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I wanted to start a forum for all those out there wanting to hover. I'm not a professional, but I know a thing or two. I want this forum to be use to every1 wanting to improve their flying.
Any1 w/ hovering tips post here...
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Check your lateral balance, and get some right thrust dialed in, or at least set your rudder trim so the plane tracks straight on slow fly bys. It also helps to have a fair amount of expo on the rudder so you can make minor directional adjustments without causing too much of a disturbance in the balance of the plane. Every plane has an attitude it likes to hover in, and some have a bigger range than others. If you're getting a lot of wing rock, mixing in a little spoilerons may help, but it may also be that your forward speed is too high. Pick the nose up some more and slow your air speed down. Keep in mind air speed. If you're flying in to a 5 mph head wind, it's gonna look 10mph faster going downwind, but you're actually still flying at the same airspeed. The key is maintaining angle of attack and controlling throttle to keep altitude the same. If the wind gets going to good, hovering really becomes flying backwards, or flying foward normally, nose high, with the wings still not stalled. While getting the attitude control thing figured out, consider your balance. Having to hold full up all the time is most likely a nose heavy condition, and it really helps to make it easier and it's much better in appearance if you can minimize the amount of inputs you have to give for "straight and level" hovering. Turning is another topic, and so is inverted hovering and transitioning into a torque roll. Come on guys, I know there's a bunch of you that are great at this, help a bro out!
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Although this works for some, I respectfully offer another view on this. I run little/no expo anymore because it causes the control surface to respond in a very non-linear manner with that 'wall' where it comes on in a hurry. I think it hurts the feel of the controls.RSands said:
But that's just me, your milage may vary.
I'm a no expo kinda guy myself. In fact flying a plane with expo drives me nuts. Like using a condom. It may be considered safer by some but you really can't feel what's goin on very well. :lol:
Oh yeah the tip. The plane doesn't care if it's at 5 ft or 500. Hovering is much easier at 5 so bring it on down! ...and remember if you lose it to always recover UP! (reliable engine helps here)
Oh yeah the tip. The plane doesn't care if it's at 5 ft or 500. Hovering is much easier at 5 so bring it on down! ...and remember if you lose it to always recover UP! (reliable engine helps here)
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I think that some guys prefer the beer expo to digital expo!
I personally use varrying amounts of expo depending on the rudder sensitivity. If you fly a light profile and find yourself over correcting the tail then expo usually helps. I personally faught pilot induced occilation so bad on my rudder that I couldnt hover the Sledge until I added -60% to my tail. And when I did I was instantly amazed and learned to TR in another weeks time!
But to each his own.
I personally use varrying amounts of expo depending on the rudder sensitivity. If you fly a light profile and find yourself over correcting the tail then expo usually helps. I personally faught pilot induced occilation so bad on my rudder that I couldnt hover the Sledge until I added -60% to my tail. And when I did I was instantly amazed and learned to TR in another weeks time!
But to each his own.
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I'll drink to that !TailSpnr said:
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I tried Mode 1, but was embarrassed and switched back when I learned that Mode 1 flyers all work at McDonalds. :lol:
JW
JW
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The above information is excellent.
Us Bros might assume everyone knows the things I'm going to list here, so the following are for those just starting out.
Make sure you have LOTS of power compared to weight. You want at the bare minimum 1.5 to 1 power to weight ratio. Obviously, you can hover if you are 1:1 or above, but it is MUCH harder if you don't have reserve power. Power is not the only part of the equation, keeping it light is key. Anyone can overpower the crap out of a plane, but the extra weight of the engine is usually shooting yourself in the foot. Keep it light.
Use 6 volts on your RX batt. The extra servo speed is always helpful. For this reason I also do not use a lot of Expo. I think going to 6 volts then dialing in a lot of expo is like shooting yourself in the foot.
Use high dia. and low pitch props. Like 11 x 4 and 11.5 x 4 for .46 2C's and 12.25 x 3.75 APC for .50 2C's for an example. High dia, low pitch so your engine can spool up fast to get you out of trouble.
That's some of the basics.
Jeff
Edited to add some more:
SPEND THE EXTRA $ TO GET DECENT EQUIPMENT!!!!!! I see so many people at the field dinking with cheap engines and other equipment problems that it makes me sick. Especially when it's a student and I'm loosing flight time! Back to the subject here, you simply cannot risk having a cheap engine bonk out on you at low altitude in a hover! Get a decent engine from a long time quality manufacturer. I guess I won't name names, but I will say this - going cheap on equipment for serious 3D flying is penny wise and dollar foolish. Ask the Bros and spend your $ right the first time. Get a very nice radio! When you are just starting out you may wonder why on Earth would I ever do with 8, 10 or even with the new JR, 30 model memories?!? Trust me, later you WILL want them, and all the features in that fancy radio.
Get a decent plane...... Since 3D is a big craze now, lots of manufacturers are calling LOTS of planes 3D when it just isn't so. Sure some of these "3D" planes can do some of the maneuvers, but I'm talking about doing MOST, if not all of the maneuvers very well. As we are the ProBros, most profiles 3D well - when set up right and quality equipment is used. Not all profiles are created equal and some are better than others. A simple check here to see what the Bros are talking about most will usually lead you in the right direction. Again, checking with the Bros will save you lots of frustration and $ from bad decisions. Even though they / we are the Bros, most of us have had other 3D planes as well, even some of the coroplast ones! So asking and searching for info is always the best way to go.
Us Bros might assume everyone knows the things I'm going to list here, so the following are for those just starting out.
Make sure you have LOTS of power compared to weight. You want at the bare minimum 1.5 to 1 power to weight ratio. Obviously, you can hover if you are 1:1 or above, but it is MUCH harder if you don't have reserve power. Power is not the only part of the equation, keeping it light is key. Anyone can overpower the crap out of a plane, but the extra weight of the engine is usually shooting yourself in the foot. Keep it light.
Use 6 volts on your RX batt. The extra servo speed is always helpful. For this reason I also do not use a lot of Expo. I think going to 6 volts then dialing in a lot of expo is like shooting yourself in the foot.
Use high dia. and low pitch props. Like 11 x 4 and 11.5 x 4 for .46 2C's and 12.25 x 3.75 APC for .50 2C's for an example. High dia, low pitch so your engine can spool up fast to get you out of trouble.
That's some of the basics.
Jeff
Edited to add some more:
SPEND THE EXTRA $ TO GET DECENT EQUIPMENT!!!!!! I see so many people at the field dinking with cheap engines and other equipment problems that it makes me sick. Especially when it's a student and I'm loosing flight time! Back to the subject here, you simply cannot risk having a cheap engine bonk out on you at low altitude in a hover! Get a decent engine from a long time quality manufacturer. I guess I won't name names, but I will say this - going cheap on equipment for serious 3D flying is penny wise and dollar foolish. Ask the Bros and spend your $ right the first time. Get a very nice radio! When you are just starting out you may wonder why on Earth would I ever do with 8, 10 or even with the new JR, 30 model memories?!? Trust me, later you WILL want them, and all the features in that fancy radio.
Get a decent plane...... Since 3D is a big craze now, lots of manufacturers are calling LOTS of planes 3D when it just isn't so. Sure some of these "3D" planes can do some of the maneuvers, but I'm talking about doing MOST, if not all of the maneuvers very well. As we are the ProBros, most profiles 3D well - when set up right and quality equipment is used. Not all profiles are created equal and some are better than others. A simple check here to see what the Bros are talking about most will usually lead you in the right direction. Again, checking with the Bros will save you lots of frustration and $ from bad decisions. Even though they / we are the Bros, most of us have had other 3D planes as well, even some of the coroplast ones! So asking and searching for info is always the best way to go.
I used to fly towards me and pull up and hold. This forced me to practice with the belly facing me. When I became more comfortable with it and wanted to bring it down on the deck I had a hard time. I had a fear of flying the thing into my face and breaking a prop (those things get expensive). I started using spoilerons and I found that I could enter the hover at a much lower altitude. It's a lot easier to pop it up where you want it that to try to do a tail slide from up high. When you hear that "weed eater" noise from the prop, it's time to add power.
First, do what the other guys said regarding equipment, setup, etc. I'm just getting the "hang" of it myself, but, newbie to newbie, here's my 2 cents: Past couple of days, I told myself,"screw hovering, learn to harrier really well first!" so I started doing real low, slow harrier circles...over and over and over... then today, I just started easing the nose higher and higher and adding more throttle as I harriered around, next thing I knew, I was hovering! I got a few really nice ones today, too! Also, some newbies may not know that as the plane approaches vertical you ease off the up- ele. Withno wind, once I'm in the "sweet spot" , I only have to barely touch the sticks every now and then. Today, there was a little wind, which meant hovering wasn't quite vertical, so I had to play with the elevator a little. It's almost like if the engine wasn't running, and you just stood the plane on the rudder and walked away. It only takes the slightest touch to move the plane. Any more and it will fall over.
But anyway, try the harrier thing. Even if you don't learn to hover, you'll be a harrier'ing fool. I harrier land right at my feet most every time now!
But anyway, try the harrier thing. Even if you don't learn to hover, you'll be a harrier'ing fool. I harrier land right at my feet most every time now!
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