Auto-Fun

[heli-cuzz]

I just started intentional autorotations. Now I can't get enough of them. I'm hitting the throttle hold switch about ten times a tank.

What makes it so fascinating to float down a heli with no power from the motor?

Anybody go through a phase like this?

[AaronS]

Autos are tons of fun! Just don't forget that if you let the head speed get too low you will be in big trouble. Autos loose some of their fun if you mess one up and pancake a heli, after that, you will find yourself being more carefull. have fun!

[heli-cuzz]

So far, so good! :cool:

[tdswan]

I was the same way....Did auto after auto until I didn't monitor my blade tention closely enough and had a boom strike. Haven't practiced an auto since. I do bring the throttle down and practice holding the headspeed on the way in, but I don't commit and touch it down anymore unless I have to.

[heli-cuzz]

For now on, one autorotation for every flite/tank of fuel for the rest of my heli-life. :cool:

[heli-cuzz]

Ok, I lied! I did four autos the other day during one tank. :D

This was my first vid of me autoing. The 50 comes down with ease. :)

Auto-Fun (http://media.putfile.com/Auto-Fun)

[AaronS]

Nice approach there, when you get a chance to see the difference between the 50 and the 90 in the auto performance you won't beleive it. The 90's will just hang there at the bottom, you have alot more time and it floats a lot longer.

[heli-cuzz]

Thanks, Aaron. I tried autoing the little brother the Caliber 30. Throttle hold was more like adding lead weights to the heli. I had to flip the switch before disater happened. :eek: Thought I was having a bad day until I auto'd the 50 again. I can't wait for the 90 size. This christmas :D Then I'll have a pod and boom heli of each class 30-50-90. That'll be a beautiful thing.

[superflyer]

That looks fun!

[superflyer]

now i understant what auto rotatiions are!

[Mr.HillBilly]

I just started messing with auto tonight. Neat stuff. All was going good untill about the 10 one. Boom Strike :( Bummer.

I was just doing hover autos but I was up to about 25' I am still way to chicken to try one in forward flight yet. :) I still feed too much pitch at the last sec. and getting a extra hop, but I was getting better till the boom strike.

Anyways I did not know if I have something set up wrong or not so I wanted to ask.

When I hit hold my heli does about a 1/4 turn to the right every time. I have a unpowered tail during a auto. Is that normal or did I miss something when I was setting up T. Hold?

[heli-cuzz]

I love autos, usually three or more every tank in my Caliber5. I don't recommend hovering as high as you said and trying to float it down. A little forward speed and a 45 degree angled descent and your blades will stay spooled as long as you're in the correct pitch range.

So you're saying you have no tail control when hitting Thold?

[cbflys]

What you're experiencing is probably due to you hitting throttle hold while the engine is outputing significant power, as in a hover. With an undriven tail, as soon as you hit throttle hold the power to the tail rotor goes away, an abrupt change in torque.

Try reducing the pitch to zero or even a little negative before hitting hold. You'll also want some forward speed so you get some weathervane effect from the tail feathers. Always do your autos into the wind (unless it wasn't your choice to do the auto in the first place).

[Mr.HillBilly]

On my Hawk the auto hub in on the main shaft that feeds into the drive gear. So the drive gear stops quick and the rotor spins until it is out of inertia. My tail is powered off of the main gear so I loose tail control almost instantly.

Probably in forward flight the tail might not kick like it does in the hover.

I will give it another try tomorrow. I got her back together again, but I am too tired to look for other damage tonight.

Is -4 enough or not enough? I am still a beginner but I wanted to try something new today.

[cbflys]

Somewhere between -2 and -4 degrees you should get a nice glide with good head speed. That's the sweet spot. With a little forward speed the autos are very uneventful. You just glide it in like an airplane, flare just above the ground to stop the forward speed, and just land it.

[Mr.HillBilly]

I will try that again tomorrow night. I do not want to take a chance on breaking something I do not have parts for since I have a day off coming. :D

I lucked out on that last crash, just a dented blade, a bent tail tube and fin.

[SirCrashalot]

HHHHhhhmmmmmmmm pancake heli's. . . . . .AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGG!

[Raptor3dPilot]

I remember my first and only full down auto...

I was just flying around and decided to flip the hold switch and see what happens from there. Well about 3/4 the way down I chickened out and flipped out of throttle hold and my engine quit on me (probably flooded it out when I paniced and went full collective) from there I knew I didn't have a choice and down she came. The helicopter was pretty frar away from me but I didn't have a choice. The next thing I knew it went behind this like 5' dirt hill and I just slowly added in collective. It dissapeared behind the hill and I ran towards it. By the time I got over to it, the blades were just about to stop and I was so stoked. What a blast... haven't attempted one since, but I've done a whole bunch on Phoenix so I'm ready to try one once I get my new heli up and running.

[DJB2.0]

I remember my first and only full down auto...

I was just flying around and decided to flip the hold switch and see what happens from there. Well about 3/4 the way down I chickened out and flipped out of throttle hold and my engine quit on me (probably flooded it out when I paniced and went full collective) from there I knew I didn't have a choice and down she came. The helicopter was pretty frar away from me but I didn't have a choice. The next thing I knew it went behind this like 5' dirt hill and I just slowly added in collective. It dissapeared behind the hill and I ran towards it. By the time I got over to it, the blades were just about to stop and I was so stoked. What a blast... haven't attempted one since, but I've done a whole bunch on Phoenix so I'm ready to try one once I get my new heli up and running.

$5 says you can't do it again, but this time with your eyes closed. And I want a 10' dirt hill, with some bushes on top.

[Raptor3dPilot]

lmao.. nope there's apartments there now where I used to fly! HAHA

I've definitely gotta try the inverted auto, through a pop up canopy, and land on a table one though!

Have you guys seen that video?