"Non driven tail"

[Pitch-Itch]

Explain this to me please. I know the Warp has a belted tail, but I've seen videos where the tail can stop spinning independent of the main rotor.

So how does it work? I really like the look of these helis, so I may pick one up. I just hate not knowing what everyone is talking about.

[GravityJunkie]

It's only non-driven during autos. Any time the motor is under power, the tail is being driven.

The easiest way to explain it is that the tail is driven off the motor. When the motor stops, the tail stops. Other designs have the tail driven off the main shaft. So, when doing an auto, the tail still spins because the blades make the main shaft spin. This doesn't mean that if you hit throttle hold, the tail immediately stops. When I baby auto down from 3-4 feet when landing during a normal flight, the tail usually stops just as the skids are touching down.

The non-driven tail makes auto performance better. However, there are tricks to get the tail to still spin during an auto (depending upon your setup).

[uiron]

in addition to above: non-driven tail makes it a lot easier to land as there's literally no threat of tail strike. I've been landing in pretty high grass without an issue - try that on a regular 450...

it's also cool way to scare fellow pilots - few times I've seen funny faces when the tail just stops in the air before heli hits the ground - not a lot are used to such sight.

[maarset]

I just need to figure out a way to get the tail to stop at 1 O'clock and 6 O'clock so it acts as a rudder when doing autos.

[Pitch-Itch]

Originally Posted by maarset

I just need to figure out a way to get the tail to stop at 1 O'clock and 6 O'clock so it acts as a rudder when doing autos.

Without spinning it wouldn't influence the heli at all.

Think of a boat's rudder. Unless there is water moving across it, it will not influence the position. Sitting still in water without props turning renders the rudder useless. Same thing with the heli.

[Doom Buggy]

If the heli is moving down and forward then yes, they may actually have an effect, not sure how much thou

If the heli was dropping straight down, they would need to be at 3/9 position to have an effect.

[uiron]

just don't worry about where tail blades stop - FBL will do all sorts of funky business with it's pitch. You just have to admit that you won't be controlling tail too much - what helps most I guess is overall forward speed, at least looking to those that have the balls to do a real auto on the Warp.

[maarset]

I was trying to be funny.


But I do try to drag the rear fin sometimes to keep the heli straight before I come to a stop.

[Bimbo]

Originally Posted by uiron

in addition to above: non-driven tail makes it a lot easier to land as there's literally no threat of tail strike. I've been landing in pretty high grass without an issue - try that on a regular 450...

Do it all the time on my trex 450 pro. Just make sure the headspeed has bled off as much as possible before touchdown (yes mini-auto, ofc). Haven't stripped a TT gear yet (at least not with this as cause).

My 250 has more trouble though, if it would have a driven tail I would have stripped quite some gears. Happened a couple of times that the blades catched grass and stopped spinning immediately. Luckily the inertia of the blades didn't keep the tail rotor going .

I can see that the performance of autorotations of a non-driven tail heli is better than one that has a driven tail, BUT... You lose tail control.

Currently I'm practicing my auto skills on a trex 550, converted the tail to a belt drive especially for this