How confident can i be??

[amcutem]

Hello, i've been practicing on my reflex for like 3weeks straight now. I enjoy it a lot and i always look forward to using it. I love showing it to people who comeover too because i'm so amazed by it.

I can confidently say that i can hover a helicopter on the sim now, unlike when i first started and was feeling hopeless. I can now hover steadily both nosed and tailed in, but side in still looks like a drunk humming bird - only when i try to hover rock steady.

I can pretty much fly the helicopter without crashing aslong that i take it seriously and not over do my self. So my question is:

How confident can i be when i do my maiden flight on my HK450? What are my % for crashing asap w/ my sim experience. Close to 0, or way higher? Should it be easy now that i can fly/hover on the sim? Just curious?

[catfight]

amcutem,

Just review your escape procedures for each possible crash scenario and go for it! Keep it up off the deck and not too far away and go ahead and break some blades :0) We all do.....Keep up your confidence.

[fireplug1111]

Trainig gear training gear training gear..
Thats all I can say... I dont care how stupid it looks or if it makes you look like a whimp.. USE IT.

It will save you tons of money. Also It gives you a little bit of security and easier on your nerves....

Hope all goes well.

[catfight]

fireplug has a good point - forgot that I used training gear :0) It all seems so long ago :0)

[amcutem]

Well, the only crash proceedure i know is throttle up. isn't that the most common routine for saving a heli. If your thinking auto, well, im not there yet.

As far as training gear, Yes, i guess i will be using them since everyone seems to advice me that. Im making my own though, out of bbq sticks and styrofoam.

I still don't know what to expect from the real thing, and i'm very anxious too know. I'm hoping that its close to flying like the sim.

[JEB123]

Take my word on this.. before you go maiden, take a day or two and practice hovering while piroing, or spinning. Set your rudder trim to one side and try to hold a steady hover over one spot about a foot off the ground. Slowly at first, about 4 seconds per 360°, increasing spin rate as you go. Then the other direction. When you can hover for a while without crashing, go fly. You won't be sorry, in fact I bet you'll thank me.

[amcutem]

Ok.. my question is am i hovering? or spinning?

Am i using the trims so i can learn to compensate with the rudder, or am i learning how to stay in one spot while the tail is spinning?

[JEB123]

Originally Posted by amcutem

Ok.. my question is am i hovering? or spinning?

Am i using the trims so i can learn to compensate with the rudder, or am i learning how to stay in one spot while the tail is spinning?

The second one. Hover over one spot while the tail is spinning. Sounds easy. It's not, and I found it's one of the best orientation training tricks you can learn. Good luck!

[amcutem]

ok , tried it. It's pretty hard. At first i thought it was impossible. But that's how i felt when i first tried to hover....Thanks, will practice that.

[JEB123]

Originally Posted by amcutem

ok , tried it. It's pretty hard. At first i thought it was impossible. But that's how i felt when i first tried to hover....Thanks, will practice that.

Exactly! At first you think it's impossible, but your brain starts to adapt and soon you don't even think about it, you just do it automatically. If it were easy it wouldn't help you learn, right? Stick with it man, you'll see what I mean really soon. If you put in 1 hour a day, in a few days you'll have it down and crashing often will be history!