What does a flybar actually do?

[cd5]

It may seem like a dumb question , but could someone please explain the function of the flybar. Laymans terms would be appreciated.
Thanks for your help.

[sleddog7]

The flybar holds the paddles, it's the paddles that do the initial work to get the complete rotor disc to lean where you want it to.

To see it in slo-mo, unplug the rx battery and manually tilt the swash in any direction you want. Now slowly rotate the main blades and watch each mixing arm and linkage tilt each paddle up and down as you watch it go around.
This is the initial steering action to then tilt the rotor disc in the direction you want it to go.

[BarracudaHockey]

Power steering for changing the pitch of the main rotor blades for cyclic input and gyroscopic stability. The heavier the paddles you run the more stable the system and the less aerobatic the helicopter. Lighter paddles mean faster aerobatics but its more likely to be disturbed by wind or pitch in fast forward flight.

[MarkWebber]

Like BarracudaHockey said, gyroscopic stability. You can fly without paddles, just weight on the flybar but you will end up with a very slow cyclic response.

On a flybarless heli, when you input cyclic, you get instant response. The flybar dampens this by resisting the cyclic input. You can control the amount of dampening by varying the paddles size/weight, position from main shaft and mixing levers(where tuneable).

[Big Fil]

The function of my flybar is to bend!

[Mikej]

So if I want to slow down the cyclic response - could I cut down (reduce in size) the paddles ? I don't want to kill the response, just make it less twitchy (EP 100)

Cheers,
Mike.

[MarkWebber]

Mike

The easiest and most tunable route is flybar weights. I use them on my AP gasser to help stabilize the cyclic response. Weights closest to the paddles is most stable. Move them in as you feel you want better response.

The function of my flybar is to bend!

One of the reasons I went flybarless on my raptor.

[BarracudaHockey]

Put wheel collars on the flybar, move them out (equidistant) to dampen, in to liven.

[Pistol Pete]

Originally Posted by Big Fil

The function of my flybar is to bend!

[jimh]

Originally Posted by Mikej

So if I want to slow down the cyclic response - could I cut down (reduce in size) the paddles ? I don't want to kill the response, just make it less twitchy (EP 100)

Cheers,
Mike.

Mike, I have a ep-100 also. You can dampen it somewhat with heavier flybar weights and a lot of expo set on your radio, but the ep-100 is, by nature, what you would call ""twitchy"
Hopefully they will get some better blades out soon, but the short blades, high head speed, and low AUW, makes for a handful at times.
I have gotten used to it, If it's calm enough, I fly it first before I fly my t-rex. The rex seems so much smooother after flying the ep100.

[Mikej]

Originally Posted by jimh

Mike, I have a ep-100 also. You can dampen it somewhat with heavier flybar weights and a lot of expo set on your radio, but the ep-100 is, by nature, what you would call ""twitchy"
Hopefully they will get some better blades out soon, but the short blades, high head speed, and low AUW, makes for a handful at times.
I have gotten used to it, If it's calm enough, I fly it first before I fly my t-rex. The rex seems so much smooother after flying the ep100.

Jim,

Thanks - I just find that I am sitting happily hovering and suddenly it shoots off on it's own for no apparent reason - that's the bit that I want to lose - I don't want to kill it's manouvrebility.

I've got some extra fly-bar weights thatI'll try and see if that helps.

Cheers,
Mike.

[imported_Jon_Bennett]

To understand things like fly bar function and gyroscopic effect it is always good to read Colin Mill.

http://www.adventurehobbies.com/colin_mill.htm

The fly bar function question is detailed here:

http://www.w3mh.co.uk/articles/html/csm9-11.htm