What do you call 'tough' flying conditions

[Betamax_Disco]

So I'm waiting patiently for a break in the current windy weather. By windy I mean 20-30kmph wind forecast. Not sure what the actual speed is out there but the trees are moving and that's enough to warn me off.

I was wondering what you guys find challenging in terms of weather? Any good rules of thumb you follow? Also just trying to gauge what the limits of a 450 heli are.

Personally I'm waiting for a dead still day before I fly again. I may even look for some 6am/7am starts just to catch that perfect still.

Anyway, interested in what you guys find a fun challenge.

[learnedthehardway]

This time of year my Oxy with the SK540 can handle more wind than I can. In freezing temps, If it's beyond 10-15mph then I get cold too fast for it to be worth going out. Still putt around the yard but that's it.

It will handle a 20-25mph straight wind no problem, it's the 30+mph gust out of nowhere than can cause trouble if I'm flying too low.

My 300cfx and 450x running the AR7200BX don't handle wind as well. Get tossed up n down while hovering and get shot way up on a turn when traveling into the wind. Starts to get uncomfortable beyond 15mph

Have noticed that the more you fly in high winds, the less noticeable it becomes. Start to make the necessary corrections subconsciously after a while.

How much slop in the head the heli has, how well the fbl controller corrects for wind, and your comfort level flying in wind seem to be the deciding factors to me. Flying only smaller class birds I prefer 15mph or less but a straight wind up to 25mph is doable. Gusting/swirling winds are more of a problem.

High hs definitely helps with wind, I bump it up another 200rpm on windy days.

[99100]

With my 450 10 -15 mph is about my limit with the 550 - 700 the most ive flown in was 35mph gusts. The 700 was ok at that speed and probably be ok in higher winds.

The 550's were a bit difficult but still fun.

[macdad]

I have found my limit to be 10-15 mph. I can fly in higher winds, but I don't really enjoy it as much.

[EjectEjectEject]

I found it necessary to differentiate between wind strength and the degree of turbulence.

Strong laminar flows aren't really an issue for me; sure it affects the heli, but doing big air stuff it's easy enough to compensate by changing the collective timing.

Turbulent air (eg bouncing off buildings etc) is a different story though - bit like an inflatable boat in rough water - it's not necessarily going to sink it, but you are basically just trying to hold on for grim life the whole time.

Then there are times when you get both -- I usually don't waste too much times on those days. Landing especially can be a bit of a challenge on those days with gusting downdrafts.

[Dylan Hudock]

I can fly in 10-15mph pretty comfortably. Yesterday I went out and it was 25 gusting 30 and was quite the handful. I mean, good experience but not something I would regularly do!

[Betamax_Disco]

Thanks guys, now that I am a bit more comfortable I fly in 10-15kmph. I would be worried about landing in anything windier!

[EjectEjectEject]

Originally Posted by Betamax_Disco

Thanks guys, now that I am a bit more comfortable I fly in 10-15kmph. I would be worried about landing in anything windier!

Just keep in mind that there's a boundary layer close to the ground where the wind is slower than it is as waist height and above, so the heli doesn't "feel" quite what we humans feel.

Also, with smaller birds (eg 450) you can make a bit of a wind shadow with your body if you land downwind.

Lastly, so long as you have zero GROUND speed as you touch down, you don't need to worry too much about the heli being tipped over by the wind - the FBL controller (or FB) acts to correct uncommanded attitude changes. Best thing you can do is learn to spool up and down in IU mode - that way when you land in blustery conditions you still have full headspeed and can hold it on the deck with negative pitch - hit TH - then dump the remaining rotor energy with full negative pitch (so by the time that the FBL controller loses authority due to decreasing rotor RPM it's already held down firmly or as good as stopped).

[KSHeli]

I used to go outside and fly a mCPx in 20 mph winds with gusts just for sh*ts and giggles, quite a bit turbulence flying here in town. The heli could jump up 20ft plus in the gusts, didn't fly at all downwind and could barely make headway going upwind. You definitely had to run high hs. It's a different kind of fun but not really flying, mostly fighting and heavy concentration.

[Dr.Rudder]

For me 'tough' flying condition is when my wife thinks I should be cleaning the house, yet I go flying instead...

[DominicD]

5-10kph = I don't notice
10-20kph = normal days
20-30kph = not as much fun as a calm day but you'll never fly if you wait for the perfect day
30+ = it's do'able but why bother.

[MS60]

Man it was blowing so hard yesterday two guys crashed their E6s sitting on the ground between fights!