Phoenix Vs The real thing ?

[Holst]

Yep, ive spent all week on the sim as I was waiting for parts.

I think it has made me a little better, flying the heli today was pretty easy anyway.

Im trying to do inverted circuits in the sim at the moment but ive not got the orientation correct yet and I crash alot.. im glad im not doing this in real life.

[Huskyboy]

Hi there,

I too am a newbie and I've only been at this for about a month, but here's what I've learnt in that month.

I'm kinda in the same place, so I've been doing plenty of sim time and I can hover etc. I think the secret is to take it steady and not try to run before you can walk. I flew my Blade400 for the first time about a week ago and crashed it after about 5 minutes of hopping, hovering and not a particularly great experience. I've now realised that I was trying to fly too soon, but that lesson cost me £40...

I spent last saturday replacing the entire rotor head which I'd smashed!

I've since been back on the SIM and done more practice - after removing the in-built EXPO on Phoenix so I'm flying with just my transmitter settings and don't get any shocks when I fly the real thing. I think the secret is discipline. For the first week or 2 on Phoenix I was taking off, hovering for a few seconds and then going for a blast (loops, stall turns etc)... not really caring if I crashed, but that defeats the object so now I always try and get the helicopter back to me and land it in a controlled manner. I now think of the SIM copter as mine and try and put a cost on each crash as an incentive not to do it again. I believe that unless you set realistic and achievable goals to work towards, focussing on being in control and flying safely, you're not going to progress... or you'll lose interest and give up.

Yes, it's boring as dishwater, but (as I heard somewhere recently) it takes 2000 repetitions to build muscle memory and getting there will be boring - you've got to reprogram your brain. I've learnt to play instruments and to ride motorbikes, and in the early days a lot of what you do is very, very boring (try playing drumming rudiments or trombone scales for a few years!)... but you have to put it in to context and just remember that it's going to really benefit you in the long run.

I've played the main stage at a large London venue, but only because of the boring practice I'd put it beforehand. Believe me, I've thrown and broken instruments before out of sheer frustration!!!

If you're not comfortable doing nose-in hover then it's simple... don't do it yet because you're not ready and you're damaging your confidence, but you can build up to it by only flying nose in for a couple of seconds and if you feel you're losing it just flip 180 and go tail in, which is a fast recovery technique.

I've read this website and this is how I'm going to proceed..

http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html

I'll square with you mate... my confidence with the Blade400 is really low, but so was my confidence on a 125cc motorbike and now I ride a Blackbird and have an RVF400 track bike. I've been flying a CX3 indoors for a few weeks and my confidence with that was also low in the early days, especially after several packs of blades (you get 4 in each pack!) and £40 of other spare parts, but in the past few days I've realised that I don't crash anymore, unless I'm doing stupid stuff like flying between rooms (through doorways) to try and focus my control, or flying outside of my comfort zone and losing orientation.

I am far more relaxed on the CX3 now though, so I know that I'll get there on the Blade400 in time providing I work up gradually. I'm also far more relaxed about the prospect of crashing, because I have crashed and repaired the damage, so I know that nothing with an RC helicopter is terminal!

Try the RADD approach (the link above), which I really needed in order to give me some direction and structure, like any teacher will do. BUT, while you're going through the boring stuff to properly learn how to fly make sure you do some stuff for fun too, like flying the planks on Phoenix or (like I do) have a small indoor thing (the Eflite MCX is awesome) to throw around without the worry.

You'll get there mate... just stick with it and don't lose heart, and remember that every second you spend on the sim or just running up the real-thing is building muscle memory and technique, and building experience. That's what's keeping me going right now! I hope that helps keep your chin up too mate.



As I've said before on here - if it was that easy it wouldn't be worth doing!

[shoot51]

thanks

Thanks "Huskyboy" Great comments taken on board (cant argue with Blackbird owner "I,m on Bird No.,5" had my first in 97, when are they going to make a new one !)
iI guess i,m panicking a bit, dont want to pick up any bad habits, rather learn right learn once ! I will keep at it!! Richard

[Huskyboy]

No worries mate, I'll keep you posted with my progress... and fat birds ROCK

[Huskyboy]

Nice pooch too... here's mine...

[hydev]

I think you have to remember that with Phoenix (and any other simulator) the helicopter is set up perfectly so when you go outside and your heli is flying it can be slightly different. Another tip is to try flying with a 10mph wind in the simulator - this will make it more realistic.

mike

[Huskyboy]

I think you have to remember that with Phoenix (and any other simulator) the helicopter is set up perfectly so when you go outside and your heli is flying it can be slightly different. Another tip is to try flying with a 10mph wind in the simulator - this will make it more realistic.

mike

Yes... set up perfectly with +25 EXPO in the case of the Blade400, so when you've got +25 on your box you've got +50 without knowing...

Not any more though...

[Holst]

I agree with setting a little wind on phoenix, it has made it feel much less like a "game" and more realistic.

Although ive only ever flown inside no heli will just sit there with no input like the phoenix models, adding a little wind makes things more random and more realistic.

[Twisted]

I dont know if its just me, but when i started the Real thing was hardest, but now i fly the real thing quite a bit and i am used to all its little qurks, going back to the sim is quite hard as its does not fly the same as my Twister.

[Nick B]

If you're not comfortable doing nose-in hover then it's simple... don't do it yet

This may sound a little weird,but try it lol

When starting nose in,try it with your back to the screen but obviously face the screen lol

Its working big time for me

Laugh all you like

[Smoothound]

Sims are about stick inputs without cost
Helis are about oh shit my poor wallet

All the guys on here who strive to have their Sim flying like their model provide me with weeks of entertainment

It ain't ever going to happen...get a life...the Sim is about stick inputs nothing else...live with it...the fact that it looks like your heli is pschological...if you think it is your heli you've smoked or popped too much

[Holst]

This may sound a little weird,but try it lol

When starting nose in,try it with your back to the screen but obviously face the screen lol

Its working big time for me

Laugh all you like

I think this is how we all do it.

You have to visualise that you are still behind the heli, even though its actually facing towards you.
Eventually this visualitation becomes automatic and you dont even realise your doing it.