First day with the DX6i and Phoenix.

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by coastalrc

Im still plugging away. Im hovering in all directions although the side hover is the hardest for me. At the end of a session, ive been trying to do some circles

Was actually able to do 3 nice circles in a row....once! And if one direction isnt hard enough, the other direction is slapping me down mercilessly. Then I go back to hover so I dont end on a complete fail

I was originally going to buy a heli at the end of April but I dont think im ready just yet, im now shooting for May/June.

Costalrc, you sound like you are on the right track. Through your practice on the sim, you will know when you are ready for a real heli (whatever size you choose).

Bigger is more stable, but more expensive to fix and potentially more dangerous to life and limb. Micros (like nano and mCPX) are usually not dangerous and failry robust, but are very "twitchy".

Originally Posted by Stubbz

... ive had less than 3 hours total on my sim and went out yesterday with the mcpx and was doing circuits and can fly across my entire back yard in all different orientations. usually still in normal mode but ive done a little in idle up also. the sim will come to ya fast. good to do the orientation stuff but also i think it helps to play around a little bit and things will start to click for the circuits and such....

Stubbz, you sound like you are progressing quite fast.

Just a caution though, not everyone learns at the same speed. Age, drive and propensity to take risk are all factors in learning speed. From your writing in this post you sound young (< 30yo), intelligent and very risk tollererant (which are all good factors for fast learning in this hobby).

It took me about a month to get banked circles that were tight and in control (mind you I was learning forward and backward, upright and inverted all at the same time - chadrg method).

Just make sure you learn how to fly, not just how to toss the heli round the sky. You will go MUCH further after learning control on the basics.

[Stubbz]

Originally Posted by ArchmageAU

Stubbz, you sound like you are progressing quite fast.

Just a caution though, not everyone learns at the same speed. Age, drive and propensity to take risk are all factors in learning speed. From your writing in this post you sound young (< 30yo), intelligent and very risk tollererant (which are all good factors for fast learning in this hobby).

It took me about a month to get banked circles that were tight and in control (mind you I was learning forward and backward, upright and inverted all at the same time - chadrg method).

Just make sure you learn how to fly, not just how to toss the heli round the sky. You will go MUCH further after learning control on the basics.

im 31 n no i understand completely and everyone goes at thier own pace in how they learn. i would say im very risk oriented but its a will to want to learn also, i cant have one and not wanna fly it, so i can see why the op doesnt have one yet lol.

im playing around but doing a lot to learn also and i fully agree everyone needs to take the time to do certain drills to learn and eventually get ultimate control. an mcpx is very fun tho to start out in this hobby, ive spent more time fixin mine than i have flying it but been waitin for landing gear pretty much since day one. the sim makes a huge difference quick to just bein able to fly around and any fly time equals control in the longrun. the first flight after the first day on the sim was great. i looked into this hobby years ago to get sim and all and just never hit the switch, but very glad i have now.

spending time on the sim is definitely a huge plus before actually flyin any model i think, it will be that much more rewarding when the op gets his first one.

[coastalrc]

Originally Posted by ArchmageAU

Costalrc, you sound like you are on the right track. Through your practice on the sim, you will know when you are ready for a real heli (whatever size you choose).

Bigger is more stable, but more expensive to fix and potentially more dangerous to life and limb. Micros (like nano and mCPX) are usually not dangerous and failry robust, but are very "twitchy".



Stubbz, you sound like you are progressing quite fast.

Just a caution though, not everyone learns at the same speed. Age, drive and propensity to take risk are all factors in learning speed. From your writing in this post you sound young (< 30yo), intelligent and very risk tollererant (which are all good factors for fast learning in this hobby).

It took me about a month to get banked circles that were tight and in control (mind you I was learning forward and backward, upright and inverted all at the same time - chadrg method).

Just make sure you learn how to fly, not just how to toss the heli round the sky. You will go MUCH further after learning control on the basics.

I think you may have convinced me to go for the MCPX now rather than waiting. My first thought was to go for the MCPX but then after reading and watching youtubes I thought I might go for something a little larger if I did enough work on the sim. But I think it's not a waste of time or money to start out a little smaller.

I'm getting better at the circles and I WAS ABLE TO FLY UPSIDE DOWN!!!


Working on circles, I have unintentionally put (and recovered) that heli in some very acrobatic maneuvers. To someone who knows nothing about flying, they might have thought I meant to do all that. Little would they know

But in the process I found out how to fly upside down. Not for far since everything is backwards and I'm still a n00b so it's not natural like it is to those who have been at this for a long time.

I still take time to practice hovering because it's the fundamental that is the foundation for everything else.

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by coastalrc

I think you may have convinced me to go for the MCPX now rather than waiting.
...
I thought I might go for something a little larger if I did enough work on the sim. But I think it's not a waste of time or money to start out a little smaller.

Since I fly sim and micro, I'm in the it's best to start small category. My micros rarely need anything done after unscheduled landings. I had plenty of unscheduled inverted landings when learning (not so many now).

Big may be more stable, but takes more room and costs more per crash. Learning big is great if learning in a club with experienced pilots to help. I'm mostly on my own in small areas when flying, so big is not good for me.

Originally Posted by coastalrc

I'm getting better at the circles and I WAS ABLE TO FLY UPSIDE DOWN!!!

Inverted is really no harder than upright. Just different (and more impressive). Chadrg was right in saying our brains don't like inverted and take time to adjust. (To quote Galaxy Quest - "That's just not right!")

Originally Posted by coastalrc

...
I still take time to practice hovering because it's the fundamental that is the foundation for everything else.

The more you do on this, the faster you progress.

[in2win]

SR120 in Phoenix is fixed pitch.

Have a blast,

Mike

Originally Posted by tomgoodman99

I am looking for a fixed pitch Heli to learn with in my sim I own Several CP models that I have not learned how to fly Yet bottom I need to Find a Fixed pitch Heli that i can fly in the Sim any suggestions would be great
.
I started Out to advanced and need to go back to the beginning I was into RC Heli's and Planes 20 years ago so much has changed any help would be great
Tom G

[coastalrc]

Well I made it back to the forum.

I've been working with the sim for a while and I just bought my first (real) heli, the MCPX BL. The sale at A Main was too good to pass up. Unfortunately, by time I get it, I'll be traveling for a week so I don't think I'll have the time to try it till I get back. I still want to find a friendly club if I can.

I am having a problem with the sim. I was using the Blade 130 sim although the problem seems to happen with any. When I change the size, it either doesn't change or it becomes giant. And one or more of the controls does not work after changing the size. I'm thinking this is probably a problem with my computer and video card and not Phoenix.

So I guess my next post will be over at the MCPX BL forum

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by coastalrc

.. just bought my first (real) heli, the MCPX BL. ...

I am having a problem with the sim. I was using the Blade 130 sim although the problem seems to happen with any. When I change the size, it either doesn't change or it becomes giant.
...

You will enjoy the MCPX BL. May need tweaking on the DX6i settings to tame a bit.

Sounds like the graphics settings, so yes check the computer setup more than the sim. If controls go out, re-calibrate TX (re-read earlier in the thread for tips).

Why are you flying the 130x in the sim? I have found the small helis in the sim do not fly like the real thing (no cyclic feed forward amongst other problems). The phoenix 450x flies closer to (but still not exactly like) a real 130x (and does not become a dot in the sky as quickly).

I still advocate learning controls on a large heli in the sim (like a TRex 700E), and then fly whatever you have IRL. Only once to get up to 3D smack or competition, then worry about getting the sim feel the same as you IRL heli (then you will have enough experience and "feel" to tell the difference).

[coastalrc]

I was using the 700E for almost all my training. I switched first to the MCPX recently because I knew thats what I was going to buy. That proved to be a big waste so I thought I would try the 130 since that might be my next heli. That was a lot better but I was very suspect of the accuracy especially after having trouble once I resized it.

I will follow your advice and go back to the 700E.

BTW, I was successful in changing from thumbs to pinch. It took me some time to retrain myself but from what the more knowledgeable have said on this forum, it will help me in the future.

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by coastalrc

...
I will follow your advice and go back to the 700E.

BTW, I was successful in changing from thumbs to pinch. It took me some time to retrain myself but from what the more knowledgeable have said on this forum, it will help me in the future.

Hard to fly what you can't see.

After you were used to pinch, did you find you had better control than when you were using thumbs? This was my experience, I had to reduce the expo to get "feel" again.

[coastalrc]

Originally Posted by ArchmageAU

Hard to fly what you can't see.

After you were used to pinch, did you find you had better control than when you were using thumbs? This was my experience, I had to reduce the expo to get "feel" again.

I sure did, not only more control but it feels very natural now. I dont know how I started with thumbs but im glad I changed while im still a n00b and easier to retrain.

[ArchmageAU]

Originally Posted by coastalrc

I sure did, not only more control but it feels very natural now. I dont know how I started with thumbs but im glad I changed while im still a n00b and easier to retrain.

Thanks. More evidence to support the theory. Glad it helps.

Whenever I come across this debate, I advocate people really try before they abandon switching (2-3 weeks, daily consistent sim practice, 15 mins a day, no reverting, then evaluate). Usually takes up to 3 weeks consistent work to break / make a habit. Worse that can happen is that they find it's not for them. Best case, they find an improved method of control that helps their flying. Don't see how they lose.