General Today's flight

[bigone5500]

Today's flight went great. I flew it in about 5mph winds with some calm spots. I only charged it to about 50% as I wanted to get a quick flight in before dark. I flew for about 3 1/2 minutes and called it a day. My nerves can't handle much more than that or my hands get very shaky. I don't know what it is about flying this thing. I guess it's knowing that if I crash, somebody gotta fork out some cash! (poet?) I uploaded a video of the flight to youtube but it's still processing so when that finishes I'll put it in this thread. I know Tony will be smiling!

I actually flew it twice for a bit. The first flight I panicked a little and sat it down bit too hard. The grass is a little higher that it should be for helis but no worries, I cut a little patch with the tail blades. The second video which is the one you will see, I almost lost control and decided to bring it down.

@Tony I don't know if you will be able to see, but when I lift off the tail is doing its shimmy shake thing and a few seconds after it's in the air, the thing smooths out like butter. I don't know what is causing that.

Come on youtube, you can do it.

 

[bigone5500]

I have had to copy the video to my computer and upload from there. Something is screwy with my phone...oh wait, it's a Samsung. Nevermind. Without further ado, here's the video:

 

[Smoggie]

Looked under decent control Jared. The tail shake think appeared to me to only be when the heli was on the ground, it looked the tail locked in nicely once she lifted. The heli being a little nervous and 'fidgety' when it's on the ground and getting light on it's skids is not unusual. The best way to avoid it is to lift off as quickly as possible, but really it's nothing to worry about.

 

[Jimbo]

Nicely done. Looked very smooth and under control to me.

Jim

 

[bigone5500]

Thanks guys. Maybe after more flights I won't be as nervous and my confidence will build.

 

[bassslayer1960]

What's wrong with that sequence, Bigone5500?
I wish all of mine were that SMOOTH!
Good flight even with you shaking.
Robert

 

[murankar]

The nerves thing will lesson with stick time. It took me about 50 flights before lift off was comfortable.

One thing I had to do was increase expo so my shaking did not translate to servo movement.

Just keep getting up on that hours.

 

[Admiral]

Well done good control and down in one piece that's a win win.

 

[sneezy007]

Nice flight Jared.

 

[bigone5500]

The nerves thing will lesson with stick time. It took me about 50 flights before lift off was comfortable.

One thing I had to do was increase expo so my shaking did not translate to servo movement.

Just keep getting up on that hours.

The expo has been adjusted to decrease sensitivity on the sticks. However, I think as you have said, more stick time will ease the nervousness and I can then lessen the expo. I would rather have more sensitivity right now but as you can see in the video, I could have easily over-corrected and caused serious damage.

So far I like this heli. I want a larger one and plan on getting one next year. But for now the size of my field that I fly in will limit me to this 270. This field would be much too small for a 500 or 600 size for sure. A rough guesstimate would be about 100' x 175'. Then there are the trees and burn pile my neighbor has.

Thanks everyone for the comments!

 

[bigone5500]

I think what I'll do is fly this thing and keep adjusting the expo a little at a time until it's gone.

 

[murankar]

The expo thing is a balancing act. To much and it could cause a crash and not enough could cause a crash.

Yes stick time is key in this hobby. The more time you get the better you will get.

Another thing with the cashing aspect yes it will happen. Yes it costs money and hurts, oh how I know that. I have the same fear you do. It has held me back. All I can say is buy spare parts now in small orders. Set of blades here, main and spindle shaft there, then maybe some skids and tail boom. Build your supplies gradually. Then when it does happen you'll have most of it covered.

 

[Tony]

Just now got to this video. Great flight Jared! If you get out there and burn one battery a day, you will be over those jitters before Sept.! Ask me how I know. I as well spent years just hovering around until one day I just pushed myself to get into FF. It was just back and forth, only rudder turns, no banking, but it got the helicopter moving. From that point forward, things got much better. Well, except when you start flying cheap ass quads and start to rely on angle mode... Damn quads lmao.

Keep up the great work bro, just keep flying!

 

[bigone5500]

I'm gonna try to get out and fly again today. I really need to get used to having this wind pushing on the thing. It affects this heli worse than my 120 s. Not having a larger field I suppose is what is making me nervous. Worrying about running into those trees and my neighbor's sheds. Although he would probably laugh if it did happen...?

 

[Tony]

The only real way to get used to wind, is to fly in it. Harsh, but that is the solid truth. And hovering in the wind is WAY harder to do than flying in the wind. When flying, you may bob up and down once in a while, but it is way more controllable. Just keep doing what you are doing until you feel you are at a stopping point, and then THAT is when you push yourself to a slightly uncomfortable side to the next level.

 

[bigone5500]

I just watched the video again. about 16.5 seconds into it you can hear the sound change. That's the point at which it smoothed out.

 

[Tony]

Have you checked all of your bearings and lubed them? And try tightening your blades just a touch more. That could also be some kind of blade flutter. Might look at all of your linkage connections to see if any of them are a little loose which will also cause this.

 

[bigone5500]

I have been pretty good about cleaning it. I use a can of compressed air to blow on all the linkages. I have a syringe from the vet supply which I filed off the tip and use that to apply some 3-in-1 oil to the bearings. I then rotate the blades so the oil will wick into the bearing. All the control linkages look to be in good shape. But I don't know. I'm still too new to all this.