Eyesite or a normal problem for a nOOb?

[Cralis]

I'm still just flying my heli in the back garden. It's about 15m by 10m big. Not huge, but I am doing OK. As you may know, the training gear is off, and I am still trying to get 10% stability in the low hovers. I have put a slab of concrete down on the lawn, about 40cm by 40cm, and I am practising landing on it. can do it sometimes, but often as I get to a hover over the slab, I drift backwards for some reason. Working on that. If I land with the skids not 100% on the slad, it will tilt back, and maybe break the tail. But I am getting there...

Note, still only tail in flight. Too scared to try any other orientation right now. Battle on the sim, so pointless trying with the real thing.

Anyway, to my question. I am getting pretty 'brave' now, and trying forward flight. As I only have about 10m to go forward before I connect with the back yard wall, I am now getting more height, and going OVER the wall. On the other side is puplic open ground, and a pathway. I think I may be freaking out the dog walkers. I'm a dog walker ... so they best live with it.

However, I am finding that when the heli is maybe 12 to 18 feet off the ground, I find it hard to keep it stable. I struggle to see if it's tilted left or right, forward or backwards. The only way I can tell is when it drifts, and then it's too late - when trying to keep a stable hover.

Also, when it's further away, it's very hard to keep a stable hover. Is this normal? Is it because I am used to it being close, looking down on it? Or am I going blind?? I have recently had an eye test and am perfect.. but now I am wondering... Is this a normal thing for new flyers?

[Fixxxer]

Firstly I wouldn't fly over the fence. if something goes wrong and theres an accident you will be accountable, better safe than sorry

Perhaps you could try a good set of sunglasses to eliminate any glare and the dreaded squint which alot seem to suffer from. With the model being small then obviously the further it gets away, the harder it is to tell which way things are pointing but this also applies with the bigger sizes. Make your canopy easier to see and maybe stickers or diffrent colours on either side so you know the right side from the left. I think alot of it is just experience and intuition, as you gain more skill it will get easier and you will notice it less but even the best get confused at times.

All the best and stay away from that fence

[Britflyer]

Sounds pretty normal to me.

You get so used to seeing the model looking down at it, when it is at eye level or above it is all new again. Your frames of reference have changed so it will take a while to get used too.

My GF is learning to fly and had the same problem BUT in reverse. Initially learning on the Buddybox flying high was the way we started and when it came to learning to taking off and hovering low it was different, as the angle looking at the model is different.

Now you are moving the heli about I would find a club or bigger open area to fly in.

Paul

[marktigere1]

Yep I agree.

Find a bigger space. The back garden can be quite a challenge.

Especially if you've got a big dog running around

Cheers

Mark

[Cralis]

Dog gets locked safely in the house, where he can spectate.
Right, so my eyes are OK, and this is normal. Good. Safe. My hobby can continue then. Will need to make a trip to the football fields then.. or the golf course...

[richieclarkie]

Craig

Make sure you fly over some long grass and take it easy because the 450 will get away from you very easily.

[Cralis]

Thanks Richie. And as I read that, I hear all the council lawnmowers mowing down all the lawn in the area. Great! Can't think of a place with long grass, except a farming field, but if I dump it there, I can see myself losing the heli for good...

I'll try it over a nearby Loch. If I dump it in there, I'll not bend anything.

[Nutz]

When I first started flying helis I got comfortable hovering close to me at around eye level, when I started hovering higher up I was not as comfortable as it was new and felt different, the same as flying on overcast dark days or after sun set, you can get dis-orientated a lot easier than when when flying on a bright blue sky sunny day. I wear yellow glasses on dark gray days and have shades with different tint depending on how bright it is on sunny days.

[Cralis]

And since then, you're OK? It basically grows on you with experience?

[jamiem]

it will come in time, but as has been suggested try and wear some sunglasses, it helped me a lot. i really struggled with orientation for ages, and now i rarely worry about it. give it time, and practice somewhere with more space.

jamie

[jamiesawyer28041978]

I think flying in a small area like he is is a good start to his skills , He is basicaly restricting his movement and keeping things in control. Hovering is a very necissary skill in this game, good on ya.. I found golfers dont like us sort much , noise and all that , good open field with no over head power cables is a good start .

Happy flying..

[richieclarkie]

I'll try it over a nearby Loch. If I dump it in there, I'll not bend anything.

Don't do the water thing, trust me.

There's video I spotted of someone (probably Yutube or maybe on here)flying a heli over a lake. they take off, fly it around, lose it I guess and flys into the water......sploosh.

The problem at that point... well no more heli and all that money wasted.

[ChrisB]

Dont fly over water,,,unless you have access to scuba gear

[Nutz]

Don't do the water thing, trust me.

There's video I spotted of someone (probably Yutube or maybe on here)flying a heli over a lake. they take off, fly it around, lose it I guess and flys into the water......sploosh.

The problem at that point... well no more heli and all that money wasted.

I think Rob(GT) and Dave can shed light on that one, but at least is survived after the lake incident.

I was flying today a during my flight it went form dark grey sky to patchy blue with a blazing sun, when the sun came out i found my self squinting and there was a few times I got caught in the sun and had to guess what the heli was doing by feel, so you do get used to the feel of the heli then vision (though still important) can be relaxed. After the flight my eyes was hurting a little (eye strain by the sun).

[raptor-flyer]

can anyone tell me why oh why are so many flyers doing so in back gardens,seen one guy selling heli,had it in hover near back door and in a built up area. Many doing so without any insurance.
It is surely incidents like this that is causing nitro flyers to have problems finding flying areas.
Far too many incompetent flyers about now,flying the hand size indoor leccy seems to give every flyer a supply of bravado pills.