too many to choose from

[XH558]

I'm just glad someone else doesn't think that Sims are the be all and end all of flying/learning to fly RC helis.

No they're not IMHO - as well as adrenalin there's no horizon awareness and your peripheral vision isn't picking up visual clues like the nearby hedge - just the cat walking around the corner in the hall where I'm sitting :lol: :lol:

You can be flying beautifully - well you think it's beautifully - until you lose a little altitude and suddenly there's the ground - whoops Where for real you would have known where you were in relation to the ground as you are standing on it :P

Also I don't fly for real sitting on a gas operated computer chair - so the whole experience is wrong :?

I do however see their place bigtime in TX awareness and thumb training - I learned a heap about what each stick did in every orientation and also learned the biggest lesson of all - input balance ... that is - realising that when the heli is dropping you input some more pitch - but before that has had time to take effect you add a slight opposite effect otherwise it shoots up like an elevator - as every input seems to have a 'drag' on taking effect - I know from realtime flying experience that that is the same on fullsize real helis.

I also get bored on XTR - but never get bored flying the helis for real :lol:

Something else I've just remembered - I was showing off to a little lad of 11 the other evening - he's just had his first park flyer and I showed him XTR and we brought up an electric parkflyer sim.
I took it off - did a circuit - and grease landed it - and did a rolling take off 12 times in a row - perfectly :P He thinks I'm GOD 8O What I didn't tell him was I've never even managed 2 circuits on a real electric plank without some mishap or other - in fact I amazed myself on XTR 8O :roll:

[Butuz]

Also I don't fly for real sitting on a gas operated computer chair - so the whole experience is wrong :?

Nowt wrong with practicing while your at work

I do however see their place bigtime in TX awareness and thumb training - I learned a heap about what each stick did in every orientation and also learned the biggest lesson of all - input balance ... that is - realising that when the heli is dropping you input some more pitch - but before that has had time to take effect you add a slight opposite effect otherwise it shoots up like an elevator - as every input seems to have a 'drag' on taking effect - I know from realtime flying experience that that is the same on fullsize real helis.

I agree. Having no Sim, but having started with a coaxial - i think your right. A coaxial doesnt need that second correction. I thought it would teach me how to fly a helicopter, in actual fact it it taught me how to fly a coaxial, but that is not bad thing because that taught me how to fly in 3 dimensions and thats something i wont forget no matter what heli i fly.

But yes - i fired up my Piccolo for the first time, and it went right,so i applied left, it sstill wernt right, so i applied more left, then it went left, BIG TIME. and i had to cut the power and land. That was a big lesson for me, and now, a day later i can hover no real problem.

Lesson Learned.

Butuz

[antsis]

Just to add my 2p

I started with the hummingbird FP and battled so much I nearly gave up. However, I persisted and mastered the hover. I then tried my hawk 30 and it was a piece of cake.

Ok, micro helis are not the best to learn on, but the main thing my FP taught me was how to control the stick inputs. You know, when you've got it in the hover and it starts to drift. The fingers try and recover and all at once it's swinging all over the place before smacking into the wall.

I eventually bought XTR. This was a year after I could fly decent circuits and the main aim was to practice nose-in and autos. I hardly use it know, but still think it was worth buying.

[bandicoot]

I have a micro heli (wrongly thought that it was the place to start) and a sim..i quickly learnt that it wasn't going to be easy learing to fly and the sim has helped loads with learning how to be gentle with the sticks...however i have decided that a real lesson is the way to go (enter Ade stage left)

Ok the micro is not the easy option but Im hoping that a lesson will at least give be a better understanding and more confedance to fly, and i will master the little beast while saving for a IC model

[Ade_Law]

bring lots of clothes, all you have... its bloody freezing

Ade

[bandicoot]

Well My lesson was a success and a very large BIG UP to Ade. For any one new to the sport a lesson is a very good investment.

Ade is a great teacher and the rest of the guys at the Dorset model helicopter club are a nice friendly bunch (I must get one of those flying wing things)..so if like me your new, have a go on a sim then get down to see Ade for a lesson, it works!!

I had my little micro in the air today and that was after one lesson ( ok it wasn't very high or for very long but at least I have more confidence and a better understanding of what imp doing)

Thanks again Ade

[Thomas]

must get one of those flying wing things

You'll get one, then you'll get a 50, been there, I went done there with my little robbe eolo to get set up and have an hours lesson, next thing I knew I'd handed over 40 in the pub and then a bit more on the essential brushless set up later on, next thing I knew I had bought a 50 - so be prepared.

Mind you I think the wing helps more with learnig to fly a heli than the sim does, most of all flying something that's a long way off and flying the thing towards you, and not to mention they're a lot of fun too.

[Ade_Law]

maybe I am not a bad salesman afterall? :-)

how am i gonna live that down??

incase your wondering what these wings are, there is a video of the tornado at www.flyingaid.co.uk/about.asp

Ade

[bandicoot]

roll on payday is wot i say

_________________
Ades walking advert

[Thomas]

What's wrong with a good ol' fashoned credit card? if I waited for clients to pay their bills I'd never be able to go flying at all, Ade had a credit card mechine too.