Faenor

This may be the most newbie-ish question, but since I'm a total newbie, It feels appropriate :P

Because my understanding of real helicopters is that you have have Tail Rotor, Cyclic, and Collective and Collective is usually on a stalk on your left hand side that you pull to increase, does anyone/everyone/some set there left stick to pull for collective (towards you) or do you push away from you to increase it?

Just curious, sorry if this has been discussed ad infinitum, I could not find anything definitive on the subject...

Thanks!

Fae

Super-Hornet

Hi

I think most of us uses Mode 2 controller...that is left stick for collective/throttle. Whether push or pulling towards you is lifting is all up to you. U just have to change the DIP switch or any switch in your TX to reverse it.

I personally uses pulling closer to you for lift. (Opposing to real airplane) My friend uses Laser 4 and he prefer pushing away.

Super-Hornet

wisdom-seeker

Think of the collective as the throttle. The uniform pattern for power control is up for more and down (towards you) for less. The same is true except you are also controlling lift.

Faenor

Wisdom-Seeker,

I started off using the same methodology as I use for my airplanes, with the left hand pushing (away) to increase power (lift), but what all my experience has shown me is that collective on a helicopter is controlled by pulling the collective lever up to increase pitch on the rotor, with the throttle controlled at the end of that lever with a "twist" type control...

Now, in a real helicopter, since both engine power and collective are on the same stick, and on an R/C Transmitter one could say "y-axis on the left stick is throttle" or "y-axis on the left stick is collective" either method would seem to make sense... But with all the flight sims I have used and by watching real helicopter pilots flying in real helictopers it just sort of stuck with me that in a helo (opposite of an airplane) you pull up or toward yourself to increase "lift"

I've sort of gotten used to doing things this way as well... Am I in the minority? If I take my helo to an instructor, would he be confused? or familiar?

HEY! You're in Danville! I'm just south of you in Dublin!

Super Hornet, it looks like you and I are on the same page as far as this is concerned

Thanks for the replies!

Fae

wisdom-seeker

Actually, closer than that. I work in Pleasanton.

I occasionally fly at lunch in the parking lot.

Faenor

In the parking lot? That sounds great! you must generate a little lunchtime crowd when you do that

I've reupped my AMA membership and as soon as that goes through I'm going to hook up with the Livermore Flying Electrons and join that club a find a good Helicopter instructor... Do you fly with a local club? or with the electrons? After I get my Raptor built maybe we can hook up at the field (or a parking lot) and you could give me some pointers!

Have a good one!

Fae

FHHuber

We tend to use th Throttle anlogy on the left stick more than the collective lever in the heli cockpit. I think its a trend from the days of the 4 ch helis (GMP Cricket and such) you had throttle and no Collective pitch for 4 channel.... add the collective on channel 5 (back then with no computer mix) you CONTROLLED wit throttle.. and adjusted collective for rotor speed. (and never flew inverted, or even thought of a loop.)

wisdom-seeker

Actually, no crowd as that is too chancy. My son and I work for the same company, and we both fly together in a back corner of the parking lot where there are no parked cars to hit. Neither he nor I fly with any club, and we have been using our collective years of experience with planks and the use of simulators to learn. Of, course we learned a lot from rcuniverse and runryder as well. At the moment my heli is down for engine problems, and until it is fixed I'm out of the air. If you're interested later, shoot me a private mail, and the three of us can get together and fly.