Simulator training....a good point

[hawkman]

Messing with my sim tonight I noticed something quite worrying.

I bust my Predator gasser a short while ago when messing about with the gyro settings...my own silly fault.

I set out to replicate what happened on the sim and discovered something quite suprising;

While hovering I am very confident of the control....feel very comfortable...but with the nose pointing towards my right...ie sim models nose points towards me and to the right....my natural reflex is to push forwards...when the heli is already pointing nose down...so instead od correcting what the heli is doing....I make it worse.

This ties in with what happened to my gasser....I dont want to be super anally retentive about this but feel this is a worthwhile point to make out to the newcomer and the fairly experienced/intermediate flyer. You can get used to a set routine of flying....and thats great but if for any reason you get into a position you arent used to...especially in the hover then do practice on the sim.

I am now going to do extra time each day to sort this problem of mine out...I was quite suprised at what I found....I was getting a bit complacent with the sim to be honest....only to learn that its a valuble training aid.

Rob

[Daz(DJLFlapper)]

Hi Hawkman,

I am a great beleiver in the use a simulator as much as you can BECAUSE IT HELPS catigory. I don't mean to rub salt into the wounds here but to be flying a heli nose in you should already be aware of the fact the inputs reverse to an extent.

The problem with a lot of people is that they jusmp ahead too fast for there real ability and don't yet have the fine pionts of flying down before they move on. We can get so caught up in the fact that we can do certain manouvers that we don't realise that just outside this there is a world of hurt for your heli.

Can you fly backwards?

The reason I ask is that flying backwards will help you recover a lot of situations that you may not be able to without developing the skill to fly backwards. By this I mean inverted and rite side up figure of eights and general curcuits. To be truely in control of the heli you need to be able to control it in all orientations. This takes a great amount of practice and commitment and this is why todays simulators are so good. They can take you from early learning right through to advanced flight.

This said, If like me you can not afford to burn liter after liter flying or have expensive batteries and be up all the hours you get then the simulator WILL help you acheive a great amount. JUST USE IT.

Anyway, Sorry your heli went in. Hope it is up and flying again soon.

[hawkman]

Hi there....I can hover nose in very well its just at that particular angle it all goes a bit strange.....I would guess that its down to habit....of course when we learn we condition our reflexes....its just that particular orientation I havent gotten used to.

Flying backwards is something I am doing a lot of on the sim....getting quite good at it as well....I hear what you say about recovering from awkward positions. I do this quite a bit...just throw the heli around and then try to sort it out....on the simulator that is

Rob