Stability experiment

[TW]

When I first started learning to hover my Piccolo I added short lengths of copper pipe to the outer ends of the flybar paddles (thanks again to everybody for this, and much more, advice). This simple mod made all the difference, as with the weights fitted I could begin to learn to fly my bird, whereas without them the Piccolo was much too lively for me to “keep up with”.

Last night I decided to remove the two pieces of pipe as they had started to look unsightly – and in any case, I’ve got my own version of the Bic mod fitted now, and that also made a dramatic improvement to stability too.

Having removed the weights I throttled up and took off – to find I’m flying a very lively beast. What a difference removing the weights made. Response to my inputs were obeyed immediately and in large doses compared with how it was flying with the weights in place.

Just to make sure that it was the lack of paddle weights that had caused the “twitchiness” to return (and also to make sure that there wasn’t something else coincidentally “going wrong”) I slipped a pair of identical, giant-size, paper clips over the flybar close to the paddles . . . . stability was instantly restored.

I couldn’t help removing the paperclips and then replacing them time after time, just to marvel at the difference a small amount of weight makes to the stability of our favourite little heli. Try it yourself, the difference is amazing (to me at least).

Finding the heli just a little too quick for me to fly without the extra paddle weights, I’ve put a couple of turns of electricians’ insulation tape around the paddles. This looks much better than the lengths of pipe did and it re-stabilises the heli - but to a slightly lesser degree than the pipes did. This “tape” mod also gives me the option of gradually removing the “stabiliser” over a period of days, so I can get used to flying without the stabiliser - gradually.

Tony.

Hi
I know what you mean..
I have put this soft welding wire (15 rounds) at the end of each side of the flybar rod and I can hoover 10 sec. hands free

Tony,

If your radio supports it, try adding in some negative exponential when flying your Piccolo without the extra weight. I found that this greatly reduces the 'twitchiness' of the Piccolo, while still allowing you the full range of motion when you need it..

-- Tom

[TW]

Thanks for the advice re exponential. I'm flying my Piccolo on an old 6-channel Futaba Skysport (that's all it needs really).

I have tried it on my FF8, and did dial some exponential in, to "calm it down" around stick centres . . . . but I just didn't like it and went back to the Skysport.

Perhaps I need to sort out a de-stabilising problem I have in the Piccolo before I move to the more "advanced" set-ups (my centre hub is carrying an unreliable repair until a new one arrives).

Thanks again,

Tony.

Tom,

Be careful with exponential because what is negative on one tx is positive on another! On my JR 3810 (8103 in the US) exponential is positive if you want to soften the response at centre stick. I think Futaba may be the opposite.

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Robert Lee

Carbon fibre Piccolo blades - http://uk.geocities.com/robert_lee_uk_2000/