Training Aids

[Fodder]

Just got first heli and have seen the "golf" ball sticks and it was mentioned that a hula hoop can be easily made and is probably better.

Any other opinions out there :?:

[rcpilotsteve]

Definitely the hoola hoop. Gives you 360 degree protection. Another very important aid which you don't buy is in your pitch curves. Make sure you are not running anymore than 1 or a light 2 degrees of negative pitch! 0 is best. The biggest pilot error when first learning is to pull the collective stick back in a panic, resulting in a hard hit to the ground. Can do wonders for your rig :lol: Another tip that goes along way is to start your machine and go to full trim on the throttle when you first start to spool up. Then of course move to the stick and increase throttle to lift etc etc...... What this does; works in tandem with the 0 negative pitch. When you do get in trouble you will be able to pull back on the stick and the Heli will "float" back down because the high trimmed throttle will keep the all important headspeed up. It really works great and will help for your first 1/2 a dozen flights....
Don't let the wind stop you from flying but be aware, in a windy type condition it will raise your Heli into the sky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have fun!!!!!!

[AJCoholic]

Just dont pull back stick while the heli is landing (especially with a soft head or short mast heli ), instant boom strike! When you land relax the cyclic or even a slightly forward cyclic input (very very small) but NEVER back!

If you can, get some weighted paddles or flybar weights (and weighted blades help too) to make the cyclic less sensitive to inputs. Cutting the throw with dual rates is OK too, but you may get into a situation where you need the full throw to get out of trouble (wind gust for instance). Thats why the concept 30 with aluminum paddles hovers so rock solid (one reason). Weights work also, out as far as you can put em'.

Andrew

[slammers]

I have the opposite opinion. I do not recommend using hoola hoops. They provide too much friction against the ground. When you are learning students tend to want to slide the helicopter around on the ground to get into position or try and use rudder to yaw the helicopter back to tail in. When there is too much friction dangerous things can happen. The heli starts to lean but does not move so more input is given and it leans even more. Finally the heli break away and tears off in the direction it was told to go.

With sticks and whiffle (spelling??) balls the idea is to get the balls to rotate very smoothly on the sticks. The heli can then glide across the ground with very little input. I think this make it much easier and less scary to the beginner.

I have helped many people to learn and the ones who use the hoop invariably have more tail strikes by tipping the heli backwards so far trying to get it to move that the tail hits the ground.

Just my personal opinion.

Shawn

[xv-townboy]

I use ahoola hoop and wiffle balls on the inside diameter of the hoop
any negatives to this?

[Fodder]

Just curious xv-townboy. Why do you need both?

[xv-townboy]

what i mean is that you can use the protection of the hoop along with
the frictionless motion of the balls.the one possible down side that i can think of is the xtra added weight.

[rcpilotsteve]

The use of both would be a bit of overkill but, whatever it takes to keep the confidence up. Both are great systems and one of either system would be considered mandatory for the safety of the Heli. I do prefer the use of the hoop for the added tail protection etc etc. A rank newby should position himself or herself behind the tail of the Heli not by making an input on the tail control. Perhaps one could use them both. Start with the hoop practice hovering and getting use to the feel, after confidence has been achieved and the pucker factor goes down. Install a set of balls and start moving about, tail in figure 8's , circles etc. I also think one should practice and be fairly confident with nose in hovering before attempting forward flight. One would also have an idle up programmed by this time with a negative 4 pitch and an understanding there of. (idle up1=) -4 to return to earth with a 20% throttle settings at low stick) (headspeed)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Too much fun :lol:

[Fodder]

Install a set of balls and start moving about tail in figure 8's

I hope you were talking about the training aid. :lol:

[JimMcIntyre]

I taught myself without training aids but, I wouldn't recommend it.

I've taught a few people now and, during the beginning stages, I prefer the hula hoop on a flat/smooth (paved/concrete) surface. Just remember to water down the surface to keep sand grit from getting into the heli and filing down surfaces. :(

Get the heli light on the skids and slide around for a while until you get comfortable with direction. then slowly work your way to a couple inches. Once beyond that, move to grass (it's softer :? )

[rcpilotsteve]

You dog :oops: too funny!!!!!
Guess I should be more careful :lol:
*****************************************
concrete, you're spoiled!!!! :lol: :lol:

[ROT*]

The best training aid I have ever tried... rc Flight simulator,

Have you guys tried the FMS, great stuff, and free to download

here is the link

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index_e.html

I found an interface to plug my XP8103 to my com port and
the things work just great, If someone need more info, reply here...

[Chris Cann]

Training Aids: Well I'm no Heli flyer but my friend and I were bored in class a few days ago and we thought up to use a hula hoop (no sure on spelling) with carbon fiber rods would work good because we think it would be more stable of you land in a wierd way...correct me plz! BTW don't use my word for it we just thought it up but maybe talk to some people about our idea!

[sluggo]

Hey guys I have helped many guys with there first flights. The first thing I would get is a sim, be it real flight g2 or some other they will all help you get the feel for flying a rc heli.

After you have put a few hours on the sim find some one in a club near you to check over your setup and even test fly your heli before you try it your self.

After the heli has been all checked over you can ask some one to couch you through your first few hovers. I never setup a heli with 0deg pitch at low stick but it has worked for many years. I like the idea of the trim to keep the head speed up when at full low stick, The only thing I see wrong with it is if the person happens to tip the heli he or she will most likely panic and forget to move the trim down and the heli will do the chicken on the groung causing more damage or hurting someone.

Just make sure you seek help from someone with experience to help you through it. And always remeber PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE it will be hard as hell at first but the more time you spend the easier it will get.

Chris

[Nuker]

A quick question on the G2 (sorry to jump in)

Our local heli expert is Robert Gayle (you probably already know him). He was explaining that one of the models on the G2 really matched the handling of a real rc heli. I honestly can't remember which heli it was but he said to do most practice with that one.

Fodder has G2 (we've tried it online once or twice together) so would you know which works best?

Bob

[sluggo]

Hi Bob ya robert is one of my best friends. The heli he uses is the foiler, it is almost the same, I tweak mine a little but most fly it stock.

You fly heli's bob? if so at the T.O club?

Chris

[Fodder]

I was doing pretty good on the training heli. Tried the foiler. Not bad, but man that it twitchy. If it is true to reallife, it is going to cost a fortune in repairs. :lol:

[sluggo]

fodder are you going to join the T.O heli club? If so I will help you out at the feild when it gets warmer out. I am hoping to do a little flying this weekend if it stays warm YA BABY!

Chris

[Chris Cann]

Hmmm! In T-Dot we have a bit of snow...like 10 cm i think :oops: vDo you fly in the snow??

[Fodder]

Sluggo - won't be joining TO heli this year. Not enough time. Might investigate it at a later date. BTW, where exactly is the TO heli club. It would be interesting to come and watch one day.

[JimMcIntyre]

Just south of the Markham fairgrounds....

[sluggo]

It is at the markham fair grounds on Mcowen rd. I will get you a like to the club site, I think there is a map on there.

Ya man you should come out and see whats going on. when the weather gets better there can be anywhere from 5 to 20 pilots out on a sat or sunday.

Chris

[Nuker]

Hi Chris,

I tried heli's about 2 years ago; I got an LMH 110 fixed pitch. Hovered in the backyard, spent lots of sim time with the original RF Deluxe and about 2 gallons of fuel (with the 2 oz tank that was a lot of hovering). Wind blew it over my pool one day; that was the first time I did anything other than hover :) but made is safely back.

I found it twitchy as heck with or without a breeze, wasn't enjoying it and ended up selling it at the end of the year. (3 blades and a new tail boom later :? )

This year I started looking again when my eye caught the yellow Century Schweizer but I figured I'd wait another year and think about it some more. Probably not a great starting heli (basically a Hawk iV with a different body) but it looked great.

But hey, I did try :wink:

Bob

[sluggo]

Any heli can be a good starter but when you crash (and you will) it is better to have a heli that is some what crash friendly. Wood blades and cheap crash parts. The best heli I have found for this is a raptor 30.

They are cheap to buy and the crash parts are very cheap, Most hobby shops will have parts for them and at any heli club there will be a ton of them so there is always help around. The hawks are a nice heli to but not alot of support for them around are area. We have about 60 memebers in the T.O club and I think there may be 5 of them, this does not mean you should not buy one just there will be less help for you.

I feel the lmh is almost a bad starter heli, they are very hard to fly, the motors on them can be a pain to start and so on. A good 30 with no upgrades and lots of fuel will get you alot futher then a lmh.

Here is a link to a buddies site http://members.rogers.com/bob00/ there is alot of info on there.

Chris

[Fodder]

Yah, we all know Robert. I remember when he wouldn't hover below eye level inverted. Bang, a year later he is cutting the grass. I guess you are bound to get good when you burn 80 gallons of fuel in a season.

[fliers1]

I've been offering everyone a free 30 minute lesson on my helicopter for many years now but can't understand why so few have taken me up on my offer. The only catch is that one has to make the trek to my backyard.
Considering how much money one would have invested in a heli and how much it may cost in expensive repairs, the cost of a trip to 20 miles east of Niagara Falls, NY to gain 30 minutes of heli hovering instruction, should be considered a bargain.

Ok, if there is suspicion about the free offer, feel free to offer a donation for the fuel that would be used. Just my way of trying to give back to the hobby.

Take care,
CCR
http://www.kites.org/rc_instructors