Specifications

Chapter 24. Tweaking Helicopter Twitchiness
As a beginner, you may find that your helicopter is much too twitchy to comfortably learn hov-
ering. Here are some tips to reduce the cyclic sensitivity and make hovering easier:
(Note that you can reverse any of these actions to increase the cyclic sensitivity for aerobatics
later when you're ready, e.g. increase headspeed, increase swashplate mixing, decrease ex-
ponential, lighten the flybar paddles, etc.)
24.1. Reduce the headspeed (CP helis only)
Reducing the headspeed is good for multiple reasons; it gives longer flight times, and reduces
damage if a crash occurs. Most non-micro helis are comfortably flyable down to about 1400
rpm of headspeed. Be sure to leave enough "climb-out" so you can correct a bad mistake.
24.2. Reduce the swashplate mixing
You can reduce the aileron/elevator mixing percentages in the swashplate mixing menu of
your transmitter to reduce the amount of cyclic throw. Probably 10-20% of the total is the most
you can safely reduce without losing too much cyclic control. Be sure to leave enough cyclic so
you can correct a bad mistake.
24.3. Increase exponential on aileron/elevator
This will decrease the cyclic sensitivity around the stick center while still giving you full move-
ment at the periphery of stick movement. Don't forget that increasing exponential is a larger
negative number for Futaba/Hitec radios and a larger positive number for JR radios. For other
manufacturers please consult your owner's guide.
24.4. Add flybar weights
You can slide a shaft collar onto both sides of the flybar. The shaft collars can be slid in or out
from the head to adjust the cyclic sensitivity.
As the shaft collars are slid away from the head, this increases the inertia of the flybar and
makes the cyclic less sensitive. Make sure the shaft collars are at the same distance from the
center of the head to avoid unbalancing the flybar.
As you gain proficiency at hovering, you should gradually move the flybar weights inwards to-
wards the head and eventually remove them. When you can hover without the flybar weights,
you are ready for forward flight.
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