FMS and heli hover

[bigjake]

I'm new to helis and want to do a little hover practice with FMS. However, this seems very easy. As you throttle up, all you have to do is keep the tail straght and the heli rises perfectly and doesn't move a bit. Obviously this isn't realistic. Are there settings that make this more difficult/realistic? I know I can probably add wind which makes you deal with one directional move but still doesn't give that overall "ball on a glass plate" movement.

Thanks
Jake

[Rox]

This means the FMS feel for the heli is no close to real?

I never done heli hovering but was thinking that I have done in FMS, I can do in real!

[Omnius]

you could try turning the wind on

niels

[Rickenbacker]

As you have discovered, FMS is nowhere near real flying. If you can swing it, buy Reflex XTR, that's much closer to real helicopters, although still a little bit easier than real life.

[glydr]

The thing that FMS will do for you is let you practice control input and reversal. As for realism - helis are nothing like my Dragonfly. Fixed wing is better providing you have a good model (e.g. Gunnerson's models are normally very good).

[tnavressdog]

Add wind with some gusts and this will help a lot with the realism. Of course it doesn't simulate everything about helis but I feel that as long as you just want to learn how to react with stick inputs and do normal flying, it's fine. Again, this is all preference and will differ by person. I've used fms to learn tail-in, side-in, nose-in, and fast forward flight. It's the only simulator I've used and I can do everything with a Corona quite well now. I've only crashed once and I've never had an instructor to teach me. The way I'm going about it: Learn the stick inputs with fms, practice and become completely proficient on a Corona (while continuing practice on fms), then get a collective pitch helicopter. I saved $200 from those realistic simulators to apply to the collective pitch machine when I'm ready.

[scruff]

Thinking about getting into heli's - I've seen many references to this 'Corona' - where do you purchase this heli online? I've check towerhobbies , hobbyhaven and hobby lobby.

[tnavressdog]

You can get the corona here: http://www.roffeetvhobby.com/corona.htm

At least this is where a lot of people buy theirs since they have good service and good prices. If you just want a used one to learn on like I wanted, just check in the electric helicopter classifieds. You can get a complete setup for $300 if you find a stock one at the right time. Also feel free to peruse the electric heli section of the forum. There's a lot of information there.

[Malc C]

This means the FMS feel for the heli is no close to real?

I never done heli hovering but was thinking that I have done in FMS, I can do in real!

FMS doesn't have the true physics that the other simulators have. In FMS you can take any of the helicopters up to several hundred feet, cut the power and watch the heli fall to the ground (it will stay perfectly trimmed as it falls) then when its a foot above the ground hit max stick... the heli just reverts back to climbing... there is no enrtia (try that with a real heli and it will continue to fall, hitting the ground before enough lift can be generated to overcome the momentum. (unless your Bob Johnson or one of the other pros :) )

FMS is fine for basic stick control, but not much else (IMO) - my 8 year old son can fly helis in FMS with ease, yet can't manage to keep the thing in the air on Reflex for more than 30 seconds, and is all over the place :) XTR is by far more realistic, but as someon else poited out, still easier to fly than the real thing !

[Rox]

How about RealFlight G2. The feel is realistic?

[Malc C]

RFG2 is a lot better than FMS, the helis do appear to have some "weight"

[Rox]

Some weight means its still far from realistic, isn't it?

I am asking this because I haven't tried RealFlight G2 or the actual heli!

[Malc C]

Flying a ream RC Helicopter is totally different to flying one on a simulator. The main factor is fear, whilst you may well be able to do an inverted flip on a simulator, having the confidence and guts to try it for real is a different matter. Stacking the model in the sim isn't as expensive as in real life !

IMO Reflex XTR provided the closest simulation for helicopters, but even then some lack the same "feel" that you get flying a model. Thats why, IMO, given the flood of cheap indoor helicopters like the twister, Hummingbird and the far-eastern clones you might be better off investing in one of these as your trainer, rather than the expence of any of the top three sims.