Phoenix Simulator Flight School

[Guddler]

Hey all - posted a PM to Captain Jack earlier and he requested I posted it here as the content between us may be of use to others...

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Hi Jack,

Just wondering if you're still offering the training. Im an early 40's guy in the UK. I've been flying helis since about May and started on the sim. I have a Blade SR that I bought trashed off of eBay and rebuilt it from the ground up. I figured it would save me some money while also ensuring I knew how to repair them. Which it did.

I've been doing ok on the SR and can pretty much hover it all day long but am struggling to find the nerve to progress to forward flight. I suspect the heli is flying me rather than the correct way around! Oh, I did have a little mSR and I could really fly that about no problem but I realise that's entirely different.

At the moment, the SR is grounded. I've had two instances now where it has just violently wobbled and crashed before I could stop it. Very annoying as it wasn't me at all! There are no local hobby shops and my local RC club doesn't allow helis in the field so I have to wait until winter before I can meet the only other guy that might know what's up. Typical!

So, to the sim. I can fly about no problem and also do a small amount of inverted stuff but as I've seen you say, and others comment, controlled flight may well be another matter. I think it would be very useful if you're happy to do so to have a bit of an appraisal and see if we can work out where I'm going wrong in real life from my sim flight? Having read through the thread I don't think this sounds too unfamiliar!

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The rest was just relating to Skype etc

So, hopefully will be on the way to setting something up soon - thanks in advance!

[captJac]

Hi Martin - thanks for posting and sharing with others. Some really good insight on what you are learning. I'm from the old school there is an advantage of being early 40's instead of early 20's with the 20 more years of experience you have gained learning about the importance of being patient with yourself. It is great to have the fine motor skills and coordination but it is the patience and discipline that gets you off the ground and flying. Discipline and patience just doesn't seem to factor in for those who are convinced they can learn 3D in 3 weeks. They last about 4 weeks before giving up and blaming it on the POS helicopter, or boring simulator, or worthless instructor, or not enough time, ran out of money, etc. You got a better start than you realize resurrecting that SR and getting it to fly again. GREAT for basic training and preparing you for the 450 world. See you out at the heli pad!!

captJac

[zorax2]

Wow! I just had a great training session with Jack. I couldn’t ask for a better teacher – knowledgeable, enthusiastic and a desire to help others.

Our session reminded me a lot of when I first learned to fly a Cessna 172. As part of learning to fly, the FAA requires knowledge based testing prior to getting a license. It was like digesting a fire hose full of information. It felt somewhat like that today jotting down notes and carefully listening to Jack touching on many topics relating to flight and helicopters in particular.

While I think most of us probably believe that we can quickly learn to hover and then just fly our helicopters, the basic fundamentals are critically important. Just like learning to fly real aircraft, the problem isn’t to fly the plane in the air, it is to learn how to safely take-off and land the aircraft. The at altitude maneuvering training is relatively easy by comparison. Jack certainly recognizes that as the first thing we worked on was taking-off properly. Previously, I just added ample throttle, tried to correct my wild hovering and then went on flying. Jack slowed me down and began teaching me how to properly take-off with a helicopter while maintaining complete control. Suffice it to say that this is / was very challenging for me but it will certainly form the building blocks to performing advanced maneuvers.

Jack’s training also reminded me of obtaining my instrument rating for airplanes. When a controller instructs you “Turn right, heading 090, maintain 3000” – that is what you do. It’s not lollygag a right dogleg, pull 086 degrees and slopping between 2800 and 3200 feet – that’s not flying or at least being a competent pilot. A good pilot holds himself to be disciplined and wills himself to be precise in following instruction. I strongly believe Jack’s approach is in line with that mantra in that the basics must be mastered which will allow you to progress so much more easily once you accomplish these objectives.

I can’t say enough about how good I felt having Jack as my instructor. It was such a great experience and something that I don’t believe I could have accomplished on my own or in the field even with a buddy box instructor. I know this instruction will help me progress quickly, not make stupid mistakes, save me a ton of money from needless crashes and increase my enjoyment of this hobby. Thank you Jack!

[captJac]

Originally Posted by zorax2

Jack’s training also reminded me of obtaining my instrument rating for airplanes. When a controller instructs you “Turn right, heading 090, maintain 3000” – that is what you do. It’s not lollygag a right dogleg, pull 086 degrees and slopping between 2800 and 3200 feet – that’s not flying or at least being a competent pilot. A good pilot holds himself to be disciplined and wills himself to be precise in following instruction. I strongly believe Jack’s approach is in line with that mantra in that the basics must be mastered which will allow you to progress so much more easily once you accomplish these objectives. I know this instruction will help me progress quickly, not make stupid mistakes, save me a ton of money from needless crashes and increase my enjoyment of this hobby. Thank you Jack!

You are most welcome Rich. I'm still chuckling with your lollygag description - probably because there is so much truth in it. I was almost mad at my instructor when he was so fussy about my 90 degree turns into final approach. Jeeeesh that guy yells a lot!!

[aaron878]

Jack,

After tooling around with the mCX2 and mSR around my house, I thought I was ready to take the step up to collective pitch and head outside.

My purchases were an mCP X and a used Trex 450 Sport I picked up from a fellow helifreak as well as Phoenix.

I haven't received the 450 yet, but playing with the sim and my mCP X indoors I'm coming to realize that my coax flying and mSR messing about has prepared me for very little. Stable hovering is something I can't accomplish in the sim very well, however I do find it a tiny bit easier with the mCP X in real life. That said, hovering is about all I can do with the mCP X and I don't do that very well.

I don't plan on even attempting to spool up the 450 until I can easily tool around my living room with the mCP X but that progress is happening more slowly then I hoped, and I fear there are basic concepts I'm missing.

I would be grateful for any help you could provide, I don't have any local friends in the hobby and I feel like my practice so far has been really unproductive.

Thanks for your consideration,

Aaron

[captJac]

Hello Aaron - congratulations on your graduation to collective-pitch! Sounds like you have put a lot of careful study and research in your choices. The combination of indoor and outdoor and simulator is ideal for training and a heck of a lot of fun.


Indoor wise - the mCPx is a REAL handful to control so don't be discouraged - it is superbly designed as a trainer and really forgiving when you crash. Outdoors - the Trex-450 Sport is a great bird and much more stable than the mCPx. I fly both. In particular I like the belt driven tail rotor in the Sport instead of the torque-tube in the Pro. Any kind of tail rotor strike and you are replacing those umbrella gears - and replacing those umbrella gears in the TT is a giant PITA!!



The "slower than you hoped" progress is exactly on course when learning on your own. Climbing into a 450 without any help is a pretty steep climb - not impossible - but difficult - expensive - frustrating - and in most cases ends up with another hobby. Very wise and prudent to keep your 450 on the shelf until you have accumulated some sim time.The Phoenix simulator is an incredibly powerful trainer, but the same limitations of learning on your own exists. The setup is as critical on Phoenix as it is in the real world and practicing mistakes only reinforces the mistakes. After 10-20 hours on the simulator it is also BORRRING!! It takes a LOT of work and self-discipline and determination to sit in front of a computer screen and train - and without someone to provide feedback and correct your errors and a step-by-step program to follow - the results are predictable. You have made a GREAT start and I am pleased to help you in whatever I can. First step is to install Skype (if you haven’t already) and add me to your contact list – jackclarke - be sure to include your HF name in the notification so I can connect the dots. I do one training each day (or night) - depending on the time shift. The first session lasts 90-120 minutes with the extra time needed to setup Phoenix and do a walk-around before we spool up our engines. Holding pattern (waiting queue) right now is 8 days. Drop a line in my msg box and let me know when you ready to go and keep polishing those rotors!!

captJac

[Johnz1979]

Hi jack looks like you have a lot of fans, I want in!I was wondering if I could possibly have a lesson in the near future. I've been hovering my honeybee fp v2 tail in for a few weeks now but have trouble turning to side and nose in. I got Phoenix yesterday but have been using clearview. Phoenix looks and feels a lot better but like I say I'd like a lesson if that would be ok. Are you available tonight? Wednesday 07 sept!
John

[Tiwas]

Hi Jack,

I tried to send the following message, but since I didn't have any posts...it failed

Hi Jack,

I found your heli school while searching for resources. I'm completely new to this, and I'm even having some trouble setting up my controller. Would it be possible to get some guidance to get going?

Cheers

Lars

This is a great initiative, and I'd be very thankful for some guidance

[gerryritter]

JUST finished my 1st training session with CaptJack!! GREAT experience! Great teacher! My biggest regret is that it took me a month to find him. I am as hard headed as a person can get and Jack showed unending patience. 90 minutes into training and I already see a HUGE improvement! Looking forward to lesson #2!! Thanks CaptJack!!!

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

[captJac]

Hi Lars - you got mail!! Check your msg box again.

[Guddler]

Hey all, just a bit of feedback. Had my first lesson last night with Jac and needless to say I was suitably impressed. If anyone is sitting on the fence then I'd encourage you to get in touch. Yes, the prospect of spending an hour or two chatting away to a complete stranger may seem a bit daunting (maybe it doesn't? It did for me, but then I'm British ) but Jac seemed to be a nice guy so that side turns out to be easy.

Training wise when it came to the theory side of things, the Phoenix setup side of things I more or less knew but it was certainly interesting to see all the same as I'd been doing all my setup on the radio so it was nice to see how to do the setup in the sim instead (expo etc.) Heli theory was a different matter! Some I knew, some I thought I knew and either didn't, or wasn't entry right and some I just plain didn't know, so I picked up a lot there. And made a few notes too.

The actual 'doing' of the training, I have to say was pretty much as I expected. Which was great. First up a quick "do your thing" while I was observed. Amazing how wrong things can go when someone else is watching As suspected, trying to do things real slow and with an observer immediately showed me up. So immediately I had something to work on. All simple stuff but critical none the less.

By the end of it all we'd done a bit of forward flight. Ok, not super controlled forward flight but at least I knew a few things a bit better and again, i have some exercises to take away and hopefully nail down.

The one thing that I really, really, took away from this is the whole gyro mode thing. The difference between HH and rate mode and more importantly, what the heli does in each and when you will use each. Very enlightening. And now I know, so simple to see. So until it's embedded in my brain, if I ever forget then I can just repeat the very simple demonstration for myself. Priceless.

I don't expect I'm going to be back on my next lesson just yet, but that's down to my schedule as I'm away working during the week quite a lot but again, a very worthwhile session that I WILL come back for - unless everything just magically clicks (unlikely!)

So, finally, it just takes me to thank Captain Jack once more. Keep up the great work

[Guddler]

Oh, PS...

I think even if I'd learnt nothing new, it still would have been worthwhile. Sim time is all well and good but if you're just wanging it about aimlessly it can get very boring very quickly. Now balloon bursting is great for this but you need to be pretty competent for that. So simply having someone set some exercises and / or challenges would have been worth the time alone!

[Smarty]

I would be really interested in some lessons, I have no flying clubs near by and I am just starting out.
I have a 450 and an msr, not flown the 450 yet.

I have phoenix and skype, I tried to pm you but never posted on this site before so had to do it this way.

Martin

[captJac]

Originally Posted by Smarty

I tried to pm you but never posted on this site before so had to do it this way. Martin

Hi Martin - welcome aboard. Check your message box.

[Guddler]

Originally Posted by Smarty

I have no flying clubs near by and I am just starting out.

Hi Martin - where in England are you? I know only too well what it's like to have no flying clubs locally. Or hobby shops. Well, that's not entirely true, I have a club and am a member but it's a strict no heli's allowed at the field. But winter's just round the corner (great ) and indoor heli's ARE allowed in the hall - go figure!

[jfluegel]

Just had my first complete lesson with the Captain and I cannot thank him enough. Up until about 5 weeks ago I had never held an RC radio in my hand in my life. I have done a ton of reading and studying everything I could find but what Captain Jack taught me in the first lesson was better than all the reading combined. Not only does he explain how things work and how they are done, but puts you through demonstrations to drive the point home. For example Heading hold gyro vs Rate mode gyro. Read about it, even asked another heli pilot about it, but still really didn't undrestand it. The Captain not explained it but clearly demonstarted it with me at the controls. Now I know exactly what the difference is and when and how to use both.

I finally have a solid foundation that I can now work on the sim and feel like I am not just wasting time but and working on goals and objectives, even though they seem impossible at this point.

I highly recommend his training to anyone even if you have been on the sim for years I am sure he can teach you something new.

Jay

[HELIDIPP]

so your not saying one should be able to hover on a sim before flying a real rc.ive got phoenix and damnd if i can hover anything much less getting one of my models in the air.have couple 450s a 500 and 600 and a falcon 3 59. only one has left the ground.i need some help.

[Tiwas]

Hi Jack,

Really looking forward to the help - getting a DX6i tomorrow instead of the 8ch computer controller I already have. Figured it would be better to have the real thing and get to know the controller I'll be using on real choppers

[jfluegel]

I'm not sure i would take any of those birds out if i couldn't hover for at least 20 or 30 seconds on the sim. This is really where Jack will help you out. Set up is everything.

[antricos]

Hello, I would be very interested in some lessons. I started this hobby about 3 months ago and I already crashed and fixed my Blade SR . I now bought the simulator and a mcpx to learn on. I'm from Greece and I can't find any flying club near me, only hobby shops that can't really help me... I would really appreciate it if you could teach me the basics. Thanks!