flying backwards, metaphorically..

[R6 Pilot]

Is it just me or what? I'm working on from tail in to all funnels diligently on the sim every nite but for some reason, the last two nites when doing slow upright piros, I keep making incorrect corrections. My inverted piros seem better than my uprights..it's like I'm losing skills I've already learned.
Am I doing too much? My normal session includes 5-8 min upright CW/CCW each then the same on inverted piros. Then break, and then I work on backward flight. I can actually piece together a sloppy backward figure 8 which blows my mind. Sim is always running so even when I'm done, I'll grab the transmitter in passing and do a flip or circuit on my way by. Am I working on too much, should I just do one piro orientation a nite and then my secondary goal?

[R6 Pilot]

Hehe, I need to slow down and read the Tail in training thread again, ppl posted info on this exact issue.

[Russell Harding]

All part of the process...

Normal to have skills fade in and out in the 'early' stages of learning.

Keep at it and continue to use variety and consistency. You'll get there.

I think it is always good to drill what you know, and push yourself with new things.

[gitbse]

Originally Posted by Russell Harding

All part of the process...

Normal to have skills fade in and out in the 'early' stages of learning.

Keep at it and continue to use variety and consistency. You'll get there.

I think it is always good to drill what you know, and push yourself with new things.

What he said. However, don't push too hard. In the early stages, 3d heli flying is a "very" perishable skill. You can loose it quickly, and you can also overdo it just as easily. Spend a few days inverted hovering, and you lose your touch on upright hovering. It happens.

You need to give your brain a break to process what you are learning.

The "best" way of training to me, is to pick something to work on during a session. Whether it's a hovering orientation, or a flight pattern, or 3d moves, give it some good training time. Lower the sim speed if it helps.

Then.. you need to give yourself a break. Turn on some music that gets you going, and fly the crap out of it. No training, no focusing, just fly for fun. Try to take your conscious mind out of it, and just beat it around for a little while.
And remember, give your brain awhile to process what you are feeding it. You may want to practice constantly, but sometimes drilling something hard and then taking a day or two off can help even more.


tip #1 though.. have fun! That's the whole point!

[24sevenslacker]

I found with backwards circuits i never used enough rudder, i could never work out why it wouldnt work. Then i gave it a rest and went back to it a while later an i just realised i needed more rudder.

I also find as above, just flying freestyle and throwing things together works. It just sort of happens and you think..... "i just did that, ill try it again"

Trying anti-clockwise reverse circles turned into a funnel by accident. Then i just started flying them without thinking. Its wierd

[R6 Pilot]

Okay cool, thanks for the input. I tend to get obsessive about my hobbies. I'll slow it down and mix it up a bit. Although, it could have been the Mirror Pond Pale Ale last nite hehe.

[R6 Pilot]

Originally Posted by 24sevenslacker

I found with backwards circuits i never used enough rudder, i could never work out why it wouldnt work. Then i gave it a rest and went back to it a while later an i just realised i needed more rudder.

I also find as above, just flying freestyle and throwing things together works. It just sort of happens and you think..... "i just did that, ill try it again"

Trying anti-clockwise reverse circles turned into a funnel by accident. Then i just started flying them without thinking. Its wierd

Yea it is weird, there are some nites my backward circuits are fairly smooth and other times I have to completely concentrate to smooth them out. I still sometimes lose orientation when flying backwards and I'm not sure why. And I notice the benefits of freestyle, going from backward flight to forward flight during a coordinated turn, not consistently but when it happens it feels good.

[Termite]

I just came on to ask almost the same question. I got on the sim tonight and thought "did I just forget everything I learned over the last three weeks?" I crashed before take off, couldn't do a slow forward circle.....got the jitters out and did a few things and put it away until tomorrow........Awesome to hear the responses I thought I was loosing my mind

[R6 Pilot]

It can be frustrating. I do notice it happens mostly when I focus on one orientation or move. I took the advise of the knowledgeable pilots on this site. Now I always mix it up. Do a little of everything. When trying a new goal, I alternate back to the last lesson. IE, now I'm working on forward inverted flight, so I do a few circuits of that, then go upright forward and upright backward. I also try to clear my mind and only think about what I'm trying to learn. I can let my mind wander when doing slow piros but when trying something unfamiliar, I can't think about what's for dinner, or my plans for the next day or anything, I have to clear my mind and focus. It's kinda therapeutic. Good luck man, we will both be doing piro flips this time next year...IRL...!!

[Raptorapture]

It took over a year of pretty intensive simming for me to not get the controls confused from the direction of flight due to practicing one over another. Now it's about transitioning where the same phenomenon kicks in again.

Funny thing is as I read the post above about not enough rudder in backward flight I suddenly got nervous as it used to be such a big challenge to get that right and now is so unconscious that I'm worried I'll get it wrong next session because I can no longer recall how I overcame it

[Termite]

Originally Posted by R6 Pilot

It can be frustrating. I do notice it happens mostly when I focus on one orientation or move. I took the advise of the knowledgeable pilots on this site. Now I always mix it up. Do a little of everything. When trying a new goal, I alternate back to the last lesson. IE, now I'm working on forward inverted flight, so I do a few circuits of that, then go upright forward and upright backward. I also try to clear my mind and only think about what I'm trying to learn. I can let my mind wander when doing slow piros but when trying something unfamiliar, I can't think about what's for dinner, or my plans for the next day or anything, I have to clear my mind and focus. It's kinda therapeutic. Good luck man, we will both be doing piro flips this time next year...IRL...!!

WELLLLLL.........I don't know about that, I just had to go back to super SLOW forward circles because after getting the hang of FF circles I just out of the blue started falling out of the air...it is very frustrating!!