replacing PicoZ Micro helicopter rotor blades

How to replace PicoZ Micro helicopter rotor.

One of my fathers day presents was a PicoZ micro helicopter and what fun they are! I should know as I bought two for Christmas presents. One of the
helicopters was for my son, and the second for my son in law. We were all surprised with their performance and relative ease of flying (if you follow their
instructions to just hover at first) and certainly worth the £19.99 to buy.

After Christmas I tried to buy myself one but it seems many other people were doing the same as they were out of stock for some time. So it was a nice
surprise to finally get one. Showing Stephen my brother the other day I said they were virtually indestructible as the two Christmas purchases were still
going strong. Of course the inevitable happened and whilst caught between a cabinet and a door the rotor became damaged!

If you visit our joint website www.dartmouthfishing.co.uk you will see there is a competition running for the best photo's taken at last years Dartmouth
Regatta. Needless to say I lost and as the prize I decided to change the prize to one of these little helicopters as Stephen seemed to be a natural at flying
it. So I went online to order one from www.firebox.com and whilst there saw that they did replacement rotors. Just the thing said I as both items were
ordered.

A couple of days later the new helicopter and the rotor assembly arrived and I was very surprised at the site of a complete rotor assembly which would
require some major surgery to the little helicopter.

I was expecting just a new blade but this assembly (which was only £3.95p) was far more comprehensive and therefore more difficult to fit. Indeed it
requires the body to be split in half very carefully, as wires are just below the surface. So if you look at the slideshow and the notes below you should be
able to replace your rotor if you are unfortunate enough to sustain damage.

If you have bought a PicoZ Micro Helicopter and have been unfortunate enough
to have damaged a rotor then all is not lost. You can buy a new rotor assembly
from Firebox.com for just under £4. Fitting it is not for the feint hearted but if
you are careful it can be done succesfully.

Below in the photo gallery you can see what to do and it is covered in the
description found below the gallery.

1. Carefully using a sharp knife, slice around the seam in the middle of the body. Be very careful of the thin
wires. Look at the photos and you will see what I mean.

2. Carefully unclip the rear rotors shaft and main rotor assembly from the circuit board.

3. Gently pries the little motor out of the rotor assembly by unclipping the bottom plastic clips.

4. The next task is very delicate and you will need to be very careful. Make a slit into the connection point
between the rotor assembly and the tail rotor shaft. This is required to get the shaft to part. The fine wires must
be kept away. I used my Proxxon rotary tool to make the fine cut (see photo gallery).

5. Make a slit in the new assembly like done in item 3. Required to get the fine wires going through the new
assembly.

6. Once the rear rotor shaft is connected to the new parts, put the little motor back inside the holder.
7. Clip the assembly back into the little circuit board.

8. Carefully replace the rotor assembly/circuit board back into position, making sure the tail rotor is clear of the
hole in the polystyrene body.

9. After gluing, put the two halves of the body together and hold in place with masking tape.

10. Charge up and away you go!

No so bad having done it once but I think it was easier because I had a small rotary tool to slice the plastic rear
tail rotor connection. You could I suspect, use a sharp knife but those very fine wires are awfully close! With a
little care it can be done however.