A Tank Short of 1 Gallon

[Mojo]

Well it’s that time again.. And 3 weeks since I first took my T-Rex for her Maiden flight..

And it has been a steep learning curve.. Now that I’m approaching a milestone (in liquid measuring unit), I thought I’d share my experience last weekend..

But let me quickly recap on the events leading to it..

The order of the day is usually.. Shaking-Shaking-Hovering (Shaking!).. And sometimes breaking things (lucky they were minor )..
Hovering-Having good control-Moving the heli around with confidence and landing well..

Actually, I was very close to taking the TG off as I felt I could take off and land in a controlled manner and was pretty capable of doing so (so he says!)..

Then things changed very quickly.. A couple of guys at my club gave me a hand setting my heli with my new DX7. Well it was going very well, however, since I transposed the settings from my DX6i, some things were not right so Andy (aka agh321) took her up to 'fine tune'… So he hovers it and adjusts the different curves, then takes it on some circuits (adjusting more settings) and leaning the engine (as it was seriously rich) lands it in front of us with the phrase ‘Now she’s all set up.. She’ll be like a Pussy Cat).. So I take my newly set up “Pussy Cat” for a little hover to acquaint myself with the new settings and with my new Tx..

Throttle up and she majestically (as always) rises into the air, it was quiet windy and I wasn’t really in my comfort zone.. So about 5 seconds later I thought the air was sucked out of my lungs!!.. She was quick! The responses and the power was coming on quick with the slightest moves.. So I put her down as gentle as I can (and thank god I didn’t take the TG off) and I tried a few more times to get used to her new settings.. But she was drifting away from me and I then thought I can’t handle her like this and walked back to the pits to have a quiet heart attack..!! As I realised then that I have to re-learn all I’ve learned again!

Then Andy saw me and said what are you doing here, your tank is three quarters full.. Go back and finish it, to which my reply was “she’s a bit above my level”..

Now came the comment that sorted me out, he told me that he has been watching me flying up till today and I was comfortable with the old settings, I need to go now and learn how to fly her again.. And he came and stood next to me.. And every time I tried to set her down he just told me to keep her in the air and I did!!.. And by the end of the tank I had her sussed out.. 2 more tanks followed and she was in a perfect hover and I was starting to move her from left to right (very slowly of course) in a very controlled manner.. And although I didn’t learn any new maneuvers I felt like I have made good progress on that day..

So, decided to give my heart a rest and let it slow down from the 200+ bpm and just hanged around till the end of the day with a very satisfied grin on my face..

She’s a beast, and she scares the living daylights out of me.. But I love flying her!!

[cotti]

Great story m8 I smiled when I read it!

[Mart61]

Nice one! I hope to be doing something very similar with my 500 in the coming days.

[shoot51]

Nicely done! I,m at the same stage fuel wise but you sound a lot better than me control wise and last night i finished a re-build after last Sundays "escapade", not too bad, usual bits,main shaft, spindle, fly bar etc., looking forward to the training gear coming off but they have saved my butt several times. Good luck, onward and upward, hopefully i can catch up. Richard

[Brian Gifford]

Brilliant story, mate, you really have a gift for telling us how you are doing.

Well done!

BTW, what's your name, do I call you Mo, Mojo, or what?

As I say, brilliant post, and inspiring for a newb like me.

[Mojo]

Thanks guys

With every flight there is always something new to learn (even if you have to fix the heli afterwards, it's a labour of love ).. I think the fun just never stops Good luck to us all in our quest to control and enjoy those mighty machines..

Good luck Martin and well done Richard.. Cotti and Brian thank you for the comments, i try to put my story to mirror the experience and hopefully that will encourage other newbies like myself. I found that reading other peoples progress give me encouragment (and hope), it is not impossible although sometimes you think it is.. It's just perseverence and hard work

Brian, the name is Mo (short for Mohamed) and Mojo is my nickname.. At my club i get Fly-Mo (), nothing to do with lawnmowers though lol!!

Mo

[Nick B]

Good on ya Mo...im at the same level too.I had that grin on my face last weekend but had a wondering boom so held back.Its now sorted so i have no excuses

Er,its a bit windy today tho

[murph]

Nice one Mo, hoping to get my Knight in the air today, trying to get the engine to run right then that should be it, no doubt I'll be quite nervous with it!!! Have flown nitro before as I have a scale Hughes 500E, but any new heli is exciting lol!!

[gramey]

Mo well done and good going, it's always a little daunting when you get out of your comfort zone but rewarding when you hold it together as you clearly did.
A friend of mine invited me over to his on Wednesday to fly at his house, great I said even though I'm only just starting to do circuits. Even though I've been there many times before it was never to fly heli's. All of a sudden I realise those tree's that look a long way away are pretty damn close when flying a 600 and I suddenly got heli claustrophobia!
Managed to miss the tree's and felt really chuffed when I got it down in one piece.
I find the DX7 much more comfortable to hold than my old DX6i, do you use a strap or tray? I couldn't get on with a tray so flew for ages just holding onto my TX. I then went to using a strap and found it easier to control than when hainvg to suppor the weight of the transmitter in my hands as well as do the sticks.

[moyesboy]

Today the motor stopped on my knight3D while inverted at 20 feet, and it fell to the floor quite gently (blades, boom, one grip, maybe the main shaft....)
The tank ws a bit empty
but also I found a dodgy solder joint on the rx power - so it might have been a failsafe...which might explain how my inverted auto attempts failed to get any increase in head speed...

Anyway mojo's enthusiasm is enough to keep us all going and plenty more fun was had after this annoying incident...

It was fun watching Mo doing circuits on a buddy box with a (shhhh!) WOT4.
...left now....no! the other left....

Mojo lowered the average age at our field today by about 20 years I think

[chemicalbro]

good stuff Mo
trust me the shaking and fear of the beast will pass.
when i first flew i was the same.
i swear i drilled a hole in the grass at the field with my left leg shaking when i started
i guess its like a lion tamer.. he knows the lions are dangerous and the 1st time in the cage i bet he's bricking it.
after a while he still knows the lions are dangerous but he has learned a degree of control over the beasts .

[Mojo]

Mo well done and good going, it's always a little daunting when you get out of your comfort zone but rewarding when you hold it together as you clearly did.
A friend of mine invited me over to his on Wednesday to fly at his house, great I said even though I'm only just starting to do circuits. Even though I've been there many times before it was never to fly heli's. All of a sudden I realise those tree's that look a long way away are pretty damn close when flying a 600 and I suddenly got heli claustrophobia!
Managed to miss the tree's and felt really chuffed when I got it down in one piece.
I find the DX7 much more comfortable to hold than my old DX6i, do you use a strap or tray? I couldn't get on with a tray so flew for ages just holding onto my TX. I then went to using a strap and found it easier to control than when hainvg to suppor the weight of the transmitter in my hands as well as do the sticks.

Thanks mate And well done!! I think that is part of the learning as well, to keep the heli close and not let it drift.. I use a strap on the DX7, i like it because it's a little heavier and smaller than the DX6i.. I need to get the little metal bracket to clip it lower so it's balanced when it's hanging from my neck..

Today the motor stopped on my knight3D while inverted at 20 feet, and it fell to the floor quite gently (blades, boom, one grip, maybe the main shaft....)
The tank ws a bit empty
but also I found a dodgy solder joint on the rx power - so it might have been a failsafe...which might explain how my inverted auto attempts failed to get any increase in head speed...

Anyway mojo's enthusiasm is enough to keep us all going and plenty more fun was had after this annoying incident...

It was fun watching Mo doing circuits on a buddy box with a (shhhh!) WOT4.
...left now....no! the other left....

Mojo lowered the average age at our field today by about 20 years I think

Thanks moyesboy.. And was sorry to see the knight hit the ground yesterday.. Hopefully it'll be flying again next time i see you.. And looking it a different way, i'm just surrounded by experience on that field (which is definately lucky for me) ..

The WOT4 though!! That was fun!.. and getting the right movments in the different orientation is definately a bit tricky in the begining.. But it's all good training for when i get my heli into circuits (and i can't wait!!)

good stuff Mo
trust me the shaking and fear of the beast will pass.
when i first flew i was the same.
i swear i drilled a hole in the grass at the field with my left leg shaking when i started
i guess its like a lion tamer.. he knows the lions are dangerous and the 1st time in the cage i bet he's bricking it.
after a while he still knows the lions are dangerous but he has learned a degree of control over the beasts .

Thanks Chemicalbro.. I hope it comes soon, it's like a rollercoaster for me in the begining of every flight.. i am nervous then i start relaxing as the flight goes on.. Refuel and it's the same circle again lol!! Well i guess once i'm comfortable with what i'm doing it'll probably get better.. But i know she needs to be treated with respect, no matter how good i get.. Just like a lion, it could just turn around one day and have a go at me

[chemicalbro]

Just like a lion, it could just turn around one day and have a go at me

thats why i used the lion tamer analogy

we all know our models are dangerous but as you say if treated with respect and learned properly ie not jumping in and doing loops and flips after a couple of flights (seeing a bit much of that lately.. people posting vids trying loops and stuff then upset when they have crashed when its obvious they didn't spend enough time on the basics to even be thinking about trying stuff like that with their nice new shiny flying gilloutine)

a respectful fear of the heli i recon is a good thing. complacency leads to disaster

[Brian Gifford]

thats why i used the lion tamer analogy

we all know our models are dangerous but as you say if treated with respect and learned properly ie not jumping in and doing loops and flips after a couple of flights (seeing a bit much of that lately.. people posting vids trying loops and stuff then upset when they have crashed when its obvious they didn't spend enough time on the basics to even be thinking about trying stuff like that with their nice new shiny flying gilloutine)

a respectful fear of the heli i recon is a good thing. complacency leads to disaster

Very apt words, Alan. It's too easy to forget how dangerous these machines can be.

[Mojo]

Very apt words, Alan. It's too easy to forget how dangerous these machines can be.

Indeed very true and wise words.. I was told to get the basics spot on, doesn't matter how long it takes because when you're in trouble the basics are gonna save your heli and possibly injury to someone..

I just had a few hours today flying (and the weather was just perfect) and all i do is get my hovering practice.. Constant altitude, and a perfectly still heli.. Move it about and hold it.. then move it again and do the same.. I guess in the future if i'm in trouble with another maneuver i just have to hover it like that until i figure out my next move..