A Little Something About My Oreintation Issue..

[DJayI]

In the beginning of my radio controlled fixed-wing aircraft days, nose-in orientation was an issue.
A flying buddy gave me the key to that saying, "if you want to level the aircraft, don't think bank left or bank right, simply push the roll stick towards the low wing and the wing will move towards level". This worked instantly for me to resolve nose-in orientation issues. Then came my dive in to Helis, where other than tail rotor(yaw), the same key worked, since a heli's rotor is a flying disk who's angle can be observed, like a fixed wing. With drones I don't have issues with roll or pitch, but sometimes yaw can confuse me nose-in. Today I started trying to teach myself to disregard right/left again, choosing instead to adopt the terms clockwise and counterclockwise, since these are the same no matter the AC's orientation.
Other than more stick time, anyone have suggestions for this?

 

[vindibona1]

Can you please explain the term "nose-in". As one who does not fly fixed wing, it would seem to me that if you have a low wing and wanted to level the aircraft you'd push the stick to the high wing. Obviously I'm missing something and I think the term is the missing piece of information for me as I can't figure out how one might apply it to quads.

 

[DJayI]

Nose-in is a heli term, means heli is facing its nose at the pilot. For fixed wing I use it to describe when the plane is heading towards the pilot, same for the drones. When the plane is heading away, sticks line up with natural orientation, pushing roll stick left produces left roll(bank), pushing roll stick right produces right roll. However, when the plane is returning, pushing the roll stick to the left, the plane still rolls to its left, but because the plane is now facing the pilot, pushing roll stick left will appear to roll the plane right, as viewed from the pilot's position.

Yaw on the drone will have similar effect and seem reversed when nose-in. I did have success with the terms clockwise and counter-clockwise, but thought someone may have a better tip.
Thanks for replying.

 

[Rich QR]

In the beginning of my radio controlled fixed-wing aircraft days, nose-in orientation was an issue.
A flying buddy gave me the key to that saying, "if you want to level the aircraft, don't think bank left or bank right, simply push the roll stick towards the low wing and the wing will move towards level". This worked instantly for me to resolve nose-in orientation issues. Then came my dive in to Helis, where other than tail rotor(yaw), the same key worked, since a heli's rotor is a flying disk who's angle can be observed, like a fixed wing. With drones I don't have issues with roll or pitch, but sometimes yaw can confuse me nose-in. Today I started trying to teach myself to disregard right/left again, choosing instead to adopt the terms clockwise and counterclockwise, since these are the same no matter the AC's orientation.
Other than more stick time, anyone have suggestions for this?

Always think of the yaw stick as pushing the part of the aircraft that is away from you. When the nose is away from you, yaw left pushes the nose to your left. When the tail is away from you, yaw left pushes the tail to the left. It also works when you're looking at the side of the aircraft.

 

[Paul B]

I always imagine myself in the pilot's seat facing the front, so I'm always facing the way the quad is going. Works for me!

 

[EricJT]

I have found that thinking about it logically works until I get into a tight situation where I start panicking and all logic goes out the window, possibly along with my AC.

Fortunately, unlike when I flew RC planes years ago, with my drones I just let go of the sticks and the ACs hover....then I can think through the orientation situation.

Over time, after hours of flying, your muscle memory should improve. I never learned proper typing techniques, but after 35+ years of using a computer keyboard, my fingers are moving to the next letter without really thinking about it.

 

[DJayI]

I have found that thinking about it logically works until I get into a tight situation where I start panicking and all logic goes out the window, possibly along with my AC.

Fortunately, unlike when I flew RC planes years ago, with my drones I just let go of the sticks and the ACs hover....then I can think through the orientation situation.

Over time, after hours of flying, your muscle memory should improve. I never learned proper typing techniques, but after 35+ years of using a computer keyboard, my fingers are moving to the next letter without really thinking about it.

Yes, like you say, it is all OK until you are between a tree and a whole forest's worth of other obstacles. So far I am getting more used to the CW/CCW method now, having to spend less and less time thinking before acting. I would learn even faster if the Mini 2 was only $69.99.? While I have a cheap toy drone, have not found it that helpful due to other constraints.
I have also found CC/CCW method helping me when flying through camera's view.

I agree that with the Mini 2 just letting go of the sticks will bring you to level and stop, however, she may not always stop in time.
Was much the same with a properly setup high-wing trainer plane with lots of dihedral in the wing, let go of sticks and she will level off in all directions, though unlike the Mini 2, stopping was not a part of that....well...except for the ground.

Thanks to all for the replies here. I appreciate it.