When to use idle up

[MetalMagus]

Hi all.

I,m what you would call a long time learner /noobie. I can hover but I have only ever used normal mode. What is the general consensus of opinion on learning to fly using idle up. Is it something I should start doing / getting used to. Are there any advantages if I haven't mastered forward flight yet.

Cheers

Sean

[MarkG_R1]

When to use idle up

Get it done ASAP
Sooner you get into idle up the better

[waveydavey]

Hi all.

I,m what you would call a long time learner /noobie. I can hover but I have only ever used normal mode. What is the general consensus of opinion on learning to fly using idle up. Is it something I should start doing / getting used to. Are there any advantages if I haven't mastered forward flight yet.

Cheers

Sean

It all depends where you want to go with your flying Sean, if you want to progress to 3D then idle up is a requirement. If you want to progress to general sports flying then again you will need an idle up curve. Most of us that progress to 3D would use a straight line pitch curve with around 12 degrees + and - some more some less and a throttle curve that will give similar output whether upright or inverted. Most would use a governor whether electric or nitro to maintain headspeed.

Whether you are ready for it, only you can say that, I would say though that if you're hovering then you don't need it, a beginners natural reaction is to shut the throttle should they venture into unknown/unventured territory, with a normal curve this isn't nearly as severe as an idle up curve which would throw the heli into the floor at full chat, hence the limited pitch and throttle idle in a normal curve.

[RcRotaryMadness]

Agree with Mark.. hovering around in normal wont progress your flying beyond hovering in different orientations..
I'd recommend you set your iu1 to be slightly more lively than your norm and iu2 to be slightly more lively than your iu1. Then push yourselfby switching into idle up and getting used to the next level up... push yourself a bit.
My normal model is the same as my idle ups with a few minor exceptions..

[trexamanic]

great advice that actually answers my own questions. i am also a long time learner but i am just starting to move around.

[KevDavies]

the only difference in my flight modes is head speed, and the fact it wont stay inverted in normal LOL. All end points, expo etc the same across the board just changes in head speed and IIRC on my 90s its 1650, 1800, 2050, and on the 50's its 1800, 2000, 2200

[bigpops]

I keep preaching this (using idle up) to the newer guys at the field. They can already hover and are beginning to venture into forward flight.

Sadly, they normally try it, smack the heli into the ground too quick due to chopping the throttle (now collective) stick when coming in to land and break something, and they go back to flying in normal mode.

Hitting hold when landing is even more essential than using idle up in my opinion. Especially if you're running a nitro with a governor that cuts in when you reach a certain percentage on the throttle channel.

As for the pros and cons of using idle up, so far I've got this:

Cons: Slightly shorter flight times
Pros: Everything else.

[josh h]

I think it depends on yourself really, everyone is different, I'm now flying fast figure 8's and don't use idle up, my throttle curve is 0, 75, 75, 75, 75. And pitch is 35, 42, 50, 75, 100

i will use idle up again when I start doing flips and rolls.

[RcRotaryMadness]

Yeah did it myself... until you start using idle ups you will just be hovering forever. Also you need get in the habbit of switching things for when you progress.

Basicly the only differences between my modes are:

They all have linear pitch curves... 0 degrees is always at centre stick and top stick is +12 on all modes. IU 1&2 both go down to -12 where N only goes down to -4.

The throttle is done via vbar governor.. at the moment its set to 2,200 N and 2,400 IU1&2. The only difference between the modes is in N at bottom stick the throttle is OFF and max negative pitch is -4. This makes for a nice planted heli that wont tip over in winds but at the same time wont try to push the earth off orbit. It helps slow the blades spinning having a little negative pitch on spool down.

Throttle hold has the same pitch curve as N.

The only difference between my iu1&2 is vbar agility settings etc.

I mostly fly using N for take off and landing as the heli is less sensitve in this mode... tail is set to rate mode in for take off - this reduces the strain on the tail while its sat in the grass. Once i'm off the ground i switch to heading hold which keeps the tail in check.

I fly mostly in IU1.. and then use IU2 as a test bed/progress switch. Basicly i setup iu2 to be a little more 'alive' than i'm used to.. and when i'm in the mood i will switch up to iu2 to try push myself some more. Eventually iu2 becomes iu1 and newer harder settings are introduced to iu2. This is how i progress my learning and how i taught myself to fly basicly.. by taking small steps but progressing all the time.

[snowy]

Hi all.

I,m what you would call a long time learner /noobie. I can hover but I have only ever used normal mode. What is the general consensus of opinion on learning to fly using idle up. Is it something I should start doing / getting used to. Are there any advantages if I haven't mastered forward flight yet.

Cheers

Sean

Nice to see you on the forum Sean if you want to have a few flights to get back into the grove give me a ring or pm !

[MetalMagus]

Nice to see you on the forum Sean if you want to have a few flights to get back into the grove give me a ring or pm !

On holiday at the moment in Corfu at the RC Hotel getting some much needed practice. When I get back Peter I'll be in touch.

Cheers

Sean

[MetalMagus]

Some good advice all round. Thanks to all for taking the time out to reply.Sounds like I need to start switching in IU1/2 even if only to change the head speeds to begin with to get used to making the switch.

Cheers

Sean

[scallybert]

Idle-up - a strange archaic term that doesn't really mean anything consistent...

If you're nitro, maybe ignore this; but if you're electric, just use a governor, and a flat throttle curve as on/off/speed select.

I use the same headspeeds for hovering, FFF, inverted manoeuvres, etc - but different pitch curves, FBL control rates & gains, etc. However, I could (and sometimes do) have different headspeeds in different flight-modes.

All my pitch curves non-inverted hover at mid-stick - 'cos I'm weird. The non-inverted hover pitch curve has enough -ve pitch to stay in the air inverted; because we all make mistakes, and it might allow me to auto some day.

The shape of the pitch curves are up to you, and modern radios allow you to have all kinds of weird things, and many of them.

Oh, and my helis are programmed as sailplanes, as they have better features on DX18s (like 10 flight modes).

[Zeeflyboy]

When to use idle up

I don't even have a normal mode setup.

Just throttle hold, idle 1, 2 and 3. All are flat lines set to give me different governed headspeeds. To start I flick throttle hold off and let the ESC soft start do its thing, once spooled up i take off. To land I either touch down and flick throttle hold or just auto.

Much better, plus you can't forget and try to do a flip or inverted while still in normal mode. That doesn't end well...

[pgkevet]

When i first went to the idle switches (better really to call them soemthing like flight controls or flight modes etc) then I used to say 'idle up' out aloud as i switched into it and 'idle down' as I witched out of it - helps reinforce and remind you of what you've done. Modern tx's are capable of several flight conditions - I think the 12fg does 7 - so all sorts of things one could program in in terms of headpseeds, throttle and pitch curves but also a good way of confusing further.

a littel reminder I've posted before