Pitch Curve Set Up:
It is important that you build your model exactly the way we describe in this manual. Make sure all your linkage rods are
exactly the length determined in the manual included with your helicopter kit.
First, go to the pitch curve menu in your radio for Idle up 1, or Stunt mode 1. You’ll see numbers, a graph, or both. There
will generally be 5 points you can adjust. You’ll have to imagine the points (1,2,3,4,5) as representing points on the
collective stick, where point 1 represents full bottom stick, and 5 represents full top stick. Obviously that makes point 3
center stick and that’s where we start.
Ensure that point 3 on the pitch curve (center stick) to equal 50% of the swashplate’s up and down travel, meaning the
in the middle of it’s available travel. So, turn on your transmitter, and receiver, flip the flight mode switch to idle-up 1 or
Stunt mode, and scroll to the pitch curve menu. Now place the left stick in the center.
Use a pitch gauge to ensure that there is 0 degrees pitch on both rotor blades and that the mixing arms, and washout
arms are perpendicular to the mainshaft. If any of this is untrue, you’ll need to make it so, by adjusting slightly the length
of the pushrods.
Now that you’ve got 0 degrees at center stick, and point 3 on the pitch curve has a value of 50% (don’t deviate here!) We
can adjust the pitch at full top and bottom collective stick positions. Generally we want to have the same amount of pitch
on the bottom stick position as we do on the top stick position in idle up or stunt mode. That means positive 10 degrees
on top stick, and negative 10 degrees on bottom stick (some pilots are now using more pitch 12, 13 or even 14 degrees,
but most people find 10 degrees to be an acceptable initial setting to learn 3D flying).
With the transmitter still in idle up, or stunt mode place the collective stick at the top of it’s travel, and take a reading of
the pitch gauge and remember that number. It should be a positive pitch value and 10 degrees is a good place to start.
Now place the collective stick at the full bottom of it’s travel. It should be a negative pitch value and again -10 degrees
is a good place to start. If the value is not close to 10 degrees then making it so is a simple adjustment of the swash mix
function in your transmitter. In this menu, “swash mix” or “swash AFR”, there are three options. Elevator, Aileron, and
Pitch. Adjusting the pitch value, adjusts the total up and down travel of the swashplate. Making the number higher gives
you a greater pitch range, and making the number lower gives you a smaller pitch range.
If you find that at full top stick, you get a negative pitch value, and at bottom stick you get a positive pitch value, you
would go back to that “swash mix” menu, and make the value the opposite, Meaning if it was 60%, make the number
–60%. That will change the direction of the swash travel.
Now, You’ll notice that your pitch “curve” isn’t really a curve at all, it’s a straight line. You can adjust this if you wish by
changing points 2 and 4. Right now, point 2 is 25%, and point 4 is 75%. You can change those values and it will affect
how “jumpy” or responsive the collective is. Usually leaving it a straight line is best until you really get the “feel” for 3D
flying.
If you’re a beginner chances are you’ll want to fly your model around in “normal” mode. Normal mode means that at full
bottom stick the engine is at idle and the blades are not turning. You also don’t have any need for there to be negative 10
degrees of pitch, usually more like -4 degrees is best.
This can easily be achieved by raising points 1 and 2. Scroll in the transmitter menu to pitch curve for normal mode, and
increase point 1 from 0% to about 35%, and then you can usually inhibit point 2, so it makes a straight line from point 1
to point 3, which should still be 50%.
The Pitch Curve for throttle should usually look real similar to stunt mode. Throttle hold is generally used for performing
autorotations.
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