Originally Posted by north9degrees

Here....

Looks like a great setup. I hate to make you repeat all the particulars, e.g. custom battery mount, camera specs, power source etc. Did you already post a blow-by-blow that I can look up?

Greetings all. I'm a complete novice to hobby, only started less than 3 months ago. My total experience so far is with the Syma S107 and their S022 Big Chinook. Having a blast with those two I thought I'd move up to the Blade 120SR. This is where I need some help. I can achieve a steady hover, no problem there, but when I go to forward flight the heli always pitches to the right and down. I can't seem to get this thing to fly forward no matter what I do. I'm using a DX6i radio and the heli is completely stock, and I'm on the shorter balls of the swash plate. So far I've only broken 2 right landing skids going into this death dive. What am I doing wrong / what can I do right to correct this? Could really use some help here 'cause this thing looks like its gonna be a hoot to fly. Thanks

Originally Posted by Big_Kid

Greetings all. I'm a complete novice to hobby, only started less than 3 months ago. My total experience so far is with the Syma S107 and their S022 Big Chinook. Having a blast with those two I thought I'd move up to the Blade 120SR. This is where I need some help. I can achieve a steady hover, no problem there, but when I go to forward flight the heli always pitches to the right and down. I can't seem to get this thing to fly forward no matter what I do. I'm using a DX6i radio and the heli is completely stock, and I'm on the shorter balls of the swash plate. So far I've only broken 2 right landing skids going into this death dive. What am I doing wrong / what can I do right to correct this? Could really use some help here 'cause this thing looks like its gonna be a hoot to fly. Thanks

For forward flight you pitch forward with elevator while adding more power to hold altitude.. The going off to the right is normal and is corrected with lots of left aileron the faster it's moving the more you will need.. You will reach a point where there isn't enough aileron control to keep it going straight. Watch out for the dive of death while doing this.. When it does give full power and full up elevator and hope for the best..

Originally Posted by livonia bob

For forward flight you pitch forward with elevator while adding more power to hold altitude.. The going off to the right is normal and is corrected with lots of left aileron the faster it's moving the more you will need.. You will reach a point where there isn't enough aileron control to keep it going straight. Watch out for the dive of death while doing this.. When it does give full power and full up elevator and hope for the best..

Bob, all of the helis I've flown in a FFF always has a tendency to drift slightly to the left and giving it right AIL to correct the heli into a straight forward travel. I agree you must give it a bit more throttle to maintain the same altitude. "Full up elevator" ??? Bob, are you confusing flying your planks and helis Bud

Mike

Originally Posted by Chap1012

Bob, all of the helis I've flown in a FFF always has a tendency to drift slightly to the left and giving it right AIL to correct the heli into a straight forward travel. I agree you must give it a bit more throttle to maintain the same altitude. "Full up elevator" ??? Bob, are you confusing flying your planks and helis Bud

Mike

I cann't speak for your heli's but all mine have CW rotating main blades and go right on FFF as the advancing blade is on the left side and make lots more lift than the retreating blade on the right side does..

Seems you haven't been pushing your 120SR into really FFF if you don't know about the dive of death.. And how to try and save the heli..

WoW! does that sound familiar. I would highly recommend that you go over to helicopterfun.com and buy his SR120 E-Book. Worth every cent. The e-book has all the settings (recommendations) you need for your radio.

glad im not the only one who has had the death dive i also was able to save mine but it was almost a dirt nap for my 120. did it when i first bought mine i thought it was going to fly like the msr so i gave her hell and well..... learned my lesson .

Originally Posted by Big_Kid

Greetings all. I'm a complete novice to hobby, only started less than 3 months ago. My total experience so far is with the Syma S107 and their S022 Big Chinook. Having a blast with those two I thought I'd move up to the Blade 120SR. This is where I need some help. I can achieve a steady hover, no problem there, but when I go to forward flight the heli always pitches to the right and down. I can't seem to get this thing to fly forward no matter what I do. I'm using a DX6i radio and the heli is completely stock, and I'm on the shorter balls of the swash plate. So far I've only broken 2 right landing skids going into this death dive. What am I doing wrong / what can I do right to correct this? Could really use some help here 'cause this thing looks like its gonna be a hoot to fly. Thanks

Sorry I don't know nothing about the DX6i and the possibility to trim it (old school here). Try coming up one turn (CCW) on the AILERON (AIL.) push rod. That would be on the right side looking from rear. If that doesn't work, come down one turn (CW) on the ELEVATOR (ELE.). Left side of heli looking from rear. Don't forget to return the AIL position to where you had it. Keep count of your turns and on which push rod. Many experiences pilots can do this just seeing how the heli reacts to different adjustments.

Mike.

Originally Posted by livonia bob

I cann't speak for your heli's but all mine have CW rotating main blades and go right on FFF as the advancing blade is on the left side and make lots more lift than the retreating blade on the right side does..

Seems you haven't been pushing your 120SR into really FFF if you don't know about the dive of death.. And how to try and save the heli..

I will have to check that out on a more open area. It always seems I have to give it right stick AIL to keep her on course doing a FF. I admit, I never did get her up to FFF of her potential. I'm still a bit confused about your "full up elevator" to save it in a nose dive. I am missing something.

Mike.

Originally Posted by Big_Kid

Greetings all. I'm a complete novice to hobby, only started less than 3 months ago. My total experience so far is with the Syma S107 and their S022 Big Chinook. Having a blast with those two I thought I'd move up to the Blade 120SR. This is where I need some help. I can achieve a steady hover, no problem there, but when I go to forward flight the heli always pitches to the right and down. I can't seem to get this thing to fly forward no matter what I do. I'm using a DX6i radio and the heli is completely stock, and I'm on the shorter balls of the swash plate. So far I've only broken 2 right landing skids going into this death dive. What am I doing wrong / what can I do right to correct this? Could really use some help here 'cause this thing looks like its gonna be a hoot to fly. Thanks

I forgot to add that you will need to go to the longer balls and make sure that you have the DX6i programmed so that you are getting high rate on the RX as if you haven't done this yet you are in low RX rate no mater what setting you have on the TX's rates..

If you are using heli mode you have to use the flap/gyro switch to go from RX low to RX high rate.. But you have to program the TX in gyro area so that "0" = 51 - 100% and "1" = 0 - 50% this makes "0" = O = Outside or high rate and "1" =I = Inside or low rates.. You then can set the TX's rates to fine tune to your flying style..

If you are flying using airplane mode on the TX than the landing gear switch controls the RX's rates..

I have learned to watch main rotor. As Livonia Bob says, you pitch forward, but don't hold it in pitch forward mode. As you see the SR moving forward, you can pitch it back a bit and keep the momentum. If you watch the rotor and it starts to pitch L or R, you can get a moment's head start to do a correction.

Originally Posted by Chap1012

I will have to check that out on a more open area. It always seems I have to give it right stick AIL to keep her on course doing a FF. I admit, I never did get her up to FFF of her potential. I'm still a bit confused about your "full up elevator" to save it in a nose dive. I am missing something.

Mike.

As you know the 120SR has a flybar that helps to stabilize the heli,, keeps it from going off quickly as it's trying to stay in the plane of rotation it was last in.. When in a long FFF pass the flybar then resets it's self to the new angle,, say nose pointing somewhat downward say 30 degrees in a fast all out high speed pass.. Now the flybar thinks that this 30 degrees is the new normal and will fight to keep the heli pointed at 30 degrees... How what happens when you want to slow down?? Most make the mistake of lowering the throttle and let the stick spring back to center... And there is the start of the dive of death... The way I stop it is,, full power and full back/up elevator stick. If lucky all you will have is a very high speed touch and go,, and not a crash..

PS I always make my high speed FFF passes going from my right to my left so if I run out of aileron control the heli is drifting away from me and not towards me..

Originally Posted by Big_Kid

Greetings all. I'm a complete novice to hobby, only started less than 3 months ago. My total experience so far is with the Syma S107 and their S022 Big Chinook. Having a blast with those two I thought I'd move up to the Blade 120SR. This is where I need some help. I can achieve a steady hover, no problem there, but when I go to forward flight the heli always pitches to the right and down. I can't seem to get this thing to fly forward no matter what I do. I'm using a DX6i radio and the heli is completely stock, and I'm on the shorter balls of the swash plate. So far I've only broken 2 right landing skids going into this death dive. What am I doing wrong / what can I do right to correct this? Could really use some help here 'cause this thing looks like its gonna be a hoot to fly. Thanks

First, looking at the back of the heli with the radio on, make sure that the swash plate is level. It needs to be level front to back and the rear control arms need to be the same height. Then check that ALL the links are on the balls and not past them or behind the balls of your rotor linkages. Check them from the swash to the rotor head. It is possible that they look like they are fine, so double check that they are indeed riding on the balls.

Then, move to the longer swash balls. This will give you more cyclic control over the main blade. Try to hover and trim the radio as necessary after you adjust the links and level the swashplate.

Now from a hover, move the right stick upwards and you will begin to slowly move forward. Control direction with the left stick by moving it left to right to point the nose of the helicopter where you need it to be. Then increase engine rpm slightly and you will move faster forward. As you move forward pay attention to your pitch. If you nose down too far you will dive and dive fast. If this begins to happen, pull back towards you (or down) on the right stick to raise the nose of the helicopter and turn up the speed to pull out of your dive. This how you avoid the "Death Dive".

For now, fly outside, fly high at about 30-40 ft or slightly higher so that you have room to make corrections, and fly in little to NO wind. This will get you used to the FF and FFF. Remember that EVERY flight starts with a hover and ends with a hover! So, when you start to feel like your going to loose the chopper try to hover and then if you regain hover, either continue with a maneuver or try to land.

Once you have FFF down you can try rolling turns.....
http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=334893

It explains more on the second page.
Hope this helps,
~Rich

Originally Posted by Big_Kid

I'm using a DX6i radio and the heli is completely stock, and I'm on the shorter balls of the swash plate.

Hi Big Kid and welcome to the best 120SR thread I have seen. You have just tapped into a wealth of knowledge. These guys know alot.

As Dacaur taught me, as soon as you can hover, switch to the long balls. It gives more control and makes the 120 quicker to correct out of a bad situation.

Kid, you need Salt's E-Guide, its alot of good info.

I fly with the default settings in my DX6i Kid, but the settings can be tailored to your flying style/ability/skills.

Good Luck

BD(Kyle)

Originally Posted by livonia bob

As you know the 120SR has a flybar that helps to stabilize the heli,, keeps it from going off quickly as it's trying to stay in the plane of rotation it was last in.. When in a long FFF pass the flybar then resets it's self to the new angle,, say nose pointing somewhat downward say 30 degrees in a fast all out high speed pass.. Now the flybar thinks that this 30 degrees is the new normal and will fight to keep the heli pointed at 30 degrees... How what happens when you want to slow down?? Most make the mistake of lowering the throttle and let the stick spring back to center... And there is the start of the dive of death... The way I stop it is,, full power and full back/up elevator stick. If lucky all you will have is a very high speed touch and go,, and not a crash..

PS I always make my high speed FFF passes going from my right to my left so if I run out of aileron control the heli is drifting away from me and not towards me..

Bob, now I see where you are coming from. Lets just say that my flying technique is a bit different. Yes, you need a lot of ground to slow down, let alone stopping. I usually keep it with the throttle basically at the same level, apply hard left yaw then back/stick ELE as the heli begins to turn. Now is the time I start slowing her, keeping in mind she is heading back at you like a bat out of hell. This is my best technique for turning a fast moving heli to come back to you. I was completely floored when I applied this same technique to the 120SR. I can turn this on a dime with nine cents change.

Mike.