How do you learn how to Auto without stuffing it?

[senji]

The other day I decided to try Autorotating my Raptor 30 based on recommendation to practice starting from a few feet high. So I tried it, and I ended up slamming into the ground and bouncing a few times... When it finally settled my hands were nearly crushing the transmitter I totally get that to do it successfully, I need to go negative pitch and gain headspeed and that I would need to do it from a higher altitude. So is it a matter of "faith" in your heli? Do I just blindly do it from 50 feet high and just know it will flare?I can do them in the sims, but the nerves get the best of me IRL.

What's a good way to learn autos?

[comatosed]

On a sim. Although I see you've already done that, just keep practising. I'm working on these a little myslef, I can do them on the sim 90% of the time but haven't had the balls to try it on my heli yet.

[deca]

From just a few feet up you don't need and shouldn't use any negative pitch at all until you touch the ground. I always land via a low auto, just get it into a stable hover maybe 5 feet up max, hit the hold and just slightly increase pitch as it descends to keep it from accelerating. Once it touches down give it negative to pin it so you don't tip over.

Now full on high altitude autos scare the crap out of me, I haven't worked up the nerve to try anything serious.

[senji]

Thanks. I dont know why it didn't make sense to me to keep the pitch when I switch on hold. I think, since Im new to it, I assume the blades will immediately stall.. but just a few flights ago, I was inadvertently successful when I lost fuel pressure and my engine quit while (thankfully) hovering several feet off the ground.. the frozen moment actually helped me not jam the collective down...

Also a tiny little factor I forgot..... I forgot to set my hold pitch curve the same as the other modes...

[deca]

Oof, yeah that'll definitely cause problems. But yeah you'll be surprised how long a 500+ size heli will just hang there once you hit the throttle hold. I can definitely understand why you'd get antsy though, especially when you're not sure exactly how it's going to behave.

[nothinbetr2do]

Originally Posted by deca

From just a few feet up you don't need and shouldn't use any negative pitch at all until you touch the ground. I always land via a low auto, just get it into a stable hover maybe 5 feet up max, hit the hold and just slightly increase pitch as it descends to keep it from accelerating. Once it touches down give it negative to pin it so you don't tip over.

+1 but i hit throttle hold at about 2 feet up

[BaconRaygun]

Read this thread
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=389869

Watch this video
Curtis Youngblood gives a 30 minute class on how to do autos - 391 Megs

[banditpowdercoat]

Yup. From 2 ft up in stable hover, hit TH. As HS drops you can slowly add some pos pitch. You will soon get a feel for how long your heli will float. Some can float pretty long. My Protos I can hit TH at 2 ft. Increase to about 8 ft and still set her down smooth all in auto before blades loose lift


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[BaconRaygun]

That really doesn’t teach you how to auto though... still good to get comfortable with before you try a real auto, but doesn’t teach you a whole lot.

[3DnOC]

Yes that is just half of the whole auto.
But it gives you the confidence when you shoot a full auto from up high.
Once you stop the Helli anywhere up to 10 feet high you know you can land it safely.

Second part to practice is descending with power on, collective 3-4 degrees negative, at a 45 degree angle into the wind. Flare at 10 feet and come to a hover at 3 or 4 feet high.

Do it till your comfortable (20-30 times successfully).
Then do it again this time flip the hold switch after you start down, flare to a to a hover, Then add collective as you set it down gently.

Smacktalk video All about Autorotations is very good. http://www2.smacktalkrc.com/index.ph...egory=Featured

They also have one on 3D Autorotations when you get bored with with straight ahead autos.