Nose Pitches Up in Forward Flight

[lperagallo]

I have been noticing that it appears that the nose of my EB gasser has a tendency to pitch up during forward flight. I noticed it more in windy conditions especially when turning into the wind flying circuits. The balance of the heli is level with a half tank of fuel when holding it up at the flybar. There is very little radio trim in place to hold a solid hover in no wind.

Is this a characteristic of the machine? Do I need to change the balance to a bit nose heavy? Is there a radio mix I need to set up? I wouldn't be that concerned except that this time of year most flying is done on windy days and the loss of transitional lift when turning into the wind with a pitched up nose makes for some exciting times when flying with low speed to start with. :oops: I'm trying to get more percise in flying circles and 8's at slow speed in a small area. As a beginner, I need all the help I can get. :?
Suggestions are appreciated. :D

[cbergen]

Things to check,

Paddles exactly lined up, could possibly give them a slight leading edge down tendency if necessary.

Check for play in the elevator system, specifically where the elevator arm is installed on the long shaft and the shaft plugs into the elevator yoke.

Might try different paddles. The stock ones (white plastic) are generally fast, some V-Paddles and flybar weights will slow it down some and reduce any pitchiness.

[flyinfool]

A much better way to check CG is to hold the heli with the mainshaft parallel to the floor, rotate the heli so the tail boom is level and see which way it goes.

When you pick the heli up by the flybar you have the pendulum effect of the full weight of the heli, this make it difficult to see a CG that is off by a full inch or even more.

Since you are just learning circuits, slightly nose heavy will be better than slightly tail heavy. Set your fuel level to the most tail heavy condition (either full or empty depending on if the tank is in front or behind the main shaft) and adjust your CG from there. this will ensure that at no time during the flight will be tail heavy.

Of course what Chris said is also very valid and should be checked.

The other thing is that it is normal for a heli to balloon when turning into the wind so be sure that it is really pitching up and not just ballooning.

[lperagallo]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Chris. The elevator control system is tight. There is no slop that I can find anywhere.

Flyinfool, While I'd like to try your suggestion about the CG. I don't think I could hold up a Bergen long enough to check the CG by holding onto the end of the mainshaft. At almost 12 lbs that's a lot to hold. :mrgreen:

It might just be that the heli is ballooning as I come around into the wind. I'll just have to work harder on the Sim during our crappy November weather.

[Gyan]

You hold onto the blade grips & keep the blades vertical, (heli 90 deg to ground) & the heli will find its C of G . The flybar method doesn't work that well.

[flyinfool]

If nothing else it is good exercise to hold the heli out there :lol:
You don't have to hold it long, in just 2 or 3 seconds you will know if it is tail or nose heavy.
On the bigger Helios just hold it up with one hand on each blade grip, with the blades vertical, it's not as hard as it sounds and it putting a lot less stress on parts than what they see in flight.