What kind of damage if any...

[broncoholic7]

I have been training on XTR for 6 months sometimes 2-3 hours a day. I just started reading Paul Tradaleus's book. I came across a section where he talks of the how the controls are set up. He wrote that when you give the right rudder the nose should go right not the tail.

Most everything I have read says you should look at the heli from behind when starting.

So when I set up the XTR I set as if I were standing from behind. When I gave it right rudder the tail would go right, nose left.

Now after reading I see that this was incorrect. I just cannot do it that way now it feels so uncomfortable and backwards, I crash everytime and so on. I have never been comfortable hovering from behind, but from the sides, either right or left and nose in, I am right on! No problems or crashes for a couple months.

So my questions are would/could there be any damage to the servos or heli if it was set up this way?

Couldn't I just switch the way the servo travels in the Rev Switch of the TX?

I have talked with PaulH and as I figured, if it was set up this way no one would be able to help me fly it, if needed, as it would be backwards for them. :D

My main concern is that no damage would be done by reversing the way I have been training all this time, or that no major things would need to be done to switch it the way I need it.

Thanks

[z11355]

it's a common mistake beginners make.

there is no 'damage' that will occur by setting it up in reverse like that but you must
ALWAYS remember that you cannot ask others to 'test fly' your machine.

Or spend time re-training your brain.

[PaulH]

My vote is for retraining his brain. But he already knows that. ;)

Mike is coming to the 107th heli fun fly tomorrow. I'm going to help him set up his Intrepid Gasser. As we started discussing what he would need to bring he happened to think of this issue. I know that there are people who fly quite well with the rudder set up to be the reverse of what the rest of us use. However, I think converting back would be a good idea just so that the setup of his bird is consistent with the norm.

If it's backwards in XTR, you should reset the model you're using to its default values. In the radio, reverse the rudder channel. Since you will be hovering the real thing for the first time this weekend, you won't be using the rudder control much, if at all. Give it time. Sometimes flying (or hovering) the real thing makes more of an impact on a person's mind. Doing it on the computer is not as "3D" as we would like sometimes.

-Paul

[broncoholic7]

Thanks z!


Or spend time re-training your brain.



Exactly what PaulH told me. :D


But at this time it is like telling a right handed person to write with with their left hand. :D

I am going to continue to try to learn the right way, it may take awhile.

Thanks again

[broncoholic7]

As always Paul, Thanks!

You have have always lended me an ear and advice, when needed every since I have come to helifreak and gotten into helis, I really appreciate your help and input.

We will see how it goes tomorrow and I will have to see what happens and go from there.

[MarkWebber]

Just like making the switch from tail-in to nose-in flight, making the transition from the way you've been flying the tail to flying the nose will just take a while. With the amount of practice you've got, it probably won't take you all that long :D

[broncoholic7]

Thanks Mark,
I hope so, I am sure you are right, I was just a "little" nervous about tomorrow as I have trained so long.
It will be my first time hovering/flying with the real thing and now I am "BIG" time nervous. :lol: More so now that I have been doing it wrong all this time. :roll:
I guess I can always use the Rev Switch just for tomorrow after Paul trims and sets it up and such, just to get the feel of it and then train more on the right way to do it. That may settle the nerves just a bit.

I know I will be in good hands with Paul and others helping!

Will be posting tomorrow to let you all know how it goes!

[MarkWebber]

I hope it does go well for you. You're gonna love the heli!

[Malorie]

After today, I would definately spend time retraining the correct way. I'm sure that if you spent one week on the sim, you would be pretty much used to the correct setup.

On the sim, just take off into a hover and be very concious of watching the nose of the heli when you give tail inputs. Think of it like you were driving a car. I bet that in much less time than you would think, that will become very natural for you.

Having the tail reversed won't cause you any imediate issues, but in the long term, when you start learning forward flight and circuts, flying the tail (the way you are currently set up) will make things much more difficult.

At any rate, retraining now will be much easier than retraining later on. :)

Best of luck,
Malorie

[PaulH]

Today was a good day for Mike. I was able to help Mike get everything set up properly in both the radio and on the linkages. He had a GV-1 governor which Raja was kind enough to help me set up as I have no experience with them.

Even with a 15-20 MPH wind, it hovered! I ran a tank of gas with Blue Marble through for its first few rounds. The low needle is where it needs to be for hovering. It was too windy for me to feel comfortable doing any puch-outs, but I suspect the high-speed needle will only need a small amount of leaning.

The tail was the hard part. I didn't have anything with me to grind the tail grip ball links down a little to shorten them, but I directed Mike to the post with Chris' tail setup guide.

Good luck Mike! Find a nearby club where you can fly.

[broncoholic7]

Yeah I had a great time today!

Paul was very generous with his help and knowledge even after he burnt his hand pretty good!

Raja was set up close to us and he is one smooth flyer! Very controlled.
I do not know who started that you cannot do 3D with gassers, but apparently they have not seen Raja fly!
I even won some nice curved hemostats! Got some great photos! Saw some great flying. The jet was just OFF THE HOOK!
Just a complete awesome day. The weather was great, but the wind was coming in pretty hard by the time Paul finished the trim and set up so I did not even try to hover or anything.

I learned A LOT today, Paul even gave me a gas can with a pump on it. I wanted to give him something for all he did and felt bad that he spent most of the time on my heli and could not work on his, but he would not accept anything.
A class act! Someday I will figure out something, I am sure we will meet again.

Not sure where to put the photos but I will be posting some in my gallery.

Thanks so much Paul it was a great day in every way!

Hi Malorie,
I will be doing some more practice and retrain the old brain to do it right. Even though I highly doubt I will ever try the manuevers I saw today I still would rather do it right. Plus I feel I owe it to Paul as he worked so hard on my heli! Paul gave the same advice, 'think of it as driving a car" Also need to put more time in on the from behind hover, I noticed even the best flyers out there today were hovering/starting from behind. From the sides and head on, I am dead on, so I am sure I can get the behind down with more practice.

Mark,
Yeah I love the heli, I am really glad I listened to Gary Travis when he said I should look into the Bergens. I had goosebumps just seeing it in the air finally, even though I was not at the controls. I can only imagine how I will feel then.

take it easy

[MarkWebber]

Glad to hear everything went so well. I've heard the same thing about the gassers not doing 3D. Real crock, ain't it!

[broncoholic7]

Bigtime Crock! :D

It was a really fun. I am looking forward to the next time I can attend a Funfly! But with the winter weather coming to New England, it may be a while.

I told Paul yesterday that when my kids are up and gone on their own, I am going to sell everything, but my Bergens (the only helis I will own, Well, as long as they stay in business, :D ) and buy an RV and hit the road and go to all kinds of Funfly events all over the US and Canada! If I can drive there I will try and go there!

Take it easy