Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Helicopters / September 2003

Hi Jim,

If you're hovering at all orientations, I don't think you'll have much trouble
with forward flight.  One thing you'll definitely want to do before going into
forward flight is program your minimum collective pitch down to around a -3 to
-4 degrees.  Zero degrees isn't low enough to make your approach back to hover
very easy, the model will want to float too much and you'll probably find that
your rotor rpm will be slowing down a lot in the process.  Not a good thing!

Once you've got the collective reprogrammed, just sneak up on the forward
flight thing.  I'm sure you've moved the helicopter around while it's in a
hover?  Just start with nice, small and easy figure eights.  As you get more
comfortable with them, let them get bigger and bigger.  Go slow and take your
time here.  After a while, as the figure eight pattern gets bigger, you'll
discover that you're already in forward flight and it'll be no big deal.  After
that, enjoy yourself and play with the different orientations while up and
moving.  Make turns away from yourself and then try making them toward
yourself.  Be conservative and take you time and before you know it, you'll be
wondering why you were ever concerned about it.  Since you're already an
established fixed wing pilot, I doubt you've have any significant problems.
About the biggest difference you'll see is that you have to fly the tail while
it's in a turn but you'll get used to that easily enough.

Good luck & Fly Safe,
Steve R.

If you've been flying planks, getting into forward flight with a heli should
prove to be piss easy. The "main" thing to remember is when you want to
land, you stop first:-)

Make the pitch curve a little "deeper" and program some negative into the
curve. Just a couple or three degrees will be plenty, but you DO need some
or the heli will want to "float" along instead of losing height at the end
of your first circuit.

The only thing to "worry" about is orientation. No wings sticking out each
side makes orientation a bit more of an issue than with planes, so don't
make your first circuit "plank sized". Keep the heli closer in than you
would with a plane and you should be fine.

FF is much the same as plane flying, so if you can fly a plank, you'll at
least be able to get the heli round a circuit and back on the ground without
too much trouble.

Good luck with the first one too!!

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