I love this post. I've always loved helicopters, and I want to mimic a real one with grace and precision like a real pilot. Maybe one day stunts will have more appeal to me, but for now it's just not my thing.

Originally Posted by CaptJac

Same idea - the motor bogs down quite a bit easier though, so the throttle curve needs to be tweaked. With a linear pitch curve (-2,0,4,6,8) - a throttle curve of 60,60,70,75,80 will maintain a fairly constant head-speed and good altitude control.

Thanks Capt.

The reduced pitch range gives me better altitude control and I'm also getting a more controlled take off in idle up. Can't wait to try the new throttle curve.

Alan

P.S. To anyone who is still trying to steady up your hover, the Capt's Don't Touch The Controls Thread is a must!

stick bump -

BUMP!! - can't re-post but before this thread unravels and disappears to the bottom - giving it one more gasp to the top. If you are a beginning 450 pilot (not a 3D whizbang) and confused about the settings on your transmitter - scroll back and read the intro. LOTS of people read these threads - jump in and add a few lines of your own to keep it going. Thanks!!

captJac

Thanks for this thread, I have just bought a titan 450 se v2 which is my first cp heli. After multiple fixed pitch heli's I'm looking forward to tackling this huge learning curve.

Originally Posted by Auflyer

Thanks for this thread, I have just bought a titan 450 se v2 which is my first cp heli. After multiple fixed pitch heli's I'm looking forward to tackling this huge learning curve.

Thanks for your feedback! Just made a slight tweak to the original post for clarification. Pitch curve numbers in the transmitter are not degrees - they are percentage on the curve - the curve has to be converted to degrees with a pitch gauge on the rotor blades. Good luck with your Titan - it's a titan step into CP helis - get some help setting it up (RC club or local hobby store) and do lots of reading!!

Question, for someone with no interest in 3D, purely a better performing for sports/scale flying ie CP, would you recommend start big small or in between? Big being 450+, and small being MCPx size? I'm still one FP Heli away from looking at cp yet, but I like to plan ahead.

Why start out with FP? Can't you just program a CP to be a FP, and then move into pitch curves later?

The Blade 130X looks very interesting. Why not start out with something like that and program the pitch curve to be fixed...or keep it on the non 3D mild curve. Then you don't have to make the transistion....(?)

Originally Posted by slothy89

Question, for someone with no interest in 3D, purely a better performing for sports/scale flying ie CP, would you recommend start big small or in between? Big being 450+, and small being MCPx size? I'm still one FP Heli away from looking at cp yet, but I like to plan ahead.

I am interested in the answer to this also. I was thinking learning to fly the
mcpx first would be an advantage since it is much harder to control.

The mCPx is a real handful for a beginner because of its speed. It finds a wall in a blink of an eye - or less. Outside it disappears. It's a very good 3D trainer for advanced pilots. The micro fixed-pitch are great for indoor orientation training. If you got your eye on a 450 and have the space to fly it outside - start building a kit. While you are building - practice on a simulator.

captJac

I have bought a blade SR UH-1 Huey. It may have been a mistake to start out with a scale fuselage but I am hoping that I can go slow enough to keep from crashing it immediately. I have been thinking about maybe building or buying something more standard to practice on before taking out my Huey. I am most interested in scale flight. Perhaps one day inverted and 3D flight will be of interest but not at the moment. I really appreciate the settings and the advice in this thread and I hope it stays current for a very long time.

Maybe it should be made a sticky.

Thanks Capn!

Jim

Originally Posted by jcmors

I have bought a blade SR UH-1 Huey. It may have been a mistake to start out with a scale fuselage but I am hoping that I can go slow enough to keep from crashing it immediately. I have been thinking about maybe building or buying something more standard to practice on before taking out my Huey.

Those scale fuselages are a thing of beauty until they crash! Keep that Huey in the hangar a while longer and train on something a little more stable like the 120 SR or MSRx. Your Huey will let you know when you ready. For sure build a 450 kit - not only will you be learning every part in that heli but you will be able to fix it blindfolded and you will feel like a proud papa on your first maiden.

I really like the UH-1 Huey. I got to fly in one a hop my dad arranged for me as I was flying out to Hawaii (no, I was in the submarine service, but my dad knew the pilots at the Army base where he worked on Hueys). One of my fondest memories.

Originally Posted by steveap1

Why start out with FP? Can't you just program a CP to be a FP, and then move into pitch curves later?

The Blade 130X looks very interesting. Why not start out with something like that and program the pitch curve to be fixed...or keep it on the non 3D mild curve. Then you don't have to make the transistion....(?)

Why start FP? Well here's one good reason, we aren't all made of money!

While learning the basics in orientation and control its cheaper and easier to start FP, and generally the FP helis available these days are much more durable than most CP kits.

If I started straight on CP, imagine how discouraging it would be if I crashed my maiden then had to spend a bunch of money to fix it, and wait a few weeks for parts to arrive before being able to fly again?

There is a considerable outlay to getting set up in this hobby, and not everyone can afford to jump into the deep end from the start.

This is a great post. Thanks Capt. I've been flying FP helis for 2 months now and I want a CP but I don't think I'm ready yet, I'm afraid I'll do something wrong and lose a few fingers or kill someone.... I think my first CP heli will be a 130X, which I guess is due out about a month from now.

Good points Slothy.