The MyStar series is TSK's attempt to bring the quality of their high performance BlackStar FAI machine to the masses. It is unique in its robust design, and is probably best known for the lack of plastic in the kit. The only plastic parts on the helicopter are the fin supports and fan shroud. Fit and finish on the MyStar line is excellent, and despite a slightly complex design, it is relatively straightforward to assemble and maintain.

I bought this heli used off a local flier. It is actually thirdhand, as the previous owner had bought it off another local flier. When it got to me, it was set up superbly, and was in excellent flying condition. I've made a few modifications since to suit my personal taste, but most of the heli is as I got it.

I really like the TSK design. It has a lot of parts, but it is very robust and well thought out. All controls are push-pull, simple and direct, and slop is minimal. The head gives smooth control without feeling "bouncy" as many helis with high hiller mixing ratios do. Delta offset is minimal, though it could be less, and control interaction is barely noticeable, and easily mixed out. Maintenance is difficult due to the high parts count and layout of the critical components. Fortunately, maintenance is rare due to the overall quality of construction. The tail could use a thrust bearing in the grips, as the two radial bearings get notchy pretty quickly.

This model really suits my flying style. In its current state, with Miniature Aircraft 3D paddles and light ModelSport blades, it is significantly quicker than an FAI ship. On the other hand, control is smooth enough that maneuvers are quite fluid and graceful. I've been told before that TSKs are not suitable for 3D. This is hogwash. The previous owner put this machine through most of the maneuvers in the book, and it is very capable. It won't flip in an instant, but given a bit of forethought, anything is possible. And the mechanics are up to anything you can put it through.

The fuel tank is poorly held in. I made a few brackets out of aluminum and bolted them inside the upper tank brace. The supports are angled to sit along the bevel at the rear of the tank, and keep it from sliding rearward.

You can't get to the switch without cutting a hole in the canopy. I solved this by making a switch mount that mounted to the rear of the servo frames. Check out the pictures above for more details.

I'm really happy with the engine/muffler combination on this heli. The Hatori pipe isn't as peaky as some pipes, so its not terribly difficult to tune, and the SX WC really likes the low nitro. I recently put a Performance Specialties 172 degree exhaust piston/liner set in it for a bit more power. The upgrade was prompted partly because the set is better matched to the pipe, and partly because the old piston/liner was worn out. The engine now has about 25% more power than before. It now flies as I believe it should, and has about the same power to weight ratio as my Falcon 46 on the TT46.