Copycat 500 build

[Steemo]

Originally Posted by Steemo

so if you only want 9+ and 3- then you would set your curve to 37.5 - 44 - 50 - 69 - 87.5

Here's an example of what this pitch curve looks like when running 60% throttle.



And here is how I use to run my pitch curve. with 0 deg at 1/4 stick and 75% thr

[Steemo]

Originally Posted by Oldladypilot

I have my throttle and pitch curves set linear. 0 to 100. Bob's video shows setting all the links with the collective at 50%, so that's what I'm working on right now.

I'll try adjusting the gain as carguy suggested and see what Luke says about the throttle curve.

Are you holding the flybar level when you take measurements on the pitch guage?

If you adjust everything as per Finless' Vids then you should have no problem getting 12 deg either way out of that head.

[Oldladypilot]

I just had to adjust a couple links and I've got 12 degrees both ways.

So now my DX6i's roller adjuster wheel is messing up so I have to get that fixed.

I adjusted my throttle curve like your first graph....at 75% with a linear pitch curve. So I'll try that tomorrow if I can, and see if I can work out the tail wag.

[Steemo]

Originally Posted by Oldladypilot

I just had to adjust a couple links and I've got 12 degrees both ways.

So now my DX6i's roller adjuster wheel is messing up so I have to get that fixed.

I adjusted my throttle curve like your first graph....at 75% with a linear pitch curve. So I'll try that tomorrow if I can, and see if I can work out the tail wag.

Great, that should work nicely.
If you use that setting just be aware that you will be hovering at around 3/4 stick and will have LOTS of negative pitch in the bottom half of your stick.

You may want to use this one as there is only about -3 and +9 degrees which for starters is more than you will need. and the head speed is going to be really tame at only 60%. You will still be hovering around 3/4 stick but will be less likely to dump into the ground if you accidentally drop the collective too quickly.

Once you are comfortable hovering and managing you altitude using collective rather than head speed (it's a very different feeling) then you can look at linear pitch curves and higher head speed.

[boykintom]

What is the reason for flattening out your throttle curve at 75% or below? I understand why primarily using pitch change to go up and down is desirable, but why not use more power if you have it?

[Steemo]

It softens the cyclic response, think about rpm also as cyclic inputs per minute.
Also high head speed can be intimidating just on the face of it.
I would not suggest it for someone already comfortable with ccpm hovering, because you are right, higher range head speed has many advantages over low. I fly my efl at 100% flat because it just flies better there. Although my hk feels great between 75 and 90%

[Luke Warmwater]

You are also limited on the type of head that you have; plastic heads can take a lower maximum headspeed that a metal head. You should fly as near to the max as you can, but not break it obvioulsy.

Changing throttle to change height is a simplified, unresponsive way of flying. Whilst I understand your argument that using more throttle = more power, it doesn't equate if your heli is set up properly. You will not gain more lift, just obtain it through a different mix of higher headspeed and higher pitch.

However, when you want to descend, you will also do that through a different mix; lower pitch and lower headspeed. You rely on friction to lower your headspeed. Lower pitch will add to this drag....and your headspeed drops. You then rely on gravity to bring you down...not always easy if the wind has got under your rotor disc! If you need to stop that descent in a hurry, you then need to wait for the headspeed to wind back up again to get your lift back.

With a constant headspeed, everything is done on pitch. There is no delay in wating for headspeed to change. PLus, when you want to descend, you can use pitch to drive your heli down, rather than waiting for lift to decrease and gravity to kick in. It is far more controlled than the equivalent freefall.

[Steemo]

Not to mention the gyroscopic effect of the spinning rotor disc (and paddles).
The faster the head spins the more stable the heli will be just from that alone.

[Oldladypilot]

What it comes down to is that the head was not set up right and I was not getting enough pitch. The settings I had were fine, but I'm willing to try anyone's suggestions.

I'm finding that these settings are really up to the individual and what works for them. As a newby, I just need the foundation to start with. If I ever get this thing off the ground I might be able to determine what changes I need to make.

I need to get my DX6i's roller adjuster replaced or I won't be making any changes!

[Steemo]

That really sux, at least horizon hobbies service team work quickly.

[boykintom]

Originally Posted by Steemo

+1

I am now flying a linear pitch curve with 0° at centre stick(after much harassment from the instructor at my club), so I am hovering around 3/4 stick. It all depends on how you have it set.

Isn't this equivalent to "idle up" mode? Why is your instructor giving this advice?

[Ironrotor]

Is there a preferred location to place the remote rx on the HK? I have plenty of room on the bottom tray but I have seen many mounted on the side of the frame. It seems to me underneath on the belly would good. Any thoughts?

[boykintom]

I put mine on the side of the frame because my RX is attached to the bottom of the belly, and I wanted to separate the satellite.

[Steemo]

The general idea is to 1. have as much separation between the Rx and sat as possible. 2. have the antennas at 90° to one another. And 3. try to have the least obfuscation of the antennas by carbon or metal framework as possible.

[JettaManDan]

using my AR8000 and satelite i have the Rx on the tray at the back of the heli and the satelite on the side of the heli as far forward as i could go...

[Lynx.1677]

Originally Posted by boykintom

Isn't this equivalent to "idle up" mode? Why is your instructor giving this advice?

Without teaching to suck eggs:

Idle up refers to the throttle curve as set in your idle 1, 2 modes in the Tx. You can set anything in the Tx for these two modes. Pitch is a separate curve.

It's actually better to run a constant headspeed and have a linear pitch. Reason being you are then only changing pitch with the collective stick and not pitch AND throttle. Makes hovering much easier to have a flat throttle curve, something like 0-80-80-80-80 in Normal mode.

[boykintom]

I understand about idle up, but still puzzled about why 0 pitch at 50% stick is desirable. Is this useful for anything other than 3-D?

[Ironrotor]

Thanks JMD, S & B,

90 Degrees to each other and as much seperation as possible; makes sense.

[Bugster]

Originally Posted by Oldladypilot

I need to get my DX6i's roller adjuster replaced or I won't be making any changes!

Hopefully HH are as good in US as they are in UK. Really brilliant after sales service here no matter how old the Tx or the nature of the fault.

[Oldladypilot]

I bought this tx second hand though. Do you think they'd fix it at a reasonable cost?