Yay learned how to use the idle up  
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All Forums >> RC Helicopters >> Electric RC Helis >> E-Flite Helicopters >> Yay learned how to use the idle up
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Yay learned how to use the idle up - 2/20/2007 6:05:28 AM   
vortex05


 

Posts: 117
Joined: 7/28/2006
From: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		Today I decided to get adventurous.

After several failed attempts at learning side in hovers (both left and right) I decided to leave that for another day and learn how to transition to idle up.

I managed to do it and fly in idle up for the whole pack (word of caution.... switch to normal when the tail gets loose your pack is nearly low at that point).

Anyways I managed the whole thing without a crash here's my step by step guide if you want to finally learn how to transition (indoors).


The first thing I figured out from reading forum entries is that the transition from normal to idle up there is a sudden change in flight characteristics displayed by usually a drop in altitude or a sudden brief change in direction. To practice for this my method is the following.

once you are holding your heli in a stable hover mentally commit to switching to idle up but don't actually push the button instead suddenly cut trottle have the heli drop for a second and "catch" it before it hits the ground. Do this excercise several times learning how to deal with sudden changes in altitude. If you are getting bored try and catch the heli right before it hits the ground or bring it up higher and cut the throttle entirely.

At this point you should learn that to catch a heli you also need to suddenly increase rudder control to prevent yourself from spinning.

The second excersise is if for some reason the idle up causes a slight change in direction. To do this I flew my heli to a stable hover again, then suddenly "glitched" my collective right and prepared to counter left. I did this for all 8 directions until I was confident that I was able in keeping it from sudden sliding.

Once I have mastered these two excercises (took a full pack) I prepared myself to actually switch to idle up, this involved several fake flicks to the switch without actually pressing it so I got used to my hand briefly leaving the cyclic controls. After doing this about 10 times I actually did it for real, like the people on the forum said the heli did drop a little but not as dramatically as my excercises and the responsiveness increased dramatically expecially while decend where previously all controls were dampaned due to lower head speed.

For the remainder of the pack I switch from idle up to normal mode 5 times noting the slight jump I get right after a switch from idle up to normal and the slight drop and yaw effect while going the other way. The only thing that I should note is that when the pack gets low your heli won't sound different but the tail will become very unmanageable switch to normal mode and land immediately if your on LiPo as your pack is getting low.

So all basement pilots (for the season) don't be afraid to use idle up it's alot more control fly a few packs and you forget your even in idle up (I know i forgot once and wondered why the blades won't stop spinning only got faster as i throttled down) I'm currently running CF mains so I don't know if this makes it any easier for me to fly idle up but it sure feels like this heli was designed to be left in idle up for the majority of the flight.



Now I only need to learn side ins, any experienced pilots like to school me on how to work up to a full side in? I can hold a 45 deg side in for about 10 sec at a time now which isn't very long, I always chicken out when it gets squirrelly, by quickly returning to a tail in to recover, I'd really like to learn side ins and then a nose in so I can finally move beyond a hover, I can now hover in strong winds without a problem and I've been able to put it down for a precision landing in a 2x4 foot rectangle (a cardboard box it was the most nerve racking challenge having to land on an object high enough for blades to strike if I missed I called it the skyscraper landing test.)

thanks everyone I'm working my way up with your help couldn't learn this fast without you.
       Post #: 1

RE: Yay learned how to use the idle up - 2/20/2007 6:12:15 AM   
Top2874


 

Posts: 20
Joined: 2/12/2007
From: FPO, USA
Status: offline 		Wow! That's pretty awesome! Thanks for the tips... I'm still working on the hover. I finally got my Blade CP to hover for about 15 seconds today, which is far longer than I have in the past. I think it has to do with finally getting it balanced and adjusted correctly. I'm going to work later to try it in a wind free zone!

Top

(in reply to vortex05)
       Post #: 2

RE: Yay learned how to use the idle up - 2/21/2007 6:24:51 AM   
vortex05


 

Posts: 117
Joined: 7/28/2006
From: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		yes blanacing is very important I constalty observe my skids to ensure that there's minimal vibrations and constantly blance out my blades between each crash.

I've found that the training gear makes the craft less stable and since stopped using it.

A beginner might find it useful to bring the pitch control links in 2 holes to learn at a more dampened heli setting before switching to full control I know this helped me.

I also recommend keeping your heli as light as possible before mastering the hover for full packs at a time (or at least full pack with one landing for adjustment reasons). the reason is as a beginner you will make mistakes and a lighter heli will allow you to correct them sooner. This is a key reason that plastic-blades harm me more then they help. Another reasons is the age old saying the bigger (heavier) it is the harder it will fall. I've always broken a myriad of parts with plastic blades training gear and generically in a heavy configuration, but I've never broken any parts while my heli was lightened, partially this is because a lighter heli means I can recover quicker and allows me to boost the throttle just before hitting the ground if I need to use the dirt brakes greatly lessening the fall. But mainly small factors like ability to cut throttle and have the blades stop sooner due to less momentum seems to be the saving grace.

Finally it is very important to practice in wind free conditions before going outside for your first trial, it will be much more difficult battling the invisible wind, and you might need to hover in ground effect for the first little while to build up the confidence to fly with headwind. It is crucial before you take your model outside that you learn how to control your altitude effectively indoors or in no wind. When wind blows your heli you will gain vertical thrust because oncomming wind clears turbulence, this means your heli will suddenly shoot upward and you must be prepared to bring it back down, panicking in this situation will surely spell more parts. Failure to act quickly might mean the heli leaves your comfortable field of view that your used to also spelling disaster.

Another problem between outdoor and indoor flying is if you want to use the outdoor enviroment effectively you must take advantage of the higher altitudes. To do this you must slowly get used to controlling the helicopter when it's no longer eye level. This will be very disorienting at first so take it slow drop back to a safe eye level hover if you need to.

Idle up is useful when you get to higher altitudes my philosophy is cutting throttle won't save you at those heights so might as well use idle up to gain more control.

(in reply to Top2874)
       Post #: 3

RE: Yay learned how to use the idle up - 2/21/2007 11:42:55 PM   
p01rogue



Posts: 274
Joined: 7/17/2006
From: Kitchener, ON, CANADA
Status: offline 		I fly in Idle up all the time in my basement.
I find the heli much more stable and maneuverable in idle up and recommend it once you feel comfortable.
Maybe that's just me, i dunno, but personally I'm a much safer flyer indoors in Idle up than regular mode .

_____________________________

T-REX450SE, XLmotor,12T, GY401/9650,ThunderPower2070.
T-REX600,XLMotor,10T,Gy401/9254,ThunderPower 5000,Airthunder5000

(in reply to vortex05)
       Post #: 4

RE: Yay learned how to use the idle up - 2/22/2007 4:52:31 PM   
bdavison


 

Posts: 3333
Joined: 8/23/2004
From: Warner Robins, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Here's an even easier way.
With the heli on the ground, increase throttle to half, but dont lift off yet...then flip the idle-up switch while its still on the ground.
Now you can fly the entire flight in idle-up, without the rapid onslaught of altitude dips and spinning tails.

_____________________________

teamflyingcircus.com

(in reply to p01rogue)
       Post #: 5

RE: Yay learned how to use the idle up - 2/23/2007 12:47:29 AM   
dogismycopilot


 

Posts: 19
Joined: 1/9/2007
From: Orlando, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Here's how I learned side in hovers-

Face the same direction as the helicopter is facing. In other words, A left side-in hover is really a normal nose-forward hover with the heli off your right shoulder. Perhaps a pictoral representation would make everything clearer.

{ = You < = Heli

Left Side-In Hover

<
{

Right Side-In Hover

>
}

Normal Hover

} >

I might also recommend looking over your shoulder for a nose-in hover, but that is not ergonomically feasable for long periods of time.

When hovering nose-in, I find myself saying "push the bad" or "push the wrong" in order to build a correlation between muscle memory and visual flightpath deviations.

Just my $.02

(in reply to bdavison)
       Post #: 6

RE: Yay learned how to use the idle up - 2/23/2007 1:07:49 AM   
PsychoPilot145



Posts: 14
Joined: 2/18/2007
From: Houston, TX, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: dogismycopilot

When hovering nose-in, I find myself saying "push the bad" or "push the wrong" in order to build a correlation between muscle memory and visual flightpath deviations.

Just my $.02



My nose in... (shouting) No dumbarse, the OTHER way (as it is headed towards the wall)

I am just learning also. This is going to take some work. Just think how easy a nose in, inverted, is going to be.

I love it though. This is the most fun I have had in a while. One more battery and the training gear is coming off. At least I am not running into things any more. Yaaaaaay!

_____________________________

Just another FNG with tons to learn. :)

(in reply to dogismycopilot)
       Post #: 7

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