Heading lock GY-401

Hello,

I am just beginning into RC helicopters and I would appreciate if anyone can help me with the heading lock mode.

I couldn't understand really if I can fly with heading lock mode.
I mean that it will hold the heading of helicopter when I turn it on but if I rotate the helicopter with the rudder will it maintain the new heading or will the system bring the coper heading to the initial attitude ?

Also in the normal gyro mode, in some windy conditions the gyro is giving abrupt rudder control for a couple of time in the same direction, is that normal ??


Thanks for your time

Sarp

[Andrew]

The GY401 will hold the heading as long as you don't give any rudder input. Your rudder input will always override the gyro. After you stop giving input the 401 will lock onto the new heading. In normal mode, the gyro resists but doesn't stop all movement (including your rudder stick input). Some people like to switch back and forth between modes, but I prefer to stay in heading hold mode because that's how I learned on the simulator. When you trim out the rudder on your heli, make sure you do the trimming in normal mode. Then your heading hold will work great.

Thanks Andrew,

your explanation did clarify lots of questions I had in my mind.

When you say to trim the helicopter in the normal mode,
is it under hoovering conditions ? I mean isn't the trim going to change as engine speed will change ?

[Andrew]

Yes, you trim the tail rudder in normal mode under hovering conditions. Make sure you turn on power to the gyro in heading lock and then switch to normal mode before trimming. For some reason, the gyro always has to be powered on in heading lock mode. Cycle your power and switch back to heading lock and you're good to go.

watch out for the heading lock take off pirouettes, if you are using heading hold.

heading hold will be trying to straighten the nose from the moment you turn on the gyro. This means that if you set up in a different direction to take off or put the slightest rudder input in on the way to the take off point the rudder will react. The heli won't react because there is no tail rotor motion so the rudder will try to correct more, by the time you take off the rudder might be on full deflection and the heli will pirouette until it finds its heading. It's not much of a problem to deal with, but it can be quite scary if you're not used to it.

Russ

[Andrew]

I always try to correct on the ground before takeoff as the blades start to spin up and the heli slides a little bit.

Andrew,

learned that trick this weekend after experiencing the phenomenon for the first time, just thought i'd warn sarp before it happens to him.

Russ

[Daz(DJLFlapper)]

This problem can also be dealt with by simply using rudder inputs as you are spooling up just a quick leftand right will lock the heading in that the heli is facing before you attemp to lift.

Regards Daz,