I findrotary wingmore realistic and tofly better than a fixed wing on the simulator.

My limited experience on the micro-copter real time is the same.

Has anyone used helicopter skills to develop fixed-wing skills ?

I know that since I have been playing with helis a little, my fixed-wing rudder skills are much better

I started out with both helis and airplanes at about the same time just 2 years ago.  I feel that I am a decent plane RC pilot, but my heli skills are still very much lacking.  And I say that because...

For me (and a lot of others as I have read) helis are a lot harder to fly than an airplane.

Also, my nervousness when flying a heli was a lot more intense.  Not just for any one reason...but a multitude.  IE...my helis are more expensive to crash.  You constantly have to "fly the tail" on a heli vs. an airplane tail always follows its "nose" on its own.  A lot of time is invested in building a heli AND setting it up correctly (I have more time in setup than building).

To answer your question, as also to agree with MinnFlyer...I think that helicopter skills will definitely help your plane flying.  I notice this more on models like say my gas cub.  I find that if I dont coordinate my turns on the cub (flying the tail so to speak)...that the turns look quite awkward and almost un-natural.  Add in some slight rudder with aileron and the cub turns as nicely as an aerobatic plane...say my Yak54 or such.

When learning lots of people will say not to focus on the rudder.  I feel though (and Im no expert) that learning rudder as soon as possible will only help you.  There will be times when you have to land in a cross wind and if you dont know how to use rudder...you may not be able to land without crashing.

So learn the rudder as quickly as you can become comfortable with it.  And learning on a heli will help this tremedously.

Also...if your heli is a co-axial one.  It wont transition over to a FP or CP heli much other than throttle.  Co-axial helis are fun...but really dont teach you much and probably can create "bad habits" on more sophisticated helis.  Best starter heli to get the real feeling of flying a helicopter, IMO would be the Blade mSR.

Goodluck!

I bought a Blade MCPX.

Took right to it after flying on the sim.

Fixed-wing not so much.

I want one of those! I envy you in that regard.

If you are flying the MCPX and not crashing it...then you should be able to fly a plane no problems.

I posted in your other thread a couple of times, soI know your story.

Are you flying the MCPX in full cicuits (meaning youuse, dont remember the term but on an airplane it would be ailerons to bank the heli into the turn and then bring the tail around with rudder)like you do an airplane? Of course you would also use elevator to keep the aircraft from loosing altitude (both helis and airplanes). If so...you are starting out right where its taken me almost 2 years to accomplish. But, if you are just hovering around and keeping the thing in the air...you have a ways to go.

To me...flying a heli and airplane (Fixed Pitch or Collective Pitch) are pretty much the same. Its just you HAVEto fly the tail of a heli in a turn whereas on a plane the tail follows along and rudder isnt ALWAYS needed to turn.

If you are flying the little MCPX in full circuits fast forward flight, you should get back to the plane and go again. The only thing you should do is slow down to a pace thatwill keep the airplane flying and you comfortable flying it.

Also...I can see where the heli might be a little more friendly to you since you can control the speed of it and it not get too fast. But for me...orientation is ALOT easier to keep in perspective with an airplane, than a heli.

Once you get going faster with the heli and the tail moves out on you...you have ZERO time to react. Muscle memory will be all you have that keeps that heli from doing a "dead chicken dance". Airplane on the other hand...you just need to keep the thing flying and only concentrate on where the nose is pointing and react accordingly.

Again, goodluck.

Also...I live in southern WV. If you arent too far away...you should come visit our club sometime.

The MCX ( both in the sim and in real life ) are rediculously stable.

Methinks people are confusing them with micro single rotor helis.

I trim mine out, and I can leave it hovering in all by itself about 4-5 feet above the ground.

If you push it hard, it will not fall out of the sky like some of my older CX helis.

Don't assume that helis are easier because you can handle a CX in the sim.

As that goes a CX heli is like driving an RC 2 channel micro car, when compared to a full five or six channel standard RC heli.

And you cannot compare a CX to a real RC plane either... the former is like comparing a wind-up 15 cent balsa glider to a glow model... they are not in the same league.

That said the MicroCX is a fun to fly around the house.

IMHO the MCX offers you NO aid to flying a real RC plane, they are simply too dissimiliar and stable.

Wow, another one bites the dust.

He said he had an mcpx. not mcx.

Like this one, I am assuming...



Thats why I said I was envious. I wanted to buy one of these before they came out. Then when they hit the shelves I found that I wanted a few other things more and have since put it on my back burner.

But, like I said initially. If this is the heli he is flying, and flying it well. Should be no problem flying any trainer airplane, even up to a Stik type plane.

Just my opinion though. I guess there are some people out there that have it easier with helis, than planes. Im just not one of them.

Yes MCPX as above full collective pitch micro.

The heli thus far has been stable and controlable in all axis....except in ground wash due to its size.  Working on hovering nose out and in.  Small circuits.  I have crashed over grass with no issues so far.

I could not get ahead of a fixed-wing trainer and in three turns it was back on me and clipping it. 

There really isnt anything to build on a heli to express craftsmanship and design skills so the plane wins there.

You're right, my bad!

It's a BIG difference!

And yes he should have no problem if he's flying the CP heli.

Maybe thats what you need (the mcpx) to get your confidence up. I mean, its small and if its anything like the mSR will tolerate a lot of bashing without breaking much. By you knowing that, your nerves are probably a lot more calm when dealing with flying it. However, once you get flying it in fast forward flight in "the pattern" banking the heli in turns (using the ailerons, elevator and rudder)keeping the heli always going forward and not losing altitude, you will definitely be able to confidently fly any trainer or even stick type plane.

My biggest problem with helis is still not knowing how to recover the helicopter IF the tail kicks out in a turn. Even though its not happened to me yet. Im not sure if my skills (or muscle memory of my thumbs) will know what to do to regain control of the heli before it takes a dirt nap.

Ive dumped my 450 about 3 times and it wasnt pretty, nor fun to rebuild. Havent crashed a heli in over a year now though...but the 3 crashes I did have probably put me behind a bit as I got a little more "gun-shy" after each crash. Enough about me though...this is your thread.

Maybe you will find out that planes just arent for you and you will become a very good heli pilot. Its just hard for me to come to the realization that some people might take up learning to fly helis easier than planes. Because for me, its definitely the inverse.

Goodluck and hang in there!

I started with airplanes back in "75" and switched to helis about 81ish or so. At the time is was of some peoples opinion that helis and planes didn't mix so I dropped the plans and went exclusive helis. I've now returned to planes after about a ten year lay off and IMO planes and helis do mix. A heli flies very much like a plane after you are in forward motion. It's the hovering that can bite you. As mentioned befpore your rudder skills will improve, though mine have gone backwards a bit since I don't do much with the helis at this point. I've since decided that my reflexes will not keep up with helis and while I have SR 120 and a Century Raven I may sell the Raven this spring after I repair the last crash damage[&:].

Ken

I actually started with helis a Blade CX2, then up to a Blade 400. I got to the point where I could fly circuits with the blade 400, though figure eights were still a bit troublesome. Nose in hovering was still a work in progress. My problem was that I was fine so long as the bird was moving and I was moving the sticks. My brain could keep the orientation in order. However once I stopped and hovered and lost the continuous fluid movement of the sticks, my brain would get stuck.

All that to say this. I had the realization that someone else had pointed out. I pretty stressed when flying and while I enjoyed it, being stressed while doing a "fun hobby" tends to reduce the amount of fun. So, I switched over to planes. No flight training, no trainer. I went out and bought a Multiplex Gemini followed shortly after by a .60 sized Edge 540. Flying a heli will not teach you to land a plane. Other than that, I found that the skills translated very well. The big thing that learning on a heli taught me up front was the concept of "small control inputs". Over controlling a plane is ugly. Over controlling a heli is fatal.

I should note that I am slowing getting back into helis. The mCX an mCPX have been calling my name for a while and I'm finally to a point where I can answer their call.

I agree with your whole post...but I have to agree with this point the most!

the mcpx is nice

ground wash eats you up

and it is small so if it gets out from you orientation is tough

throttle cut is your friend

If you master FFF and banked 'real' turns that look like a real heli turns when moving forward (ie smooth) then I feel this will help you greatly re flying method and thumb memory. Going from a 50 sized nitro heli to a trainer was pretty easy, just took a few circuits to get used to the feel, then it was onwards and upwards.
That said, I don't know how the lack of weight and drift that see on those micro helis will feel. I started on a 450 sized CP electric heli, and moving onto something much bigger (my nitro weighs 3.6kg/7.26lb when flying) added a whole differing feel that was totally new to me, and in fairness, I'm not too sure how I'd have gone going from the lightweight 450 to my old trainer as there would be such a huge change in feel and way it flys over the old 450.