Side on orientation

[gazmk2]

High guys,

I am after any tips you good people may have on side on orientation. I can hover in all orientations just fine, the slight issue I am having is when in forward flight I can't tell if the heli is leaning in towards me or leaning out away from me!

One tip I did get which does help when fairly close in was to look at the skids as they give an indication of which way it's leaning but I would definitely appreciate any tips you may have?

Thanks chaps

Gary

[ROCKET RONNIE]

I think the skids as you have said, also the blades maybe ?? I think it's just a time thing and you just seem to no on the sticks, if you no what I mean ?? Sorry if that's no help


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[dillwhacker]

I found looking at the skids is quite easy to mis-interpret TBH. They look similar tilted in and tilted out. Look at the rotor disc is better.
Best tip I had was when your brain gets confused, move the sticks AWAY from you first, then correct if necessary.

[gazmk2]

Cheers guys, the only heli I have this issue with is my 550! I fly my little Gaui 200 and trex 450 much closer in and so don't have this problem.

[jimmyhorns]

you kind of need to know where it should be from your inputs, rather than trying to work out how it is....

That doesnt sound very straightforward, but its got me out of trouble many a time...

[gazmk2]

So a bit like when you trust your inputs when it's too far away/too dull to physically see the helis orientation properly?

[Ade_Law]

exactly gazmk2,

you should never really look at any one thing on the heli, you need to look at the whole thing. Skids, Disk and canopy.

dont under estimate the canopy, its worth trying different designs to see what works for you. Contrast and pattern is important.

[SGD]

Airtime and more airtime! It's one of those things that comes with practice. As has been said, watching the skids can be confusing unless you have a way of identifying which is which. Same goes for the blades even if you have distincttive markings top and bottom of them it's not easy at distance. I found that watching the rotor disc profile worked for me but which correction direction you choose to try first is up to you but as Jimmy says away from you is safest!

[George J]

Look at the heli generally rather than just a part of it, in time it will come naturally. Skids imo the worst thing to look at as it's the thinnest part on the heli usually.
Flight time will be the biggest help though.

[iceuk]

Do not try and look at just one part of the heli, as uou tend to get problems like you are. Instead see the
Heli as one, you will then have lots of points to sub conciously navigate from.

Imgine heli as a shape when its tilted it will be a different shape slightly from that you can how banked it is,
Evrntually youll just see heli as blob and know instinctively where it is just from your previous stick inputs.

[JoeBailey]

If the Heli is getting bigger it's leaning towards you, if its getting smaller its leaning away.

Of course that all changes in wind.

[Rob99]

I think most have covered this but one thing i would say is if you are not sure, dont just leave it there, get it moving forward in one direction and if you are not sure if it is tail in or nose in (can be difficult to tell by the skids or rotor disc if a long way out) move the model on either left or right on the stick and see what it does. Good luck. We all get better with practice!!!

[SaneAdam]

Another tip for getting comfortable with side on orientations is to slightly turn your body with the heli. If you are looking at the right side of the helicopter, just slightly turn your body to the right to kinda trick your brain into thinking you are still tail in. The controls should suddenly become a bit more intuitive if you can put yourself in the helicopter so to speak.

[milly0812]

I found practicing close to the ground very helpful as you can see the top of the disc

[gazmk2]

Cheers for the inputs so far guys, side on hovering is not an issue as I spent a lot time doing hovering and basic orientations in my living room with the nano. That little nano basically taught me to fly!

The only time I find this an issue is when flying forwards and even then it seems to be mainly when coming out of a banked turn. I have a tendency to not be able to tell when it's level after exiting the turn. No problem on the flybarred helis as they straighten themselves but the 550 is flybarless and maintains the angle you left it at and so needs to be straightened after a turn.

I took it out today and I did try using the tips given here, it is improving and definately trying look at the heli as a whole seems to work best so far.

Like you guys have said though, stick time is clearly the best cure! And one last thing, isn't a flybarless 550 great in a strong wind! It was blowing a Gail just after I took off and I barely noticed until I came into land! Even the nose in landing (I was flying downwind) was nice and easy!