I have had one plane in my flying experience that worked nicely for hovering and that was for perhaps 5 seconds at a time. It eventually died from a 'hovering gone bad' accident.

I want to know about the use of two gyros (rudder and elevator) for the use of stable hovering. With remote gain on both gyros, this would likely help alot.

Has anyone tried using tail lock gyros as opposed to the standard gyros? Because these have more correction capacity as they measure the amount of time that the deviation occurs and can attempt to correct for it, these may be better.

This is for me, a hovering challenged person...please dont tell me about your four year old brother that hovers his 40% carden around the sand box. I already know that he's a better pilot than me.

Any input?...

Like the sandbox thing..lol You don't have a broken leg so why use a crutch....half the battle of hovering is having a plane that has the capability of doing so...power versus weight is a big issue as well...being able to set the aircraft up for that type of flying is another..there are lots of variables involved in doing a controlled hover or tork for any amount of time..then the all important experience and flying time on the sticks...there IS NO substitute for those two...I wish you well...burn all the fuel you can..the rest will fall into place.....Joey Hamilton

Although not at that stage yet, I agree with the concept of using gyros. Remote gain would allow someone to turn gain way up and gradually lower it as you get better. If gyros were free I'd have 3 on my plane

Just in case you didn't know you just got advice from one of the best. Listen to him, he knows what he is talking about.

Check out the "Who is truly the best 3D Pilot?" thread here on RCU. I saw Joey Hamilton mentioned there a couple times.

I kow someone who has tried a tail locking gyro on the rudder, and it doesn't work. I don't know the major details about what happend, but i heard it was scary... Just pratice, also if you might be interested look into a twin funfly/3d plane. Such as the diablotin twin, or the ripmax extra slim twin, i have both the ripmax i have flown and hovering is a breeze, with a twin (wider platform of thrust?). I just posted pics of my Diablotin twin take a look.

If you are willing to spend the money for two gyros, spend it instead on a plane capable of 3d maneuvers, and more importantly, 3d recovery. Get a funfly type plane, topcap, magic, seduction freestyle, etc, or any of the other planes that people rave about. Build it as light and straight as possible, balance it laterally as well as the usual cg direction, ask on RCU for right and/or downthrust recommendatins, and fly the snot out of it. All gyros are going to do is teach you bad habits that youre going to spend more time learning to correct after you take the gyros off. Gyros will also add dead weight to a model(which you will want to despise on a 3d model). 3 additional oz definately makes a difference in vertical authority. Id also be curious as to how many planes are lost on maiden flights with gyros (specially used gyros bought from other fliers) because they arent configured properly (gain too low/high) etc.

Good luck,

Steve

Instead of buying Gyros, go down to your LHS and buy as much feul as you can with the money, then go out and use it! There is no substitute for practise. My four year old brother took 3 days of solid flying before he could go from his trainer to the twin turbine and carden!

I have to chime in here on this one too. I was told by Mr. "TR" himself Frank Noll Jr. that gyros can help to a point. It makes hovering feel like the plane is in water. The gyro won't stop the fall out from a hover, it just slows it down. His best advice was "He could teach ANYONE to hover (TR) for $100.00. Just go out and buy $100.00 of fuel and practice.....

Scott

Seriously, the only advice I've been given that works is burning fuel, and trust me it works

As all of the people before me have stated, there is nothing better than practice. Gyros do however make the learning process easier and make the plane track a little better. When I first showed up at the field with a computer radio the "experts" told me if I needed a computer to fly I was a lousy pilot, now they all have computer radios. I think you may see the same thing with gyros. Now they are considered "cheating" but just like the computers this with time will change, and what might be the best proof of this is the large number of aircraft dedicated gyros showing up all over the market. Now sit back and watch how bad I get trashed on this post.

I have tried it. Heading hold dosen't help. I used 2 futaba 401 gyros. It does help a little in normal mode, but not much. And if you panic and forget to turn them off in HH mode when you fall out the plane will snap all the way to the groung. Keep that in mind it you try it.

I totally agree , I think gyro's will have a big advantage in flying one day. Look what it did for Heli flying it opened a huge door to maneuvers guy's could'nt even dream of before them.

If guys all over the world can do it without a Gyro, then there isn't a need for it.

I have two words "THROTTLE MANAGEMENT" to often I see a pilot trying to hover and falls out before they even get started.
You also need to keep the plane down close enough to anticipate the fall...as soon as you see it starting to fall adjust for it.
When it is 100 feet in the air, you can not see it well enough to do that, so you need to bring it down to at least 50 feet, you need a plane that will fall out and pull out quickly thats why the need for a good power to weight ratio is important. I practiced with an old cheap Tower Hobby's Fun 51 ($45.00) and felt very comfortable with it due to it's cheap to replace.
I really can not say much in the way of Gyros, never used them, however if I were at the field and a buddy had the same type of plane I had and I used Gyros and he didn't but could do just as well at 3D as I, I would feel like I had cheated myself.
You just have to burn the fuel to get it down really good, I thought I would never get the hang of it, every day I get a little better. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE and do not forget to PRACTICE throttle management.

I am no Pro, but this is what I have learned by way of self taught.

Cheers,
Robin

50 feet? Bring that baby down to earth, more like 5-10 feet and have fun. If it does fall the closer you are to the ground the less damage it's gonna do. Besides, the airplane doesn't know it's that low.

If you want a really good 3D trainer build yourself a Morris Knife and put a Saito 72 on it. Don't buy the ARF because it'll be a pound heavier... Mine came out to 4lbs 3oz and it sure has taught me alot and YES it has hit the ground too...

Challenge yourself and the best way to do that is to bring as close to the ground as you can...

Tork It or Dork It!

50 feet? Bring that baby down to earth, more like 5-10 feet and have fun. If it does fall the closer you are to the ground the less damage it's gonna do. Besides, the airplane doesn't know it's that low.


LOL, I agree but we are talking to someone that is just starting to hover...we do not want to bring him that close at this point.
50 feet maybe a little high but he will be able to have a better chance of recovery at that altitude...OH what the hell...bring her in about 3 feet off the ground do a wall and hang her at about 6-8 feet. LOL
Another thing to keep in mind is the smaller the plane is the harder it is, so if you learn with a small 40-60 size plane and then jump up to a 1/4 or 1/3 scale...you will find yourself in 3D heaven.

Cheers,
Robin

See at 5 feet your forced to learn it quickly because if you don't you will hit the ground and spend a few hours the next week fixing it. If you get comfortable hovering it at 50 feet you'll never bring it down low. Again it's that challenge...

As for a bigger plane I'm getting ready to experience that one myself. I learned to 3D on a Morris Knife and I'm putting together a Dave Patrick Extra 330L right now... I can't wait to fly it.

Just a thought, Instead of buying the two gyros, take the money and go out and buy Realflight G2 R/C flight simulator and fuel with the balance of money left from not getting the gyros. Once you load the program go to the realflight web site and you could download several planes that can help you practice hovering. While they are not quite the REAL thing, the simulator lets you see the plane up close and down low so you get used to making the corrections. Once you spend hours doing that, then go burn the fuel per above recommendations.

Best of luck

..........Mark

There's really no shortcut. Burn the fuel.

A very wise man once told me when I started flying to get an empty 55 gal barrel. Every time I emptied a gallon of glow fuel to fill the empty gallon jug with water and then empty that into the 55 gallon barrel. When the 55 gallon barrel overflows with water, you've got it.

His point, practice is the only way. You have to burn the fuel.


P.S. No, I'm not at the top of the 55 gallon barrel yet. I have a long way to go.