Slow flying

[cuban8]

So, after 18 months I've cracked hovering, simple circuits and figure 8s. No problem with slowing and losing height & speed on approach to landing, What I do find hard is maintaining a slow speed circuit! I seem to start off at a walking pace but after a couple of turns my airspeed has risen sharply. Quite easy flying round at medium/ fast pace but keeping the speed down during a lazy 8 is proving tricky. Would like to take my 'A' fairly soon but need to get this right. Any tips would be very welcome.

Trex 450 & Mini Titan.

C8

[stumpe]

I am having the same issue, no probs doing fig8s quite quick but slow flying needs a lot of sim practice, I am getting better but it's still slow going trying to get it good.

Not to sure what the Bmfa guidelines say about speed for the A test on fig8s but I do remember the Heli needs to keep a constant hight at all times.

Lee

[davew]

I don't think you do figure eights on the A test. The rest of the test is conducted at "walking speed".

I also found it difficult to keep speed down.

[Janek]

Practice

[Andy from Sandy]

I don't think you do figure eights on the A test. The rest of the test is conducted at "walking speed".

I also found it difficult to keep speed down.

The A requirement is for lazy 8s which still require coordinated turns at the end it is just the shape is not two proper circles. It is a fly to the left or right for ten metres or so then make the turn fly past yourself side on then make the turn at the other end and back past yourself side on.

[themagician]

a test

I don't think you do figure eights on the A test. The rest of the test is conducted at "walking speed".

I also found it difficult to keep speed down.

yes! lazy eights twice in your "A" test.
at present the speed seems to be at the descretion of the examiner,going by some video footage of a heliaddicts member taking his "A" test.
but our examiner says its at walking pace,and constant height, so ????.

[waveydavey]

You do 2 lazy eights in the A cert. To be done at walking speed with constant altitude. It takes practice to get this right and most people I've watched are fine on the left turn but tend to stall on the right turn. It takes very little forward cyclic to get the heli moving and once it is will need small amounts of back cyclic to correct the forward momentum, it comes it just takes a little getting right. It's all too easy to just let it rip but that won't get you through your A cert. I found the best notes to read were the examiners notes and not the A cert requirements themselves. Something else I was told and use is LAFT, Lead with Aileron and Follow with Tail, you need very small amounts of aileron to start the turn and then complete the turn with the rudder.

[Andy from Sandy]

If the model is gaining speed, and I do the same thing, it is because you are increasing the collective. It is easy to push in collective during a turn. It also depends on which way the wind is blowing to your flight path.

[Andy from Sandy]

' morning Dave.

[muscleflex]

out of topic... what is the test for anyway? what happens when you've passed the test?

[Mart61]

I think you get a discount at McDonalds?

[Janek]

out of topic... what is the test for anyway? what happens when you've passed the test?

You can crash with a new found expertise

[waveydavey]

out of topic... what is the test for anyway? what happens when you've passed the test?

Nothing apart from a feeling of self worth and achievement. Seriously, it is a personal achievement scheme set out to test your ability against a set flying schedule and to answer some questions based on the BMFA handbook. There are 2 levels the A and the B the B being harder. Most competitions use the B cert as a measure of the standard that your flying is at in order to compete.

The RCHA is also going to run a similar achievement scheme next year I believe.

[Disc]

Plus if you goto another and have the 'A' cert they tend to let you fly solo

Most clubs won't let you go solo unless you have the A as a min.

[Ade_Law]

At the speeds we are talking about forward speed is controlled purely but the elevator and collective for height.

at higher speeds this distinction blurs

Ade