Century Helicopter Products: Hawk Sport: This Bird Rocks!

Model Airplane News, Sep 2003 by Royer, Erick

This bird rocks!

Being a helicopter enthusiast, I've read many heli discussions on the Internet, and two major questions are always asked: "What is the best, low-cost, radio-control helicopter for the beginner?" and "Is there a good helicopter for practicing 3D aerobatics?" As with the old Ford-versus-Chevy controversy, the answers, of course, will vary greatly depending on whom you ask. Century Helicopter Products introduces its new Hawk Sport ARF that fills both needs: a low-cost heli for beginners and seasoned pilots alike. The Hawk Sport is an inexpensive 30-size helicopter that comes as an almost-ready-to-fly (ARF) kit. But don't let the word "inexpensive" fool you: this heli has many features that make it an excellent 3D trainer as well. The Hawk Sport contains 31 ball bearings for smooth operation, and with its many built subassemblies, it can easily go from box to field in a few short hours. The main mechanics, rotor head and tail gearbox are already built; even the pushrods are preassembled.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?

The Hawk Sport comes in a "quick-build format." Each subassembly is packed separately with all the required hardware to complete it. The main frame comes with the main shaft, swashplate, washout unit, starter shaft, main gear and fuel tank already installed. The rotor head and tail-rotor gearbox and tail boom with the pushrod guides are also assembled for you. The polypropylene-plastic canopy is virtually indestructible. The kit includes a set of covered and balanced Aerotech 550mm main blades; only the root reinforcements need to be attached. An attractive set of decals is also included to dress up the canopy and tail feathers. The kit also comes with a high-performance muffler.

The Hawk Sport boasts many high-end features not usually found on a .30-size helicopter, such as: strong rigid frames molded from a fiber-filled composite material; modular frame design for easy assembly and maintenance; the clutch, clutch bell and fan are all mounted on the engine's crankshaft and don't require alignment. The top hex-start system disengages when the engine is running; this eliminates a significant source of vibration. The large, 10-ounce fuel tank is just behind the main shaft near the center of gravity (CG); this ensures minimal CG changes as the tank empties. The cooling shroud completely covers the engine head, thereby optimizing engine cooling. Metal control balls are used for all control connections-no Z-bends here! Wow! That's a lot of heli for less than $160.

ASSEMBLY

The Hawk Sport comes with two manuals-the quick-build guide and a full assembly manual. Even though the Hawk Sport is an ARF, it's still necessary to refer to the full manual for construction notes, screw sizes, etc. Century's manual is excellent: lots of detailed pictures and illustrations and accurate text.

Start by attaching the clutch bell, clutch and cooling fan to the engine. This is simple; just be sure to use thread-lock where indicated. I removed the throttle arm from my O.S. .32SXH and replaced it with the extended throttle arm included in the kit. When you set up the throttle arm, be sure to follow the diagram in the instructions for proper alignment. Mount the engine on the aluminum engine mount, and slide the fan shroud over the engine head, making sure that the flanged area is on top. Then slide the engine assembly into the lower frames.

SPECIFICATIONS

Model: Hawk Sport

Type: .30-size collective-pitch helicopter

Manufacturer: Century Helicopter Products

Rotor diameter: 49.5 in.

Length: 46 in.

Height: 16.2 in.

Engine used: O.S. .32 SXH

Radio req'd: 5-channel heli radio w/5 servos

Radio used: Futaba 8 UHF transmitter w/5 Hitec HS 425BB servos

Gyro used: JR 46OT Heading Lock Gyro

Fuel used: Wildcat 30%-nitro heli

Price: $159

Hits

* Built subassemblies.

* Great assembly and setup instructions.

* Excellent flight performance.

* Finished main rotor blades.

Misses

* Tail-rotor pushrod movement too tight.

Features: strong composite frames; ball bearings on all pivots; major assemblies are factory-built; finished main blades; nearly indestructible canopy; colorful decals; detailed instructions.

Comments: the Century Hawk Sport is a great heli for the beginner who's just starting out and for the seasoned chopper pilot who's looking for a low-cost heli to learn new maneuvers with. Because many of the major assemblies come already built, the Hawk goes together very quickly. I had mine in the air on the same day as I opened the box. I was very impressed with the Hawk's flight performance: it's very solid in hover and has a lot of control authority for demanding maneuvers. The Hawk Sport is a great all-around heli.

I then joined the upper and lower frame assemblies. Be sure to check that you have the proper gear mesh and clearance between the main gear and the clutch bell. With my O.S. .32, it came out perfect, but if you use an engine other than an O.S., you will need to check this. Next I installed five Hitec HS-425BB standard ball-bearing servos. Installation is straightforward; just pay attention that you position them as shown in the manual.