Something to think about.

[imobscure]

Here at PL we often concentrate too much on hardware.

Lets talk about choreography and manipulating the audience a bit.

Ok I'll play, though the rest of the responses so far remind me of time bandits where they ran into the invisible barrier -"What is it?" - "I think it's an invisible barrier!" - "Ohhh, so that's what an invisible barrier looks like..."


Pacing is important – most of your audience can't see the subtleties in the beginning – don't give them too much too soon


If it's a classical laser concert - each number should build on the number before it – if a number just doesn't work - move it or lose it...


Cotton candy is tasty in small quantities – all cotton candy all the time is destressing.


A little strobing goes a real long way


Save something really good to end on


Don't bore your audience – a well placed edit or splice can make or break a number – in other words don't do the long version of Echos unless your audience is comatose.


If pretty much anybody is leaving before the show ends - your show may just blow


If you've got a bunch of obscure musical numbers, and the feed back is all about the one that has recognizable graphics - like say dead fish heads – it doesn't mean that's their favorite number – it's just the one they can describe without stumbling for words.


The measure of a great laser show is the number of people who want to see it again – there's likely a direct correlation to the amount of word of mouth you get here too...


Brian

[Stuka]

RC has gyros and a high rotor inertia to mass ratio compared to the real thing. And a very high power to mass ratio compared to the real thing.
Whole different ballgame when you have a digital gyro on board too. Having flown both, the real aircraft is very, very , hard compared to RC, and real easy to drift into G overload, etc. In fact the only way I could even touch the real aircraft's controls was to have enough air moving over the tailboom and vertical stab for it to exert countertorque, and that was 5 minutes of not having time to even sweat.

Ahem, but we're drifting here:

So getting back to choreography, lets talk about the parallels between the Rotares de Portugal and a good laser show...

Steve

I fly helicopters (miniature & full scale), I own a few lasers, and have in fact, fired some (government issued) lasers from said helicopters.

Does that count towards the discussion?

[QUAZAR]

only if you take me for a spin in the Cobra.

[Stuka]

only if you take me for a spin in the Cobra.

Unfortunately, the Cobra and I have both been retired, so it's a bit tough to borrow the keys these days!!

Given the option, that sure would make for a cool ride to the local LEM...

[mixedgas]

Unfortunately, the Cobra and I have both been retired, so it's a bit tough to borrow the keys these days!!

Given the option, that sure would make for a cool ride to the local LEM...

We can get you the newer, slower, heavier marine corps uprated one.

And if you did the mirror moves with a equally skilled friend they would have ran your wings through a shredder.


But lets look at this, starts simple, builds, add a partner, tease you, back off to a solo and then a finale,

Steve

[RGbee]

Just out of interest, my instructor did exactly the same manuever. I'll never forget the look of utter panic on the guys face in the opposite chopper (he was on his first trial lesson) . Talking about inertia, as far as Robinson's (R22) are concerned, they have low inertia blade systems, meaning that on engine failure, the pilot has roughly 1.5-2 seconds to drop the cyclic and apply opposite pedal before the rotor slow. I know this from constant reminders from my instructor. The same instructor also managed to do this:
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...pdf_502176.pdf

When i comes to aerobatics, the best pilot here in the UK is Dennis Kenyon. He flies an Enstrom 480b and can actually make it walk on the skids.