Area needed for a 450

[TBucket32]

Hi folks. I'm thinking about my first "big" heli...a 450

I have a local area that is about 200ft x 600 ft but it is outlined with trees. Do you think this will be enough area? I like doing large circuits with my mcpx bl so will likely be doing the same with the 450.

Thoughts?

[RC/DC_5000]

Well it just depends on your skill and perception. I mean guys will smack a 450 in their driveway by their BMW on Youtube lol.

But I think people would generally agree that a 450 feels good with a soccer field size at least.

A 6s 360 bladed 450 can cover some serious ground and haul the mail.

[19trax95]

I would fly in the biggest area possible. I fly my x3 at my club which is nothing but a runway and then open farm land. Obviously thats plenty big, but if i get it going in fast forward flight, it will cover the run way, which id say is about a 1/8th mile, maybe a little more, in not time at all.

They definitely can cover ground fast.

But you can fly t hem in a smaller space, but i wouldn't bother since then id feel all i could do is hover around

[macdad]

Agreed, it depends on skill. I would use a soccer/football field size area, minimum.

Be careful with trees. Depth perception and lighting are issues. I have lost orientation too many times with a low sun and trees in the background. The heli literally disappears. It has cost me a few bucks! Also, those trees can reach out and grab the heli.

The space you have is certainly doable, though.

[ERRATIC]

Originally Posted by TBucket32

I have a local area that is about 200ft x 600 ft but it is outlined with trees.

I fly my 3S 325 blade 450's and 6S 360 blade stretch's in a smaller and tree lined area, but I really have to stay ahead of them.
So yes, you can do it if need be.

Steve

[Larryu]

I fly in my backyard that's about 150 x 200, just learning that fine. Having said that once you progress a larger area is more fun. Do stay well away from the trees they do seem to jump out at you sometimes. And as Macdad said shadows are a killer the helicopter will disappear.

[yakky]

Originally Posted by Larryu

I fly in my backyard that's about 150 x 200, just learning that fine. Having said that once you progress a larger area is more fun. Do stay well away from the trees they do seem to jump out at you sometimes. And as Macdad said shadows are a killer the helicopter will disappear.

I've got like 60x40 for flying area in my yard. It's OK with a 120. Makes for fun with a 450. I just need to fly over houses but I'm scared of crashing and then needing to tell my neighbors I got my toy stuck on their roof.

[CrashNburn420]

Flying a 450 over your neighbors house is a bad bad idea.

[boykster]

I fly over a regulation sized soccer field that has 2 sides (one long, one short) lined with tall trees. Plenty of space for most flying, and a tree has only eaten one heli so far

[Russell Harding]

I'll agree that it depends on what you're doing.

I fly advanced 3D and can fly a comfortable routine (but still limited in speed and altitude) in a 150' square park. Mostly limited to smack and circuits, but no full collective hurricanes and I feel cramped for anything 'moving'.

I have another park that is 350' square and it is big enough for just about anything on a 450.

Keep in mind that how empty (or potential access) to an area makes a big difference for comfort... Yes, you CAN fly a 450 in a public park, but if there are sidewalks on all sides, frequent users, and people always around, you will be very nervous flying there and may cause complaints or conflicts. A fenced field is helpful, since you'll know where folks may want to enter the field from.

Just learning to hover and flying carefully, you should have enough space.

Personally, I have the most fun when I have more space. Full soccer field is enough for a 450.

[Dylan Hudock]

A soccer field is plenty room for a 450. It really depends on your flying style though. I just got done flying 3d in the infield of a baseball diamond, and that is doable for most things except big hurricanes, etc...

[jgiannakas]

Hovering in by back garden but for any circuits you need some space, soccer field size is the optimal size for this heli, if you're not into super FFF!

[thepiper92]

Big spaces are safe, but smaller spaces train you better, unless you instill a mindset to fly in small area within a big space. During winter I would hover my 250 in the car wash at work, learning to control turns in an area restrict in width length and height...well length not so much, but I didn't want to get to far and lose sight of exactly what the Heli was doing.

Once in the field I'd zoom my X3 around at 60mph+. You don't learn a lot though. Even here at the club field near my family cabin, just take up the space. That was until I saw this little ugly homemade plane fly, semi hovering, flipping over, somewhat boring to watch. All just past the spectator/tuning area, no more than 20 feet up, and 20 feet away. I decided to do exactly that, with my X3. Couple warmup loops, speed runs, but then right in front of me, flipping it, vertical climbs to inverted, really learning how to control collective, and cyclic. Then small backwards circuits, inverted flight, but most within 20ft from me. That was the first time I felt in control of everything, instead of taking it up high, diving and covering the field in seconds.

Fly in the biggest area you can, but try to limit how far you go, and see what you can do within that area of limited height and such. At 200ft up, you can flip and roll, with little care for collective control, but in 20-30 up, failure to focus on collective and cyclic means you are done flying for the day.

Just my 2 cents, this is just what I have been feeling as I slowly progress.

[Anderu]

I agree with thepiper92. I'm a newbie training with my nQX inside my house while my 450 is still grounded for repair. When I flew my 450 again I feel more relaxed controlling it. Try to master your control over confined space.

I'm also kind of inspired from a video of Alan Szabo Jr. doing a test flight of T-Rex 150. If you have a micro heli try doing what Alan is doing in the video.

[CrashNburn420]

I like lots of room. The club I fly at is about 30 acres of pretty much wide open field. Before I joined a club I flew in soccer fields, baseball diamonds and random fields. Soccer fields are ok but I prefer more space now.

[thepiper92]

Originally Posted by Anderu

I agree with thepiper92. I'm a newbie training with my nQX inside my house while my 450 is still grounded for repair. When I flew my 450 again I feel more relaxed controlling it. Try to master your control over confined space.

I'm also kind of inspired from a video of Alan Szabo Jr. doing a test flight of T-Rex 150. If you have a micro heli try doing what Alan is doing in the video.

Or this vid

TAREQ Alsaadi in the Forest - Goblin 700 طارق السعدي (3 min 17 sec)

[jgiannakas]

Originally Posted by thepiper92

Or this vid
TAREQ Alsaadi in the Forest - Goblin 700 طارق السعدي - YouTube

Wow

[MtnMan1]

Originally Posted by thepiper92

Or this vid
TAREQ Alsaadi in the Forest - Goblin 700 طارق السعدي - YouTube

That doesn't even look real. It looks like CGI or like the heli is on cables.

My favorite for my Trex 450 is a soccer field with some trees around it. There is enough room to fly, BUT, it keeps me honest too.

As others have mentioned, when I go to a really big field I just end up doing really big sloppy stall turns and speed runs, and sloppy flips where I lose a bunch of altitude, etc. That stuff is fun, but it's probably making me a worse pilot. I need to be working on basics of controlled flight and hovering if I ever want to get better.

[oliver1071]

I fly everyday in my 100'x100' back yard with my oxy 3 and Goblin 380's I've accepted the risk to my heli's and have had two crashes this year with my 380's one in to the ground when I went behind a tree by accident and the other smacking in to my garage

It's good practice but not relaxing at all I have plenty of open sky but I feel that going above my tree's or garage isn't safe I'd rather smack in to the parameter objects then wind up in someone else's yard.

200x600 should be fine if you contain your maneuvers to that area while you look for a larger field for faster more aggressive flight.

I've flown my 500 and 700 in the same space but nothing more then setup flights no tricks or inverted.

[thepiper92]

Originally Posted by MtnMan1

That doesn't even look real. It looks like CGI or like the heli is on cables.

My favorite for my Trex 450 is a soccer field with some trees around it. There is enough room to fly, BUT, it keeps me honest too.

As others have mentioned, when I go to a really big field I just end up doing really big sloppy stall turns and speed runs, and sloppy flips where I lose a bunch of altitude, etc. That stuff is fun, but it's probably making me a worse pilot. I need to be working on basics of controlled flight and hovering if I ever want to get better.

I don't think I can even fly a Nano CPX where Tareq is flying the 700...The blade span, it would be like spinning and tossing your girlfriend around in the small area in the woods and hoping she doesn't whack into a tree...not that I would do that with my girlfriend lol.

I don't think you get worse as a pilot by just doing big air, stall turns, etc, but I see it the same way was the guys flying planes at the field: Take the plane up, do circuits, come back down. No wonder they stick with more trainer style planes. I was putting my 35" wingspan SE5a through more aerobatics than the one guy was who actually has a stunt plane. They just don't push it past standard flight, I feel, and while they don't get worse, they don't get better.