Gyros, what's the difference?

[Gyro]

What's the difference between a standard gyro and a 'heading lock' gyro?

Thanks.

[mo]

DIFFERENCE

Hello Bagofhammers.
With due respect I will suggest that you already know the difference between HH and standard gyros.
It is impossible to think that someone who confesses to being able to control an indoor helli,and who admits to have been part of R/C previously, still lacks the knowledge of what the difference is between the two types of gyro's.
Come on Bagofhammers it is great to have a little fun, but as in this instance of wasting peoples time, will surely result that in the future it will be the genuine newcomers to helicopters who will suffer, due to the actions of people like yourself.
Why not make a worthwhile contribution to this site,you must have a story that would make an interesting read,and if this story is on your learning proccess, and perhaps the pitfalls,or just genuine helli related, that will be something of what this site is all about.
GOOD FLYING.
Mo.

[G-DAVE]

When a Model helicopter yaws because of an outside influence -
A Normal gyro will correct the swing untill the yaw stops - Result the Heli is on a new heading.
Heading Hold gyro's will correct the yaw untill the Heli is back on it's original heading.
Dave

[Gyro]

Thanks G-Dave that was all that was needed here.

As for you Moo, with equal due respect, the only person wasting people's time is you.

I was under the impression this was the beginners part of this site.

Why should any beginner listen to you spouting off about what is or what isn't an acceptable question? Surely if you would waste your time waffling for a few lines about what you, in your infinate wisdom, think I should or shouldn't know, the least you could have done was actually answer the question.

Firstly, I flew IC planes 20 years ago, for about 6 years or so (as part of my local club), they didn't need a gyro.

Secondly, If I had been into helis then I very much doubt they had 'heading lock' 20 yrs ago.

Third, I have been flying my little electric heli for about 3months, there are no clubs near me and no one I know who could possibly help. (If only there were a decent forum for BEGINNERS to ask 'silly' questions)

What did you learn to fly with Moo? I'm sure everyone would like to know what Heli can do that sort of Spok mind meld so when you learn to fly it it imparts untold heli knowledge upon the operator as he improves!

Finally, you ask for a 'worthwile contribution' to the site? like yours? Well the best contribution I can give would be to ask you to stay away from the beginners section of the site as you obviously have lots of time but sadly lack the patience and are far too aragant to help TOTAL HELI BEGINNERS like myself.

P.S. Maybe you should write "MOOs LIST of WHAT NOT TO ASK' you could then have the pleasure of listing all the things that YOU would think a beginner should know before using this site.

Due respect my arse.

[mo]

Hello Bagofhammers.
I have no intention of getting into a slanging match with you for as the last part of your name "HAMMER" that is what I think you are.
I must congratulate you in your manner of answering letters, but I would not stoop so low myself in being so childish and rude,and it does suprise me that you could be of a sensible age.

In ending my letter I can only add that you must be a little slow in your learning, for as I am only a begginer myself in helicopters,the question you asked is one of the first things you would have learnt from a book on the subject, but perhaps I am flogging a dead horse in telling you that.
Perhaps next time you write "Bagofhammers" it could be a constructive letter, instead of a foul mouth one.
GOOD FLYING.
Mo.

[Gyro]

Truce/Redemption?

TRUCE
Ok. My apologies if I came across 'foul mouthed'. I didn't count to ten before posting my reply, and I certainly haven't joined for any 'slanging matches'.

I have joined this forum because there's no one near by to help. I eagerly await my copy of "Ray's Authoritative Helicopter Manual" from Midland Helicopters (24.99) I hope it will be enough to end my embarassing questions.

I bought my Micro Heli for a bit of fun (or so I thought) but now that I can fly the thing I'm (sadly?) R/C Heli hooked! That's the thing about these new Micro machines, you don't really have to know a thing to teach yourself to fly them! It took me a couple of weeks to get the thing to hover in a sort of stable manner, mainly a week hoping and shaking and then another week, after I found out here you could actually balance and improve things, swinging around in the living room. I have progressed now to be able to fly it from my garden, in through the patio doors, through the door, right turn up the stairs, right turn half way, on to the landing, through the bedroom door, across the room (usually with hover over Claire in bed) and a smooth landing on the window ledge! (It's abig window ledge).

If you noticed my first post, I wanted to find out the 'STAGES OF LEARNING' to improve and know that I'm ready for collective pitch. I presume the book will be great in this area.

REDEMPTION
So now that I know about the blessed gyros, you could fully redeem yourself (we could become pals?) by explaning the pros and cons of the two (or is there more?) gyros and perhaps advising me on which would be most apropriate for me, a blatant beginner!

Lastly Mo, I shal try and clarify your vision of me - the HAMMER! (lol. alot!)
In my early years at my flying club I had the kind assistance of an instructor, John, who helped me immensly through my flying course from my trainer, a 52' span balsa 'shed' powered with an OS35 which I built myself when I was 15 (the plane, not the OS), through to a wild bespoke aerobatic thing powered I bought from Cloud Models. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I always rememberd a piece John wrote about one of my models in the club mag, part of the article described a big four stroke Pitts Special I bought second hand and flew only once, the article went something like this "the four stoke throbbed majesticaly as it parted company from the Pitts at the top of its second inverted loop, it's inertia took it some 500yds away while the new pride and joy fell almost at the pilots feet like a bag of hammers" (John was a carpenter).

I've never been in a fight in my life.

[mo]

Hello Bagofhammers (thats a long bloody alias what is your real name).

I can see the mistake was on my side as usual and for that I unresevedly apologise,perhaps on your part you may be accused of
jumping a little too quickly, which led to your referance to me as a cow.
I have been called a lot of different names in the past, but have to tell you that that one does not fit to me in real life one little bit, most are connected to another grunting farmyard animal when I am lax in doing the garden.
I am too old now to have bad friends, and will bear no enmity over your remarks,that last post of yours was a very good read and I really hope you carry on in that vein,I am sorry I cannot be much help to you with your future problems, being as I have told you a novice myself,but from your description of flying your indoor helli, you are a better man than I am anyway, for all I could do with those things was break my wifes ornements.
WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
GOOD FLYING.
Mo.

[mort-uk]

I eagerly await my copy of "Ray's Authoritative Helicopter Manual"

I'd be interested to hear your views on this book. It has been the main source of my knowledge since I started several months ago.

Its a pretty good book, but I found it tough to follow as a beginner as it quickly gets stuck into the real technical stuff. Its also littered with the authors 'preferences' when I wouldve preferred the 'standard'.
I think I was expecting more of a beginners style book, with more of a stage by stage approach. but straight off the bat you're in the deep end.

Mine is pretty dog eared now, so a hard backed copy wouldve been more suitable

[Gyro]

Thinking about it 'BagofHammers' is rubbish. I think I'll ask the moderator if there's any way of changing it. My real name is Julian! (nothing scary there, quite the opposite, and I love it).

Mort; as long as it's all in there I'm sure I'll find it although it was a step by step approach that I was looking for really, anybody know of any? As I said, I can fly the thing but I don't know Jack about the technical stuff; idle-ups, pitch curves, giros, and all the other stuff I've looked at on here wondering what it all means and trying to piece it together from the bits, and then, by jesus, there's the stuff that I don't even know that I don't know!!

(up to a few weeks ago if you'd have asked me what a swashplate was, I'd have pointed you somewhere in the direction of my mums best crockery!)

I'll keep you posted.

[Stuart]

BagofHammers,

Yes your name can be changed PM me with your preferred and provided its not taken, that's fine.

Glad to see you two got off to a good start, nothing wrong with "Silly" questions no matter what its all about learning and the more people that use the site the greater the overall level of knowledge.

However, you may get conflicting answers but generally all with the same aim to help you.

[wazzer]

HI guys

I must admit that this Message post has made me LOL more than once.

I do like to hear people of great wit have a little battle of words very entertaining indead.

Very glad that you have both kissed and made up very adult and mature of you both.

Any way Gyro, I too am learning to fly and have still not passed the simulator stage (i have been borrowing a friends as i am still waiting for the TX for my reflex to arrive).

From what i have learnt from the very helpful people on this site is that indoor helis are actually much more difficult to fly than the real thing.

Have you flown a 30-50 size heli yet?

I will be very interested to hear how you get on with your first flight of a "proper" heli.

Did you first train on a simulator or did yu just go straight onto the Micro heli?

Any way

Very entertaining guys keep up the good work


Wazzer

[Gyro]

Hello wazzer,

I'm glad you were entertained by what we shouldn't really have said! At least I got a new nickname out of it!

Anyway, I've never flown IC helis at all. I have downloaded a simulator for my Mac, but apparently the Cheapo Tx that came with my JABO II will only work with PC sims and not the Mac version yet. I'm on the verge of buying a new Futaba FF9 - I guess that should do it!

Simulators are supposed to be pretty good for getting your orientation for controlling the thing in the early stages and for practising new manoeuvres, but according to the forums they aren't a patch on the real thing for sensitivity and the 'unexpected'.

I'm pretty good with the orientation side of things from my fixed wing days, I converted the Tx to mode 2 which is similar to the way I flew back then - Throttle on the left, rudder on the left (both same as plane), Right stick - forward/back, pitches nose up or down - left/right (ailerons) bank to left or right. As you can see, if you forget that the plane had to keep moving the controls are pretty similar on the heli, without having to keep screaming round the sky to stay afloat!

All my flying has been indoors in fairly confined spaces so everything has been very 'controlled' so far, no fast forward flight or banked turns yet; I'm now waiting for a tail motor and a wind free day.

I do have what I consider to be the best tip for beginners which I took straight from my fixed wing days, probably common knowledge here (like giros!) but I'll pass it on anyway, if you think it will be of use to others I'll post it as a new thread in the BEGINNERS forum.

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Gyro's Beginners tip No.1 - Get your bearings.

When flying the model towards you it's common for beginners to confuse the left with the right. This could turn a slight bank into a steep and nasty crash.
Try this: Consider the stick on the Tx as a 'prop', a big stick of wood for the wing. when the model is pointing towards you. As it banks over, push the stick in the direction of the bank to 'prop the wing up' and you can't go wrong!

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This has saved me a thousand times over.

Happy hovering!

[BrontoRaptus]

Hi Julian

Must admit that I feel exhausted after following the thread of your gyro question - bet you didn't expect such a robust reply !!!!

I am lucky that I have my own fields to fly my heli in outside my backdoor, I just have to pick one that our horses aren't in ! As such, I have had to learn everything about heli's (and boy isn't there a lot to learn !) from the web. I have not yet even seen anyone else fly a heli. But the great thing is, that there is a whole wealth of information out there if one is prepared to look.

I think the great advantage heli's have over planks, is that you can learn to fly a heli at your own pace - starting from just easing it off the ground.

My first model was the Nexus 30, but I was disgusted at the quality - it built with a lot of slop in most of the controls. I then got the Raptor 30 V2 which was a whole different ball game, I have gone a long way up the learning curve with this model because the sheer quality of it makes it a far more stable platform.

I would highly recommend that you visit www.raptortechnique.com the site contains loads of info for the beginer, including a guide on the best way to learn to fly a heli.

Let us all know how you get on

Rgds Tony