Practicing on Phoenix

[don_kiddik]

Hi Folks,
As a complete noob I have been practicing on Phoenix with a blade MSR, I can manage to hover and do the forward/back, left/right movements ok. Should I continue with this and maybe try other manoeurvers with this heli or could I try a larger heli. I know it takes time to learn the complexities of piloting but I wonder if I should try same with a larger heli, eg different flight characteristics. I look forward to your answers and thanks in advance.

[James A]

Hi, glad to hear your doing the sim thing first, it'll save you a whole lot of money in the long run. As to what you should be practicing, it really depends on what you're looking to fly in the real world. The mSR is a very easy heli to fly as it is fixed pitch, ie the rotors don't change angle at anytime. This means it hovers without issue any will settle back to hover even if you take your hands off the controls. This is very different to he way a collective pitch heli will work where the rotors change pitch with all stick inputs. These Helis are inherently unstable in the fact that they don't simply settle down to a hover if you let goof the sticks, they will simply continue on the course you've put them on, normally sliding somewhat groundward. Anyway, my point is have fun with the mSR but if your looking at a collective pitch heli then practice with one on the sim as you'll find you can fly the mSR Ll over the place without issue, not something you can easily do on a collective.

I'm no expert but i hope this helps.

[Splashy]

I think the Blade mcpx is great to fly on Phoenix. If my son has a go then he has trouble with most helis but he does seem to be able to handle the mcpx quite well.

[ShinySideUp]

Hi Folks,
As a complete noob I have been practicing on Phoenix with a blade MSR, I can manage to hover and do the forward/back, left/right movements ok. Should I continue with this and maybe try other manoeurvers with this heli or could I try a larger heli. I know it takes time to learn the complexities of piloting but I wonder if I should try same with a larger heli, eg different flight characteristics. I look forward to your answers and thanks in advance.

Do you have an actual heli or is Phoenix your first foray into rc helicopters? There isn't much more you can do with the mSR, maybe some nose-in stuff. However the mSR is a great little heli for practicing on, I have one for indoor and calm-day flight in the garden after a few beers at the BBQ. When I want more stress I use my Blade 400. Try flying the mSr and then the Blade 400 on Phoenix and you will get the instant panic only the difference between fixed-pitch and collective-pitch can give!

The Phoenix mSr is pretty accurate so if you can fly it there you can fly a real one.

[AcidDrink]

It doesn't really matter, most phoenix models don't fly like their real counterparts. Msr is self righting helicopter, that means that it will hover by itself when you let go of the sticks. I'd recommend not flying it after initial week or two, because you will pick up a lot of bad habits. (by the way default mcpx on Phoenix is self leveling as well, which is wrong - real one isn't)
Real msr is good for basic orientation training and nothing else.
I'd try one of 50 size for start like Velocity 50 or bigger (90 size) TDR, then move down. Smaller helis are harder to fly, both in real and in Phoenix.
What is really important is that you have some structured practice sessions not just flying around randomly. Try hovering in one spot first tail towards you, don't forget to set up some wind.

[challis349]

I think the Blade mcpx is great to fly on Phoenix. If my son has a go then he has trouble with most helis but he does seem to be able to handle the mcpx quite well.

Although it flies nothing like it in real life, the one on phoenix is pants, go big, and I mean big, trex 700 or something, on can see them a lot easier, and are more stable than smaller cp heli's, see how you get on

[adieuk]

fly the trex 600 you will get on alot better with it

[johnsandywhite]

If you haven't done so yet? Download the Henseleit TDR. If you can fly that? everything else will be like a trainer Heli.

[zoombolt]

Does Phoenix still have the trainer CP heli with training legs on (being lazy & can't be bothered looking).
If so, use that for flight training. Use the sim as realistically as possible, i.e. try to save every potential crash & have a routine.

If you are simple suggesting moving up heli size on the sim, fill your boots, it gives you an insight into other heli's. But do use the trainer for flight training at first, as stated above.
The sim isn't exactley like the real thing, in as much as you don't get the fear/pucker factor, but it's a good tool to learn orientations on & other specialist moves on.

[Nick B]

you can put training gear on all the helis now.

[matt t]

have to agree with kev and adie go big and put training gear on if you dont fell comfortable with it

[tiddler]

Yep, Ignore the little fixed pitched helis. Start big with the "Easy-fly-50" trainer and work your way down to the smaller 450 size helis. You'll be learning how to fly proper helis this way

[Darwil]

If you're now comfortable with the msr and can understand what the stick inputs do get onto a proper cp heli like Trex 500/600 soon; as said before msr's can give you bad habits and false expectations of what is going to happen - it's like starting over learning again. When you can hover cp well on the tutorials you will have got over the most important hurdle, from there the world's your oyster - there are plenty on here who don't find hovering easy and take a while to learn.
Best of luck buddy,
D

[bolders]

I would also say go big. Maybe start with the easy fly 50 and then move to the other 50 or 90 size helis such as the vibe 90, velocity 50, trex 600 etc.

I would also stay away from the FBL models (eg TDR) to start with as I think they are much easier to fly. IMO it is better to learn to fly the FB helis first that require more micro adjustments as it makes you think more about your orientaions throughout the manouvers.

[don_kiddik]

Thanks for replies, but forgive my ignorance but does FBL mean flybar less and FB flybar? I was given a Blade CX3 which started me on this tortuous route, I have since got a little mcx as it's much easier flying indoors than the CX3 (now beaten up). I am looking to get a DX6i to use with Phoenix as well as to use with said helis, anyone got one going cheap?