Outside Electric helicopter?
08-25-2005, 08:01 PM
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Outside Electric helicopter?
Hi all,
I have bought a walkera dragonfly #4 v2. I practiced around 6 hours on a aerofly simulator and I am able to hover with a picollo (no dragonfly in this sim) heli for quite a while and even to land. Same thing on the FMS sim with the dragonfly model.
However, after that, I tried to hover with the real dragonfly and did not last in the air for more than 3-5 seconds. I tried it in a garage so there was no wind. Also tried it outdoor with a wind less than 5 mph and it was a disaster: no control at all. [
]
I also think that the adrenaline of the fear to crash the real heli is not helping me to make the right move to stabilize the dragonfly is it possible?
I wonder if there is an electric helicopter (perhaps from walkera since they are much cheaper) that would be much more stable than the dragonfly #4?
Sylvain
I have bought a walkera dragonfly #4 v2. I practiced around 6 hours on a aerofly simulator and I am able to hover with a picollo (no dragonfly in this sim) heli for quite a while and even to land. Same thing on the FMS sim with the dragonfly model.
However, after that, I tried to hover with the real dragonfly and did not last in the air for more than 3-5 seconds. I tried it in a garage so there was no wind. Also tried it outdoor with a wind less than 5 mph and it was a disaster: no control at all. [
]I also think that the adrenaline of the fear to crash the real heli is not helping me to make the right move to stabilize the dragonfly is it possible?
I wonder if there is an electric helicopter (perhaps from walkera since they are much cheaper) that would be much more stable than the dragonfly #4?
Sylvain
08-25-2005, 08:49 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Problem with the helicopters you used in the simulator, is that they're collective pitch, not fixed pitch, like the #4 is. And, aswell, even at that, I have not seen a simulator that models Fixed Pitch flight even remotely close. They're just unstable machines. They can be flown, but it requires much quicker reflexes than what the simulator taught you. The only way you're going to learn to fly your small fixed pitch bird is by, well, flying it! Practice and more practice, eventually you can get it into the air and hover around without much problem. Of course, the helicopter will not like any sort of wind except very mild (less than 3-5 mph) winds. I tried flying in 5+ wind the other day. While it wasn't a windy day per say, it would whip up randomly in gusts. Not an ideal situation for a small micro copter! Needless to say, it smashed into the ground at a pretty good speed. Only broke one of the landing skid braces, so it wasn't too bad.
If you want something good for wind, then it's simple. Bigger = Better. I've heard the T-rex and Z400's work pretty good in wind. If you go even bigger (eco-8/16, Logo 10/20, e-voyager, etc.) then you can fly in wind without any problems at all. Of course, the bigger you go, the more expensive you go..
If you want something good for wind, then it's simple. Bigger = Better. I've heard the T-rex and Z400's work pretty good in wind. If you go even bigger (eco-8/16, Logo 10/20, e-voyager, etc.) then you can fly in wind without any problems at all. Of course, the bigger you go, the more expensive you go..
08-25-2005, 09:21 PM
#3
RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Keep going with what you have. In the garage will probably be best. Do you have training gear?
Take a read through [link=http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html]Radds School of Rotary Flight[/link]
This is a way to take small steps with small risk to your heli.
After you learn to hover that, you can tackle nose in and forward flight. THEN, you can consider moving to something bigger and more capable. (And I do agree with credence that the T-Rex would be good)
Take a read through [link=http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html]Radds School of Rotary Flight[/link]
This is a way to take small steps with small risk to your heli.
After you learn to hover that, you can tackle nose in and forward flight. THEN, you can consider moving to something bigger and more capable. (And I do agree with credence that the T-Rex would be good)
08-25-2005, 09:58 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Thanks Credence,
I bought the DF4 because it was an inexpensive helicopter to start with and it was recognise as easy to repair compared to CP heli. I though that FP would be easier to start with. But if the aerofly sim is realistic for the physic, I can say that CP is much more flyable than FP!
I tried the eco8 on aerofly and it is much more stable than the picollo. But I suppose it is much more expensive...[&o]
I bought the DF4 because it was an inexpensive helicopter to start with and it was recognise as easy to repair compared to CP heli. I though that FP would be easier to start with. But if the aerofly sim is realistic for the physic, I can say that CP is much more flyable than FP!
I tried the eco8 on aerofly and it is much more stable than the picollo. But I suppose it is much more expensive...[&o]
ORIGINAL: credence
Problem with the helicopters you used in the simulator, is that they're collective pitch, not fixed pitch, like the #4 is. And, aswell, even at that, I have not seen a simulator that models Fixed Pitch flight even remotely close. They're just unstable machines. They can be flown, but it requires much quicker reflexes than what the simulator taught you. The only way you're going to learn to fly your small fixed pitch bird is by, well, flying it! Practice and more practice, eventually you can get it into the air and hover around without much problem. Of course, the helicopter will not like any sort of wind except very mild (less than 3-5 mph) winds. I tried flying in 5+ wind the other day. While it wasn't a windy day per say, it would whip up randomly in gusts. Not an ideal situation for a small micro copter! Needless to say, it smashed into the ground at a pretty good speed. Only broke one of the landing skid braces, so it wasn't too bad.
If you want something good for wind, then it's simple. Bigger = Better. I've heard the T-rex and Z400's work pretty good in wind. If you go even bigger (eco-8/16, Logo 10/20, e-voyager, etc.) then you can fly in wind without any problems at all. Of course, the bigger you go, the more expensive you go..
Problem with the helicopters you used in the simulator, is that they're collective pitch, not fixed pitch, like the #4 is. And, aswell, even at that, I have not seen a simulator that models Fixed Pitch flight even remotely close. They're just unstable machines. They can be flown, but it requires much quicker reflexes than what the simulator taught you. The only way you're going to learn to fly your small fixed pitch bird is by, well, flying it! Practice and more practice, eventually you can get it into the air and hover around without much problem. Of course, the helicopter will not like any sort of wind except very mild (less than 3-5 mph) winds. I tried flying in 5+ wind the other day. While it wasn't a windy day per say, it would whip up randomly in gusts. Not an ideal situation for a small micro copter! Needless to say, it smashed into the ground at a pretty good speed. Only broke one of the landing skid braces, so it wasn't too bad.
If you want something good for wind, then it's simple. Bigger = Better. I've heard the T-rex and Z400's work pretty good in wind. If you go even bigger (eco-8/16, Logo 10/20, e-voyager, etc.) then you can fly in wind without any problems at all. Of course, the bigger you go, the more expensive you go..
08-26-2005, 01:01 AM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Actually the eco-8 kit is quite cheap (Only $150 or 160 if I recall without a motor). It's the electronics that typically kill you. The initial setup, ($150 TX, $100 motor, $100 speed control, $120 gyro, $150 in servos, etc.) is what really runs up the cash. The thing is, once you've got this stuff, if you choose wisely, it can be used in other helicopters or planes aswell. So you're set aslong as you don't break anything 
.
.
08-28-2005, 06:14 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Oh..that's expensive.
About the Z400, is this walkera [link=http://www.rc-expert.com/product.php?pid=120]Walkera #36[/link] the Z400 you are talking about?
About the Z400, is this walkera [link=http://www.rc-expert.com/product.php?pid=120]Walkera #36[/link] the Z400 you are talking about?
ORIGINAL: credence
Actually the eco-8 kit is quite cheap (Only $150 or 160 if I recall without a motor). It's the electronics that typically kill you. The initial setup, ($150 TX, $100 motor, $100 speed control, $120 gyro, $150 in servos, etc.) is what really runs up the cash. The thing is, once you've got this stuff, if you choose wisely, it can be used in other helicopters or planes aswell. So you're set aslong as you don't break anything.
Actually the eco-8 kit is quite cheap (Only $150 or 160 if I recall without a motor). It's the electronics that typically kill you. The initial setup, ($150 TX, $100 motor, $100 speed control, $120 gyro, $150 in servos, etc.) is what really runs up the cash. The thing is, once you've got this stuff, if you choose wisely, it can be used in other helicopters or planes aswell. So you're set aslong as you don't break anything
.
09-07-2005, 04:39 AM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Not only that but its a bit big for a micro heli.
X400,Trex,Shogun etc all reasonably cheap micro helis capable of easily flying in winds up to 10mph.
I'd steer clear of the Eco8 anyway it takes a lot of upgrades to fly well and its a very old design.
If you want something bigger than the Trex's then look at the Robbe Eolo and also the new MS Stinger 3 and 6 helis (Ikarus Viper 70 and 90)
X400,Trex,Shogun etc all reasonably cheap micro helis capable of easily flying in winds up to 10mph.
I'd steer clear of the Eco8 anyway it takes a lot of upgrades to fly well and its a very old design.
If you want something bigger than the Trex's then look at the Robbe Eolo and also the new MS Stinger 3 and 6 helis (Ikarus Viper 70 and 90)
09-07-2005, 04:00 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Hmm? My eco-8 flies great out of the box, only upgrades I have is the auto-rotation gear and aluminum tail pitch slider. The only real problem I notice is that the flybar and bell hiller mixer has some slop in it with the stock plastic parts, but no more than most stock plastic head helicopters, like the t-rex. Theres always some inherent slop when you work with plastic, unfortuantely, as tolerances are just never as tight. The fact that the eco-8 comes ready out of the box for CCPM setup is nice too, whereas most other helicopters require pricey conversion kits.
I'm not saying it's the best helicopter out there, becuase it isn't, and stock part design tolerances aren't the best, but it's by no means a bad helicopter, at all. Atleast, not from my experience, and the kit's price is real nice if you're looking for a bigger electric.
I'm not saying it's the best helicopter out there, becuase it isn't, and stock part design tolerances aren't the best, but it's by no means a bad helicopter, at all. Atleast, not from my experience, and the kit's price is real nice if you're looking for a bigger electric.
09-08-2005, 03:13 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
I'm with Credence on this one. Even though it's on older design, it's a good one that set the standard a long time ago. I have an Eco 8 that flew for me on my first attempt - even with the radio programmed wrong! (Thanks Credence for all the help the the radio and swash plate programming) It seems to be very solid, and is a nice size. You will spend $600.00 to $1000.00, depending on your setup. Pays in the long run though!
09-08-2005, 03:17 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
You might also look into the Lite Machines Corona. It's a pretty good size, and even though it is fixed pitch, bigger is better. Think of your helicopter's rotors as a big gyro when they're spinning. The bigger the rotor disk, the more stable the helicopter will be.
09-08-2005, 05:09 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Took my eco out today, it was flying beautifully. Was doing some fast forward flight and piroretting like crazy. The more I fly mine the more I love it 
I'm so dreading the day I ineveitably crash it..
I'm so dreading the day I ineveitably crash it..
09-08-2005, 06:40 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
I finally crashed my walkera Dragonfly #4! It felled from about 10 foots! Wind was about 3 mph. The heli really does not react quickly to pitch and roll control. I broke the skid, and the tail rod. Surprisingly no damage to any mechanical piece! And everything is repairable with glue and scotch tape! I am happy that it was not an eco heli, it would have cost many $. I have still much to learn before I go CP!
I am happy that it was not an eco heli, it would have cost many $. I have still much to learn before I go CP!
09-08-2005, 07:24 PM
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RE: Outside Electric helicopter?
Keep in mind that with wind, the helicopter will NOT fight it, at all. If a gust hits the helicopter, it'll just push it along like a leaf. I've crashed mine dozens of times from gusts of wind that whip up out of nowhere and the helicopter will not fight it, even with full cyclic control into the direction the wind is coming from, it just pushes the poor thing back like it's nothing . Of course, it survives crashes very well, so it's not to much of a problem, more an annoyance, than anything else.
You would be less likely to crash something the size of the eco as the wind just really doesn't blow it around at all. The thing weighs like 6 pounds with the batteries installed. You'd need some pretty strong wind to get the eco to notice
. Of course, it survives crashes very well, so it's not to much of a problem, more an annoyance, than anything else.You would be less likely to crash something the size of the eco as the wind just really doesn't blow it around at all. The thing weighs like 6 pounds with the batteries installed. You'd need some pretty strong wind to get the eco to notice
