Throttle control - The Handstand Hover

[MeerCaT]

Its not a problem for everyone but I doubt I was alone (esspecially among fellow rotorheads) in having a little difficulty with brain-to-hand coordination for throttle control in a hover (jetbourne flight).

It is just so ingrained and natural to pull 'up' (back on the throttle) to go up, as is the case in a helicopter; but not the case here in the Harrier.

 

So, I just wanted to share a very quick tip that has helped me focus my mind in the right way.

It is simply this:

Consider your throttle hand as being pressed palm-down against the floor, as if doing a push-up or handstand.

Now it becomes perfectly natural within the mind to 'push' or 'pull' pressure on the throttle appropriately in order to 'push up' or 'pull down' the aircraft, as desired.

 

10 years in virtual helicopters has worn a deep groove in my mind (right hand up to go up, and down to go down), which is a little tricky to overcome but this idea of pushing/pulling on the ground (rather than the aircraft) has really helped me.

Let me know if you have any other/better ideas.

[Fri13]

My attitude was that, as my throttle is permamentally set 45 degree vertical, so I always push/pull throttle like collective.

 

With fighters it is easy, Forward = More Speed / Faster / More power and Backward = Less speed / Slower / less power.

With helicopters it is as well easy, Down = Get down and Up = Get Up.

With Harrier I didn't have any problems as for me it is "More Power" and "Less Power" attitude when in V/TOL.

 

But if I would be need to fly helicopter having throttle on the table, it would be slight difficulty even when back = higher and front = lower. Once the throttle is set vertically, it just becomes natural thing to fly helicopters for beginners even as they pull the collective up if they approach ground too quickly.

 

This physical positioning of the throttle/collective makes a HUGE different how to fly.

 

And if I would need to use a single joystick with slider in it to fly anything, it is more problematic to do anything as the controls setup is just completely wrong.