General Funnel question

[xokia]

So got bored with flying inverted and started trying to learn how to do funnels. I assume that's the correct name for it.
Nose pointed toward the sky tail pointed towards the ground and then rotate around the tail.

I am able to do them but I am always climbing while going around in circles. So to do a left handed funnel I am holding the cyclic diagonally down to the right and then moving the rudder stick slowly to the left. I dont know what I was doing with the collective because I was just amazed it actually went around and I was able to keep it going lol!! So that's the question do I have to much collective and that's why the helicopter was climbing?

 

[Tony]

It's all about the collective and elevator. If you are climbing, you can reduce the collective or you can point the helicopter more up and down. The more up and down you are, the faster you have to go and the more collective you have to use to maintain level flight.

 

[xokia]

I was pretty straight up and down and the funnels were pretty tight. That's why I was surprised I was climbing. I think I'm using to much collective ill have to check it mores closely next time.

 

[Tony]

It takes a while to get them down where you can set teh tail almost on the ground and never bob up and down. At least I know it took me a while. Just wait until you start doing nose forward inverted hurricanes, I find those the hardest lol.

 

[coolgabsi]

Best way to start the funnel is fly fast forward... Say you are going fast forward .. Go into a hurricane... (Steeper bank) .. Couple of go around a and then start feeding more tail.... As the tail gets for the 90 degree to motion,

Your right stick now does not stay where it was before.. Say you were flying forward with elevator pullinhc the nose up and a bit if aileron to maintain bank, (there was more elevator than aileron)

Now in a funnel, your aileron is the one keeping your "nose up" ... The side of the helicopter is your nose (or your heading)... While holding the tail there and flying it with adding aileron where needed , you control the "bank "now with elevator... That only needed when you needed to correct the bank... So you will see ratio is more aileron than elevator....

If you keep the same elevator, you are making the heli climb...

Or if you have too shallow of a bank with your elevator and too much collective you are climbing.

A big funnel with a shallow angle needs less collective.

A really small funnel with a steep angle needs low collective too... As the cyclic is enough lift

Now a big funnel with steep bank angle needs a ton of collective...

So on and so forth

So you balance all that.

I have seen if you just hold the sticks in one position while flying in any direction .. Any manuever , it becomes very un precise. FLY the helicopter through maneuvers adding aileron, elevator only when needed and then making the helicopter follow a symmetrical pattern. That will give you a feel of more positive control.

Hope it helps

Fly safe!! have fun!

 

[Tony]

I agree with NOT holding the sticks in one area. There are always small adjustments that need to be made and should be made to make the pattern look good.

 

[xokia]

Yea I'm not just holding the stick in one spot I find I need to add a small amount of left ruder. And tiny adjustments to aileron and elevator. I was holding the cyclic stick diagonally down to the right and then making very minor adjustments. I was always climbing which I hadn't figured out why. I wasnt paying attention to collective at all. I had a pretty steep angle.

I'll get more time to try again this weekend and I'll try to pay closer attention.

 

[Tony]

If you feel the sticks, you will use the same amount of rudder in a funnel as you will in a hurricane. When you are upright, a left turn needs left rudder, no matter what orientation the tail is in.