Simulator FlightTime vs. Real Heli Flight Time

[Jeff0r3]

OK. So I'm N00b...Thats understatement. Got Raptor 30 for christmas. gy401. 7CAP/CHP TX(Had with my planes) Few other extras. Put together Linkages checked by a helicopter pilot with alot of experience. He's teach me how to set up Radio tommorow with the idleup 1 and 2 and a few other things. Everything will be setup for Newbie pilot. No governor or anything. So Initially I will be (I figure and what others have told me) In good shape to learn. Got 2 gallons of 30% ready to go....Anyways, here's my question. (wanted to give a little history first sorry...) I have logged about 50 hours of Simulator (Realflight G3.5). I can fly any helicopter and I'm no 3D master or anything. But I get around pretty good(went to local hobbystore and flew on the Simulator there and before I knew it I had a few people behind me sayin OOOHHHH....NICE.....COOOOL......Not Bragging at all, they're not pilots, and I'm really trying to say that I'm not really good...Anyways!!!again....). Point of my thread is this. I am going to fly it Friday (today is Tuesday goin on Wednesday) for the first time. I am very excited, but I am curious to know if flying the Simulator is anything close to flying the real thing. I have the addon 3 and it works fine. I have also another addon that is a raptor 30 v2 that someone made, which people also say that is really similar to the helicopter in real life. How Am I supposed to know though, I haven't logged a second of real heli flight time. I am just wonderin and hoping for good feedback. Thanks in advance.

Also. I know that when i fire that heli up for the first time and get it going. I will not do anything even CLOSE to what I do on the simulator. I will get a feel for it and learn exactly what it does in a hover tail in the first couple of flights. But if I get brave, and try some forward flight, am I asking for trouble?

Happy Hoverdays

Jeff

[New-heli-pilot]

If you can hover easily on the Realflight, you shouldnt have a problem in real life, as long as you remember to still take it slow.

[hawkman]

You should be good to go...just take it real easy.....one step at a time....you got to get to the point where you feel relaxed....then push yourself further....but dont push too far. I was doing circuits on my first day out....with a real model...the heart rate was slightly up though

just take it easy...and keep using the sim....you got to fly the sim till you dont even have to think...by that stage start throwing some emergency situations in like autos or put the heli in a difficult move and recover it successfully.....because in real flying you will need to do these things.

By the way.....if you do get confused and the heli is far away....just relax...and hold it in a hover....if you can...gently swing the tail....once your brain registers whaich way its pointing...just bring it back nice and slow.

Look after that heli.....maintain it like you are going to fly in it...sounds silly but it works...a well looked after heli will reward you with fun.

Rob

[Jeff0r3]

I am going to fly it tommorow for the first time. It will be my actual first time flying real heli. So I will report on what happened to let you know if it is similar in my experience. I hope so. I will probably just hover the beast tommorow. Maybe if I feel confident doing that then I'll try some slow and easy forward flight. I just have to remember there's no little red button in real life, and that Gas is really used...I thankyou for the encouragement and awesome advice. I have neglected my child since Christmas Day because all of the attention my newborn Raptor Heli requires. I've worked on it for about 3 hours tonight and I THINK, i've got everything ready. Again Thanks guys for the help and I again will let you know how it went and if it is truely similar to the Simulator.

Jeff

[Jeff0r3]

OK guys. I gotta admit I didn't know I was going to be that nervous flying my Heli for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th flights. My first flight was to check everything out, throttle curves idle up 1, blade tracking. Everything went smooth Heli fired right up..Except for the broken remote glow plug wire...I have awesome guys in the club I'm in that will do anything to helpout. Its another reason the R/C community is so great. Anyways.. First flight was Hover only. I must admit it was nice to already have a good knowledge of the stick movements...I know that having simulator time is probably the best thing as far as learning heli's...I have proof too...But I won't get into that now....
My second flight was more of hovering and a little forward and back flight..Just to get the feel of it.. Plus we worked out the richness of the fuel..Again everything went smooth...
The third flight was a little better and it is the last flight I had for the day. I was practicing a square pattern with the tail facing me. Its a practice lesson that someone told me really helped them. However, I had to try some 3D...So I did a pirrouette. . And yes I know that is not 3d...
OK, so my fourth flight....How can I explain the need to find a bathroom because I almost had an accident and would have needed LOTS of toilet paper...I did a few pirrouettes and practiced the square flight tail in...Then I practiced going forward and reverse...Then I tried forward flight.. A left pattern...Big mistake...Everything was going fine until the helicopter faced me and I could no longer see the tail...Something flipped in my mind and I felt LOST...Somehow I managed to keep it afloat and I saved it.. Immediately landed...And found my hands to want to shake off my arms...Guys it was not fun at that moment...But was good to know that I did it...This is an easy example of knowing that the Flight Simulator is worth the investment. I'm not saying that it couldn't be done without a Simulator, I'm just saying that I couldn't have done it without Simulator time...So again...The fifth flight was to build my nerves up again and gain some confidence, so I hovered practiced going forward and reverse and practiced some easy stuff left and right forward reverse, all tail in..
So last flight..I held nothing back...Forward flight...Smooth forward flight too...I got locked in this time...I overcame the fear and I have thought of nothing else than returning to the field in a few hours and flying some more. It is a great feeling. I know that by having Simulator time, I'm way ahead of the older guys that started flying about a year ago...They told me several times that what I did took them several months to do...Again I'm not bragging, I'm just saying that the Simulator is SOOOO worth the money.
Thanks for all your advice guys and Happy Hovering....

Jeff

[hawkman]

Lesson learnt my friend.....the sim is a great tool for learning....but real life doesnt bring second chances....especially if you are low to the ground.

Take your time....master the basics.....it can take ages to hover nose in....let alone fly towards yourself......get good on that sim....but take it realslow in real life....your heart rate is a good indicator....a slight rise in heartrate is good....but if you feel its getting too much..........it probably is....so land....and have a break.

Pretty soon you will get used to real flying.....and wonder what the deal is....thats when you start pushing yourself forwards....you dont have to do 3d stuff.....it takes ages to learn.....and a lot of helis get smashed.

Well done though on your first flights......I am going through the nervous stage too....got myself a Predator Gasser.....its a monster.....and keeps me entertained I tell you

Happy new year as well

Rob