What is cyclic throw?

[Dilbeck]

As you can see from my other post im always asking questions to lean as much as i can in a short amount of time. One thing ive noticed is guys talking about setting up their heli with -10 to +10 pitch with 8 degrees of cyclic. What is cyclic @ 8 degrees and how do you measure it? How do you adjust it and what does it do?:confused:

[MarkD]

Cyclic throw is how much pitch the cyclic controls give to the fly bar and blades. ie in Mode 2 the right-hand stick controls cyclic throw. If you set the heli with the blades parallel to the boom and view the flybar end on and then put in full forward or backward cyclic the amount the paddles deflect is your cyclic throw

[RAV50]

Until you get into HARD 3D, you will find 6 degrees of cyclic to be more then enough.

Also the amount of the cyclic setting is relative to the rotor disc area and the rotor head speed. The heavier the disc area and the smaller the disc - the more cyclic, collective and head speed will be required for the same type of response.

So there is no real HARD & FAST rule that covers all helis of all sizes.

[Dilbeck]

i think ive got it but how do you adjust? I mean is it a diff adjustment from everything else? If the pitch is -9 to + 9 and i want 6 degrees of cyclic or even 8 degrees what am i adjusting? And does it effect anything else?

[Dilbeck]

Nobody no how to adjust? Do you put a pitch guage on the paddles and adjust the atvs with the main blades set a 0 pitch?:arggg:

[Dave M]

I believe cyclic throws are adjusted with the linkage set-ups...ball length, attachment points, etc. It's a mechanical adjustment rather than a radio adj.

If I'm wrong...I'm sure someone will correct me. :hug:

[RAV50]

That will depend on the type of control system the heli uses.

Dillbeck,

Your Hawk Pro in the stock configuration will easily give you 6 degrees of cyclic. The amount will depend on the length of your servo arms on the roll (aileron) and fore/aft (elevator) servos, and the ATV settings that control these servos in your radio transmitter.

As you are just learning you may even find the 6 degrees more then you will ever be using for awhile...until you get into aerobatics.

Mine set at 6 degrees will do some pretty aggressive 3D.

More important for fast/quick cyclic response, is the tuning of the flybar system and the rotor speed. A lighter and larger flybar paddle and a 1800 to 1900 head speed will really make for a fast cyclic response.

For example, one can have a faster cyclic response with only 5 degrees of cyclic pitch at a 1900 head speed then with a 7 degrees of cyclic at a 1600 head speed....all else being equal.

[Dilbeck]

I still dont know how to adjust! Its been described to me what it does and what happens but never not once how to adjust. I have a pitch range from -9 to + 9 on the main blades and put the pitch to 0 Then put the pitch guage on the paddles, as i move the sticks(dependent on whether the flybar is paralell with the tail boom or not i get a pitch of -10 to +15 pitch on the paddles. Is this the cyclic??? pitch?? I want a pitch on the main blades of -9 to +10 and a cyclic of -9 to +9 on the paddles. Dont get me wrong I dont just fly, I fly for perfection, Im always measuring and tweeking this heli to its limits. It is very stable in a hover and i mean stable, you can let go of the sticks in 3mph winds and it will set there for ever, (well almost.) Idle up one I have a linear curve on pitch and throttle, Doesnt hover as well but is very fast and responsive. (Idle up 2 is a test) and is set up as a 5 degree pitch from L to h as a 5 deg pitch flat line, The throttle curve is linear from 0 to 25 to 50 to 75 to 100 This way i can test and see at 5 deg pitch what the heli does at 25% or 50% or 75% throttle. I have discovered that with a os 37 engine in a 30 size heli at approx 10 lbs with 5deg +pitch it will hover at 49 % throttle, 50% being 1/2 throttle. (With 550mm blades) With 600mm blades it gets a lot more stable in a hover and in flight. The hover is approx 48% but is more stable in flight and in hover. As I am trying to maxamize engine with blade size and weight I belive their is a point where you have hit the (sweet spot) and if the engine is tuned right no matter what you add or take away it wont get any better!! My girlfriend hovered my hawk in 6 mph winds and all the traning was the blade cx2 and some sim time. (and that wasnt very good) She does the real thing better than the sim! Its all about tuning, Once again how do you adjust cyclic throw? Or does it even matter? Clint........

[JustPlaneChris]

Cyclic throw is set in your CCPM setup in the radio (swash menu). But to answer your question with a question:

Do you like the cyclic feel and response you have now? If yes, then there's no real need to mess with it. :)

-Chris

[Dilbeck]

Thanks chris, For i do like my set up as is, Was checking to see if it could be tweeked some what. I dont think i even have a ccpm setup, Just a hawk pro stock with a few up grades. CCPM, lets see thats a servo for every ball on the swash? (3) and i have (2). Thanks for the reply!!!

[JustPlaneChris]

Ah, my bad. Hawk must be MPM (mechanical pitch mixing). In that case, you'd just use the travel volume / endpoints on your aileron and elevator channels to adjust the total amount of travel you get for cyclic.

-Chris

[Dilbeck]

Thans once again! Clint!