jack

I was going to go walking with Becky and people yesterday. I got a rucksack ready the night before with water, crisps, map, cups, doodling paper, but on my way to the station -- setting off 40 minutes before the train -- my bike chain snapped. Doh!

OTOH, I was a bit tired, so maybe it was best that I had some recovery time instead of a walk half way from Ely. I went a little walk myself for a couple of hours because the weather was so nice, and spent most of it on the phone to mum, which was lovely.

Last night sonic, mobbsy, ceb and ian, Becky and ewx came round to play with the helicopter. It was spontaneous but very jolly. We opened some of the wine I had left -- we found some nice champagne I don't know where from -- and that people brought, and some of Mobbsy's remaining walking snacks.

I feel good, for threee nights in a row I've been out with friends without any worries, it's been uplifting. It was good company, thanks for coming! Though I need to get some more stuff done today.

Everyone got the hang of flying, though because it is very tricky to even take off and land without munging something, I had to annoy everyone by lecturing them before they began, and everyone landed awkwardly nearly as much as I first did. But "oohs" were had by all.

Helicopter flying algorithm:

1. Read step 3 first.

2. Take off swiftly, smoothly and carefully. Increase the thrust to about half was smartly and then lift slowly from there until the helicopter lifts. If you don't get it going quickly and then straight off the ground the thrust will tend to tip it over.

3. Land. From low down just lower the thrust until it drops. When it's just at the floor remove the thrust entirely. The motors will keep going for a moment, which gets it down, and if you hold or increase the thrust it'll bounce and probably tip. (From high up drop the thrust until it drops, then increase again to stop it falling. It will probably be near or on the ground now, so take it off again, else see landing from low down.)

4. Check trim. A knob on the controller adjusts its tendency to turn left or right while hovering. Rise and land and see if it turns one way. If so adjust the knob to compensate. If you can hover you can adjust the trim in the air until it doesn't turn, though even when it's perfectly balanced it will go left or right as you go up/down/forward/back, an you have to be ready to compensate for this slightly.

5. Manouvering First take off. Then:

(a) Rise to desired height (beginners about 2-3 ft high).
(b) Turn left or right to face target. If your height destablises return to (a).
(c) Move forward slowly. If you bearing or height destabalise, return to (a).
(d) Repeat until just short of target.
(e) Hover. You will probably drift forward; land at near edge of target.

GAMES

-1. Be able to hover.
0. Hover, and rotate to specified angle.
1. "Landing pad." Take off, and fly to land on the instruction manual placed on the floor. Return to beginning if you topple. Aim to get one continuous flight,.
2. "Attak Chopper" Hover over instruction manual, and waft it onto target, then land.
3. Fly smoothly in a straight or curved line.

These are still way beyond me :)