Hi all,

After learning to hover, do you guys recommend keeping the training gear to fly forward, reverse, circles and figure 8's? Or just take the training gear off?

if you can take off and land the helicopter every time perfectly, each time you fly,then you should take the training gear off,as you no longer need it.

Training gear only helps keep you from tipping over when landing. If you're confident that you can set it down softly every time, the training gear is of no more use to you.

What to practice next? It's really up to you. You should be comfortable hovering in several orientations before moving into forward flight. At least from both sides if not nose in as well. Then you can move into other hovering maneuvers like circles, figure 8's, etc.. From there you are probably ready to start practicing transition to and from forward flight and then circuits, flying figure 8's and so on.

When I was starting out I tried to practice several things at once - so you don't get bored or get to used to doing one thing (and forget the rest).

Good luck! You'll start having alot more fun now!

Ben

I'd leave the training gear on for a while as you practice the next phase. As was stated, once you can lift off and set down without a problem, not dragging the heli sideways, setting down too hard, you don't need the gear. But in this next phase you might get dis-oriented and have a less than perfect landing, the gear on will help.

It might be a little nerve racking when you first take the gear off but it can also be a confidence boost when you realize you've past one phase of your training!

Good luck and remember, you need to take small steps but you also need to step just outside of your "comfort zone" once in a while, but not for too long. It's like playing tennis with someone who's way worse than you. You don't get any better. But if you play someone who's 10 times better than you, you get discouraged.

Regards,

Mike

great...thanks for all your advice....

what i did when i was at your stage, is mke some intermediate training gear. I took a single carbon fiber stick maybe 18 inches long and stuck a practice golf ball (hollow plastic) on the ends and wire tied it to the skid suports. Set it up high enough that you are landing on the skids, but the bals just about touch the ground so the heli can't tip.

that's a great idea too spaceman..thanks

What i did to work up to forward flight was to very slowly fly between one helipad and annother about 30 feet away. i stood between them so i was flying to the left then the right (aviod flying nose tward you for a while) just keep it low so if you get nervous you can set down (nerves were a big problem for me) just go from pad to pad landing at each stop, once you get comfortable with that start doing figure 8's around each pad. it is important to turn away from you on ether side. it will probably be a littel awkward for a while, keeping the turn radius, speed and altitude smooth and slow takes a little practice. One step at a time. every flight you should push the limits that you are comfortable just a bit, but be carefull not to overdo it. If you panick terrible things can happen. flying over smooth ground and keeping it low is important so you can set down anytime you start to get nervous.