My hovering progress... or lack of! idle up flight

[inferno]

Thought id try to post a vid

[ame]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v487/s3rst/?action=view&current=dd4a1294.flv[/ame]

Thing is, im more comfortable attempting to fly in idle up mode, can you see any problem learning like this? This is my current progress after fitting the dx7 gear and total of about 20 lipos through the heli, not really had much sim time either but im working on it!

Only thing i noticed today was the tail isnt so responsive, and idle up doesnt feel that quick anymore but i guess the throttle curves will be the reason there.

Anyway, do you like the hops?!

Excuse the sideways vid :d

[andylinney]

Inferno, I'm still very much a learner so take what I say with the appropriately sized pinch of salt...

Try setting yourself an imaginary limit on it's movement in the hover - I started with a 10ft square and then gradually narrowed it down. I was really tough on myself and as soon as the heli was outwith that square I'd land and stop the rotors, pick the heli up and put it back in the middle of the square and try again.

Having to be really disciplined with myself meant that I learnt to keep the heli as still as I could in the air. For me part of learning to hover was learning to anticipate what the heli was going to do rather than reacting to what it had already done. Someone mentioned to me that watching the mainshaft and where it's pointing will tell you where the heli is going to head as it's going to follow it's mainshaft when in the air.

Keep getting as much practice as you possibly can. Almost everyone I've spoken to has told me how hovering just 'clicked' in their mind and thumbs. As my old full size instructor used to tell me you're the one in charge so don't let it get ahead of you... (that's easy to say however...)

I wish I was that good after 20 flights, keep going!

[unwind-protect]

It depends what you mean by idle up. If you mean throttle always open regardless of pitch then I'd suggest you're going to have some expensive mistakes. If you just mean large symmetric pitch range or higher head speed then, if it works for you, great; just watch out for boom strikes when panic landing.

You might want to consider flying over a hard surface (concrete/ tarmac). It should let the balls of the undercarriage roll a bit, so you can practise cyclic control more easily lower down. When things get out of hand you can close the throttle a bit and help get things back under control. Mind you, when it does go in, concrete is pretty unforgiving

[Tim Procter]

My neck hurts now..



Your doing fine mate, Keep those hands on the sticks and practice practice practice..

It gets much easier when you dispose of the training balls..

[inferno]

My 10ft square section of garden needs cutting, but i had been doing the same as suggested, and resetting heli to centre when i landed.

By idle up i mean a pretty flat v curve for throttle, idle up 1 maxing on 85% 2 maxing on 100% , dropping to about 75-85 mid curve for half the throttle travel.

Pitch curve stays linear. ive been knocking the throttle hold switch in panic situations, or the normal mode, im not too bad at panik dropping tbh, no boom strikes yet!

Defo finding it easier to control out of the ground effect zone, but with the wind and the 6ft fence i might end up stuck the other side!

Waiting now for a B6 charger and then im looking to buy a few bigger lipos and explore the new e smart 600 size heli looks far better

[Made2Fade]

why dont you just push the points below half stick (in the throttle curve) up more so that you get a better headspeed in the hover but still get zero throttle at the bottom? Instead of going into idleup.
Cheers
Lee

[inferno]

Ive made normal flight mode very dosile for learning and minimal neg pitch, i guess i could raise th speed a bit though ill have a play tomorow i think if weathers good

[inferno]

Well after saterdays hovering 'just clicking' then promptly boom striked in idle up, fully repaired and 2 charged 2100lipos today, i thought id better have another go.

And it works! Kept it up 8mins before landing (tx timer was 8mins), and repeated it twice more over the 2 batterys! All the time keeping within around a 6ft square and no higher than 5ft off the floor!

Also managed a pirouette! Any boy does it pirouette fast :O

Managed to whack the throttle up a few times too and the gyro although it drifts a bit, seems to work ok under power!

I did fix the constant tail correction by replacing the tail grips and blades and tightening the belt a touch.

So anyway, it actually feels flyable now... at last