I posted a thread a while back about how to increase roll/flip rate.
This being the rate of speed that the heli flips/rolls, not necessarily how sensitive cyclic is at hover.

It seems some think a longer flybar, some say shorter.

If heavier paddles, or flybar weights moved to the outside make it slower, and lighter paddles or 'weights in' make for faster rate, it seems to me a shorter flybar would be faster, not longer.

Is it a 'more leverage' or 'less gyroscopic' thing?

Does anyone have actual experience here, not just speculation or here-say before I cut down my flybar?

Thanks again, Kirk

I've moved the paddles outward on my heli before, and it absolutely made my flip rate alot faster.

I think when the paddles are farther out, they are moving faster and can exert much greater forces on the flybar to flip it up or down. Lighter paddles also help since there is less mass to move. So, longer flybar, lighter paddles will make you really flip!!

The answer is ,the longer flybar tends to increase the control sensitivity around center , it however does not change the total control response of the helicopter. So to increase cyclic response use lighter paddles.

You also get a different feel with a different length flybar. Generally speaking, the longer flybar will give you a little more cyclic power because the paddles are moving faster and have more bite. There are limits to this depending on the type of flybar mixing your heli uses.

Higher head speed also increases the cyclic rate.

Lighter blades, and/ or more unstable blades will also increase the cyclic rate. There are limits to all of the above before it becomes a dangerous or unflyable.

Get some light paddles, good light blades, 1850 head speed, and have fun.

FuryFlyer2 is correct. Think of a longer flybar as a longer lever with its fulcrum at the same point..the result...more torque.

Chopper...the paddles aren't moving any faster at all. You are getting linear velocity and rotational velocity confused. The paddles could be 10 feet from the head and still be moving at 1850 rpm.

The cyclic response around center is more sensative the further the paddles are from the head, but there will be no change in the overall cyclic response. In order to change cyclic response, you either have to change paddle weight, or flybar mixing ratios.

Hope this helps.

Eric

So a short flybar will give you built in mechanical expo.

Helifreak, I am not confused. The paddles move faster with a longer flybar, and are more responsive because of it. Now if you heli will roll faster because of it depends on paddle size and flybar authority. I do know a thing or two about this and I am not "supposin'".

If I'm not mistaken, the question is "how do I get a faster cyclic response?" The best solution is to use the lightest and most responsive paddles that you can get. The second best is to get the most responsive blades you can get. Incresing head speed up to 1850 helps. Flybar length will depend on paddles. Longer flybar lengths and light paddles might induce ocillation. Some experimentation might be needed to find the longest length without a nod or wobble.

Boomstriker, cutting down your flybar will not get you a more responsive machine, if this is what you want. I hope I did not mis-understand your question.

Chopper,

Are you the same "CHOPPER" who competed at the XFC this past year???

My guess it you prolly know a bit more about this than you typed!

I also agree, a quicker head speed will definitely help to increase the roll/flip rate dramatically...

Chopper,

I stand corrected...You are right. The paddles are moving at a higher speed the further they are from the head.

What I was trying to say is: That by moving simply adding a longer flybar, you will not see an increase in overall roll rate. The machine will just be more sensative around center, and perhaps feel a little faster. A shorter flybar will make the heli feel sluggish and slow, but will roll and flip at the same rate.

Eric

You already moved the paddle control rods to the outside ball link on the elevator control arm?
For me this doubled the rate, with no change on paddles.

Helifreak, have you actually tried using a significantly longer or shorter flybar? A shorter flybar will respond quicker in actual practice and in theory because it is a smaller gyroscope, if you will, and can be moved off it's axis of rotation more quickly than a longer one. The leverage is less and the paddles are moving more slowly, so it will not have the same authority as a longer flybar will, all other things being equal. If the up and down travel of the flybar is not restricted, then a longer flybar will give a faster ultimate cyclic rate. This is an important point as the shorter flybar may also reach full travel if the movement is sufficiently restrictive. In that case, the cyclic rate would be equal regardless of length and the only noticeable difference between the two is that the shorter one responds more quickly.The longer flybar will respond somewhat more slowly, although "somewhat more slowly" is still faster than even the fastest human reflexes can respond. I have experimented with flybars from 300 to 720mm in length, and within that range, longer flew better every time. You get both more hovering stability and more cyclic authority - one of the few places in heli design where you can get both almost for free. As a practical matter, lengths over about 600mm on a 60 size heli gave only minor improvements and the flybar was so long that I was forever catching it on a doorway or car trunk and bending it. Hope this helps. Steve.