A Minor Revelation

I generally use the AP channels for all the trivial stuff where I can plan all the moves several seconds in advance, like flying between waypoints,

So... the reason I don't use ALT hold channel is because if you're flying anywhere near the limit of the rotor blades, and that AP channel decides it wants more blade pitch to maintain elevation it will kill you. I used to get quite frustrated with the rotor blades before I learned that if I just turn off ALT hold they will stop "randomly touching tips". Now it only does it when I accidentally tell it to :).

So... especially when flying from one RP to another... Don't use the ALT hold :). If you're close to the AO and slow down a bit and are assessing the situation then it's OK to use... Or if you insist on a cap of 250 speed instead of say 300 or so... then it's OK to use. With it off however... you can get from point "A" to point "B" much quicker.

Or if you insist on a cap of 250 speed instead of say 300

I'm pretty sure (but I could be wrong) that the force of a wind on a body (wind resistance) varies with the cube of the velocity.

Which is why aircrafts' 'cruise' velocity isn't the same as it's maximum speed.

If I am right, then by racing everywhere at 300km/h rather than 250km/h you're increasing the wind resistance by 70% & so - as well as constantly risking blade clash - significantly reducing the range available from your fuel or the loiter time when you get where you're going.

So... the reason I don't use ALT hold channel is because if you're flying anywhere near the limit of the rotor blades, and that AP channel decides it wants more blade pitch to maintain elevation it will kill you. I used to get quite frustrated with the rotor blades before I learned that if I just turn off ALT hold they will stop "randomly touching tips". Now it only does it when I accidentally tell it to :).

 

So... especially when flying from one RP to another... Don't use the ALT hold :). If you're close to the AO and slow down a bit and are assessing the situation then it's OK to use... Or if you insist on a cap of 250 speed instead of say 300 or so... then it's OK to use. With it off however... you can get from point "A" to point "B" much quicker.

Huh interesting. I've never experience having the rotors clash, no matter how fast I'm going. I only experience it when doing really sudden movements while going fast or making extremely violent combat manoeuvres. The ALT AP usually makes really smooth inputs and have never caused a blade clash for me.

If you are worried about it making clashes though, you can just use the barometric altitude hold which will stop it from making any input changes while keeping you level. Of course that means you will have to avoid obstacles manually, but that would cause a rotor clash for you, same as the autopilot would so I don't see a difference there. ^^