Pitch Curves

sneezy007

Active Member
Hey Tony,

I would like to see a video on pitch curves. It would be great to see an explanation on pitch curves and demo on how you use the pitch gauge and radio to get the percentages on the radio. I've read many articles on this and found a few videos but still doesn't make sense to me.

Thanks.
 

Tony

Staff member
What about it doesn't make sense? I will see what I can come up with, but there is no set number in the Tx that relates to actual pitch on the blades. My curve for normal is usually 46 48 50 75 100 so that normal doesn't have full negative pitch when I land, but has just enough to keep it on the ground. The other two modes are full linear.
 

Geena

Staff member
I set all of my pitch curves to linear, but I always auto rotate when I land. When I set up a helicopter for someone who is just getting started, I set up normal mode so that the pitch curve is 40%, 45%, 50%,75%, 100%. Stunt 1 and 2 are linear curves. I set the collective pitch to 12 degrees positive and 12 degrees negative. Doing that, gives about 2.5 degrees of negative pitch in normal mode. I also enable pitch expo (if the transmitter supports it). Doing this will make takeoffs, and landing under power much easier. It also makes collective inputs while flying, feel less twitchy and uncontrolled.
 

sneezy007

Active Member
What about it doesn't make sense? I will see what I can come up with, but there is no set number in the Tx that relates to actual pitch on the blades. My curve for normal is usually 46 48 50 75 100 so that normal doesn't have full negative pitch when I land, but has just enough to keep it on the ground. The other two modes are full linear.

That's what doesn't make any sense to me at all. How did you come up with 46, 48, 50, 75, 100?
I understand how to use a pitch gauge but I can't transfer this to the radio?
 

sneezy007

Active Member
I set all of my pitch curves to linear, but I always auto rotate when I land. When I set up a helicopter for someone who is just getting started, I set up normal mode so that the pitch curve is 40%, 45%, 50%,75%, 100%. Stunt 1 and 2 are linear curves. I set the collective pitch to 12 degrees positive and 12 degrees negative. Doing that, gives about 2.5 degrees of negative pitch in normal mode. I also enable pitch expo (if the transmitter supports it). Doing this will make takeoffs, and landing under power much easier. It also makes collective inputs while flying, feel less twitchy and uncontrolled.

I haven't even tried auto rotating yet. I've just started practising on the sim. How did you come up with these numbers on your radio?

Thanks Geena,
Dino
 

Tony

Staff member
The way I do it as do most is we set it up where 50% stick is 0º pitch on the blades. This way, we will have equal amount of pitch both positive and negative. If you are running 10º of total collective pitch, 0% would be 10º, 50% would be 0º, 25% would be 5º and so on. You can take it so that 37.5% will equal 2.5º of pitch which is where the numbers that I used come into play. I'm right around 1º of negative pitch at low stick in normal mode. With Geenas curves, she is closer to 2º of negative pitch. Hope this makes sense.
 

callsign4223

Staff member
To add to what Tony and Geena have said. The purpose of the negative pitch in normal mode is so that you can get the bird down in the wind. Even with 0 pitch a headwind will cause the bird to rise. You need negative pitch to get the heli to actually come down in the wind. The first time I set mine up I didn't include a sufficient amount of negative pitch and it was difficult getting it back on the ground safely.
 

sneezy007

Active Member
The way I do it as do most is we set it up where 50% stick is 0º pitch on the blades. This way, we will have equal amount of pitch both positive and negative. If you are running 10º of total collective pitch, 0% would be 10º, 50% would be 0º, 25% would be 5º and so on. You can take it so that 37.5% will equal 2.5º of pitch which is where the numbers that I used come into play. I'm right around 1º of negative pitch at low stick in normal mode. With Geenas curves, she is closer to 2º of negative pitch. Hope this makes sense.

Ok this is starting to make a bit of sense. Correct me if I'm wrong, do you have the pitch gauge on the blade as you are putting in these numbers in the pitch curve on the radio? Does the pitch of the blade change as you change the numbers in your radio?
 

Tony

Staff member
If you are at the point in the curve where you are changing the number, then yes, the pitch of the blades will change. But if you are at 50% and you are changing 25%, you will see nothing move. But no, you don't need the gauge on the blades to adjust the numbers in the Tx. Just know that 50% is going to be 0º pitch, always. 100% is going to be your full pitch (usually 10º to start out) always. But under 50%, as I stated it will be 46 48 50 whereas Geena will use 40 45 50. Same result, but she gets a little more negative pitch at low stick.
 

Geena

Staff member
I haven't even tried auto rotating yet. I've just started practising on the sim. How did you come up with these numbers on your radio?

Thanks Geena,
Dino
Keep practicing autos on the simulator, because it is a skill that you WILL need one day. Especially if you ever decide to get into nitro.
 
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