Learning to hover
01-26-2007 | 03:11 PM
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From: Elmsford,
NY
Learning to hover
Hey guys, first off, just wanna say i LOVE these forums. I've been doing tons of reading and it's definitely helping me out. I'm currently working with G3.5 for learning to hover. A friend of mine at work has her ex's elec heli for me that she's bringing in next week. I have no intentions of trying anything with it yet. My question pertains to I guess muscle movement with hovering. I am finally getting the hang of keeping stick movements very small, but what I'm wondering is if there's a trick to keeping it small, but also making it more fluid. In G3.5 I'm only working with the small boundary in the hover trainer, and I am definitely noticing improvements, but I also notice that my movements could be more fluid, which I'm trying to focus on, but it inadvertently leads to larger than necessary or wanted stick inputs which lead to me trying to recover a now very unstable heli. Are there any tricks to overcoming this? Besides the obvious of PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! and MORE SIM! MORE SIM! MORE SIM! (Like I said, I've done a ton of reading in the last couple of weeks)
01-26-2007 | 06:36 PM
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From: Agoura Hills,
CA
RE: Learning to hover
I am relatively new as well...but i would say definitely start with [link=http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html]RADD's[/link] once you get on the real one. It'll help you get acquainted with how the chopper will respond to your inputs. Continue on the sim practicing hovering in all orientations until you catch up with RADD's on the real thing. Have fun!
01-26-2007 | 06:50 PM
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From: Elmsford,
NY
RE: Learning to hover
I'm having a blast. I was really stoked before to be able to keep it hovering in the small boundary on G3.5 for about a minute n a half. It's helping more now that I've stopped playing around so much, although it is fun to attempt stall turns and inverted hovering, but I finally buckled down and started working on the basics. Is it me or is it easier to work on hovering in regular flight mode as opposed to the hover training mode?
01-26-2007 | 07:10 PM
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From: Greenwood,
IN
RE: Learning to hover
Headswim,
You're on the right track my man, sim time is great, you don't break anything.
I've flew planks for several years and the heli for a year now. You're in for wonderful hobby. It can get frustrating at times, so take your time and be patient. Sounds like your tons of reading has paid off, small stick movements is a key factor in smooth flying/hovering. NO TRICKS, like you said, Practice, practice and practice some more.
If you don't have anyone to help you learn to fly, then, as Eddo22 mentioned, follow the RADD'S school of rotary flight.
Just saw your last post. Regular flight mode or hover training mode.. Similar to having training gears on the heli and learning to hover/fly and then taking them off.. It does make a difference and somewhat easier to fly, but always remember, YOU have to fly the heli all the time.
What model heli are you getting? Just curious, makes all the difference on who can help ya.
Dave / Choppersrule
You're on the right track my man, sim time is great, you don't break anything.
I've flew planks for several years and the heli for a year now. You're in for wonderful hobby. It can get frustrating at times, so take your time and be patient. Sounds like your tons of reading has paid off, small stick movements is a key factor in smooth flying/hovering. NO TRICKS, like you said, Practice, practice and practice some more. If you don't have anyone to help you learn to fly, then, as Eddo22 mentioned, follow the RADD'S school of rotary flight.
Just saw your last post. Regular flight mode or hover training mode.. Similar to having training gears on the heli and learning to hover/fly and then taking them off.. It does make a difference and somewhat easier to fly, but always remember, YOU have to fly the heli all the time.
What model heli are you getting? Just curious, makes all the difference on who can help ya.
Dave / Choppersrule
ORIGINAL: headswim
Hey guys, first off, just wanna say i LOVE these forums. I've been doing tons of reading and it's definitely helping me out. I'm currently working with G3.5 for learning to hover. A friend of mine at work has her ex's elec heli for me that she's bringing in next week. I have no intentions of trying anything with it yet. My question pertains to I guess muscle movement with hovering. I am finally getting the hang of keeping stick movements very small, but what I'm wondering is if there's a trick to keeping it small, but also making it more fluid. In G3.5 I'm only working with the small boundary in the hover trainer, and I am definitely noticing improvements, but I also notice that my movements could be more fluid, which I'm trying to focus on, but it inadvertently leads to larger than necessary or wanted stick inputs which lead to me trying to recover a now very unstable heli. Are there any tricks to overcoming this? Besides the obvious of PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! and MORE SIM! MORE SIM! MORE SIM! (Like I said, I've done a ton of reading in the last couple of weeks)
Hey guys, first off, just wanna say i LOVE these forums. I've been doing tons of reading and it's definitely helping me out. I'm currently working with G3.5 for learning to hover. A friend of mine at work has her ex's elec heli for me that she's bringing in next week. I have no intentions of trying anything with it yet. My question pertains to I guess muscle movement with hovering. I am finally getting the hang of keeping stick movements very small, but what I'm wondering is if there's a trick to keeping it small, but also making it more fluid. In G3.5 I'm only working with the small boundary in the hover trainer, and I am definitely noticing improvements, but I also notice that my movements could be more fluid, which I'm trying to focus on, but it inadvertently leads to larger than necessary or wanted stick inputs which lead to me trying to recover a now very unstable heli. Are there any tricks to overcoming this? Besides the obvious of PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! and MORE SIM! MORE SIM! MORE SIM! (Like I said, I've done a ton of reading in the last couple of weeks)
01-27-2007 | 09:29 AM
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From: Elmsford,
NY
RE: Learning to hover
I'm hopefully gonna find out this week. A friend of mine at work has a bunch of r/c stuff that her ex left and hasn't collected. She said there's an electric heli that I could have. Not sure what model it is, but after seeing pics of the guy's plane collection, I'm guessing it'll probably be a decent one, at least I hope. As soon as I find out I'll let ya know. I also already have n printed out RADDs. I must've read it through at least a dozen times already, and that was before even getting the sim. Learn now, save later, right?
01-27-2007 | 06:51 PM
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From: Greenwood,
IN
RE: Learning to hover
Headswim,
Keep us posted.
Dave / Choppersrule
Keep us posted.
Dave / Choppersrule
ORIGINAL: headswim
I'm hopefully gonna find out this week. A friend of mine at work has a bunch of r/c stuff that her ex left and hasn't collected. She said there's an electric heli that I could have. Not sure what model it is, but after seeing pics of the guy's plane collection, I'm guessing it'll probably be a decent one, at least I hope. As soon as I find out I'll let ya know. I also already have n printed out RADDs. I must've read it through at least a dozen times already, and that was before even getting the sim. Learn now, save later, right?
I'm hopefully gonna find out this week. A friend of mine at work has a bunch of r/c stuff that her ex left and hasn't collected. She said there's an electric heli that I could have. Not sure what model it is, but after seeing pics of the guy's plane collection, I'm guessing it'll probably be a decent one, at least I hope. As soon as I find out I'll let ya know. I also already have n printed out RADDs. I must've read it through at least a dozen times already, and that was before even getting the sim. Learn now, save later, right?
01-30-2007 | 11:43 AM
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From: Elmsford,
NY
RE: Learning to hover
I'll have to play with that once work stops making me work and I can get more time in. Still not sure on the heli my friend has, going to her house this weekend to pick it up and go through the bins of stuff her ex has, but I did find out about the Tx...one of the Futaba 12ch. I was looking at it online and feel like my head will explode with it. Is it gonna be too complicated for learning to hover with if I overlook all the fancy features it has? Given the price on it, I was also thinking of selling it n grabbing a 9ch and then pocketing the difference. Any opinion on a 12ch for a newbie?
01-30-2007 | 01:58 PM
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From: Fredericksburg,
VA
RE: Learning to hover
If it's the 12Z, it's an excellent radio. My first radio was the 14MZ. The 12Z is 100x better than the 9c. The 9c is a notoriously slow radio with regard to the computer processing. With a 12z, you shouldn't have to upgrade for years and years regardless of your flying.
01-30-2007 | 02:21 PM
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From: Elmsford,
NY
RE: Learning to hover
That's good to know Clay. I know the guy who's stuff it is used the one Tx for his heli and his planks, so I'm guessing from what I saw online that it is a 12z. I also realized that it looks VERY intimidating and wasn't sure if it was too much Tx for a newbie. I'm stoked about going to go through his stuff this weekend, hopefully I'll have a slew of spare parts to grab too, although I still feel the need for more sim time. I checked pilot locator, and did find a couple of guys within 15 min or so of me, so gonna shoot off some emails to them. Thanks for all the input guys, you're great. Hopefully before long I'll be a hoverboy working up to flyboy 
Mike
Mike
01-30-2007 | 03:55 PM
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From: Fredericksburg,
VA
RE: Learning to hover
The 14MZ seemed intimidating at first, as did my 9c. It will all make sense in time. Get with some pilots and don't be afraid to ask questions. Hindsight, I probably would have gotten a 12Z but they weren't out when I got my 14. I do like my color screen though.
01-30-2007 | 04:28 PM
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From: Elmsford,
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RE: Learning to hover
Thanks for everything. I started doing some g3.5 work on side-in, and I gotta say, I DEFINITELY find nose-in easier. Is this normal? If I stop and think while not in the sim, I do grasp the concept of how the cyclic rotates with the heli, but it just shocks me since I'm used to hearing that nose-in is harder. Oh well, practice practice practice! Can't wait to try a 2" hover on a real heli though, hear it's an amazing feeling.
01-30-2007 | 06:23 PM
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From: Greenwood,
IN
RE: Learning to hover
Headswim,
Don't sell the radio, get help setting it up. If nobody local, you can always post for help.
I was intimidated by my first programmable radio too. After awhile, it becomes second nature.
Dave / Choppersrule
Don't sell the radio, get help setting it up. If nobody local, you can always post for help.
I was intimidated by my first programmable radio too. After awhile, it becomes second nature.
Dave / Choppersrule
01-30-2007 | 07:53 PM
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From: Plano,
TX
RE: Learning to hover
headswim,
I too find nose-in hovering easier than side in. But master them all. Your real heli may not be set up perfectly - so the real heli may be harder to hover than the sim - at least that is my experience.
I too find nose-in hovering easier than side in. But master them all. Your real heli may not be set up perfectly - so the real heli may be harder to hover than the sim - at least that is my experience.
01-30-2007 | 10:54 PM
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From: Duryea, PA
RE: Learning to hover
My best advice I can give to you is to trim out your bird before anything. That is about 80% of the battle. Once you do, move the linkages on the servo horns in a few holes towards the servo center. That will make any spastic movements you may have while learning be very minor and keep the heli moving slowly while you learn the basics of flight.
Also, make sure you master the 6 inch hover before getting brave and lifting it off to 12 feet if you get scared or freaked out your tendency will be to drop the throttle, a 6 inch drop is much better for the heli than a 12 ft drop.
I would definately learn tail in first and become proficient at it. Once you can do that without issue, then move to left/right side and eventually nose in.
Also, make sure you master the 6 inch hover before getting brave and lifting it off to 12 feet if you get scared or freaked out your tendency will be to drop the throttle, a 6 inch drop is much better for the heli than a 12 ft drop.
I would definately learn tail in first and become proficient at it. Once you can do that without issue, then move to left/right side and eventually nose in.
