Beginner Challenge

[Heliman450]

Hi all, after watching my favourite ( only ) trainee spectacularly flip and crash his Blade 450X despite having its training gear fitted and D/R settings entered to seriously restrict his ability to do that, I got to wondering how to progress with him. The following link takes you back to the story of the problems with his Spektrum DX6 transmitters. Admittedly, not directly related to this topic, but it's the same guy on his quest to fly his helicopters. DX6 Binding Problem - Page 8

I've decided to ground him and not repair his Blade until I can be sure that he won't do the same thing again. In the meantime, I'll give him access to my simulator at the flying field (he owns the land on which our helipad resides). As a farmer, he's obviously busy beyond what any of us can imagine keeping the milk and stuff flowing into the stores. A real challenge in terms of helping to teach someone how to do the basics of hovering etc. when we're supposed to dedicate every waking moment to practising and more practising.

Keep watching for the updates.................

 

[Smoggie]

A FBL with 'self leveling' stabilisation like you have with your Spirit pro would make a big difference for him. The Spirit even has 'co-axial' mode that makes a CP heli fly like a co-axial (i.e. so easy your granny could fly it)

 

[Heliman450]

A FBL with 'self leveling' stabilisation like you have with your Spirit pro would make a big difference for him. The Spirit even has 'co-axial' mode that makes a CP heli fly like a co-axial (i.e. so easy your granny could fly it)

Hi Steve, first of all I suspect that he may have been accustomed to using a Mode 1 arrangement at some time in the past and that nobody has helped him to work that out of his system yet. If it isn't possible, then I'll set him up with Mode 1 and let him practice for a while on my simulator. It makes no sense to have him crash his heli(s) so spectacularly when it's possible to avoid it.

He also owns a T-Rex 700, which apart from being a bit grubby, looks in good condition. That would be the better target for a switch of gyro rather than the Blade. I checked out the spares position for the Blade and between us we can still give it another chance, I think.

Let's see how he gets on.

 

[Heliman450]

Hi all, I've spent some time with my simulator setting it up ready for being able to help my friend prepare for a more crash-free existence in future. I also programmed in an Align 700 although Phoenix don't have a 700X as an option yet, I'm sure it will do for him to have something to aim for.

My 'plan' is to tempt him to give up the Blade and invest in a new gyro for his 700 as his future model of choice. Fingers crossed. I'm also interested in Steve's off the cuff remark regarding the Spirit Pro's coaxial option from the 'Stabi Tab'. My old grandma has been gone for a long time now, but I'll chance my own reputation on a test. After all, I'm old enough to be a granddad

 

[trainrider06]

i wouldn't totally give up on the 450, they are a very nice heli once one gains confidence in their abilities, and cheaper to fix!

 

[Heliman450]

i wouldn't totally give up on the 450, they are a very nice heli once one gains confidence in their abilities, and cheaper to fix!

Hi Rodney, long time no see

I agree with you on the 450, however, as I've been looking around for my next heli, adverts for the Align 470 keep popping up and I'm tempted to look into what that means. My friend has a very strange mixture of stuff, which I feel he's bought or inherited from a long standing RC hobbyist. He also owns a Blade 200SRX, which I've been sitting on for a while now, but I think he'd also benefit from having it in the air. I need to visit the small heli area to ask for info on how to set it up for him.

I understand that our club has quite a thriving indoor group, who meet during the winter months at a local sports hall. Yesterday, I went out to test my 550 in +4 degrees C and only achieved a little over 3 minutes 30 seconds before the battery was finished. Only about a third of the summer timing

 

[Smoggie]

Phil,
On the subject of flight times in cold conditions. You should get virtually the same flight time but what you do get is lower voltage during flight. If you are using battery voltage monitoring for controlling flight time the low voltage alarm will 'go off' a lot earlier, but that doesn't mean the battery is depleted, it just means that the voltage is 'sagging' due to the cold. This is one of the big problems with using voltage monitoring.
Personally I use a timer as my main 'battery depletion prevention measure' and I don't adjust flight time at all between summer to winter (and I fly in quite a bit colder than +4C). I also have a voltage alarm but I use that only as a backup I have it set at a quite low value so that it only alarms when I hit a pretty low voltage (around 3.4V per cell). The voltage alarm does tend to activate a lot more in very cold weather but generally only for short moments when I'm putting high load on the battery, so I just ignore it unless it keeps going for an extended time.

PS... The new Align 470 looks really good. It's not just a 'stretched' 450, it's almost an all new heli. It's got beefier mainshaft and feathering shaft, all new (non-DFC) head and a belt drive tail. It's pretty much mid way between a traditional 450 and Align's 500.

 

[Heliman450]

Hi Steve, welcome back.

Currently, I'm not using the automated battery monitoring on the Jeti. It hasn't really been an issue until recently and the first thing that warned me was the motor slowing. On measuring the voltage, I got 3.6V, which stayed until charging at home so there was no momentary dip that I was aware of. So any suggestions about why it should only be a third the flight time prior to my re-build appreciated.

 

[Heliman450]

Hi all, I'm pleased to report that my friend has completed his first simulator session. He's actually very good at holding a steady hover, helped with dual rates of only 30% and a very shallow pitch curve. As his left-right cyclic control is still a bit iffy, I've only increased his pitch curve to give a negative low point to let him 'feel' the difference. Best news is that he can 'feel' it so is enthusiastic about the benefit of such a tool and will probably go through the purchase of a simulator programme for his PC.

Next session will be next week as he's still up to his neck in gathering the harvest