550X and SAFE

[N3croscope]

Hi Guys,

A bit of help for a returning Heli pilot please.

Its been over a decade since I last flew and my goodness things have moved on.

I now have a lovely 550X that when stock had sloped skids.

I've removed these in favour of a level set to assist with SAFE takeoff and landing.

She is currently flying lovely after a bit of trimming via the attitude control.

I can appreciate with sloped skids on a SAFE takeoff that the gyro would be putting some back in, to try and level off.

What I'm not so sure off and slightly more worried about, is what will happen when I touch the rear of the gear down and then try to let her fall forward onto the full skid?

Many thanks for your thoughts on this situation.

Phil

[Keyrigger]

Hi. This is my take on SAFE takeoff and landing. Don't. For the time being, until you are completely comfortable with taking off with SAFE enabled, don't change it. I would work up to taking off with SAFE off before switching to the sloped skids. Once you are comfortable taking off with the sloped skids without SAFE, then try SAFE but with a sloped landing gear, take it airborne without and then flip it on if you feel you need to use it to fly. To me, SAFE is a crutch that helps off the start but then limits your learning curve in how to fully fly a helicopter model. Take care and have fun.

Don

[N3croscope]

Thanks Don.

When you say switch it on, how do you mean?

My understanding is the only way to toggle SAFE is to change to a different FM thats is either on or off?

Phil

[TomazB]

Maybe just think of changing to different FBL unit, that won't demand taking-off and landing without using self leveling. Spirit or Axon FBLs are the answer in this case. You won't regret it.

[The_Fox]

You could stay with Spektrum. AR7210BX with Pro Firmware will level Your 550X calm and smooth at takeoff and landing. I can take off "Hands-Off" in self-leveling.

[Keyrigger]

First off, I love how people don't offer any actual help on the question at hand but jump all over telling the OP that he should change his flight controller to the one they are using because they know that unit but not the one in question. Nicely done.

In answer to the question at hand, I do not use SAFE in my day to day operation of my two 6250s, one which is in an F3C helicopter, 800 size, and the other which is in a 700 size scale machine. So the main reason for using SAFE at takeoff is because you are not confident in the takeoff and the same for landing. The 6250 can be programed so that it helps you at those two points in the flight.

There is a setting in the Throttle section simply called Hover where you are asked to set the maximum throttle level percentage at where the logarithms react quicker to roll and pitch actions of the helicopter. Below that level of throttle, it will make takeoffs and landing in Normal Mode (the mode where you set the Hover Throttle) far more easy to handle. I use three throttle settings, one for takeoff/landing (not always for landing), one for standard flight, and one for high winds/high speed flight. I can't remember the exact setting for each helicopter in Normal but they are at least 65% as the maximum throttle level for this setting.

Idle 2 would be set to a level above that, say 75%, and for high winds/speed, I might have it set to 90% (one is a Castle 160 and the other is an Avian 120). I generally startup and get the helicopter light on the skids and do one of two takeoffs. One is to get in the air and then flip to Idle 1 and the other is to flip to Idle 1 as I get past zero pitch and carry on with the takeoff from there. I do not use the SAFE technology for in-flight self-leveling but I do have the Panic Recovery programmed to the Bind button if I get disorientated or loose sight of it as I fly through the sun (had that once this past season and it was so nice to have a helicopter to land rather than put in a bag).

You might want to try and set up two identical flight modes but have one with SAFE and one without. There are many that use self-leveling modes at takeoff and landing against the manufacturers recommendations but have not had an issue. I can tell you that once I did try a Blade 270 (AR636 controller) with a bone stock setup and the tilted landing gear may have been the factor that caused the helicopter to raise tail up and then tilt to the left, striking the ground as I tried to lift off. After the repair to a few broken bits, the next takeoff was completely uneventful but it did teach me to be careful with a tilted landing gear setup.

Yes, I do have one tilted landing gear helicopter but that is a 690 Logo but with a flybar head. The rest of my helicopters are all level skid scale or pod and boom helicopters. The 6250 is a very capable flight controller and will do what ever you need it to do. Good luck with your return to flying helis.

Don

[TomazB]

The point exactly is that 6250 isn't very capable, as it isn't even up to a simple task of normal take-off or landing in stability mode if heli isn't the perfect shape that it needs to work at least somehow properly. You confirmed that yourself, and yet in the same breath you state how capable it is.
In the end it's just a BeastX copy, and a bad one too. Microbeasts also have no issue taking-off and landing in self level modes on helis with slanted skids.
Hater or not, the simplest solution is always to swap FBL for something that will have the functionality that OP wants, he can always sell the 6250 and dont have much additional cost to get the functionality he desires.

[N3croscope]

Thanks guys.

I'd contemplated a copied normal mode, one with safe and one without.

I do find it odd that you can't flick SAFE in on a switch like I can with my M2.

I'm happy with taking off and landing without safe, but still wanted to check on what would happen as she flops forward.

Phil

[Tim W]

You list 5 flybarless units in 2 threads this one and the new fusion 360 thread, you are the authority I suppose, why do you troll blade/spektrum if they are so inferior, I pretty sure a lot of pilots cut their teeth on blade/spektrum. Have a great day.

[Keyrigger]

He has the distinction of being the only individual that I have put on my ignore list since joining. Sad.

Don

[TomazB]

How come you still go and flame against my posts then, fanatic fanboy?

[The_Fox]

Please don't call Don a fanboy. He is using different brands, and you can see he can handle them all. You might be a Spektrum hater, allrigt. You may attack the products, if You have some arguments. Don't attack the people here.

[TomazB]

Sorry, but I wasn't the one who started attacking other users! They did because of their blind believes and biased opinions. And I've also told the arguments and gave legit suggestion to OP which will give him least trouble to achieving what he wants. But I can understand frustrations of 100% biased blind believers, every opinion that doesn't approve product they worship is a deadly sin for them. Even though it would be the most profiting for the OPs and their issues.
Enaugh of this BS, I'll just leave you few rare believers here in your ferytale world 😉

[Keyrigger]

It's about time you left people alone. Sorry the product is not worthy of the ground you walk on so don't let the door hit you on the way out. Have you stopped arguing with developers in other threads, where their products don't meet your seal of approval, yet? Keep your nose out of threads that you have no business posting in unless you can come up with a method of fixing the issue at hand that doesn't involve buying products you endorse. Capisce?

Don

PS: Back to the ignore bin you go.

[N3croscope]

Hi guys, quick update, I put the standard 550x skids back on and she takes off and lands with SAFE on and off with no problem. Thank you.

[mpguidry]

Originally Posted by TomazB

The point exactly is that 6250 isn't very capable, as it isn't even up to a simple task of normal take-off or landing in stability mode if heli isn't the perfect shape that it needs to work at least somehow properly. You confirmed that yourself, and yet in the same breath you state how capable it is.
In the end it's just a BeastX copy, and a bad one too. Microbeasts also have no issue taking-off and landing in self level modes on helis with slanted skids.
Hater or not, the simplest solution is always to swap FBL for something that will have the functionality that OP wants, he can always sell the 6250 and dont have much additional cost to get the functionality he desires.

I have installed 6 or 7 6250s for my dad and he only flys with safe, he takes off and lands with safe mode in all of them. from 450size all the way up to 800size helis. so im not sure where you get its not capable.

[xxxntwv]

The 6250 will work fine with slanted skids. I have a 470lp and while I don't fly with safe I have tested it and it worked fine.once your comfortable flying without safe I would just turn it off and take off and land without it.

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