What is the equivalent of pitch control ...

[Jurgen Heilig]

On "normal" aircraft pitch is controlled via elevator. You may have aircraft which have a tendency to pitch up or to pitch down.

On helicopters pitch control means something else. In order to make a helicopter pitch up and down you use cyclic control of the main rotor blades. Is there a special word for helicopters to describe this kind of control? :) Jürgen

[Mr.RC-CAM]

In order to make a helicopter pitch up and down you use cyclic control of the main rotor blades. Is there a special word for helicopters to describe this kind of control?It is generally referred to as fore/aft cyclic pitch. Some model heli pilots, including me, call this "elevator," but that is technically incorrect. The up/down movement is collective pitch (not used on fixed pitch designs).

RC-CAM

[Jurgen Heilig]

Ok, I'll be more specific:

If a helicopter lowers its nose to begin forward flight, how do call this motion? The helicopter pitched down? The helicopter pitch-cycled forward? :) Jürgen

[Mr.RC-CAM]

If a helicopter lowers its nose to begin forward flight, how do call this motion? I am not sure what terminology is used by full scale helicopter pilots. In the model world, the transition from hover to forward flight is simple a matter of adding forward cyclic.

As far as what a typical modeler would say when he did this, all I have ever heard was that "the model went into forward flight." And obviously, each forward flight begins and ends with a hover.

I re-read through "Rays Complete Helicopter Manual, 3rd edition." I do not see it described much different than that. If there are different words used to express this, then they certainly are not spoken around my R/C field.

Outside the USA I have no idea what terminology is used -- it is no doubt much different than what us Yankees use. And full scale pilots would certainly laugh at some of our terms. From what I hear, they would never use "rudder" to express yaw motion.

My expertise comes from the vacuum at the field and Ray's book. I am just a hack at R/C heli flying, so perhaps someone else will chime in with a better answer.

RC-CAM

[Jurgen Heilig]

Hi Mr. RC-CAM,

Although we haven't got an answer yet, but you made me feel much better about not knowing the "correct" name for the movement of a helicopter around its lateral axis. :) Jürgen

[Dave Harding]

In the big helicopter world we describe the aircraft motions as pitch roll and yaw, just like fixed wing airplanes.

In a single rotor helicopter you use "longitudinal cyclic" to "pitch" the helicopter and "lateral cyclic" to "roll" the helicopter.

"Directional control" is used to "yaw" the helicopter and, of course, collective pitch is used for vertical control.

I guess if you are in the business there is no confusion between blade pitch and helicopter pitch.

Hope this helps, Dave who recently retired after 39 years with Boeing (Vertol).

[longbow]

Transitional lift

[Jurgen Heilig]

Thanks Dave,

I was tempted to use "tilt" knowing that it is not the right word, but now I'll use "pitch" to describe the TriBelles movement around the lateral axis - as all three rotors are fixed pitch anyway, there should not be any confusion. :) Jürgen