Rate vs heading hold gyro -- switchable?

[ShinySideUp]

I have been experimenting with Phoenix and the different settings for the gyro. I am amazed, when I set the gyro to 'rate' I can fly the heli like a plane. In forward motion when I turn, the heli banks and I can fly it just like a plank, easy! Can't land it though. When I try to turn the heli away from me and come backwards, it turns and faces me making the ease of flying the nightmare of nose-in hovering; this is where heading hold has it's advantages.

In real-life rc heli flying does the heli behave like in Phoenix with a rate gyro? If so, is the transmitter (I use a DX6i) switchable dynamically to change between rate gyro for flying and HH for hovering and landing?

The more I know about this stuff, the less I seem to know!! arrgh!

Martin

[Steve]

In rate mode, the heli does indeed fly more like a plane.

But be careful - therein lies the path to destruction.

[challis349]

And yes you can set it on the dx6i, although of the top of my head I can remember what switch it is, you have to set a percentage value for rate mode in the tx gyro menu

Edit: funny enough, now I think of it, it's the flap/gyro switch lol

[cjcj1949]

It's even more complicated I'm afraid. There are two modes Rate and Hold and in DX6i terms anything above 50% is hold and below 50% is rate. The Phoenix rate gyro doen't behave like my gyro in rate mode although the hold mode is the same. You will get different performance depending on the numbers you use. The higher the number above 50% the more the tail holds until it starts to wag. The standard thing is to set up until it wags and then back off a bit. It depends on what sort of flying you are doing. If just starting then the setting is not critical. The performance I get in rate mode at 20% is similar to Phoenix except that the tail does seem to hold to a certain extent, but doesn't follow the flight direction as much as on Phoenix. Heading hold is very good in windy conditions and when starting so long as your gyro works. A cheap gyro can be easier to use in rate mode. A good gyro like a Futaba 401 makes life easier as you don't have to worry about the tail drifting due to changes in temperature.

Chris

[Hawkeye]

I was exacly the same when i first got phoenix, i couldn't fly in hh so i flew all the scale models as they are all in rate mode. Get used to flying in rate mode for a month or so and get used to using the tail, then switch to hh you will find it alot easier, well i did.

As for switching from rate to hh in flight. That was my plan too, I'm not sure if its a good idea as i never tryed it in the end, i just got used to hh. Some gyros dont switch between modes without being reset or it takes too long to be useable. Having said that my gp750 seems to do it but i haven't tryed it in flight.

[cjcj1949]

Before you switch over in flight, make sure that both modes are setup correctly. It is possible for heading hold to work and hold fully when the trim is a bit out. You can then find that rate mode trim will be a lot out and could cause a problem if you are not expecting it. If rate mode trim is ok the heading hold will be ok. On some gyros (Futaba 401) you may have to switch on in hold mode.

Chris

[ShinySideUp]

Hmm, I think I'll try Hawkeye's method and do some of my practice hovering on the sim in rate then do actual hovering in HH as I fear Steve may be right when he said above, "But be careful - therein lies the path to destruction".

[blade77]

What is the point of rate mode? I find it easier just to fly HH all of the time. Is it a scale thing to make turning/banking round more realistic?

[bolders]

before HH all gyros were rate. I guess it has just stayed with us as it does not require any more hardware to have a HH gyro do rate mode as well. Also as mentioned some people still like it such as the scale guys. I think if you are going to go with HH in the long, use it from the beginning and dont even bother with rate