Got the heli going today.

[FastEddy]

After several weeks of no time I got the finishing touches put on the heli and took it to my LHS to look at. "Red" the owner Of Hanger One Hobbys in Rohnart park CA got my radio dialed in and checked everything over. We went out in the parking lot and he sure made it look easy. Hovering, flying, and making the final adjustments on the radio looked like childes play.

I got it all home, put on the training wheels, and out to the driveway. After 10 or so trys I was able to get it off the ground a few inches without drifting to bad. Red sure made it look easy. LOL Either hes good or I'm a spastic. I'm sure in another hundred or so hours Ill be hovering consistently.

What a kick in the Ass.

I'm thinking of also getting a little park flier called a Slow Stick. The kit ARF is 35.00 and the electronics should be around 100.00 or so. I'm thinking of doing this to help me get used to using a stick radio.

 

[robmob]

You mean you can't just mash the throttle and watch it go?

 

[Rolex]

Ed, don't you have RealFlight G2? That should get you used to a stick radio.
Also, a nitro plane is much easier to learn on than a light weight electric. Sounds odd, but a nitro has the power and speed to make it stable in the air. A lightweigh electric can hang in the breeze, while you fight the sticks to maintain control. Turn on some wind and gusting in G2, then fly an electric and a nitro. It's almost the same effect you will get with the real ones.

 

[Plaidfish]

don't you want the air pushing around an electric park flyer if you're trying to learn helis....don't they get pushed around alot by wind until you're haulin ass w/ it?

 

[FastEddy]

I have a park directly across the street from my house. Nitro for an aircraft isn’t an option. If I don’t want to travel, a small park flyer is all I can use.

I did see that Sig is now making an electric version of the Kadet. The Kadet was my first ever nitro. Many, many years ago. I need to do some research on it to see what kind of space is required for takeoff and landing.

I took the heli out again today and did well. I’m finding that I can't female pee pee foot around trying to only lift an inch or two off the ground. It must be a head speed or pitch thing but I get much better reaction from a higher RPM. I made it through 3 battery packs before I fiddlesticked up bad enough to call it a day.

With the proper RPM this thing will hover 2 feet up hands off. I found that getting up is the easy part. Getting it down is easy as well but getting it down without hurting it is a different story.

I was able to keep it in one spot and make the needed corrections to keep it there most of the time. I made it through 15 or so touch and go hovers before the eminent first crash. It started to slide towards me and I couldn’t get it to slow down quick enough and got a bit scared so I brought it down for a landing. It landed just fine except I was to close to my pit box with the lid up. OOPS. I lost my first set of rotor blade.

All in all it was a good day of learning. After that I went and ran 5 tanks of fuel through my buggy.

 

[Rolex]

Glad to hear it's getting a workout. Rule #1. Don't have stuff around. Helis are 'stuff' magnets. If there's something there, you'll hit it sooner or later.