General Rate mode or Heading Hold

[Blackwarrior]

I'm not sure if this is in the right place but I want to know what and why there is Rate mode and Heading hold.

As a complete novice I would like to know a few things before I tried them!!

What benefits are there flying in each mode ?
Is it easier to fly in one mode or the other ?

I've noticed in heading hold the tail rotor stays in the position you move the stick to and rate mode it springs back to centre.... Why ?

Yeah I'm thick!!... Lol

 

[Lee]

Rate mode makes the tail act like a weather vain. following the heli like the feathers of a dart.
This gives the heli a more scale feel.
HeadHold is exactly that. It holds the heading, no matter what the outside influences are.
So almost all pilots other than Scale, and speed, fly in HH.

 

[Blackwarrior]

Rate mode makes the tail act like a weather vain. following the heli like the feathers of a dart.
This gives the heli a more scale feel.
HeadHold is exactly that. It holds the heading, no matter what the outside influences are.
So almost all pilots other than Scale, and speed, fly in HH.

hi Lee

thanks for that, so if i was to learn in HH is it difficult to change to RM, i can imagine it will be hard to change over from one to the other, especially when your as skilled as me....lol, not

 

[Lee]

99% of people fly in HH.
By the time you get to flying a speed machine or trying to make a Scale heli fly more realistically, RM will be easy

 

[coolgabsi]

If you are planning to fly "scale " and do scale patterns and you care about "keeping it scale" .. Then yes practice rate mode as well

I have been flying for 3+ years now, and never , I mean never have I flown in rate mode. Rate mode is now left mainly to setup the heli's tail and check responses, center positions and such. After that, once heli is maidened and tail is set, then it's all heading hold from there

Before gyros with inbuilt auto compensate for collective inputs , we would use rate mode to set initial hover pitch to tail blades

So ... What are you gonna fly like?

 

[Blackwarrior]

Thanks for that guys, it's good to know some background about it and what pilots use most...

I've only got a blade 450 Gaba that I've converted to FBL with some disastrous results.... Lol... But I'm just starting out really, learnt a lot from RCH though, you guys know ya stuff..

 

[Derek]

Yeah, for the type of flying that I do, Rate Mode isn't an option at all. I've tried doing simple "scale" flying and I just don't care for it. I like the Heading Hold mode because it keeps the tail where I want it.

So...for you, Tony, just keep it in Heading Hold Mode until you get more proficient at hovering and circuits, then try Rate Mode if you want.

 

[Blackwarrior]

Thanks Derek, will do when the weather changes, it was too windy yesterday, now it's peeing down....my 450 is ready for it's maiden...scary.

 

[danhampson]

ime the same as the others i just use rate mode of tail setup.

Some scale pilot use heading hold.

Ive tried rate mode (for my scale build) and really dont like it, i dont feel like i have full control and it scares me a bit.

 

[Blackwarrior]

Seems like everyone prefers HH, well this morn I flew my 450 for the first time after it's maiden crash, can't wait to get the vid posted on here, so excited... Watch the members vids guys, it's publishing now on YouTube...

 

[Blackwarrior]

One other question before I give both these modes a go, does rate mode effect normal gyro stability of swash?

Ok another question, can one change from HH to RM, or RM to HH in flight? Or should I land first.

 

[Lee]

Just don't bother with rate mode. Probably only 1% of heli pilots fly in rate.
Your heli will be very hard to control.
As to the questions.
No it doesn't affect swash, its only adjusting the tail settings.
Yes you can switch in flight.
Put it in HH and fly

 

[Blackwarrior]

Just don't bother with rate mode. Probably only 1% of heli pilots fly in rate.
Your heli will be very hard to control.
As to the questions.
No it doesn't affect swash, its only adjusting the tail settings.
Yes you can switch in flight.
Put it in HH and fly

yeah ill stick with HH Lee, checkout my Video of first flight with my fixed Heli