Where do I go next with my practice ?

[Balders]

Hi all,

I spent most of the weekend first off trying for the first time, and now flying with confidence and pretty good control, nose in.

I know I still need to spend more time on orientations which I will continue to do, but just wondering what is my next logical progression? I've been flying inverted on Phoenix for a while, but would this be my next logical step, or more time on circuits etc.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the sort of person to try and run before I walk, just want to get a feeling of where I go next

Thanks, as always.

[Disc]

Nail circuits and side on hovering both ways and try to do slow circuits don't race around. Also try flatish turns not bank and yank.

Figure of 8s not lazy 8s both ways.

Loops and rolls, stall turns would be the next moves to try.

[PeteStewardson]

Damn you Balders don't tell me you've cracked nose in already... Looks over at his MCPx eagerly awaiting lunchtime...

[Balders]

Pete, it was actually easier than I thought...the mistakes I made at first which resulted in a crash were trying to whip the tail round really quick, which was putting the heli slightly out of place and I was over-controlling to correct. the other thing at first (I'm fine with it now) was not taking the heli completely nose in (ie tail still showing). When it's completely pointing at you, it's a move-for-move correction, heli moves right, (ie to your right, heli is actually moving left), give it right stick to correct etc. Once I got past the first couple of batteries, I've pretty much got confidence in it now to not be thinking about the stick movements, although I've kinda been pushing my skills a little from time to time and I did end up breaking my first boom last night Never mind, was quickly repaired and re-flown That was really from doing 3/4 round orientations either side.

I found nose-in easier to learn than side on.

The MCPX is so confidence inspiring...I can't wait to try the same moves on my 600. Think I'll leave the 450 alone for a bit, only just repaired it

[PeteStewardson]

Yeah as I posted the other day. I had 3 weeks off from flying and then came back and went nose in with the MCPx straight off. I've got the stick directions sorted without thinking about it but can't quite get the reactions quick enough or the right amount so I drift about. I just need more practice really. I'm not doing circuits yet but that's my next thing, I wanted to learn nose in first before anything else because I think everything else will become much easier once I have the orientations locked in. And I'm not bored of hovering yet

Oh and yes it's confidence inspiring, and I think you do right skipping the 450 for the first try, I didn't and went straight to the TT360 which ended in me needing another set of blades... Ooops.

[cjcj1949]

Why not post a message ****ing off all the people who are still struggling with nose in, or nose out for that matter. Seriously though, congratulations on your progress. I don't really think you need to change what you are doing, whatever it is, it's working. Perhaps you need to decide where you want to get to. Bigger helis, 3D, scale models? Thermal gliding is pretty tricky, I can recomend that. More of a challenge.

Chris

[tourerjim]

Hi all,

I spent most of the weekend first off trying for the first time, and now flying with confidence and pretty good control, nose in.

I know I still need to spend more time on orientations which I will continue to do, but just wondering what is my next logical progression? I've been flying inverted on Phoenix for a while, but would this be my next logical step, or more time on circuits etc.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the sort of person to try and run before I walk, just want to get a feeling of where I go next

Thanks, as always.

Now that you've mastered nose-in i would suggest figure 8's both ways & then circuits both ways.

[AcidDrink]

Very slow pirouettes in both directions (about 5-15 seconds per piro). It will teach you how to fly circuits both backwards and forwards. Keep them in one spot and if you have flybarless system with piro compensation, turn that off.
I'd also suggest flying 5-6 slow circles in a row before you start flying fig 8 (make sure you fly them in both directions) and learning backwards flying along with inverted as well (it's almost identical to inverted anyway)

[Brod]

Nail circuits and side on hovering both ways and try to do slow circuits don't race around. Also try flatish turns not bank and yank.

Figure of 8s not lazy 8s both ways.

Loops and rolls, stall turns would be the next moves to try.

great advise here.
slow accurate circuits are whats next in all directions round the field,leave the inverted stuff alone till right side up sorted,it will only confuse the brain..

[Balders]

Thanks folks, especially the last two replies. I'll def practice slow piros and slow circles...I can see how that would be very beneficial.

[trillian]

Thanks folks, especially the last two replies. I'll def practice slow piros and slow circles...I can see how that would be very beneficial.

Just to add slightly to what has been suggested. Doing circuits in both directions and being able to do a slow pirouette you'll end up getting
comfortable with all orientations. Most of us have a tendency to favour flying in one direction over the other due to being either right
or left handed so once you get really comfy with circuits in the direction you find easiest you can work on doing them the other way
to try to slowly get less 'handed' in your flying. This is something I have actually been a bit lazy about myself and I have a natural
tendency to turn left and it can feel much less comfortable to turn right instead even though I've been flying for a while.

But the other thing I was going to say is that getting to grips with left and right side-on and nose-in orientations will come in
very useful when you do start doing some of the more fun stuff because you'll be able to bail out of sticky situations when
a move goes wonky. So when the heli is suddenly pointing the wrong way you won't panic you'll just be able to correct
and get it back on track.