How do you overcome the fear of flying the heli towards yourself?

[Super Puma]

Originally Posted by kickbackkid

Hi all. I have been flying heli's for just over 6 months. I have been able to use the sim and work on nose in hovering and circuits where I turn the heli towards myself. But every time I try in in real life I chicken out. I guess mostly because of the fear of crashing, but with the 450 I definately scared of hitting myself. What's the best way to overcome this?

If it comes at you, drop the TX and run run run. Just kidding,m I acually feel the same way. I get frightened and scared i'll crash which almost makes me want to panic. So I turn it around instead. Sometimes I try facing the heli towards me when taking off, but that doesn't work

[darinr80]

Wow I'm so glad someone posted this. I have had two crashes due to flying the heli towards me then freaking out. I'm trying to practice high up nose in hovers. I'll try to fly it towards me at a 45 degree angle. Also I'll follow the advice to fly it towards myself then piro to get the tail back in and get comfortable.

Any other advice?

[BorgeBorge]

My tip: Practice bail out on the sim.

[newhelliguy]

Practice, when coming toward you nose in just push both sticks in the same direction (left or right) and it will turn away from you. Practice this several times on the sim till the direction of the turn becomes automatic. This helped me but I am still working on it.

[wwaller]

Over the weekend I was coming in for a landing at the end of the second battery of the day in my 450. I had been practicing circuits and testing out a new curve setup on my tx so I was flying higher than I normally practice, probably 90-100 ft up. I was bringing the heli down from that height, tail in, about 10 ft in front of me. It was windy and coming down pretty slow so was having to add a lot of negative collective to get it down. I was pulling the cyclic back to walk it back to me when the wind suddenly dropped off and it started to sink like a rock. My gut reaction was to climb so I jammed up on the collective. What I hadn't considered was that the heli was pitched back towards me. So basically instead of climbing straight up, it rocketed more back than up....straight at my face. I some how managed to dodge it and kept it out of the dirt. Needless to say I was done for the day. And now I'm a liiiiiiittle skittish about getting that thing anywhere near me!

[Suburban92]

The wind is terrible for the little 450s.. I flew mine in the wind and Forward flight is NOt and issue, its the hovering Slow stable scale stuff hahahah

[darinr80]

wwaller That's freaky. That would scare me. Smart idea to stop flying for the day. I learned to hover my 450 Pro in 20 or so mph winds. But hovering is the only thing I do when it's that windy. I do my best flying on a calm day w/out my flying buddies (as fun as it is to have them w/me) because I'm relaxed and focused. Sometimes those guys really push me, though.

I'm working on flying the heli from right to left then left to right in front of me and down a line, then turning it like a sideways figure 8.

[kickbackkid]

Well I am not quite there yet guys, but I am getting closer. It's just a matter of time until I do. My figure 8 circuits are getting much better, just not pointing the heli directly at me. I can just about hover nose in, I just cheat a little and have it 3-4 feet off to the side of me. The weather has been great lately, I probably have put 40 packs through in the last couple of weeks. I want to start doing some piro manuevers, so do you guys think it would be more beneficial to do slow piro's while hovering, or just snap the tail around 360 as fast as I can? I'm also working on my stall turns, and getting more comfortable with that. I feel like my orientations skills have developed a lot just by more flying. I don't really notice all the bright colors no more, it's just a matter of trusting your fingers.

[wwaller]

I'd definitely say that it is helping me immensely to start doing piros as slow as I can. It is forcing me to correct in all orientations as the heli passes through them. As fun as it is to watch the tail whip around...it doesn't do much for your hovering ability.

[kickbackkid]

Originally Posted by wwaller

I'd definitely say that it is helping me immensely to start doing piros as slow as I can. It is forcing me to correct in all orientations as the heli passes through them. As fun as it is to watch the tail whip around...it doesn't do much for your hovering ability.

I have no problem doing it on the sim, just need to be able to take it to the field. Do you set the rudder trim to turn the tail for you, or do you just turn the rudder by hand?

[babyuh1]

How do you overcome the fear of flying the heli towards yourself?

Who says that you should? Seriously! It's dangerous!
Anyway, what helped me the most was getting good at Piros. If you are comfortable with piros you can reverse almost any situation fast and get back in a comfortable attitude that you can control.

[andypants]

Flying towards yourself is the next most important skill to hovering nose-in, and usually the next step too. If you can't fly towards yourself you flirt with disater each time you fly away from yourself. I like flying away from myself. It seems to open up so many possibilities. : )

The best way to practice is to go straight ahead, pop up a stall turn, let it come back towards you and practise turning to both the left and right. Be sure to practice both directions equally. The thrill of watching your heli fly right at you then magically swerve at your command is mind-blowing.

That said, you never overcome the fear. And why would you want to? The fear kicks my ass and gets me high like a good run does.

[kickbackkid]

Looks like some slow piro's will be next for me. I have started stall turns, but flying them side to side in front of me. I would $hit if I tried them straight out in front of me and then turned away from me. In due time I suppose, but no confidence right now.

[DKS_ONE]

You'll get it dude, just keep practicing We're here for the support right?

[wwaller]

Originally Posted by kickbackkid

I have no problem doing it on the sim, just need to be able to take it to the field. Do you set the rudder trim to turn the tail for you, or do you just turn the rudder by hand?

Your trim really shouldn't be used for much else other than keeping your heli straight and level. Control it by hand just in case something goes wrong you can whip the tail back around and get to a tail-in orientation. If you've got your trim locking it into a spin its going to only make matters worse. Plus I think I've read that you'll mess up your gyro's ability to hold the tail if you mess with rudder trim. I could be wrong about that though...

[freewheel510]

When you fly toward yourself, aim a little to the left or right, so you aren't aiming directly at yourself.

My friend lost control of his heli once when the wire feeding the Rx power came loose. Since then I never fly directly at myself unless the heli is 150+ feet away (bigger helis). I always turn before it gets closer than that.

The easy way to get comfortable flying toward yourself is to hover nose in, then push the stick slightly forward. Turn right away at first, then gradually let the heli come closer until it gets within say 20 feet of you.

[buschihh]

My answer: attach a Training Kit and start just by sliding over the ground. No chance to tilt over and if it's comming to close throttle down. And than practice and practice. After a while you can start hovering.

[Pigskin]

I suggest having the heli in front of you and slightly to the left or right, rather than directly in front of you. then do the moves you are wanting to learn.

I struggled with having the heli coming directly at me, I still do as I don't want to get hit ever. I've never pointed my 550 and flown it at myself up close.

But I can do the moves if it is up and away from me no problem.

[Cranky]

[FlyNHelis]

My advice is practice practice and more practice!! The more practice the more confidence you will build. By the time you know it your doing this second nature. Keep up the good work, your doing fine! Happy Flying!