Clock hover RPM - how fast is fast enough? And what's beyond?

[madeye]

Still learning.

A while ago things clicked with 1 rpm clock hover, decided to see how fast I can go.

4 rpm was a nonevent.
10 rpm - achieved zero crashes in 15 minutes session a day later.
30 rpm - just tried, doesn't seem to be that complicated with some training.
60 rpm - some additional training will probably be required

But the limit in Heli-X is 240 rpm...

So the question is - where does the usefulness of this exercise end?

I would suspect that there'll be a limit where the paradigm shift will happen and you'll have to control the heli in a different way - how exactly?

Is it really possible to keep the heli straight at 240 rpm?

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by madeye

Still learning.

A while ago things clicked with 1 rpm clock hover, decided to see how fast I can go.

4 rpm was a nonevent.
10 rpm - achieved zero crashes in 15 minutes session a day later.
30 rpm - just tried, doesn't seem to be that complicated with some training.
60 rpm - some additional training will probably be required

But the limit in Heli-X is 240 rpm...

So the question is - where does the usefulness of this exercise end?

I would suspect that there'll be a limit where the paradigm shift will happen and you'll have to control the heli in a different way - how exactly?

Is it really possible to keep the heli straight at 240 rpm?

Once you can hold 1rpm upright and inverted in the small circle with wind (and also do 8 point piros, holding each point for 2s before moving on), then you have really mastered orientations. (Go fly the skids off anything).

The fast piros are a slightly different (and more advanced) skill. They are anticipation combined with orientation. As the heli is spinning fast enough, you do not correct where it is, you correct where it will be (and this changes VERY rapidly). It is still possible to "think" your way though slow piro corrections. Fast piro is pure feel (and for mode 2 stir timing and size), if you think, you crash.

If your anticipation is good enough, 240rpm hover control is theoretically possible. But most helis will not spin that fast on full rudder (except if tail missing ). Most top out near 120rpm. (720 degrees per second). If you can hold the heli steady in wind in the small circle at 120rpm in both directions, then you should be competing against Kyle and Nick.

Beyond the piro is flipping and rolling on the spot. This is now getting the collective control perfect.

As well as prio, flip and roll, the subsequent skills are FF based (circles, loops, spirals, turns even straight lines).

All RC flying consists of combining flips, rolls piros with FF maneuvers. It's creating chords and then music from the individual notes. Play the notes better, you get better music.

Therefore hover orientation is one of the bases skill from which all other RC heli flying skills are derived. The better you are at it, the better (and cleaner) the rest of your flying will be.

[KSHeli]

Well stated ArchmageAU

[jmtyndall]

I'm doing the same thing, and I noticed for the most part that I picked up faster speeds very quickly. I've stalled a bit though. Remember the the word "rotation" in heli-x seems to refer to 180 degrees of spin. 1 RPM is really 1 Rotation every two minutes.

Currently I'm at "10 rpm" upright and "5 rpm" inverted, and I'm still a bit sloppy in them. I'm using them to try and improve my orientation ID. I used to do flips and rolls and then wait a second or two to stabilize the heli, choose a new axis, flip/roll etc. Now I'm able to just fly the heli. It really helps of the micros. Did my mcpx tail blow out 90 degrees? No biggy, keep the flip going and fly.