clovus

G'Day Radd

I've followed your method in learning to hover my micro and it works down under as well!! I feel I am well on the way to greater things - possibly even forward flight (gasp). My question is...
is there a point where I am going to need to upgrade. I don't wanna hop up my GWS mini dragonfly......oh, ok maybe a lipo and head stiffener, but when will I reach the point when it's logical to move onwards eg. is it forward flight, or wanting to break the confines of the living room? I don't see myself doing 3d but also don't live near a good big flying field - so don't wanna gasser/nitro, and where I live there is almost always a bit of breeze - hence I still like indoor flight, but maybe also occasionally I'd like to go out into the wide blue yonder.

I don't want to buy something that I'm not ready to handle, but also want to push ever onwards and not stagnate. I've got a 5 channel JR 2610 radio which I think will be adequate for my next heli. Your posts make lots of sense and so your thoughts woud be appreciated.

Ta
Clive

Radd

Clovis...I'm not sure what you are meaning by upgrading?...sounds like you want another machine?....

If your thinking of hopping up your stock micro...and it will absolutely NOT do what your asking it to do.....and....you love it to much to move on to a more powerful machine then you might consider upgrading....

But think about this......

There is so much left in your little machine to break walls down with.....fear walls.....once you master them you will feel like you can tear the world up with a fly swatter.....

If you can hover a pack out on each side.....( side in in stable hover.)....Then your ready for the blast of a life time......

PUT THE TRAINING GEAR ON AND START OVER.......ONLY THIS TIME NOSE IN....

first time I did this I thought I would crap in my pants I was laughing so hard....( keep it on the ground.....nose in with the training gear on..)....after a few batteries lift it off and set it back down......dont try to hover for any long length of time...

I guarantee you will be smiling.....

then we'll start working on figure 8's and circuits......

then pirouettes......pirouette take off's......etc......

If you do get lipos you will be flying for twenty minutes at a time and not even thinking about landing....


The first rule to remember about upgrading the machine itself is to ask one simple question......

( IS THIS HELICOPTER JEWELRY??.....) will it help?....will it cause a need for further upgrades...( often this is a must...and a waste of money..)...one thing generally leads to another.....cause and effect....for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.....this motor::: that gearing:::: cut the blades::::change the tail::::;go seperates::::etc etc...

It's so much easier to move to a machine that will already do what you want your convertable to do......get it?.....

Ok....heres the last a best......Helicopter jewerly looks great on the ground....but helicopters really shine in the sky and not on the deck.....and you can have a blinged out chopper on the shelf and feel really crappy about yourself for not being able to fly it.....it can tear your self confidence to ribbons.....

So naturally before you get the wallet out....get the bird out......and get it into the air.....

If you master that FP Dragon you will feel proud......and so will your friends......When you go to the flying meetings with other guys...you wont just sit at the table and talk....you will fly......

Take that little machine to the limits.....dont take any crap from it.....dont let it control you.....you control it......

oh.....and btw.......when you master it.......YOU COME SEE ME AND THE BOYS...... we'll put a nitro in your hands......cause if you can fly a micro...you can fly anything......YOU BUST THE CRAP OUT OF THE LIMITS OF YOUR MICRO........AND BUDDY YOU'LL BE A PILOT!!.......

clovus

RADD,

Yeah,

I first took up rc planes and foudn a big increase in enjoyment going to 4 channel from 2 - so was wondering if the same existed in heli's. I was thinking about a new machine -but sounds like I've got plenty of room for growth in the dragonfly, and after a few sudden landings it's still going strong. No matter how many times I plant it in the dirt, she still refuses to grow.

Reading all the posts about "my micro heli I got for 99 cents on e-bay is a piece of crap" led me to think getting them to hover was akin to building a pyramid and maybe they were..... just crap for flying. Probably not helped by the LHS trying to get me to get a larger electric every time I go in - "maaaate, this'll do your washing, clean the house, etc - translation -give me money". I like my dragonfly - sure it doesn't look super ( I fly without the canopy as it seems to have better performance) but if I can master all those moves you mentioned with what I got - super! That's what I'd like to be able to do - not some frozen inverted swinging waterfall. To be honest I don't know what a prouette is but can guess - so maybe the biggest hurdle is a mental constriction, think outside the little imaginary box in the air.

I don't want to get into a law of diminishing returns and have the blingest dragonfly - whereas I coulda had a bigger/better machine for the same final $$ outlay, hence the question. but I think only getting 3-4 minutes max out of my NiMH sucks so hopefully the Lipo will change that.


When I can do those things you mentioned then I'll come over to see you. Having achieved that which seem so far away at my current skill level an o/s trip would be a good reward....or maybe a new heli. ha ha ha

Moe3754

My Feedback: (14)

Radd did you see the picture I left on the other forum I finally flew and I have your training to thank for that and you and the guys to thank for the help since I never see you on the other site I figured maybe you were here.

Radd

You cant even relax enough to stop seeing flashes of fear and lightening infront of your eyes with only 3 to 4 minutes of flying time......

I dont even let my shoulders sag for half a lipo ....fun doesnt start until the third battery......

When I fly an eco-8 at lunch I always take 7 or 8 batteries and try to fly them one after another.....if you pause inbetween packs to talk or relax you loose muscle memory....and focus.....

it sounds impossible to fly that many packs one after another but it really isnt....ofcourse I'm talking nicads or nmh....as soon as I feel a head speed loss I land and reload.....Most guys like to hover out a pack until the headspeed is dangerously low.....but you cant learn like that....

you need to buy some lipos or litos....you wont believe the difference...just stay with 2 cells for now...you dont want to burn up your board....

Stay intouch.....sounds like your bummed and wanting to get a better chopper?......But I'm telling you straight..and in the long run you'll kiss me flat on the mouth if you master your dragon....( hope my wife doesnt read that?)......LOL.....no....I'm not gaayy....LOL....

Radd

uh?.....no...I'll go see...

Moe3754

My Feedback: (14)

Here I will leave it here for you Radd http://www.ikarus-modellbau.de/uploa...423099-Moe.gif Well maybe I will see if I can go fly my Trex before it gets to dark so SEEE YA!!

clovus

Howdy Radd,
Maybe a little bit frustrated, but lovin it, too. I look forward to the lipo - just ordered it.
clive

mok73ph

radd can you also give me some tips on how to fly my dragonfly,,,im sorry but it seems your the only person that ive heard giving a real tip on how to fly a heli, but i cant find that link so maybe you could post it again and give us newbies some tips,,thanksssss in advance

JJfromUK

Mok sadly dream-models site is very ill at the moment after major server problems.
I learned to hover before I'd heard of that approach, but my first attempts had at least some of the method in common; I kept the heli on the floor a lot, with a slippery floor and training undercarriage I had got some stick control before daylight showed under the heli.

mok73ph

okay so you mean my basement with carpet is not a good way to start? coz thats where im trying to practice,,,

clovus

Mok,
try putting a big sheet of cardboard down. I think the idea is to be able to anticipate the heli moving by letting it slide around on the floor. The more you do the more you will be used to controlling it's motion. Once you get used to moving it around where you want and can get it back then you try to turn it so it's facing you and start again, the whole time just getting it light on the skids - not going into the air.

With enough of this practice (I had over 11 hrs before going into the air) once you do take it up you have more of an idea of how the heli will move, how it will react to stick inputs so you are not too suprised/scared and crash - but are calm relaxed an in control. It makes the whole process much easier. I tried RADDs' method and improved faster then my brother who just nailed the throttle and tried to deal with what came his way. Although initially he had much more airtime then me, once I felt ready I quickly caught up. Mow I am much more confident, in control and can hover for longer. 'Nuff said.

_Buzz_

Mok, if you're using a table tennis ball types training set you should be ok on carpet as long as it's not a mega deep pile. The idea of Radds lessons is to see what the heli does relative to control inputs. You need to get the heli "light", but not fully airborne. The less friction there is between the heli and the floor the better it will be.