Landing Problems

[Fan M]

Hi

I'm a newbie and I'm totally crazy about flying. I'm already controlling my small BCX2 quite well. One thing I practice a lot is spot landing. But I can hardy land on a square with a 12" to 12" size.

I've read that real helis usually don't land straight vertically because they shouldn't fly into their own downwash. Also I've read that ground effect and vortex are maybe a problem. Is this also true for small RC helis?

As soon as I'm close to the ground it gets harder to control the position of the heli.

Could anyone give some advice for spot landing?

(Certainely more practice.....)

Is there maybe a website containing some theory about RC helis?

Thanks for any hint.

[vera]

I've read that real helis usually don't land straight vertically because they shouldn't fly into their own downwash.


Well, actually, they generally do, but they don't come straight down from very high. The reason for that is the "dead man's curve". You can't do a successful autorotation with zero airspeed unless you have quite a bit of altitude.


As soon as I'm close to the ground it gets harder to control the position of the heli.


Yep, that's a thing we just live with. Do a gob of hovering inches from the ground. The keys to success, as always, are to get on it right away at the first hint of anything going astray, and don't overcontrol.

[Seeker]

Is there maybe a website containing some theory about RC helis?

Thanks for any hint.


http://www.helicopterflight.net/gyroscopic%20P.htm


http://www.collectivepitch.com/

[Fan M]

Thanks to all of you.

Today I went on exercising. I could spot-land two times on my new "heli base" consisting of a piece of wood with a H on it.

A major thing to practice for me is the relation between collective (my heli has only throttle) and cyclic near ground. As soon as I do some cyclic adjustments the heli needs more upward pitch or throttle in my case. I start to get a feel for it the more I try.

Yesterday I decided to paint my heli white. I did it and now I'm happy like a child.

Someone told me that the physics of gyroscopic precession can be hard to understand. What if you have two rotors turning in opposite directions...one is connected to the TX and the otherone is connected to the flybar...

Anyway, it's great pleasure to find out how it works.

Thanks everybody, also for the links. I love to read them. There are some topics concerning real big helis as "hot fueling" that I also love to read.

Thank you, Vera. I'll keep im mind what you told me. Very helpful.

Mike