Rotor Blade Tach
08-16-2004, 09:52 AM
#2
RE: Rotor Blade Tach
Can't use a plane tach. Call heliproz and get a heli tach. They make a new one that is the same as my miniature aircraft tach and it is way cheaper. Works great. You need someone to run it when you are flying. You can't do both. Its the best way to go. They are called optical tachs. Great tools.
08-16-2004, 05:26 PM
#4
Senior Member
My Feedback: (9)
RE: Rotor Blade Tach
You can use an airplane tach, it's just not the easiest. I velcroed mine to a piece of balsa and stuck it in the ground. I just hover over it and take a reading. The heli type optical tachs have a slit in a rotating wheel that acts like a strobe sort of. You look through a window in the tach and adjust the speed of the wheel till it appears that your rotor blades are stopped. Then you read the digital readout of the head speed on the front of the tach. Very cool tool but it takes two to use it.
Matt
Matt
08-17-2004, 09:19 AM
#6
RE: Rotor Blade Tach
ORIGINAL: ptarp
An airplane tach sounds easier, more accurate, and cost only $20(for tower brand).
Great tip basmntdweller!!
An airplane tach sounds easier, more accurate, and cost only $20(for tower brand).
Great tip basmntdweller!!
Not! you still have to have someone holding it, and he will be close to the blades. Not something I would suggest. If you hover over it, it needs to have a hold or you won't be able to read it. You also can't tach it and fly it at the same time. No matter what you do, someone needs to help you with it or you are asking for trouble. I know a few guys who tried to do it themselves and came close to flying into themselves.
08-17-2004, 11:58 AM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Wood River,
IL
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Rotor Blade Tach
ORIGINAL: FLYBOY
Not! you still have to have someone holding it, and he will be close to the blades. Not something I would suggest. If you hover over it, it needs to have a hold or you won't be able to read it. You also can't tach it and fly it at the same time. No matter what you do, someone needs to help you with it or you are asking for trouble. I know a few guys who tried to do it themselves and came close to flying into themselves.
Not! you still have to have someone holding it, and he will be close to the blades. Not something I would suggest. If you hover over it, it needs to have a hold or you won't be able to read it. You also can't tach it and fly it at the same time. No matter what you do, someone needs to help you with it or you are asking for trouble. I know a few guys who tried to do it themselves and came close to flying into themselves.
ORIGINAL: basmntdweller
You can use an airplane tach, it's just not the easiest. I velcroed mine to a piece of balsa and stuck it in the ground. I just hover over it and take a reading...
You can use an airplane tach, it's just not the easiest. I velcroed mine to a piece of balsa and stuck it in the ground. I just hover over it and take a reading...
08-17-2004, 05:21 PM
#8
RE: Rotor Blade Tach
Yea, it would take two, you can't fly it and read the tach at the same time. Even with a plane tach, you have to have someone read it to you. You can't concentrate on flying, and running the tach at the same time. Too much going on. If you try to do it yourself, you stand the chance of flying into yourself.
Unless the tach has a max rpm hold on it, it will read 0 when you land and walk up to it. You can't read it and fly at the same time if it is tied to the ground.
There are limits as to how much you can do, and as a newer pilot, you shouldn't put someone else that close to the blades when you are flying. You don't want to kill a friend. We have had a couple killed this last year due to dumb things like this. Get a heli tach and do it from a safe distance. Even your mom could read the tach for you. Much safer and easier.
Unless the tach has a max rpm hold on it, it will read 0 when you land and walk up to it. You can't read it and fly at the same time if it is tied to the ground.
There are limits as to how much you can do, and as a newer pilot, you shouldn't put someone else that close to the blades when you are flying. You don't want to kill a friend. We have had a couple killed this last year due to dumb things like this. Get a heli tach and do it from a safe distance. Even your mom could read the tach for you. Much safer and easier.
08-17-2004, 08:10 PM
#10
Senior Member
My Feedback: (9)
RE: Rotor Blade Tach
Yes, a heli tach can be used at any distance till you can't see the heli of course. They are cool tools to have but 90% of the time I am flying by myself so there would never be anyone to tach it for me. That is where I came up with hovering over my airplane tach. I was comfortable enough to watch both the heli and read the tach without worrying about flying into myself. You can get a decent idea just spooling up with the tach reading under the blades monted on the stick as I mentioned before. Read just till the heli starts to lift then fly it away or shut down and retune if you don't like the speed you see.
Matt
Matt
