GM1
Elite Veteran
Location: Tallahassee, Florida US
| Slightly differentMy F3C models have -8 to +12 available in every condition. The 9Z has a top and bottom pitch limit in the pitch curve screen and I use that to limit the top end pitch and bottom end pitch according to my needs for that flight condition. The difference between using this function and % in the pitch curve is that I still have 100% of my pitch resolution left in every condition, going from 0% to 100%, so I can fine tune each one versus limiting the volume using % in the pitch curves where I might go from 30% to 80% and I would only be using 50% of the available resolution. In normal (hovering) condition I use a pitch volume control on a knob so I can steepen the collective curve on windy days and close it down on calm days and in other conditions I have top end pitch only on a slider so if I am making a little more or less power that day I can still get the motor to load (or unload) correctly. An example, in normal 100% collective is 10 degrees, in idle1 100% collective is 11 1/2 degrees, in idle 2 100% collective is 9 degrees, in hold 100% collective is 12 degrees, so each one can be a little different and I still can go all the way from 0% to 100% in every condition for my best possible resolution.
I adjust the top and bottom to get the "feel" I want when hovering. If the model is jumpy, I raise the bottom and lower the top limits, If it is sluggish, I raise the top and lower the bottom limits. With a little practice, you can get exactly what you want and it may not be the same as mine or anyone elses. I hovered Wayne Mann's model recently and it was VERY soft both cyclically and collectively compared to mine but he hovers it great. If I tried to set mine up that soft, I would be behind it all the time so I run a more aggressive setup. Now I have never hovered Curtis' model, due to the unique single stick radio configuration and the fact he never offered to let me try it , but by observation, his model is even more aggressive than mine. So set the feel to suit yourself and you may find that as your skills improve, you can turn things down and make the model really smooth and silky.
As an aside, I use 5 idle ups to allow for special conditions for unusual maneuvers like Idle 2 is only for rolls. It has 100% aileron, 40 % elevator and 30% rudder to keep me from "leaning" on something else accidentally and screwing the whole maneuver up. In idle 4, I do the pushover, cobra roll, and pullover. It has a massive amount of elevator, moderate aileron, and just enough rudder to do a 4 second pirouette, all with huge amounts of expo so I can snap into the hover but have a soft stick to hold the hover while pirouetting. The whole thing is a compromise to get max performance with minimum work for the pilot.
Gordie
On a dog sled team, if you're not the lead dog, the view never changes. |
