netsmithuk

Hi All,

I know there is a beginners guide to this as a FAQ, which contains lots of useful info, but I was wondering if someone could break the early steps down still further for a beginner like myself.

The main issue I find is I'm not 100% sure how my DF is supposed to be reacting at each stage. I've read the instructions and understand about setting the trims so it stops sliding around, but its what comes next thats I am unsure about.

Once you've got the sliding under control, should you just throttle up and start to hover? At what height? I reads in the manual that because of the effect of the proximity of the floor that this is not possible below a certain height. At the same time jumping to 18" to escape this effect seems a big leap - I just kind of feel i'm missing a step, between the sliding while on the floor and a full hover.

Should all of this be done inside?

Video's of what the DF is supposed to be doing at each stage would be great it would at least it would give me something to aim for.

Cheers
Chris

nickruss

Hi netsmith

I really don't think this is necessary - if you follow the instructions in the DF manual under the flight training session you should have no problems at all. Just DON'T GO OUT IN THE WIND the first few times!!!!

Where abouts are you - I presume somewhere in the UK. I'm in South Wales if you want to see how my helicopter flies for real.

Oh, and if you learn indoors, make sure Ti is turned off

Cheers

Nick

netsmithuk

Thanks for the offer but I'm based on the east coast.

I've followed the manual as best I can but like i said there just seems a bit of a leap in steps from stopping the skidding around on the floor to actually hovering.

Is it literally a case of once the sliding stops you just increase the power and the DF raises 2 or 3 inches off the floor and hovers - if so thats the point I'm not reaching. I stop the sliding, in increase the power a little but then the DF starts going all over the place, so I' try and fiddle again with the trims, but quite often that seems to be undoing some of the things I did to stop the sliding. Or should i be trying to get it to hover a few (3") off the floor but by compensating with the sticks themselves? Or should I be jumping straight to a 18"-24" inch hover in one go - based on how unstable it seems at 2" this feels a bit unsafe to try.

All of this is indoors by the way. I just thought a simple video of what to expect from the DF in the early steps and a description of what is happening at the TX end would help a lot

Cheers
Chris

nickruss

I'd get outside and rev the throttle. Once the heli is above about 18 inches and free of the air cushion effect you'll be amazed at how it hovers using the amazing thermal intelligence.

You're in difficult territory 2-3" skidding around!

netsmithuk

been outside and mowed the lawn already

Just got to replace the motor mount first

TheHindmost

Netsmith, I trimmed some low-hanging branches on a tree when I was trying the new plastic rotors from DFI...That was fun! (No damage to the DF, fortunately!)

For the indoor hovering, it sounds like you're wanting to do the "trim hop" and then have it lift off and hover on just throttle...It won't work like that. Even when it's trimmed, and especially without TI, you have to fly the thing constantly, and you'll find yourself chasing it for the first few hours. (And, as others have said, make darn sure TI is OFF when you're indoors...)

Because of rotor wash, and especially if you're near walls or anything, there will be a fair amount of turbulence when hovering really low...so let it get a little altitude (say, just a foot or 18" or so) and make sure you're not near other objects and it should be a bit easier. Doing this over carpet means the inevitable hard landings won't be as hard on the DF...Just don't get too high, and be prepared to cut the throttle when you feel you've "lost it."

Will

netsmithuk

I'm two blades, a motor mount and fuse down already. All the kids are still intact though so I can't be trying hard enough.

I'll let you know how it goes.

thanks for the advice

Chris

TheHindmost

LOL! :-) That's the spirit!!

The new plastic blades from DFI are much more durable...You'll definitely go through the nylon blades when learning to fly, although you can make them stronger by laminating them with clear packing tape...But if you can get yourself a set of the new ones, that'd help. As for the fuse, remember one major rule for "graceful" crashing: throttle off! Crashing throttle off generally results in less damage--and saves fuses.

Will

intrim

INTRIM
HI NETSMITH

IVE FLOWN HELI'S BEFORE THEY HAD GYROS. BOY WERE WE A SORRY BUNCH. BUT IF YOU STAY INSIDE YOUR NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SELF LEVELING FEATURES. THIS DF HOVERS JUST LIKE A HELI. THE HOVER IS THE HARDEST THING TO TRY AND ACCOMPLISH. IT'S LIKE TRYING TO BALANCE A BALL ON THE END OF YOUR FINGER. YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO ANTICIPATE THE NEXT MOVE AND COUNTER IT. MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HOLD THE DF BY THE BASE AND THROTTLE IT UP TO SEE HOW THE GYROS AFFECT THE WAY IT MOVES. iT SOUNDS FUNNY BECAUSE I WAS IN THE SAME SITUATION AS YOU ARE NOW, ASKING YOUR SELF IF YOU WILL EVER BE ABLE TO HOVER BUT TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH IF YOU HAVE IT TRIMMED OUT PROPERLY WHEN YOU POWER UP IT WILL ALMOST BALANCE ITS SELF ON YOUR FINGER UNDER JUST ONE OF THE VERTICAL RISERS.IT WILL SLOWLY BEGIN TO TIP OVER, BUT SLOWLY , THAT IS ALL THEW GYROS DO FOR YOU WHEN YOUR INSIDE. BUT WHEN YOU CAN USE TI OUTSIDE DO TO SAME THING HOLD IT BY THE BOTTOM AND POWER IT UP. GET A GRIP AND TILT IT OVER AT A 45 ANGLE AND JUST HOLD IT THERE. THE MOTORS THAT ARE LOWER WILL SPEED UP AND THE ONE ABOVE WILL SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THIS WILL CONTINUE INDEFINITELY UNTIL YOU LEVEL IT . THAT WILL SHOW YOU HOW AND WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR DF. i HAVE BEEN LEARNING TO FLY IN WINDS THAT ONE WOULD WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM AND FOR NOW SO SHOULD YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ONLY FLY WHEN THERE IS NO WIND. **** HAPPENS AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOUR 10 OR 25 FEET OFF THE GROUND DISORIENTED AND WILL BE ORDERING MORE REPLACEMENT PARTS. IT CAN GET A LITTLE DISCOURAGING SO TAKE IT IN LITTLE STEPS. HOLD THE DF IN YOUR HAND AND MOVE THE RIGHT STICK i WILL ALWAYS CALL IT THE CYCLIC BUT THE DF DOES NOT HAVE ONE. . I AM FLYING MINE WITH THE TI OFF AND IT IS TRULY A MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE CRAFT,BUT AGAIN IT CAN GET AWAY FROM YOU SO QUICKLY.
ANOTHER THING AND SOME MIGHT SAY THAT I'M CRAZY BUT IF YOU ARE FLYING INDOORS HERE IS A TRICK THAT MIGHT HELP IF YOU HAVE THE ROOM YOU CAN SET UP A SMALL FAN ON LOW UNTIL YOU FEEL A SLIGHT BREEZE BLOWING IN YOUR FACE. BUT NOT TOO HARD. REMEMBER WHEN I SAID HOVERING IS THE HARDEST THING TO LEARN TO DO BECAUSE YOUR NOT REALLY GOING IN ANY DIRECTION AND ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING ADJUSTMENTS. WELL WITH A SLIGHT HEAD WIND AS SOON AS YOU START TO BECOME AIR WORTHY THE DF IS GOING TO IMMEDIATELY COME BACK TOWARD YOU AT WHICH POINT YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY GIVE IT SOME FORWARD CYCLIC. YOU CAN GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU ARE HOVERING GOING NO WHERE BUT THE DF THINKS ITS IN FORWARD FLIGHT . YOU WILL HAVE TO CONSTANTLY HOLD SOME FORWARD STICK AS LONG AS YOU WANT TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE .THIS W.NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW THE DF ACTS IN FLIGHT THE BLADE ARE LIKE A WING AND WHEN YOU BACK OFF ON THE CYCLIC THE DF IS GOING TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THIS WAY YOU CAN GET UP IN THE AIR AND HAVE SOME FUN AND LEARN HOW IT REACTS AND ALL WITHOUT HAVING TO HOVER. I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE SENSE OF WHAT I HAVE TRIED TO EXPLAIN AND GOOD LUCK
ONE OTHER THING OF IMPORTANCE AND IT IS IN KEEPING WITH WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED. ALWAYS FLY INTO THE WIND AND YOU CAN USE THE TRIM TABS TO MAKE THE DF COME BACK AT AFTER LIFT OFF. AGAIN YOU WILL HAVE TO USE CONSTANT FORWARD STICK. BUT AFTER A WHILE YOUR GOING TO THING IT ON CRUSE CONTROL. REMEMBER AS LONG AS YOU ARE GOING IN ONE DIRECTION THEN YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE OTHER DIRECTIONS ONCE AGAIN GOOD LUCK AND WITH THE NEW BLADES I CAN HOVER 2,3,OR 4 INCHES OFF THE GROUND AND MAINTAIN CONTROL,EVEN WITH THE TI OFF.

INTRIM

MICHAEL
MICHAEL