if you can auto a 450 well

[rcflier1]

can you auto anything else as easy?

[nightflyr]

The basic mechanics are the same, but you have to adjust for the feel of the weight and head speed of a different size helicopter.

[hANDYman]

I would say yes, as long as you mean going up in size...

If you can consistently successfully auto your 450, you should be fine autoing anything larger. 450's are fine (and fun) to auto, but they don't store much energy in the head, so you tend to have to put them on the ground quickly, and on the first try. There's simply no "hang time" in them unless you've got a good solid head wind.

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by rcflier1

can you auto anything else as easy?

I'd say pretty much yes. Including the box it came in.

Some 450s can be modified so the tail rotor does not spin during an auto. These are easier. If you are autoing something like a stock 450X (no tail freewheeling mod), then anything lager is a breeze. Anything smaller will still auto like an elevator with a cut cable.

[JoshNZ]

I learned to auto on a 450 and a 600 was my next helicopter. I know you can screw it up but it really feels like you can't haha. A 500 glides and flares a lot better and a 600 and upwards just floats forever.

[rcflier1]

yea, I using a 450 pro with a fbl head.i think the problem with my bigger ones[up to 700] is the $$$ pucker factor. with the 450 a screwup is no big deal $ wise, so I enjoy them..

[JoshNZ]

Yeah I know the feeling but to be honest, with a 600 and bigger the chance of doing any damage is almost nil. Once you're in a gentle glide - not a lot can go wrong. I have done thousands of autos with my 600 of all kinds, it doesn't seem to matter if you come down almost vertically, or grease on at 15mph without a flare it is always just happy with it. Where the 450 splats if slow and trips if fast, the 600 didn't mind either.

I burnt out a glow plug beyond a hedge line one day and used up everything she had keeping it in sight above the hedge, barely missed the top coming over, could count the blades going past by this point. Fell like a rock the rest of the 10m hedge. Skids pancaked and cracked, muffler took a dent on the ground but that was all I damaged lol... Stayed upright etc. So you can't do any worse than that

All that aside, I reckon just do it You'll have time to think about this thread and wonder why you didn't try it sooner while it's gliding.

Have fun good luck!

[Johnny31297]

I'd say yes. I've auto'd everything down to an mCPX (including 450s, 300s, 250s, 130s). A club mate built an OWB for it and I saw my opportunity

I'd also claim it works the other way round, if you can safely auto a large helicopter from any orientation and position and do whatever maneuver you want during that auto, you can easily auto something smaller.

[Harbormaster]

Time for the autoing a 250 video again.

Paul doing an auto with his Trex 250 (2 min 43 sec)

[thepiper92]

Originally Posted by Harbormaster

Time for the autoing a 250 video again.

Paul doing an auto with his Trex 250 - YouTube

Wonder if the fly bar helps autos for the 250. Looks to have a lot more spin after landing.

[vtown nick]

Originally Posted by rcflier1

can you auto anything else as easy?

From what I've experienced if you can auto a 450 everything bigger only gets easier.

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by Johnny31297

I'd say yes. I've auto'd everything down to an mCPX (including 450s, 300s, 250s, 130s). A club mate built an OWB for it and I saw my opportunity

I'd also claim it works the other way round, if you can safely auto a large helicopter from any orientation and position and do whatever maneuver you want during that auto, you can easily auto something smaller.

Would love to see a video of a 130 auto from over 60ft (that is not just a crash). Trying to keep enough speed in the blades on that size is quite a challenge (tail drive resistance would be a killer - ideal would be a tail freewheeling setup - like a warp 360).

If anyone could pull it off, it's you Johnny31297.

[Johnny31297]

Originally Posted by ArchmageAU

Would love to see a video of a 130 auto from over 60ft (that is not just a crash). Trying to keep enough speed in the blades on that size is quite a challenge (tail drive resistance would be a killer - ideal would be a tail freewheeling setup - like a warp 360).

If anyone could pull it off, it's you Johnny31297.

Yepp, it was rather a controlled crash than an emergency landing (same for the mCPX). I think it took like 3 attempts until it came to a rest on the skids, but then it was a valid auto. The guy with the OWB 130 sadly left our flying club a while ago, but maybe the guy with the mCPX still has it and would let me fly it again, then I'll shoot a video!

[ARM_Coder]

I successfully autoed my 500L several times today. This is the smallest heli for me so far, and a new personal record, as to say.

I had a Warp 360 that's known as an auto - capable heli, but I never could auto it properly. The Warp doesn't drive the tail rotor during the auto, and I don't like it. A matter of personal taste.

[JoshNZ]

Originally Posted by ARM_Coder

I successfully autoed my 500L several times today. This is the smallest heli for me so far, and a new personal record, as to say.

I had a Warp 360 that's known as an auto - capable heli, but I never could auto it properly. The Warp doesn't drive the tail rotor during the auto, and I don't like it. A matter of personal taste.

I'm there with you I think, odd thing to lose control of your tail after a long glide. Sometimes you need it.

[907Heli]

Originally Posted by ARM_Coder

I successfully autoed my 500L several times today. This is the smallest heli for me so far, and a new personal record, as to say.

I had a Warp 360 that's known as an auto - capable heli, but I never could auto it properly. The Warp doesn't drive the tail rotor during the auto, and I don't like it. A matter of personal taste.

Think of it as practicing for losing the tail rotor and having to auto it down. It's weird for sure, definitely have to be moving forward to make it weather vane or it wants to crab sideways.

I much prefer to auto my Gaui X5 and trex 600n over the warp.

[skunkworx]

A 450 floats like a feather compared to a 250! I can do inverted autos on a 450, but I'm lucky if I can auto the 250 more than half the time without potentially breaking something on it. Mine is really heavy, so it would probably help to put her on a diet, but it autos nonetheless. I didn't find the 500s to auto very well, but mostly due to big batteries and high disc loading. 600 class and up almost gets you in trouble because they have too much float and you have to dump the rest of the energy off before it gets close to the ground or you'll get bunny-ears.

[rcflier1]

of course, after a perfect day of 450 auto's today I blew one in the wind. 1 busted blade. oh well.............not as cocky now....

[JoshNZ]

Originally Posted by 907Heli

Think of it as practicing for losing the tail rotor and having to auto it down. It's weird for sure, definitely have to be moving forward to make it weather vane or it wants to crab sideways.

I much prefer to auto my Gaui X5 and trex 600n over the warp.

I did have the tail push rod pop off the back ball one day. Noticed the heli viciously wagging so flew a wide fast circuit up nice and high and killed the throttle. Glided down wagging all the way then landed spinning. Didn't do any damage, but definitely wasn't pretty. I have had that happen once, and 3 real nitro engine failures, I'm glad I had my tail for the 3 other ones lol.