hovering

[PeteStewardson]

The main thing is to make sure you're at least three feet off the ground, to make sure you are out of ground effect - it's very difficult to control a heli properly in ground effect.

I'm not convinced about this. I find it easier to hover in ground effect.

[Balders]

Thing is, in ground effect, it's the heli doing the "work", bouncing up and down on it's own cushion of air like a hovercraft. It's totally possible to hover in ground effect without touching the collective/throttle, just watch the heli get lower, then rebound up again, repeat til battery runs out

It's comforting to do, but you'll soon "grow out of it" don't take that the wrong way. You'll quickly learn that YOU have to be in control of the collective, and the easiest way to do that is fly above the ground effect. I think I've got a vid of my 600 hovering a couple of inches off the ground, pretty much no stick input required to keep it there, I'll post it in a sec.

EDIT: Can't watch youtube content at work, but pretty sure it's this one, low level ground effect hovering at the end if I remember correctly.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUnJOFRwIEI[/ame]

[squeaky pete]

U can boom strike whilst hovering??? Jesus u must b a aggesive hoverer

[PeteStewardson]

Thing is, in ground effect, it's the heli doing the "work", bouncing up and down on it's own cushion of air like a hovercraft. It's totally possible to hover in ground effect without touching the collective/throttle, just watch the heli get lower, then rebound up again, repeat til battery runs out

It's comforting to do, but you'll soon "grow out of it" don't take that the wrong way. You'll quickly learn that YOU have to be in control of the collective, and the easiest way to do that is fly above the ground effect. I think I've got a vid of my 600 hovering a couple of inches off the ground, pretty much no stick input required to keep it there, I'll post it in a sec.

That's what I mean, it's easier than higher up.

[tiddler]

Ground effect is not so bad once your used to it, and it usually only comes into play when you first lift off, or the skids go light.
That's when (Due to the tail rotor) you can find the heli sliding quite dramatically to one side. Once the heli is properly airborne the effect drops off quite quickly.
Also, the larger the heli the less its going to be susceptible to the effect.
But the effect is very real none the less. Have you ever tried landing an mSR exactly on the spot. Its dam near impossible

[Fixxxer]

Remember, height is your friend. If the heli decides to do something odd a few inches from the ground you have very little time to compensate or retrieve the situation.

[PeteStewardson]

Have you ever tried landing an mSR exactly on the spot. Its dam near impossible

Tell me about it. My little boy ( he's only 20months ) wants me to land the MSR on the helipad of his toy garage. It's only 6" square and I've yet to manage it.

[cjcj1949]

Ground effect does at least two things. It increases the efficiency of the heli lift so that as it falls it needs less lift to stay up, so the heli automatically compenstates and tends to keep its height constant. Secondly the closer you get to the ground the more turbulent the air flow and the more difficult the heli is to control. For any particular heli over a particular surface you'll find a height close to the ground, that's easier to maintain than higher up, and any lower and it will get worse.
The reason the heli moves to one side on take off is because it is horisontal and not tilted. It needs to be tilted over to one side so that the main rotor can balance the force of the tail rotor.

Chris

[wayne123]

This is one of those things that will never have ( to a point ) a right or wrong answer to it, as you learn to fly you need to get yourself confident at seeing your heli at different heights and at different positions in front of you, by positions I mean in the hover but with the heli on your right hand side and on your left hand side this will help you latter when you start flying circuits.

As to ground effect well we all have to put up with this, once your heli is off the ground it has got to come back down again so learning to control it at different heights is just part of the learning curve, what ever you do dont get hung up over it just get out and fly.

[tiddler]

Yep, your far better off worrying about gravity effect tbh. Now that really is a bugger

[heli]

Have you ever tried landing an mSR exactly on the spot. Its dam near impossible

Tell me about it. My little boy ( he's only 20months ) wants me to land the MSR on the helipad of his toy garage. It's only 6" square and I've yet to manage it.

This makes me feel good, I can land my mSR on a coaster. Mug of tea removed first!

[PeteStewardson]

This makes me feel good, I can land my mSR on a coaster. Mug of tea removed first!

grrr

[heli]

grrr

[horsham rc]

this makes me feel good, i can land my msr on a coaster. Mug of tea removed first!

youtube it?

i came across this one
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_s24xj19lg[/ame]

[cjcj1949]

One thing to worry about. Try not to hover more facing one way or the other. I got used to facing left ok and found it difficult to face right. Other than that just enjoy it.

Chris