Absolute Beginner....

[mikey]

Hi everyone, i used to fly rc planes, but due to a lack of time i decided to get rid, advertised in my local paper but rather than ask for cash i asked for a swap for the one thing i always wanted, HELI's a guy rang me and i am now the owner of not one but 2 electric heli's.

They are an esky honey bee and the ESky Belt CP V2, with spare lipo's blades (main and tail) training gear and flight sim software PhoenixRC and lead. I maybe didnt get the best deal in the world considering what i parted with, but hey i'm as happy as a pig in poo .

So first thing i did was charge the lipo for the honey bee, while installing the sim software on my laptop, plugged in the controller, found the training heli, then went into cyberspace to find some hints and tips about flying, first thing i thought i would try is learning to hover, after reading a lengthy how to i thought 'Yeah i get that' so started applying power in the sim. Thats where it goes from good day to bad, no matter what i try i cannot get the thing to hover, it just lifts and screams away from me(dont think it likes me) ive tried trimming out to various degrees but to no avail.

I'm using a 4ch tx, the heli just spins counter clockwise and whizzes away, frustrated does not even enter the equation. So any tips hints would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers guys

Mick

[Mart61]

Hi Mick and welcome aboard.

I'm sure you'll get some tips before too much longer...

What Tx are you using?

[Holst]

It sounds like you have assigned your controls incorrectly in phoenix or you didnt calibrate the transmitter properly.

Whatever you do dont try and fly the heli for real untill you can hover with some confidence in the sim

You shouldnt need to use any trim in the sim as its a "perfect" helicopter which is always in perfect trim.

[dandeman]

engine goes to - ch 1

Collective pitch goes to - ch 6

elevator goes to - ch 3

ailrons go to - ch 2

rudder to - ch 4

[brin]

engine goes to - ch 1

Collective pitch goes to - ch 6

elevator goes to - ch 3

ailrons go to - ch 2

rudder to - ch 4

he only has 4channels dan

[dandeman]

oops

[Holst]

If he has a belt CP he must have 6 channels.

But.... I dont think you can disable the CCPM mixing on those transmitters (if its the esky one) so I dont know if it will work with a sim..

Although on the other hand the guy who sold it to him had that transmitter and phoenix so maybe there is a way to make it work.

[mikey]

Hi guys thanks for the reply's, im using the 4ch TX that came with the honey bee standard TX out of box...will think about upgrading etc when i can master what i have.

I followed the instructions for setting up the TX in the sim, maybe just maybe im still thinking plane at the moment, which would explain the lack of control?

I have made e-mail enquiries at a local heli club, but am apprehensive as all the pics on their site seem to be huge nitro things!!!! and i have, in relative terms small electric helis!

But hey what the hell nothing ventured nothing gained as they say

[Holst]

So you only have the 4 channel transmitter?

You can still fly helis with this transmitter

With a heli you need 5 channels to fly.

Pitch
Roll
Tail
Throttle
and finally blade pitch.

In the sim there is a button you can press called "Idle up"
This will hold the throttle at 100%.

Then if you set your right stick as pitch and roll with rudder and collective pitch on the left stick you should be able to fly in the sim

With a heli in idle up you control the power by altering the pitch of the blades.

On an aircraft when the left stick is at the bottom of is travel this is low power.

BUT on a heli in idle up the stick all the way down is full negative pitch (for flying upside down) the stick in the middle is zero and all the way up is full positive (for flying the right way up)

So you need to put the "throttle" in the middle to take off and land.

With a 5 channel transmitter you control both the pitch and the throttle using the left stick and use the transmitter software to mix them together.
On a propper heli transmitter you have two (or more) mixes avalable for throttle and pitch. Usually one called "normal" where the throttle is off at low stick, you use this for taking off. And another called "idel up or stunt" where the throttle runs at all stick positions.. you use this for flying inverted.

Although flying in idle up all the time might seem strange it will be good practice.

[opc]

Hi mikey,welcome to the forum.

Don't worry about only having a small one,people that fly heli's don't care what you fly aslong as you fly(unlike some plank flyers)Join a club and get stuck in!!

It's a totaly different experience flying heli's opposed to planks because it takes a lot of concerntration just to hover when your learning but the feeling of acheviment is much,much higher.(don't give up)

You have done the right thing by joining heliaddicts,there is always someone on here with help and advice.

Good luck

[dandeman]

I think some of the honey bees are FP so you only need 4ch ? But you will need 5 if you do have pitch!

[mikey]

Sorry dandeman not making much sense am i, yes i have the 4ch which came with honey bee, thats the one im currently using on the sim....however i also have the 6ch TX that came with the belt cp v2, so am i right thinking that what you are saying is i would find it easier if i use the 6ch with the sim software?

Many thanks to all for your replies.

Mick

[unwind-protect]

No stick with the 4 channel for now; the 6 channel just introduces additional complications.

You can assign throttle and collective pitch control to the same channel in the transmitter setup. In fact, I thought the latest versions of phoenix (free downloads) had these available by default?

Maybe (temporarily!) try flying one of the planes, or the coaxial helicopter, so you can verify that you transmitter setup is correct.

[chopperaddict]

Hi everyone, i used to fly rc planes, but due to a lack of time i decided to get rid, advertised in my local paper but rather than ask for cash i asked for a swap for the one thing i always wanted, HELI's a guy rang me and i am now the owner of not one but 2 electric heli's.

They are an esky honey bee and the ESky Belt CP V2, with spare lipo's blades (main and tail) training gear and flight sim software PhoenixRC and lead. I maybe didnt get the best deal in the world considering what i parted with, but hey i'm as happy as a pig in poo .

So first thing i did was charge the lipo for the honey bee, while installing the sim software on my laptop, plugged in the controller, found the training heli, then went into cyberspace to find some hints and tips about flying, first thing i thought i would try is learning to hover, after reading a lengthy how to i thought 'Yeah i get that' so started applying power in the sim. Thats where it goes from good day to bad, no matter what i try i cannot get the thing to hover, it just lifts and screams away from me(dont think it likes me) ive tried trimming out to various degrees but to no avail.

I'm using a 4ch tx, the heli just spins counter clockwise and whizzes away, frustrated does not even enter the equation. So any tips hints would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers guys

Mick

Hi Mikey, and welcome to the forum.

I use an Esky PPM 4 channel TX (marked ET4 on the front) that came with my KOB with Phoenix, and it works just fine.

As others have said however, helis do not take off and then sit there waiting for you to tell em to do something, they have very distinct ideas all of their own, mostly associated with hitting objects or the ground as quickly as possible unless the receive stern instructions from you, the pilot.

On takeoff, they will usually try to come back towards you, and drift off left rapidly.

May I suggest you check the various tutorials that are around on learning how to hover a heli. They mostly advocate sliding around on the ground for quite a while first, letting you get the feel for the control inputs needed. This saves a lot of crashes, and is a very good way to get going.

Another useful trick in Phoenix is to slow the speed of the whole thing down to around 45-50% so that you have more time to react

Hovering a heli is about as hard a trick to learn as anything else, and even full size heli pilots have problems achieving it with an RC heli..........

Hope you get it all sorted, but if you need any help, just ask in here, thats what it is for........and why most of us are here.

[mikey]

Hi chopperaddict and thanks for the welcome....my TX has E-Sky 4 channel 2.4ghz transmitter on the front, Helicopter System 2.4G and thats it no other info, the model no is EK2-0404G.

Have been on the sim and have managed to master the boom i.e keeping it in the position, not while hovering, but while heli is doing its thing, i can get the heli to hover for approx 3secs which im pleased with as this means im headed in the right direction.

Using the training gear i can take the heli away from me turn it and bring it back to original start position, all at ground level :P

Mick