I guess I am playing Devil's Advocate here, but the thing is, and at the same time, as unfortunate as it is...yes, the people who have zero experience SHOULD be able to expect the computers to do all the work for them if that is what they want, if that is what is advertised (and in the manual). There is a consensus on here that the manual sucks and there has been lots of discussion on how to do things that are either not included in the manual or is different than what the manual states. However, not everyone accesses this forum. Is it the newby's fault that they have not looked for different resources, such as this forum, just because you, I, and everyone else on here does? I am not saying that the manual has to be complete for every possible situation. It is up to the pilot to use their brain, too. However, if the manual says that you can push a button, or flip a switch, and the H will do something, then that is exactly what it should do. Of course not everything is exact and technologies and what not do not always act like they are supposed to, but I do not think the tip overs that some of us have had, are necessarily a result of a failure of the technology, but rather a result of the manual being too vauge. Do I think my tip overs were a fault of the H? No, but I do think it is the fault of the manual.
Post Fly-Away apprehension
- Thread starter Skeets
- Start date
I guess I am playing Devil's Advocate here, but the thing is, and at the same time, as unfortunate as it is...yes, the people who have zero experience SHOULD be able to expect the computers to do all the work for them if that is what they want, if that is what is advertised (and in the manual). There is a consensus on here that the manual sucks and there has been lots of discussion on how to do things that are either not included in the manual or is different than what the manual states. However, not everyone accesses this forum. Is it the newby's fault that they have not looked for different resources, such as this forum, just because you, I, and everyone else on here does? I am not saying that the manual has to be complete for every possible situation. It is up to the pilot to use their brain, too. However, if the manual says that you can push a button, or flip a switch, and the H will do something, then that is exactly what it should do. Of course not everything is exact and technologies and what not do not always act like they are supposed to, but I do not think the tip overs that some of us have had, are necessarily a result of a failure of the technology, but rather a result of the manual being too vauge. Do I think my tip overs were a fault of the H? No, but I do think it is the fault of the manual.
PatR
Premium Pilot
I put a long post in the wrong thread...changed it to the following.
Over the last few years I've bought my wife several computers. She is not a tech friendly person. When turning them on she always complains the computers don't do what she wants them to do and the instructions suck. She finds them ambiguous and often incomprehensible. Suggestions to perform online searches for more detailed info has been fruitless since she does not want to expend more effort to learn more, she expects the computer to do everything for her, based on her definition of how they should work. Needless to say, she does not obtain anywhere close to the functionality she could have, as much of what the various functions can do remain a mystery to her. Of course that's the computer manufacturers fault for providing bad instructions. She refuses to blame herself for failing to learn more about them.
Over the last few years I've bought my wife several computers. She is not a tech friendly person. When turning them on she always complains the computers don't do what she wants them to do and the instructions suck. She finds them ambiguous and often incomprehensible. Suggestions to perform online searches for more detailed info has been fruitless since she does not want to expend more effort to learn more, she expects the computer to do everything for her, based on her definition of how they should work. Needless to say, she does not obtain anywhere close to the functionality she could have, as much of what the various functions can do remain a mystery to her. Of course that's the computer manufacturers fault for providing bad instructions. She refuses to blame herself for failing to learn more about them.
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In a way I do blame the industry for marketing to newbies. I understand why they are but at the same time it doesn't negate personal responsibility. The technology is getting there but its by no means foolproof. Marketing is jumping the gun a bit IMHO. Should a newbie assume they can take good video or photographs with no experience or training? Why should flying be any different? I wouldn't assume, but that's me. By the same token when did flight become routine? I think that's the rub. Automated systems will get you in the air but I think it's a bit much for a newbie to have blind faith in technology, no matter how it's marketed. Just how long do you have to be alive to realize that things break and don't always work as expected? One example was the Challenger disaster. Another might be taking a corner hard and your tire blows. Well that shouldn't have happened. Yup, but it does. And just think, cars have been around over 100 years and they still break and don't always work as intended, go figure.
IMHO I think at a minimum a newbie should ask themselves the question, what if things go wrong? Can I take control and pilot safely?
IMHO I think at a minimum a newbie should ask themselves the question, what if things go wrong? Can I take control and pilot safely?
You heli guys get to work pretty hard at it for sure. Aren't you glad they came up with gyros?I remember the early days of the Hirobo stuff long before gyros came about. The guys learning to fly them could spend 6 months and 15 gallons of fuel just learning to hover.
You got that right! I've had heli flights that my brain and you know what muscle hurt when I landed. I've also crashed my 600 and I cant tell you how bad that feels. Its one thing to crash a craft that you pull out of a box and fly and another thing when you build the craft from a kit, install all the electronics, program the ESC, flybarless unit, and an 8 channel radio, set the swash plate/blade pitch etc. It literally takes weeks of nights and weekends to get a heli in the air. When you hit the deck unexpectedly and you survey the destruction you are gutted!
PatR
Premium Pilot
An awful thing about heli flying; the crash is usually not over when they hit the dirt. It's not over until the flailing stops. Unfortunately multirotors can do similar if you're slow on the sticks.
Know what you mean about building and set up. I never did heli's but built fixed wing for what seems like forever. I still have three 35%+ gassers who's cost each exceed that of 6 H's. When you crashed all you could do was reflect on what you did wrong and build another, and try not to look at the gold plated trash bag in the corner.
Know what you mean about building and set up. I never did heli's but built fixed wing for what seems like forever. I still have three 35%+ gassers who's cost each exceed that of 6 H's. When you crashed all you could do was reflect on what you did wrong and build another, and try not to look at the gold plated trash bag in the corner.
Ive rebuilt my 600 3x now. Im not sure there is 1 part left from the original kit. This time it is being built up in a scale Jet Ranger fuselage. I was hoping to have it flying this summer yet but its looking like next summer will be its maiden. Im totally changing the electronics and im cheating this time around. I purchased a gyro/flybarless system with a bailout feature. I refuse to crash it in this fuselage that I have so much time and money invested!!!
That brings us back to the OP. S**t happens! Dust it off and learn from what happened. Its unfortunate that these drones are advertised as fool proof. They arent! Anyone in the aero-hobby will tell you that. Even a glorious flight can end in disaster. Even with the new bailout feature in my heli, I accept that it could go terribly wrong. Theres a point in this hobby that one has to decide if his nerves, patients, and checkbook can be a part of the hobby. Its not for everyone and I myself have almost "bailed" many times.
That brings us back to the OP. S**t happens! Dust it off and learn from what happened. Its unfortunate that these drones are advertised as fool proof. They arent! Anyone in the aero-hobby will tell you that. Even a glorious flight can end in disaster. Even with the new bailout feature in my heli, I accept that it could go terribly wrong. Theres a point in this hobby that one has to decide if his nerves, patients, and checkbook can be a part of the hobby. Its not for everyone and I myself have almost "bailed" many times.
PatR
Premium Pilot
Not sure which 600 you fly with that Jet Ranger fuse but I prefer scale flying with heli's. I appreciate the skill involved in 3D but I'm just not into that myself. I'm currently flying a kit built with a Hughes MD 500 fuse. I've been looking at those Hirobo nitro to electric conversions because to the way cool turbine like spool up. So yeah, a lot of nerves, patience, and money. I'll never forget the the old days when having a gyro was a luxury and just maintaining a hover and landing was a triumph. I can't count the number of boom strikes and broken blades I went through back in the day.Ive rebuilt my 600 3x now. Im not sure there is 1 part left from the original kit. This time it is being built up in a scale Jet Ranger fuselage. I was hoping to have it flying this summer yet but its looking like next summer will be its maiden. Im totally changing the electronics and im cheating this time around. I purchased a gyro/flybarless system with a bailout feature. I refuse to crash it in this fuselage that I have so much time and money invested!!!
That brings us back to the OP. S**t happens! Dust it off and learn from what happened. Its unfortunate that these drones are advertised as fool proof. They arent! Anyone in the aero-hobby will tell you that. Even a glorious flight can end in disaster. Even with the new bailout feature in my heli, I accept that it could go terribly wrong. Theres a point in this hobby that one has to decide if his nerves, patients, and checkbook can be a part of the hobby. Its not for everyone and I myself have almost "bailed" many times.
IMHO it's sort of unfortunate for new fliers not to go through pain and frustration which sort of forced you to learn about the importance of patience, CG, balance, swash leveling, etc. You're right, its definitely not for everyone. I was initially in the, "fly first ask questions later" group (youth I guess) but I matured and learned. Spending more time on the ground than in the air will do that to ya.
Of course S**t happens. I do not expect not ever to crash. I have crashed my helis and planes plenty of times and like I said before, every single one of those crashes were my fault and not one of them were due to a component failure. However, there is a difference. I don't fly above people and if I crash a heli or a plane, chances are it is going to come relatively straight down, or close to it. It hurts the pride and it hurts the wallet, but that is pretty much it. But in the case of a GPS loss fly away with a drone, there is no telling where it might go or what/who it might hit. I am capable of flying without GPS, but I don't think I would have been able to do anything in the case of my fly away. It happened too fast and it dropped out of my view. I hate to think what could have happened if GPS was not regained. Does that mean I am not going to fly it again? Absolutely not. The odds of it happening again are pretty low and I'm not going to quit because of the slight possibility, but that doesn't mean Im not going to be somewhat apprehensive at first.
PatR
Premium Pilot
Skeets,
Go fly it, that's the only way you'll get over it. I had the same apprehensions that would not go away until it was put in the air again. Of course it was done in baby steps, expanding the envelope a little at a time until I was satisfied all was well. Perhaps always having the question in our minds of "what could go wrong" is a good thing. We don't become complacent that way.
Go fly it, that's the only way you'll get over it. I had the same apprehensions that would not go away until it was put in the air again. Of course it was done in baby steps, expanding the envelope a little at a time until I was satisfied all was well. Perhaps always having the question in our minds of "what could go wrong" is a good thing. We don't become complacent that way.
I went to fly at the same place today where my H fell out of the sky 2 months ago and I was very very nervous during the flight and really relieved once I landed There was not really a reason for me to be nervous, highly aware of voltage level during the entire flight. Quite a bit of wind though.
There is a lot of metal and cement stuff in the area which makes it interesting to fly and film there but at the same time could be ¨bad influence¨
Glad I had the courage to fly there today and very glad it went really well
There was not really a reason for me to be nervous, highly aware of voltage level during the entire flight. Quite a bit of wind though. There is a lot of metal and cement stuff in the area which makes it interesting to fly and film there but at the same time could be ¨bad influence¨
Glad I had the courage to fly there today and very glad it went really well
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