Lesson 8: Figure 8 in Forward Flight

Now that you have mastered the circle around, lets try a figure 8. Now, while flying the figure 8 you will notice that in some sections of the figure 8 you are nose in.

Hense, your controls are reversed. This is easier to handle while in forward flight, than in a nose in hover, but beware, and do not give it the wrong stick.

Remember the pattern of the figure 8 hover? Lets do this again.

                   6           2
                  7         1/5        3
                   8           4
                     YOU  

Now, on this your circles are going to be much larger, and you are going to be moving throughout the figure 8 faster than your hover. Something else you will have to do is use your tail rotor control for cordinated turns.

After a few loops you will get the hang of which control to give in what situation.

Bring your helicopter to a 3-5 foot hover, then move into forward flight from point 1 towards point 2. Then simply follow the numbers, until you have completed the figure 8. When it is all done, do it again. Each time, make the figure 8 larger, and higher.

This again will give you the ability to determine what your helicopter is doing at a distance.

After the figure 8 in forward flight, you should be able to fly around at your liesure doing what ever you wish. What fun!