My biggest mistake, flying in "Chase" instead of "fixed" mode

[Navigator53]

I'd do great on the sim, then my Rex 450 would get to far from me at the field and I'd have trouble telling if it was coming or going.

Too easy to lose orientation as well.

It was fun traveling across the country, but that ain't real life at the field.

I dawned on me today that I was flying on the sim in chase mode, the heli never got too far away and I could always see what it was doing.

Tried fixed position on the sim today and it started leaving me, I got separation anxiety just like at the field and the light bulb went off in my head :thumbup:

I'm gonna stay in one spot when flying the sim and fly the heli instead of it flying me :o

Mel

[M.D.]

Definitely use fixed camera setting. And don't cheat too much by using a higher zoom level (not that I would do anything of the sort). I have also found that using a larger model initially to learn orientation helped a lot. I still switch back to the 450 for a more "realistic" feel at least once per session.

[maxout]

I've had my sims for about 8 weeks now and I tried chase about the 2nd week, didn't take long to switch back to fixed. I've been having pretty luck with one I shide away from at first and that's the sport60 sun dog, not to fast lets me practice my stick movement at a nice pace. The Bell H-13 or 47 was my first, maybe you've tried these, but for me they really helped me get the stick action. Good luck maxout

[Gsquared08]

Definitely use fixed camera setting. And don't cheat too much by using a higher zoom level (not that I would do anything of the sort). I have also found that using a larger model initially to learn orientation helped a lot. I still switch back to the 450 for a more "realistic" feel at least once per session.

I was just about to start a new thread and spew my frustrations about this very subject.

I fly fixed position in RF and can hover "tail In" all day long and do forward flight pretty well too. Nose-in is obviously the next step and since I know now that I'm either getting a T-Rex 450 or a Blade 400, I have been training on the 450 and boy has it been annoying. It is SUPER sensitive and I was starting to think at 36 years old, my coordination was just too dull to ever get past nose-in. But maybe like you stated, it's better off to use a larger model and once it becomes second nature, start in on the heli you'll actually be buying. I thought about that idea before but I figured it's best to solely work on the model you'll be flying in real life to lessen the learning curve with the real deal.

I remember when I thought I'd never be able to hover and had trouble with almost every model available in Real Flight g3.5 and now that's nothing. But that was more about just getting used to heli characteristics and "normal" stick movement (i.e., left/left, right/right). With nose-in being opposite stick movements, It's more about coordination and training the brain to think opposite. I just can't get the fingers on both hands to work in unison when flying nose-in.

As I'm realizing now, twitchy micro heli's don't offer any help when it comes to just trying to keep it in control in the first place. I should be using a model that I can control before I care about flying the one I'll be using in RL.

Thanks for the "I should of had a V8" moment:YeaBaby:

[Navigator53]

Gsquared,

Like the guys said...

I started out in fixed camera with the Dominion 90, increased the smoke so I could see what's happening, then discovered there was a chase mode.

Then I moved down to the Sport 60 Sun Dog and followed it all over the sky.

Now I'm learning that all of the above was kind of like looking at the keys while typing this, Cheating!

(To bad they don't make a Sun Dog, I do kind of like it :thumbup:)

I'll probably still use the Sun Dog a while before moving down, cause I can't see the 450

Also, I'll turn 60 years young in a few months and I'm just getting started :YeaBaby:

Check your reactions here at different times of the day

http://www.steriley.com/speed/index.php

[Gsquared08]

Oh you're killing me:arggg:
That is totally addictive and even made the top list until one of my co-workers knocked me off. Stokes took me down:BSS

[Gsquared08]

Woot!!! Just 3 days after complaining I can't nose-in at all, I am now getting the hang of it in RealFlight with a 5 mph wind. The main thing was getting my trims perfectly balanced and staying completely focused with no distractions from the tv or the kids. On top of that, I was flying the T-Rex V2 and not one of the bigger stable helis.

I still have issues with how the camera follows the heli when it's close to me and lose orientation but I know I won't have that problem in real life. It's very similar to vertigo but the cool part is recovering from it and maintaining control. Thanks again for the tips.

[JasonJ]

I have been flying the T-rex 450 SE V2 exclusively since it flies like my RCT-450. If I go to a larger helicopter on the sim, I feel like I am driving a truck. My only wish is I would like the canopy to be yellow on the T-rex in the sim, although the stock colors help challenge me in orientation. Whenever it becomes a black dot, I just go up, and do some input to establish orientation, correct, and bring it back.

[GilUriel]

I know it has been a while since you post this thread but ... something good I learned here may help you too ...

I was starting with a Esky honey bee fp. this is something smaller then a trex450.
After some research I saw a movie on youtube where NightFlyyer mods this heli and colors the canopy with two diferent colors. Left side Red, Right side Green.

Well, I did it,
Guys - Its a new life :-) and ... eventualy it doesn't look that bad... hehehe

Highly recommended !!

Youtube movie:
Honey Bee Helicopter setup tips and some modifications
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ani8VLB7VHM

[Navigator53]

Hey Gil

Never too late to add to this post, a lot of beginners like myself latching on to anything that will help :thumbup:

A while back I changed the color of the balls on the training gear, orange on front, white on rear so I could tell whether it was coming or going when it got too far away.