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Tips for maintaining control

Helicopter flying is completely different from flying a fixed-wing aircraft and thus requires different skills.

Tips for maintaining control

Postby AlternateLives » Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:47 pm

I admit I'm not a diehard flightsimmer. I am using a PS3 controller as my primary means of controlling aircraft, with the left stick set to aileron (L-R) and Elevator (U-D) controls, and the right stick set to throttle (U-D) and rudder (L-R) controls. Considering how much I use it, it works pretty well. However, I'm having some trouble controlling helicopters.

I can get a helicopter off the ground, but that's really about as far as I get. I usually lose control within 15-30 seconds, where I shortly land in a fiery conflagration.

Do you guys have any tips for keeping or regaining control while taking off or flying?

Cheers!
~Alt
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Re: Tips for maintaining control

Postby pommesschranke » Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:06 pm

Which Helicopter did you try?
I think UH1 and chinook are relativly easy.

I think it's hard with such small joysticks.
I use a RC transmitter and I always have to reverse Throttle(collective pitch)
when changing between plane and heli so that stick up = more collective pitch.

Increase Throttle(collective pitch) very slowly and correct all other axis(but mainly Yaw/rudder) all the time
smoothly - try to not over-correct. as soon as you have some forward speed it will become
much more stable & easier. maybe try to start in the air at 1000ft with 50knots forward speed.
get used to it, then slow down with elevator to practise hovering.
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Re: Tips for maintaining control

Postby AlternateLives » Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:38 pm

In answer to your question: It really doesn't matter which one I fly, it usually ends poorly.

Thanks for the tips! We have a new record - about 7 minutes in the air! But then I went belly-up and plowed into the ground rotor-first.
Looks like it's just practice from here on out.

Cheers!
~Alt
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Re: Tips for maintaining control

Postby Hooray » Fri Jul 26, 2013 11:05 pm

Contrary to popular belief (and most people don't want you to know about it), the standard autopilot works incredibly well for controlling the helicopter, including just certain parameters, such as pitch, roll or yaw - so for training purposes, you could have it control heading for example. With 15-30 minutes of playing around, you should also be able to come customize the standard autopilot for helicopter use.

The underlying PID algorithms can be taught to control pretty much anything, including rotary wing flight :lol:
That being said, make sure that you actually understand how helicopters work in general, and which parameters are controlled through cyclic, collective, throttle/governor and the yaw pedals.
Please don't send support requests by PM, instead post your questions on the forum so that all users can contribute and benefit
Thanks & all the best,
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