Can A True Beginer Fly A CP Heli?
10-26-2005, 04:15 PM
#26
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RE: Can A True Beginer Fly A CP Heli?
Ok, well everyones input was very helpful, so I went out and bought the Blade CP, as well as a crash kit and training gear. Wish me luck!
10-26-2005, 09:22 PM
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RE: Can A True Beginer Fly A CP Heli?
I am still teaching myself. I bought the Blade when I lived in FL and there was no one around to help me. I got to the point of flying it around before I had a failure of a ball link.
That being said....Take your time. Go in baby steps or you will be taking big boy steps right back to the hobby shop to buy parts, or give up.
Start just letting it get light on the skids while you make sure that you can keep the tail pointed at you. This skill will save your neck later.
When you can keep the tail at you and the heli in place, roll it around a little.
Then and only then hover it. Once you get a hover going...LAND. And rest.
Put it back into a hover and slowly increase your times. REST is VERY important. The longer you hover the more worn out you will be and the more likely to have a problem that gets worse.
If something starts to degrade....Land. In time you will fix it automaticly.
When you can hover an entire battery....Start trying to hover with a little angle on the machine. Spend a little time with the heli at a small angle (10 deg) and then bring it back to center...Then move it the other way. The defult (oh ****) position is tail in.
After that increase the angle a little till you are 90 deg. Then try slides and shallow figure 8's.
I then did forward and backward flight away from me and to me.
After that I started flying around.
I found a really good Hobby shop in my new city, and the owner is great.
I REALLY can't stress the thought of finding a good hobby shop. The blade was fairly easy, but my shogun and Venture .50 I would not have been able to set up by myself.
That being said....Take your time. Go in baby steps or you will be taking big boy steps right back to the hobby shop to buy parts, or give up.
Start just letting it get light on the skids while you make sure that you can keep the tail pointed at you. This skill will save your neck later.
When you can keep the tail at you and the heli in place, roll it around a little.
Then and only then hover it. Once you get a hover going...LAND. And rest.
Put it back into a hover and slowly increase your times. REST is VERY important. The longer you hover the more worn out you will be and the more likely to have a problem that gets worse.
If something starts to degrade....Land. In time you will fix it automaticly.
When you can hover an entire battery....Start trying to hover with a little angle on the machine. Spend a little time with the heli at a small angle (10 deg) and then bring it back to center...Then move it the other way. The defult (oh ****) position is tail in.
After that increase the angle a little till you are 90 deg. Then try slides and shallow figure 8's.
I then did forward and backward flight away from me and to me.
After that I started flying around.
I found a really good Hobby shop in my new city, and the owner is great.
I REALLY can't stress the thought of finding a good hobby shop. The blade was fairly easy, but my shogun and Venture .50 I would not have been able to set up by myself.
10-27-2005, 09:41 AM
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RE: Can A True Beginer Fly A CP Heli?
1LO64
Flying in idle-up is a better method. It takes a while to get used to flying with collective only, but it is much more efficient, and the heli is more responsive. Battery times are about the same surprisingly. The main thing to remember is that if you get into trouble DONT yank the throttle stick down...or else it goes negative pitch and slams it into the ground faster. Also if its headed for the deck, flip the idle-up switch back to normal mode QUICKLY, because if its in idle-up mode when it hits, it WILL do more damage to the heli (because the blades are still trying to spin)
Flying in idle-up is a better method. It takes a while to get used to flying with collective only, but it is much more efficient, and the heli is more responsive. Battery times are about the same surprisingly. The main thing to remember is that if you get into trouble DONT yank the throttle stick down...or else it goes negative pitch and slams it into the ground faster. Also if its headed for the deck, flip the idle-up switch back to normal mode QUICKLY, because if its in idle-up mode when it hits, it WILL do more damage to the heli (because the blades are still trying to spin)
10-27-2005, 10:12 AM
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RE: Can A True Beginer Fly A CP Heli?
LOL that happened to me yesterday. i was adjusting headspeed & throtle curve and it walked off the table. broke the blades, bent the Fshaft, and killed the maingear ouch lol. blah i wrecked and i wasnt even flying lol. note to self, make a heli test stand...
i got pretty lucky. 2 pieces of blade flew past me and stuck into the wall.
i got pretty lucky. 2 pieces of blade flew past me and stuck into the wall.
10-27-2005, 01:32 PM
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RE: Can A True Beginer Fly A CP Heli?
First let me say this - I am a self taught heli and airplane pilot. I started from scratch with no r/c flight experience, and a modest budget for the hobby. I prepared myself with FMS, using a Hitec Laser 4 transmitter and I put in dozens of hours on both helis and airplanes before I even LOOKED for training models. My first models were the GWS Tiger Moth and a Hummingbird, respectively. I have been flying now for about 1 1/2 years, never flew with a co-pilot (trainer person) and have always flown alone, with no friends in the hobby. The persistence has paid off, albeit costing some $ along the way.
To this day, I have had two crashes - one on each model. Neither was severe enough to destroy the model or my interest in the hobby. Sure, the heli was a harder to learn but nevertheless I learned BOTH at the SAME TIME with NOBODY to help. If this isnt inspiration for those beginners out there, I dont know what is. It is definately possible to learn yourself, with minimal headache and financial loss, if you have the patience to take the right steps at the right time. Dont rush and ask questions. Listen to the experts on this forum, research what your getting into, and plan out your training. Learning to fly is definately not going to happen in a couple days, or even a week. You have to fly often, and yes, you will crash eventually. If you can come to terms with this and move on to the next, you'll be fine.
In response to other posts:
- The Blade CP is an outstanding helicopter. Docile and stable enough for beginners, yet potentially explosive for you 3D addicts out there. Lots of parts availability, cheap to fix, and an irresistable initial cost for a RTF 6ch CP heli.
- Fixed Pitch helis, although durable, are generally harder to fly. The lack of pitch/throttle mixing makes them a bit more unstable and unpredictable. Sure, they can fly well - but after flying a CP heli, I found I was always chasing the FP heli around trying to stabilize it.
- There is nothing wrong with an RTF or ARTF model for a beginner. Beginners tend to break stuff alot, and you WILL end up learning the models mechanics while doing repairs. Although I have good knowledge of how stuff works, I did not intially need it to learn to fly.
I didnt purchase a kit model until I had some good experience, which assisted me in the "from scratch" electronics setup that kits require.
- Electric helis have an intial head speed of around 1600. Idle up around 1800. Depends on the model I guess. I have never seen a electric heli with a head speed near 2500, ever.
ok super long post, sorry - Im out.
To this day, I have had two crashes - one on each model. Neither was severe enough to destroy the model or my interest in the hobby. Sure, the heli was a harder to learn but nevertheless I learned BOTH at the SAME TIME with NOBODY to help. If this isnt inspiration for those beginners out there, I dont know what is. It is definately possible to learn yourself, with minimal headache and financial loss, if you have the patience to take the right steps at the right time. Dont rush and ask questions. Listen to the experts on this forum, research what your getting into, and plan out your training. Learning to fly is definately not going to happen in a couple days, or even a week. You have to fly often, and yes, you will crash eventually. If you can come to terms with this and move on to the next, you'll be fine.
In response to other posts:
- The Blade CP is an outstanding helicopter. Docile and stable enough for beginners, yet potentially explosive for you 3D addicts out there. Lots of parts availability, cheap to fix, and an irresistable initial cost for a RTF 6ch CP heli.
- Fixed Pitch helis, although durable, are generally harder to fly. The lack of pitch/throttle mixing makes them a bit more unstable and unpredictable. Sure, they can fly well - but after flying a CP heli, I found I was always chasing the FP heli around trying to stabilize it.
- There is nothing wrong with an RTF or ARTF model for a beginner. Beginners tend to break stuff alot, and you WILL end up learning the models mechanics while doing repairs. Although I have good knowledge of how stuff works, I did not intially need it to learn to fly.
I didnt purchase a kit model until I had some good experience, which assisted me in the "from scratch" electronics setup that kits require.
ORIGINAL: credence
1800 RPM sounds more in the ballpark of nitro copters. I thought micros had much higher headspeeds (2500+). Unless nitro is what you were referring to?
1800 RPM sounds more in the ballpark of nitro copters. I thought micros had much higher headspeeds (2500+). Unless nitro is what you were referring to?
ok super long post, sorry - Im out.
10-27-2005, 10:50 PM
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RE: Can A True Beginer Fly A CP Heli?
Yes, you can learn to fly by yourself.
But it is easier to have someone help.
I bought the Blade RTF since I had no one in my area that could help me. So I had to go it alone. However, when things went bad I am glad I found a heli friendly hobby shop.
My second heli, a Shogun, would have been a BIG problem with out Andy at the Hobby shop. I am setting up my own Venture .50, but you can bet that I will have Andy look it over before I spool it up.
You can learn on your own, but it is MUCH easier to have someone help.
But it is easier to have someone help.
I bought the Blade RTF since I had no one in my area that could help me. So I had to go it alone. However, when things went bad I am glad I found a heli friendly hobby shop.
My second heli, a Shogun, would have been a BIG problem with out Andy at the Hobby shop. I am setting up my own Venture .50, but you can bet that I will have Andy look it over before I spool it up.
You can learn on your own, but it is MUCH easier to have someone help.
