Maximus18

I think that learning how to fly nose-in(front of bird) first would eliminate the multitude of crashes and repairs a beginner would experience transitioning from tail-in flying(back of bird). Because most beginners assume that pushing right on the controller means the bird will go to the right, learning the opposite way first will get the beginner used to this odd nose-in position and cause less crashes because they would have mastered nose-in and then starting tail-in would be like a walk in the park. Yes, I know this would be expotentially harder than learning tail-in first and that doing this would cause many more crashing, but, if you think about it, either way its hard. Nose-in flying is, after hovering, a crucial step in flying these little helis like pros. What you guys think??

jamesc43

My Feedback: (2)

It is a matter of opinion. I have flown with many helicopter pilots that flew just fine. When the helicopter
was hovering nose in they just freaked out. I myself learned to hover nose at a high altitude so that I could
recover from a mistake or two. Once I felt comfortable then I slowly moved it closer to the ground. I
finally learned to land then only then did I feel conficent enough to attempt a nose in take off. I am at
the point now that most of my landing are nose in. It is a skill that needs to be learned but I think it is
all a matter on how you learn to fly and who is doing the teaching.

I still have trouble with the helicopter sitting sideways and I still cannot get flying turns inverted. The sim
helps but it is different when the Freya 90 is hanging in the air.

Maximus18

James, after you learned nose-in flying, did you crash alot flying tail-in anymore?

nuttcaze

james you have a good point, noobs (like myself) should practice hovering and such at high heights, its alot different from hovering 3-4 ft off the ground in front of you

jamesc43

My Feedback: (2)

No. I have spent a long time running R/C cars. I never really had a problem with the helicopter
facing me . My problem was with gravity and it's proximity to the ground. . It seamed to attack
my helicopter at the worst times. I also had a problem with the engine cutting out while flying.
We found out it had a head gasket issue.

I've always thought that learning to fly helicopters would be easier(relatively) than airplanes. I
still think that is true to a certain degree.

Druss

I can't recommend enough the use of a simulator, they aren't exactly the same as real flying of course but to learn the muscle memory of flying nose in is invaluable. If you crash you just reset.

badazzbusa

My Feedback: (1)

Druss has the right term, it's all muscle memory. If you start with nose in, it will be difficult to switch to tail in. If you start tail in, it is difficult to switch to nose in. I know someone that started nose in and when he turns the heli around (tail in) he looks just as confused as someone just learning nose in. You just have to practice all orientatons until it is second nature and you are able to do it without thinking about it. Once you have to slow down and think about it, you are behind the curve no matter which way the heli is facing.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I think they should start inverted, once they learn that everything else is easy.

jamesc43

My Feedback: (2)

I wanted to rig up some type of devise that would allow you to set the helicopter inverted on
the ground so you could practice this type of thing. I was going to hang my Hawks from a
fixture that would allow you to hover it without the fear of it hitting the ground. One of the
problems I thought about was the tether getting caught in the main rotor or the tail rotor
system while inverted.

homeunt

My Feedback: (3)

lol radd's rotary school concentrates on how hovering is most important. It's very critical for people to learn how to be able to control the helicopter where you want it to be before start moving around. Hovering is all about compensation.

And from my experience I had and have no simulator yet. I'm having a lot of crashes in between learning stuff. Simulator would help a lot.

badazzbusa

My Feedback: (1)

I heard to practice inverted flight, you should start with the heli right side up while you stand on your head. Then when you master that, you stand up and flip the heli over.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

If you're planning on patenting that Ray Hostettler beat you to it. He was tying helicopters upside down to soccer goal posts in the first version of his book. Of course he was tying helicopters to ladders and standing under them with a motorcycle helmet to tune them too

rcjon

LOL! Maybe get someone to drop it off the roof.

Obviously you didn't make the trek to Hodges. Mostly a washout. I didn't even pack my helis because the radar looked so dismal, but I had to go get fuel and a part or two. I understand there were a few flights early and maybe if they hung around long enough it broke up some. The only heli I saw fly was Bill D. flying a coax micro in the shop. But I got a Tshirt.

Tomorrow looks better for flying at our field - and I got 2 cases of Cool Power.

rcjon

Tail in is easier than nose in because right is right and left is left. Stick forward is away and stick back is toward you. To me it makes the most sense to start with the easiest thing and progress to the more difficult.

btoby

nose in, you move the stick the same direction the helli is moving.

rcjon

Oh, I learned wrong then. I learned to move the stick in the direction I wanted the heli to go, instead of opposite the direction I wanted it to go.

With your method I guess nose in is easier than tail in.

brac1960

Good point. I'll have to remember that. I can hover tail in forever, I've got the left and right side oreintation pretty good but nose in is really tuff for me. I think that should really help.

btoby

well ... did it help?

rcjon

<<nose in, you move the stick the same direction the helli is moving.<<

With all due respect, btoby, I don't find that to be good advice.

So how about when the heli is tail in? Then you have to remember to move the stick opposite of the direction that the heli is moving. And if the heli is nose left, how do you move the stick? Opposite of the way you move it when it is nose right?

My "tip" is to move the stick in the direction you want the heli to go - relative to the heli, not your point of observation.

btoby

by the time you master nose in, the rest will all be muscle memory.
i dont know anyone that learned nose in first(there might be someone), so in that thought, tail, right,and left will have been learned
up to that point, and will allready be in your skillset.
this nose in method works for most everyone.
after a couple times nose in ,it will become muscle memory too.
your thumbs will just know what dir to move the stick .
doesn't mean you'll move them soon enough , but you thought you knew.
just remember to spin it around to tail if it gets away from you.

Skarn

Actually, this is how I learned as well and have to say it helped greatly.

On the original subject, I think it's opinion. I too have heard of someone recently that learned nose-in first and then couldn't fly tail in for the life of him.

Skarn

Mack66

I try to visualize that I'm in the cockpit. That makes sense, but when I turn it nose in I get scared that it will come at me and turn me into sliced Braunschweiger. It has tried to several times. Plucked it out of the air bare handed once in self-defense!

I agree it's all muscle memory. If you gotta think about it, you're in trouble. Practice, practice, practice, just like in any sport/skill.

Once I get confident I will no longer be afraid I'll attack myself and I'll fly right I'm sure.

Mack