I don't calibrate the compass unless I see a problem or get a consistent warning.Hi, I know it doesn't hurt to perform compass calibration often - BUT - if the H flies rock steady even after havn't been in the air for 5-6 month and moved 150km North/South...would you then calibrate the compass?
Steve and Ty, your answers was just what I wanted to hear...This may sound crazy, or lucky - I have never updated my H - AND, I have only calibrated the compass once which; was right after I bought it - it has been rock solid for a year and almost four months now. I will say that all of my flying has been within about 30 miles. Like Steve, if I ever were to get a warning or suspect a problem I would recalibrate.
True, PatR. I always start a flight to hover at 4-5m for 10sec and perform two "360" turns (clockwise /aniticlockwise) to check stability before I go ahead.Unless I’m doing a long distance travel I don’t mess with anything that’s working well.
The aircraft will tell you what it needs either with a pop up message or by displaying some level of instability in flight. A wise person will launch into a hover and check control responses before heading off into the wild blue yonder. That hover is your opportunity to observe the state of the system.
Hmm. I've read the other responses in this thread and they are fair comment. However, IMHO, if my aircraft hadn't been flown for 5 or 6 months I think I would calibrate the compass. After all, it only takes a minute to do. Relocating North/South by 150Km on the other hand will not necessitate a compass calibration...only a East/West relocation will necessitate a compass calibration.Hi, I know it doesn't hurt to perform compass calibration often - BUT - if the H flies rock steady even after havn't been in the air for 5-6 month and moved 150km North/South...would you then calibrate the compass?
Thanx Flush Vision! Agree!Hmm. I've read the other responses in this thread and they are fair comment. However, IMHO, if my aircraft hadn't been flown for 5 or 6 months I think I would calibrate the compass. After all, it only takes a minute to do. Relocating North/South by 150Km on the other hand will not necessitate a compass calibration...only a East/West relocation will necessitate a compass calibration.
Many people say that compass calibration done often isn't a bad thing. Maybe so, but doing them too often could allow in a bad calibration and do more harm than good. Like I say, if it were me, then a calibration after 5 or 6 months on the ground is good. Every flight then no.
Hmm. I've read the other responses in this thread and they are fair comment. However, IMHO, if my aircraft hadn't been flown for 5 or 6 months I think I would calibrate the compass. After all, it only takes a minute to do. Relocating North/South by 150Km on the other hand will not necessitate a compass calibration...only a East/West relocation will necessitate a compass calibration.
Many people say that compass calibration done often isn't a bad thing. Maybe so, but doing them too often could allow in a bad calibration and do more harm than good. Like I say, if it were me, then a calibration after 5 or 6 months on the ground is good. Every flight then no.
Yes, I agree. If you know that the aircraft hasn't come under the influence of a magnetic field during the six month period then it should perform just as well as the time when it was laid up and don't calibrate the compass unless it behaves strangely or the controller says to calibrate. So a factor in the decision to calibrate after a long period on the ground would be how it has been stored during that period I would think?As one that had let a pair of H’s sit unused for close to 8 months with no ill effect on the compass for either one the desire to re-calibrate may be one more for a sense of “feel good” than one of necessity. Of course performing a new calibration will certainly assure it is correct if it’s done properly but I don’t know the effort is one that should be mandatory.
I can understand establishing a mandatory calibration cycle for commercial ops but for recreational stuff, not so much.