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Home › ✈️Aircraft › 🚁Helicopter › Computer Flight Simulators › RealFlight › Training via RealFlight 3.5 - Could use a bit of a hand

05-25-2007 04:29 PM 13 years ago

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m7_b5

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Chicago, IL US

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Training via RealFlight 3.5 - Could use a bit of a hand

Hey gang

I'm posting this in the n00b section because I'm a n00b. I am learning to fly RC Heli's via RealFlight 3.5 (standard, I have no expansions.) This is to prepare for my first Heli which is being shipped to me, a T-Rex 450 SE. I want to be solid on the simulator before I take my real heli out for its first flight.

Taking the advice of the local hobby store, I am practicing using the HeliMax CP Model. I have put numerous hours into trying to fly this bird, and have some questions:

1 - The top left siwtch of the USB Controller is for "flight mode", but there is no documentation telling me what the positions mean and I can't seem to figure it out. There is a difference, but I'd like to know what the differences are.

2 - The middle left switch is "dual rate", but again, no documentation as to what this is and how it affects flight.

3 - I cannot seem to get solid control of the Helimax CP. I am trying extremely hard to get it to hover in one relative spot, but it seems like the model just won't hover. I attempt to set my trims so that I can get it to be sollid, but it seems like once this heli starts moving, it's impossible to get it to hover straight. Is this just the model or my inexperience? I have the wind at 0, and have calibrated the controller properly (as far as I know).

It seems like if it drifts back and I move the pitch forward, then I move forward too far and pulling back then over corrects, and if the trail drifts and I correct it with the yaw control then I swing either back left or back right. Grrr.

Any help anyone can give me about setting the trims more accurately or how I can use the trainer more effectively would be extremely helpful.

Thanks guys.

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05-25-2007 04:42 PM 13 years ago

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JeffM1999

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Erie, CO

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1-The flight mode switch will be used when you start doing aerobatics. It throttles the motor up even when you pull the collective stick down, allowing you to fly upside down. This probably doesn't work on the model you are flying because it might be fixed pitch (the blades can only produce positive lift)

2-The dual rate switch allows all control surfaces to be given a smaller travel range so that the controls aren't so jerky. Again, this may not be activated on the particular model you are flying. With the switch one way, the controls will be more responsive, and with the switch flipped the other way, the controls will be less "touchy".

3-This could be because you are flying a fixed pitch model. Typically they require you to give your control inputs earlier since the blade pitch does not change. Also, I am not familiar with the model, but it might not have an actual tail rotor, it may just have two sets of counter rotating main blades, which will make tail rotor response a little sluggish. But I would say that hovering is very tough to learn, and every input that you make (forward, back, left, right) must be taken out eventually or the heli will start to drift. You need to constantly correct the heli. It will not just lift up into a stable hover, even if it is trimmed perfectly.

Try flying a different model, maybe even a bigger, nitro one. It will be more stable and maybe easier to learn on.

Hope this helps. Welcome to the RR family!

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05-25-2007 04:51 PM 13 years ago

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R0XoRiZoR

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Austin, Texas - US

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That particular model sucks in RF3.5. Although its good advice to train with, as it won't get much worse than that!

1. That switch changes modes between idle settings. Down position is normal mode. Throttle and pitch change with the left gimbal. Middle position is idle-up 1 (on most models). This means that the throttle is pegged at 80%-100% at all times, allowing the use of negative pitch for inverted flight. Left gimbal down, negative pitch. Left gimbal up, positive pitch. Very little throttle change. Top position is idle-up 2 (on most models). This is usually reserved for some goofy pitch settings mostly for doing Auto's and crazy positive pitch settings. Usually more positive pitch than negative pitch... but throttle is basically the same as idle-up 1, but might be pegged at 100% all the time. (There are usually gyro setting changes associated with idle mode changes as well)

2. The dual rate switch refers to how fast your servo's react to your input. You move your gimbal, and the servo moves. DR changes the ratio to your input, to the actual servo movement. (i beleive)

3. Sounds like over correction to me. Remember the Radds rules. Each change in direction takes 2 corrections. 1 to stop accelerating, and one to stop. Next time you start to drift, give it 2 quick bumps instead of "holding" the stick to correct it. Slight and tiny corrections are all that is required. Try out the "Training" mode in RF3.5. You can disable different axis' to understand how it works. You can disable all controls except pitch/throttle, then add in some elevator, etc... as you progress.

You should be using very minimal trims, by the way. I don't use any at all on mine. Be sure to go through the "controller calibration" tool within RF3.5 as well.

Remember... the smaller the bird... the smaller the stick inputs. The faster you make those small inputs, is the name of the game. Seperates the men from the boys. Before long you will be making corrections to the heli that it doesn't even need yet, and it will just be hovering in one spot like it was glued there. Keep at it... you'll get the feel for it.

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05-25-2007 04:53 PM 13 years ago

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R0XoRiZoR

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Austin, Texas - US

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meh.. someone beat me to it...

That particular model he is talking about is a CP, not fixed pitch.

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05-25-2007 05:02 PM 13 years ago

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AndyH

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Rockledge, FL

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DR changes the ratio to your input, to the actual servo movement. (i beleive)

DR just cuts down the amount of actual throw the servo provides. Expo keeps the full travel of the servo but allows you to slow down or speed up the response of the servo around center (generally it's used to slow down the response at center, but maintain full travel.)

Generally in heli's most people don't use DR, but they do use the expo. DR is really a plank thing.

And learning to hover is just plain hard!This hobby is like Kryptonite to chicks!

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05-25-2007 05:08 PM 13 years ago

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m7_b5

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Chicago, IL US

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Ahhhhh now it's starting to fit together. I noticed the throttle idle settings with the switch just wasn't sure what it was doing.

So essentially then I should probably use the "normal" setting when I am learning.

I have been using the hover trainer, but it uses a bigger model (Domino nitro I think) and that has been easier for me to get the hang of. I can keep it in the medium circle without much difficulty.

Using much smaller inputs is something I will definitely have to try. I have been trying to do it with pushing and keeping my finger on the stick instead of tapping it, which is likely a big part of the problem.

I did do some practicing using the Bell and I can get it to be much more stable. Can't do a perfect hover yet but it was much easier to deal with.

Thanks for you help gang, I will go back at it again this weekend with renewed determination!

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05-26-2007 12:45 AM 13 years ago

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rufusis

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Austin, Texas - USA

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If you want something realy EZ to fly, try the Heli-Max Axe EZ model.
It is much like my real CX2, except on the sim you can practicaly get into a hover and set the controller down and it will just 'hang out.'Now to make it fly like it does in my dreams!

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05-31-2007 06:40 AM 13 years ago

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Jason Gary

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Sacramento, California, USA

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m7_b5, give heli orientation (not heli hovering) trainer a try. My hovering and orientation skills got infinitely better because of it.

Don't worry that it's a gasser there, what you learn will transfer well to your Trex. It teaches you more about proper control than jumping all over the place with a sim's small electric. And you will notice that once you get better in heli orientation trainer you will get better at controlling the Axe CP in sim as well.

You should definately add some wind and gust though, to make it more realistic.

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Home › ✈️Aircraft › 🚁Helicopter › Computer Flight Simulators › RealFlight › Training via RealFlight 3.5 - Could use a bit of a hand

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