is that I have a personal co...
Voltage 500 3D
This quad is absolutely not for the faint of heart,
but if you·re an established heli pilot with some
experience under your b...
10/03/2015
RCTECG
You may remember we ran an article not that
Using VRC yet?
Why not? After all, long ago asking about the value of simulators;
you can read that here. Well, as i...
Return to Magazine Homepage
RCUniverse is a service of Internet Brands, Inc. Copyright © 2001-2016. Privacy Policy
GET FREE RC CONTENT FOR YOUR WEBSITE
Search | Marketplace | Event Central | Local Clubs | Magazine | Product Ratings | New Products | Discussion Forums Photo Gallery | Instructor Search | Field|Track|Marina Search | RCU Youtube Channel | | RCU Twitter! Member Locator | Advertisers | Hobby Vendor Resources | Rate Manufacturers | Sign In/Sign Up
Products Videos WattFlyer.com RC Classifieds
RCU4 | 10.17.133.23 | 0 | 1 | 11:03:58 PM EST | NC 10/03/2015