Idle Up

[scallybert]

So are we going to see inverted with the balls on. lol

I think you mean my Fluoro-Orb Orientation Kit...

Dunno. Do you want to see my balls up (er, orbs uppermost)..?

[Rotorhead]

I take the following view with initial setups....

When a beginner asks me to set a heli up for them I always keep in mind that its a beginner asking, if they wheren't a beginner then they wouldn't be asking....

So I set it up as a trainer setup, its not hard to set it up for 3D capability afterwards, but in those early learning stages I think that hovering at midstick with limited negative is a good idea, and if this is initially mechanicially set up so that it has the mechanicial range of pitch available then its just a case of changing the radio settings.

The reason for a set up for hover at midstick on the first few flights is that firstly they're new at it, so make it as un-twitchy as possible, this includes the collective, if its using all the range of stick motion from bottom stick to top stick to control all the pitch range being used then you make it far less twitchy than if you stick a 3D 3/4 hover point in (they would end up not using the bottom half of the throttle).... then as they get used to it, after a few flights move the hover point up towards 3/4, even if you go straight from 1/2 to 3/4 its not much of a stretch after a few flights to move the hover point.

Also make sure there is some expo in there for them as its nearly always the case that they'll over control with a sensitive cyclic, again, re-adjust afterwards as they get used to it, they may want more expo they may want less, but I like to err on the side of caution.

Once they're comfortable hovering then use a 3/4 hover point from then on unless they are sure they're not interested in sports or 3D, in other words make the heli as easy as possible to fly on their first go, then go from there.

[derrick]

I think it looks good.

[scallybert]

whats going on over there del matt with a plank mark inverting his ball's

I think Matt broke his heli, then next thing he had someone's plane in the air.

Not sure about inverted for quite a while...

[derrick]

Have to get over there on saturday to see what's going on. as there is no flying sunday,

[scallybert]

Have to get over there on saturday [...]

You mean Outrage Day - well has been recently. Nothing but G5s (not just me)...

Weather forecast is not too bad.

[scallybert]

Ok...

Thanks for the replies.

I was always pretty sure that a 'stunt mode' was going to need a lot of thrust, and symmetry about zero (mid-stick). [How else are you going to fly inverted..?]

What was never so clear was what (if anything) the bizarre term "idle up" meant, and why it needed to be different from "normal mode".

[I must admit, I hate the term; and the way people seem to feel the need to use it as if it means something.]


From what's been said here, and other informed opinion, it seems:

• Idle up is (a) stunt mode, as above;
• There are various ways of implementing this stunt mode, dependant on set-up & personal preference;
• People tend to also have a non-stunt mode (eg 'normal mode'), which can be for a number of reasons, eg:
  • To start, spool up & shutdown a nitro;
    • (local expert has a lower throttle in normal to avoid confusion between modes)
  • To start & spool up a non-gov mode ESC;
  • To give a calmer mode to take-off/landing;
  • To give a mode with less -ve collective (etc), to reduce consequences of certain learner error, or such.

[Dashik]

Idle up = A LOT more damage to your 600n when you stick it in at full chat.....

Ask me how I know

[Kwickkwack]

As a complete beginner you do not need idle up set, but as you progress it is advisable to set a curve and match the pitch curve accordingly.

Personally I use normal mode to take off and land and practice slow manouvers and idle up for sport flying and as Sacko has said inverted flight.

In normal I run a fairly straight pitch curve giving me -5º to +10º of pitch with mid stick being the hovering point.
In idle up 1 I run approx -9º to +10º of pitch which allows for inverted flight and have 0º pitch at mid stick. this means the hover point (right way up and inverted) is around 1/4 stick above and below centre.

Remember to match your throttle hold pitch curve to the same as normal so if you hit the switch it will not change radically. (this can be altered to the same as your idle up curve later when you fly in idle up all the time)

Hope this helps