Has GPS dumbed down this hobby?

[bensid54]

Horses for courses Bensid, heli's are really quite simple and parts fairly cheap, for say a 450. and its all done with just one motor and ESC. my views are biased though.

I'm not trying to be cheeky or disrespectful Bowley but that statement tells me you may not have a lot of experience at RC helicopters or you have done them so long and so often that you could rebuild them in your sleep. I myself have done my own machining and parts making on RC helis and they have many conditions that are required to make them operate properly unless your talking about micro helis like the MSR.

 

[CameraGuy]

The funny thing is that this is just like flying real Helicopters, in the good old days I used to chug around in un goverened fully manual machines all the time. Now hardly any one gets to fly an un goverened old bird. The fact is that technology does make life easier, and you can't escape the fact that in most cases the technology ( IMU / AHRS / GPS etc.) does stuff better than us mere mortals. Just look at airbus, most of those pilots hate the lack of control / computer interventions that AB they are famous for, but it still works and will continue to be used.

I did a flight simulator experience about 5 years or so ago. It was in a professional simulator that they use to train pilots in airlines. I learned then that all the new jets fly themselves. The Pilot and co-pilot of these big jets pretty much just taxi the aircraft to the beginning of the runway, and then back to the gate. Landing, take off, and the flight is all computer controlled. The pilot is there in case everything shuts down.

At first, I wondered if this made me feel safer or less safe. Then I learned there are airports, and flight conditions where without the computer, the flights could not be made. Yep, I felt safer.

I have been in RC for about 3 years, and the GPS and IMU and RTH have been good things. It allows me to relax, take some nice video or pictures and enjoy my time in the air.

I don't need to be a manual pilot to enjoy this hobby.

D

 

[bensid54]

I think I can see your point Camera guy, for me manual flight was a struggle I had with RC helicopters and my skills were limited to doing fast figure eights on a good day. I can see where this hobby will open up a new realm of RC enjoyment and learning that was not available to us some short years ago. I myself plan on staying long enough to get the full measure of enjoyment out of this hobby.