Wierd Flight Characteristics!!

[strat1960s]

I was out flying my Rex 600E this past Sunday. It was a beautiful day, clear skies about 76 degrees and almost no wind. I was hovering around 20-30 feet and the helicopter dropped like a rock. I increased pitch and the heli seemed to fall even faster. The heli began to slow down just before the skids smacked the ground. This happened more than once. I remember reading about vortices (the doughnut shaped air mass that forms around the heli causing the main rotors to lose their lift). I must have read the article 4 or 5 times, but I don't recall anything about how to fly out of them. I tried giving the heli some inputs to try flying out of the vortices (or is it vortex) with no visible results. About the only thing that prevented my heli from smacking the ground was the occasional breeze. Is there a way to fly out of these vortices? I've only really noticed this problem on the remarkably calm days which are far and few in between. I always thought flying on a calm day was supposed to be a good time.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Ted Schubert

[gouki74]

i have never had that happen to me. not because i don't believe in the vortices(?) but it's probably because i don't fly as often as most flyers :) maybe if the heli was at about a 45degree angle with maximum pitch and throttle the heli can escape them vortices (?) whatchatink?

[heli-cuzz]

I've never had any troubles or even seen what you're describing.
Does the term vortices/vortex apply to rc helis or is it a full scale thing?


How many flights on the machine?
Worn out electronics could be the cause.

[cbflys]

When you decend straight down, you can get caught in your own downwash. It's never a good idea to decend straight down from any signficant altitude. When the heli gets close to the ground, the downwash is disturbed and will actually create a cushion of air (ground effect). This is probably what you experienced.

[strat1960s]

Helicuz,

I probably have over 100 flights. It only happens when I'm hovering higher than 10 feet on a very calm day.
I always perform a pre/post flight inspection on mechanical and electrical components, re-torque nuts, bolts and screws and then clean and lube the shafts (all two of them). I've not even had the heli a year so I'm leaning away from the electronics going goofy on me already.

Ted

[strat1960s]

CB,

That is exactly what happened. Thank you for explaining this to me. Now I know what not to do.

Ted :)

[blax1]

CB,

That is exactly what happened. Thank you for explaining this to me. Now I know what not to do.

Ted :)
Ive noticed a similar phenomenon with the Avant, pitch pumping up and down in a hover, sometimes, just sometimes a LOT more positive collective is required, to get her to climb back up, probably due to what Chuck just described