Progress

[wouldbeflyer]

Well I have long last managed to do basic hovering for the full battery time on every attempt without smashing anything for a couple of weeks now ,but just cannot take the plunge into any advanced moves.I don't want to do 3d at all ,just circle and fly safe and sensible but how to do this without tears is proving to be a bit of a challenge.Would a buddy lead help or hinder.I feel there must be a proven method around these days.The sim is good but I don't feel its the answer

[Grumpy]

Just take it in baby steps. Can you hover in all orientations (tail in, nose left, nose right, nose in)?.. if so then progressing to slow forward flight and gentle 'flat' turns is the next step.

[wouldbeflyer]

Only tail in,it just goes berserk when I turn .If it turns on its own then not so bad for a few seconds

[Grumpy]

Just try turning gradually, maybe 30 degrees to the right and 30 degrees to the left, then build up slowly until you are fully sideways. there aren't really any shortcuts, you just need to practice and go at your own pace.

It's a controversial subject but larger helis are much easier because they are much less twitchy, it's like flying in slow motion replay compared to a micro, you have so much more time to think. Of course if you do crash it''s more expensive to fix, so it's swings and roundabouts. All i know for sure is when i switched to a larger heli my flying progressed in huge leaps virtually overnight.

[electricsceadu]

as said
turn the tail in small amounts left/right
when you are happy and can hover ok then turn a little more

also to start with keep the heli tail in and move the heli a little sideways left/right
when you are happy move a little further
small steps and stick time is what you need

as for the sim some like them others don't
but it is a good way to train your fingers/thumbs to controling a heli

the buddy lead can help, it can also give you a false sense of control as once your off the buddy lead you haven't got the second pilot to take over
if you do go on a buddy lead don't try to be a 3d god, just stick to the basics of flight
and don't be bullied into doing something you know you shouldn't be doing


ans to the comment of the size of the heli
yes larger heli's are more stable and you have more time to react
downside is cost

[wouldbeflyer]

I am about the same with an MCPX BL and a Blade 500 and yes, the 500 is smoother and less twitchy.I have been told to go idle up but the settings still are a bit vague on my dx6i. In the end I suppose its down to how brave you feel and at my age I don't. It would be nice to crack it though it seems less and less likely

[Mike Sanders]

I think I can offer you some encouragement. I started at the age of 63. Like you I was stuck, hovering tail in for months. I persevered and my flying gradually improved and last July, at the age of 66, I took and passed the A test.
I still can't do much more than simple figure eights and circuits but my flying is continuing to improve, slowly.
Stick at it and enjoy the sensation of controlling the model.

[electricsceadu]

at the moment leave idle up alone
in the clubs that i fly at there is a wide range of ages young to old
most pilots with regular stick time are able to master flying a heli
granted some are better than others

remember rome wasn't built in a day
and you can't learn to fly a heli in a day either

whenever the weather allows practise
snd you will master heli flying

[electricsceadu]

I think I can offer you some encouragement. I started at the age of 63. Like you I was stuck, hovering tail in for months. I persevered and my flying gradually improved and last July, at the age of 66, I took and passed the A test.
I still can't do much more than simple figure eights and circuits but my flying is continuing to improve, slowly.
Stick at it and enjoy the sensation of controlling the model.

very well written
young sir

[wouldbeflyer]

I think that is maybe what I needed to hear though I am somewhat older than you are now. Its just a question of time maybe and practice. The fellas I know are masters at it,world class in my opinion and relaxed at flying 3d in superb fashion.I seem to struggle ,even after 3 months it is not easy so hearing you have cracked it after time means it is still possible

[Thor]

I agree: give it time and practice - quite a lot of both ;-)

I have been flying for 2 years now (age 44) and only now feel actually competent flying upright circles, 8s, stall turns and loops in real life. I started out with micros, and quickly learned lazy 8s and stall turns, but was fooling myself that I had any real competence. Last year, I built a Trex 450L and had been progressing gradually, but it was not until I started sim'ing regularly and purposefully in November, that I feel I have grown genuinely competent at the maneuvers stated above. On the sim, I can fly fairly consistent circles and 8s in all orientations and directions, and I hope to progress to this in real life over the summer. I have been using this "method" on the sim and found it extremely helpful. Also extremely tedious at times, but now I feel that I am almost completely unfazed by any orientation and can safely (and automatically) recover when things don't quite go right ;-)

Patience and perseverence will prevail...

[wouldbeflyer]

Another good response.I had to post as it seemed I was going nowhere with it and thinking of giving up.There is ,it seems ,no short cut ,I am just impatient.Its just a case of do what suits you, in your case it was the sim so full marks, you did it. I will have a look at your suggestion,thanks. Gona fill the batteries at fist light and have another crack at it

[hunter_heli]

Try moving your body with the helicopter - IE when going nose right with the helicopter move your body to the right (and the transmitter), you won't lose orientation this way. After a while, you wont move your body (but imagine you are) and before you know it you will be side on. After 3 years of flying, i still find myself doing this 'just in case' i have forgotten.

[Chrisrw]

Stick at it.
i've seen you with the mcpx ( and the 500) and your hovering was good. The mcpx (bl I think u have) does suffer in a hard crash. I know I said it before but if you are at a loose end next week pop over (Penenden heath) and have a play with a smaller micro (I have a msrx and an older mcpx). The msrx is a tough little heli and gave me so much confidence. I would only hover the mcpx tail in but on the msrx I could do nose in fairly quickly. Soon after I was flying round the house (tail in) but walking behind it. That progressed to doing small circuits (or a square with a turn at each corner!). I can fly it round the room now without crashing at all. Even though it's a fixed pitch these skills have feed over to my CP flying and I can do more than I ever thought I would in under 6 months (even trying a bit of inverted hovering with the mcpx).
Anway, the point is it won't hurt your CP skills to play with a FP if you think the fear of crashing is hindering you - more stick time is what counts. I would probably still be just hovering my 450 if I hadn't had all that extra practice on a small (almost unbreakable) heli.
i aslo have a dx7 now so could try buddying (although Im not sure I'm at a level to be of that much help yet?) maybe some of the other local guys could offer a session?
Take it easy,
chris

[wouldbeflyer]

Ok I will give it a shot.I have heard it before and forgot it again .Thanks