Wake up call!!

[gazmk2]

Ok so I have been flying cp heli's since october now and had gotten fairly profficient with my blade 130x. I can fly decent circuits, fihure 8's, fly inverted and manage repeated backflips and rolls.

So imaging my surprise then when I flew my trex 250 for the first time today when I found myself reduced to barely managing a rough and wandery nose out hover! I did gather that flybarred machines do need more stick input in the hover but I wasn't ready for just quite how much! it is very wandery to fly and I find myself flying like a proper newbie and flying in over-corrected circles!

I am sure with a bit of practice I will be ok but it certainly has highly just how stable a flybarless 130x really is. I would really say to other fellow nebies to get flying a flybarred heli soon or you, like me, will be missing out on a whole step in the learning proccess!!

[tonystevens]

We were having this disscusion today at the field, the majority of newcomers to the hobby will probably only experience fbl helis and its a shame really as a flybarred heli can teach you so much more about controlling a heli though a circuit or any type of manouver. The other side of the argument is that a fbl heli will do most of the corrections for you or wont need to be corrected.
so for a newcomer who will probably only ever fly a fbl heli, does he/she need to learn these small corrections on a flybarred heli?
Personally i think that learning to fly with a flybarred heli will set you up better in the long run, but thats not to say that someone who has never flown a flybarred heli will not be as good a pilot.

[bothma]

It's what we call bread and butter and its the only way to go as I said before FBL is great but if you new to RC heli flying go Flybared first then once you have the orientation bit out the way go FBL and enjoy the benefits

[gazmk2]

I get the impression that if one can master a flybarred heli then one would be a demon with a flybarless! I am so determined to fly this 250 properly that i don't intend to fly my 130x until I get this flybarred thing nailed! I have it with me at work as I type this so I can practice hovering in the office! (just about enough space!)

[GIXERMAN]

Did I hear bread and butter !

[oneandonlyian]

The 250 has to be one of the hardest models to control anyway. Im sure if you had tried the slightly bigger versions I.e 450 500 or even 600 with or without flybar your experience would have been completely different. I do think we are seeing the death of the flybar though and like Tony says above, so much can be learnt with the flybar. Whether it be how critical head setup needs to be or just how many corrections are required to maintain a smooth stable hover. Lots is being forgotten in such a small space of time. Good luck with trying bigger better faster models, the bug has definitely been bitten lol. You are progressing a lot quicker than we all did. Took nearly 6 months for us nearly 5 years ago to do a loop and even then we where not completely in control. To be doing inverted flight and good circuits in such a short space of time seems to be the norm for the newcomers to the hobby. Take Matt Taylor from Lincoln, In just under 2 years he is at a level (in my opinion) that is up there with the big boys, Another young pilot Ben Thornley ask him to try a certain new move and he just pulls it off 1st time, and then puts it into a routine without even thinking about it. Both young lads are Gifted and AMAZING to watch progress. Sorry if I got carried away or went a little off topic just thought I would contribute in some way. lol

[bothma]

Did I hear bread and butter !

You did mate :-))))

[450man]

This is a very interesting topic. I have been practicing on my MCPX for a few months now and like the OP I can do OK circuits, fig 8s, not got to try inverted yet although I can do it OK on the sim. So when I wanted to get a bigger heli I asked on this forum and others for advice and it was mixed and confusing.

Many people, experienced people, said get a FB heli... it will teach you so much more (as has been mentioned in this thread). Others, also experienced, said forget FB and go FBL, it is more stable in the hover, less to set up mechanically and less to repair.

I can see both sides and had to make a choice. In the end I went for FBL as I am a techie and liked the idea of the electronic controller. However now I am going back a little on that decision. I bought a Blade 450X in the end and haven't flown it yet because of the rubbish weather but now I have decided to get a 450 FB model also. I really want to fully appreciate the difference and I can't do that if I have only ever flown FBL.

I too think that the flybar may be on its way out just because of progress, but until it does perhaps there is a lot to be gained from starting out on a flybar model.

So watch this space for some feedback in a few weeks from a relative beginner on how I perceive the differences.

[gazmk2]

I will stick a vid up showing a conparison of how I can manage the 130x against barely managing the trex! I tried a nose in and did the "ever increasing circles followed by a swift landing" trick!

[450man]

OK, decided to get the Blade 450 3D. It is basically the same heli as my 450X only with a flybar so it will give me a great appreciation of the difference in how they fly. Also, most of the parts are the same and I already have a few spares so they will do for both.

Many people will see this as extravagant. I agree but I would prefer to do this and learn from it even if it costs me a bit more. I can always sell one of them once I no longer want both and I won't lose too much money. I see this as a good way to clarify this FB vs FBL in my mind.

gazmk... I see you are a nightowl too!!!

[Tim Procter]

What's a flybar.??

[gazmk2]

OK, decided to get the Blade 450 3D. It is basically the same heli as my 450X only with a flybar so it will give me a great appreciation of the difference in how they fly. Also, most of the parts are the same and I already have a few spares so they will do for both.

Many people will see this as extravegant. I agree but I would prefer to do this and learn from it even if it costs me a bit more. I can always sell one of them once I no longer want both and I won't lose too much money. I see this as a good way to clarify this FB vs FBL in my mind.

gazmk... I see you are a nightowl too!!!

Aye, started nights on monday!........which was nice!!

[450man]

What's a flybar.??

It is the bar on a Virgin Atlantic 747 where you can get drinks all the way to your holiday

[miniman]

Flybar is the new Flybarless

Peter

[ModelGuard.Com]

Re: Wake up call!!

There were Ludites back in the days before heading hold gyros as well!

Exactly the same sentiments were rattled out then as well.

'Flyers wont learn to control the tail in a circuit'

'Thats not proper flying thats cheating'

I wonder how many people fly just rate gyros now?
People got over it then, and they will again.
flybars are on the way out, live with it.