They were extremely sensitive and difficult to control, not to mention the ballooning issues in flight (where the bird would pitch up if you didn’t hold in forward cyclic) was a constant worry.

Most average people in the hobby (sport, general, semi scale, 3D, and certainly beginners) would have never even considered using a true Bell rotor head with no flybar stabilization. Well, those days are gone thanks once again to the huge improvements in electronic miniaturization and gyro / accelerometer technology. Going flybarless is now a reality and has some wonderful benefits over the trusty old flybar for all types of RC helicopter flying.

With costs coming down all the time, flybarless systems are getting more and more popular. Some RC helicopter manufacturers, such as Align, are now offering most of their RC helicopter kits in both flybar and their 3G & 3GX flybarless versions. Even the lower cost entry level brands are starting to embrace this technology such as Blade with their mCPx indoor micro heli and other simple Blade "X" (flybarless) versions offered in most of their single rotor lineup now.

I have 5 helis now that are using electronic flybars and I personally feel once you fly with one, chances are you won’t ever go back to a mechanical flybar.

What Does A Flybarless System Consist Of?

Most electronic flybar systems consist of the gyro/accelerometer sensors and the mixing/control unit. These can be combined in one unit as shown here with Skookum Robotic’s SK-720 electronic flybar system, or they can be separated like Align’s 3G or Futaba's CGY-750 3 axis gyro systems.

The other part of a flybarless system is of course the head itself. This can be a simple two bladed Bell head or more complicated muti rotor Bell head. The main thing to note is there is no flybar. These heads and associated hardward generally have to be purchased separately from the electronic stabilization portion but once again, Align RC started a new trend here (being followed by others now) offering their 3G/3GX kits with both head and electronics as seen below. The value and plug & play convenience is outstanding.

How Does It Work?

First off to understand how a flybarless system works you need to know how and what a flybar does. My page here on flybars and head types covers that in detail, but a very simple explanation of flybar function is to add stabilization to the rotor disc by automatically changing the cyclic pitch angles of the rotor blades to help make cyclic control much more manageable.

As the name suggests, flybarless does away with the flybar and with the help of electronic stabilization systems, "virtually" replaces the flybar (why they are also called “virtual” or "electronic flybars"). Once again we owe this to the scale boys and girls since they were really the ones to first experiment with electronic stabilization systems on their no flybar birds. I remember reading several articles a number of years back when solid state heading lock gyros were first coming on the market – the Futaba GY240 to be exact.

More and more scale fliers using Bell heads (no flybars) were now putting not only a tail gryo in their birds to detect and correct for unwanted yaw movement, but they were also installing two more gyros mounted vertically to pick up the pitching and rolling movement of the heli.

The aileron (cyclic roll) servo was plugged into the gyro that detected roll, and the elevator servo (cyclic pitch) was plugged into gyro that detected pitch. Now when the heli would pitch forward for example the gyro that detected pitching movement would send a command to the elevator (cyclic pitch) servo to have it tilt the swash backwards to automatically bring the bird back into level flight.

The same cyclic pitch changes that the mechanical flybar would impart to the main rotor blades are now done by the two (vertical) electronic gyro sensors that detect the pitch and roll attitude of the heli and then move the servos to tilt the swash to make the precise and quick cyclic changes.

You can see this with any flybarless setup that uses an electronic stabilization system and it is actually how you test to confirm the system is working properly. If you are holding the bird and tilt it forward, you will see the swashplate tilt backwards. If you tilt the bird left, the swash will tilt right.

How Does Flybarless Feel?

One of the most frequently asked e-mail flybarless questions I get is "how does it feel or fly compared to a flybar". Well it is quite hard to explain in words but the heli "feels" more locked in. By that, I mean it tracks better while in flight. For example, with a flybar bird when you pitch the nose forward to get the bird into a fast forward flight direction, if you center your forward cyclic stick the heli will gradually slow as the flybar slowly tracks back into a horizontal plane causing the main rotors to do the same. With an electronic flybar, the bird will stay pitched forward in the exact same attitude after you center your cyclic and you don’t have to keep holding in a little forward cyclic to keep it tilted at the same forward pitch angle.

This actually makes a lot of sense when you consider the same heading lock gyro technology that is used in the tail is also now being used for your cyclic. If you pitch the bird forward at a 30 degree angle – it will lock on that attitude more or less until you give a cyclic command to do different making cyclic stick counter corrections more pronounced. Now that is a very simplified explanation of what it feels like. Depending on the setup and in many cases how the electronic stabilization is programmed, you can vary the feeling quite a bit to the point they will mimic mechanical flybar response fairly accurately. Another way is to say flybarless feels more like a simulator heli in some respects – but again it depends on the specific flybarless system you are using and how it is setup/programmed.

One thing is for sure, during a hover if you have the gain set right – the birds can hold very still and usually don't require the same level of cyclic correction from the pilot to remain perfectly steady but do require more pronounced cyclic counter corrections as I just mentioned. You still have to constantly control them however, it is not hands off hovering by any means! I also feel much more confident now performing more basic aerobatics that I never felt comfortable with before. For me (not being a 3D guy), flybarless has certainly helped take the edge off and I find myself trying more demanding flying such as inverted hovering, flips, stationary rolls, combination's, even tic-tocs. The crisp, responsive, and locked in cyclic control obtained from using a flybarless setup while performing aerobatics gets very comforting and addictive, but I know some who hate that feel so it's certainly not for everyone.

What Are The Benefits Of Flybarless?

As I was just mentioning – performance is a big one! Without the added drag of a flybar and the paddles, not to mention a certain amount of extra weight in all the flybar head hardware, there is a noticeable increase in power & performance. For electric power, this also equates to slightly longer flight times. Overall flight speed is also up slightly (again due to a cleaner head and less drag off the flybar). Cyclic input is more immediate and less washed out feeling. The birds fly so locked in feeling and they track through the sky with amazing precision.

The other obvious advantage is the reduction in head hardware makes crash damage both less costly, and in some cases less damaging. You are basically eliminating not only the flybar and paddles, but also the flybar mixing cage assembly along with the washout base guide pins on the head and usually 4 pushrods.

In stark comparison, a pure Bell rotor head seems almost naked with only the head, the washout, and two single pushrods (for a two bladed rotor head) that go from the swashplate up to the two main blade holders.

Flybars also tend to eat up tail booms and canopies in most respectable crashes. Eliminating that long piece of steel with heavy paddles on each end twisting and flopping about like some angry ball & chain while your bird is frantically dancing around doing the "funky chicken" usually means less damage. You may come away with only a bent main shaft, head axle/feathering shaft, and fragmented rotor blades – if you’re lucky.

What about looks? Yep, that's after all why I decided to get the 3G flybarless in the first place, to make a scale bird look better – unfortunately the performance benefits won out in the end – damn! Even if scale is not your cup of tea, a flybarless head looks good – clean and simple.

What About Downsides/Disadvantages?

No, nothing is perfect and a virtual flybar is no exception.

Cost is the biggest one, but the differences in prices are coming down all the time. I can see the day when both versions (flybar & flybarless) are pretty much on par with each other. One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is almost every electronic flybarless system on the market now also incorporates the tail servo gyro in the sensor. This means you don’t need to purchase a separate tail gyro and that money can go towards the flybarless system. In the end you may only have to pay a couple hundred bucks or so difference by the time all is said and down (depending on the system of course and the application).

$200 beans is still a fair chunk of change for most of us and I haven’t mentioned servos yet. Yes, you will need good high quality, high speed, and high torque digital servos for most flybarless systems. Remember, the same heading hold gyro technology that is used in the tail rotor gyro is now being used with your cyclic/collective servos and therefore for it to function correctly, requires fast response times.

If you recall from the flybar page I linked to earlier, one of the other important functions of the flybar is to take some of the load off the swashplate servos. With no flybar, the servos are doing 100% of the workload to move the main rotors blades so they have to be powerful enough. Most intermediate to advanced RC heli pilots will already be using good strong & fairly fast digital servos on our swashplates, but definitely double check the specs on your electronic flybarless system to make sure your servos meet the requirements.

Setup is also a little more complicated and in some instances – grossly complicated. Case and point, the HeliCommand Rigid flybarless system I use on my Bergen Intrepid turbine helicopter was a nightmare to setup correctly – it literally took me weeks to get it where I liked it and to be honest, I’m still not 100% happy with the way I have set but I'm 99% of the way there.

This is not to say it is a bad system, on the contrary; it is so customizable to work in any bird out there, so it needs dozens of fields to program correctly and that takes time and understanding. Plus you need to program it with your laptop or PC so that adds to the frustration (for us not so computer savvy people) but I got it to the point it feels almost the same as a flybar right now - nothing artificial which is what so many folks dislike about electronic flybars. On the other hand, systems like Align’s 3G are so simple to setup, a monkey could figure it out (I’m living proof of that), but you are stuck with the way it feels for the most part.

Reliability??? This is my main concern with electronic stabilization and perhaps it shouldn’t be a concern at all, but I have to at least mention it. Mechanical flybars have been around for years and are proven. Sure there are more mechanical moving parts that could loosen, wear, or even come flying off the bird if you are not looking after things, but in general – flybars are bullet proof.

So are electronics, but they can fail or hiccup due to a poor connection, low voltage, loose gyro sensor, etc. Again, not something to dwell on and face it, when was the last time one of your tail gyros failed in mid air? That is the question I ask myself when I’m looking for reassurance as I spool up. I'm sure after flying several years on flybarless, I will come to think of them as bullet proof as mechanical flybars.

Should A Beginner Get A Flybarless RC Helicopter?

Ok, another very popular question I get asked almost daily! Simple answer – yes, no, maybe... As you see – I can’t answer it. It depends on the person, what they are flying, how they are learning, and of course their budget. That said, I feel at this point in time, a beginner should stick to a flybar and here’s why.

For most beginners just getting into single rotor collective pitch is a big commitment in time, resources, and of course the all mighty buck. Flybarless (at least right now) is just one more added expense/complication that could go towards more battery packs, a good computerized charger, a step up to the next size heli, a good flight simulator, one step up in computerized radio, etc.

This pushes a flybarless system pretty far down the priority list for the marginal advantages offered at this level of flying when there are so many more beneficial ways to spend your hard earned cash and stretch your RC dollars.

Setup as I said is also more difficult seeing that not only do you have to understand the programming/adjustment of the flybarless system, but on top of that, most require that you are able to at least hover and fly some simple circuits to set the gain of the cyclic gyros correctly. If you have someone to help you out or are getting lessons from an instructor who could setup the system properly, then that would certainly be ok.

Lastly, most virtual flybar systems offer increased performance and crisper more reactive cyclic control. For a beginner, this is generally not what you want or need. There is a reason soft head dampening and lower head speeds are recommended for beginners – so they don’t over control the cyclic. Most flybarless heads are set-up with stiff dampening and faster head speeds to work correctly; not all, and it depends on the system, but in general, electronic flybar systems give sharp and instantaneous cyclic response and therefore are not suited for a beginner.

I've been seeing a lot of misinformation lately that state a flybarless heli with electronic stabilization is easier for a beginner to learn on and in most cases that is just not true! It feels different, but it's certainly not easier in most cases so watch out for all the flybarless hype right now - there's a lot of it! The only way a flybarless stabilization system is truly easier to fly for a beginner over a conventional mechanical flybar is when they are paired with "auto pilot electronic stabilization systems" that use CCD cameras or GPS to detect heli movement and correct for it giving a true hands off the sticks flying/hovering experience.

Flybarless Recommendations:

As with gyros , I honestly can’t tell you what is best since that depends on your needs and because this is such a new and rapidly changing area of our hobby, new stuff is hitting the hobby shops all the time. Hopefully however, my humble little recommendations here will at least give you an idea of what is out there, what to look for, and some general costs.

Align’s 3G Flybarless System $369.00 – $449.00 (T-Rex 250 - 700)

Ok, it’s my top pick for all the T-Rex fliers out there (think there might be a few – LOL). Great value in all their 3G kits that are available with everything you need from the electronics, new head & blade holders, hardware, and even the little mount to use for pitch angle settings is included. No surprises and nothing else to get - a true plug & play system that is very cost effective.

The quality is what we all come to expect from Align and they have 3G kits to fit all the sizes from the small Rex 250’s, up to the big 700’s. The setup as I mentioned is pretty much monkey proof and it's all done on the 3G unit (no PC or laptop required). There is a USB PC interface however at an additional cost (about 30 bucks) to facilitate updating to the latest firmware and allow some basic parameter changes within the the 3G unit to change the flight characteristics.

There is also the very simple "silicon or Zeal tape mod" to help eliminate the "nervousness" that some have experianced with the earlier 3G systems. The 3G may not be the best electronic flybar system on the market for the advanced hardcore 3D pilot, but for general, scale, sport, and average 3D'er flying styles, the 3G system offers so much for so little! I have been so happy with mine in the 600&700 but it doesn't end there...

Align also has the 3GX flybarless system which has raised the bar big time. Fully customizable feel, support of all swash mixing types, piro compensation, integrated governor, full integration of both Spektrum/JR & Futaba S-Bus support (the unit essentially becomes your servo hub) - yep, bet you're glad you went with a big name radio brand now. The 3GX also has planned accelerometer, magnetic compass, and GPS positioning add on peripherals just to scratch the surface of some of the new features.

All these customized features and setup parameters are accessible/programmable through the unit itself, wireless bluetooth connectivity to a PC/Laptop, and there is even talk of App support for smart phones and tablets. What an awesome time to be involved with RC helicopters; I'll never get bored of this hobby!

Skookum Robotics SK-720 Digital Flybar - $400.00 - 425.00USD

Being a Canadian boy and living in BC, I have to mention the folks at Skookum Robotics located in Vancouver. I love it when a small Canadian company can go head to head with some of the big players and come out with both a high quality electronic product that gets great reviews and is priced very competitively.

The SK-720 like most of the flybarless units is a stand alone electronic system (you will need to get your flybarless rotor head and hardware separately). The SK-720 does require a PC/laptop hookup for setup and programming, but they also offer a small hand held data terminal for field programming.

The SK-720 has some really neat features such as flight log recording and a future GPS accessory perhaps enabling an "auto pilot" add on?

Futaba's CGY750 - $320.00 USD

Futaba claim their CGY750 is the Most Advanced Flybarless System going. Like the Align 3GX, it's lightweight with governor included. Futaba's CGY750 is modeled after the highly successful GY701 heading lock gyro, but of course with two more gyros to detect pitch and roll.

The CGY750 uses the same large, easy-to-read display as the GY701 tail gyro and is just as easy to setup using the display as the visual interface to see exactly what you're doing and what values you're setting. This along the basic and expert menus helps for hassle free setup. This is what I like about the Futaba GGY750 flybarless system - no PC interface required during the setup, just like Align's.

Captron’s HeliCommand Rigid - $585.00USD

Yes, it’s expensive & difficult to setup – but most will agree it's one of the most adaptable systems on the market.

It will work on pretty much any swashplate configuration under the sun and with field after field to program to suit whatever you want your heli to behave like, the HeliCommand Rigid is unmatched in customizability.

I touched on optical "auto pilot" stabilization earlier in this write-up and the HeliCommand Rigid has this feature using the built in CCD optical stabilizer to take electronic stabilization to the next level. It allows hands off hovering over a fixed location using the optical sensor to detect ground movement and correct accordingly. This only works when closer to the ground and to be honest I have never used it on mine.

HeliCommand actually has three different types of systems. The Rigid is part of their M-Series. The P-Series is their professional stabilization system with auto pilot that costs thousands of dollars and is intended for high end AP (aerial photography/video) applications.

Their newer X-series is a pure flybarless system with no optical stabilization and has been specifically developed for scale right up to very aggressive 3D type flying supporting all swash types and multi bladed heads for the scale crowd.

The HC-3Base, HC-3X & HC-3SX) range in price from about $275.00 USD for the base version up to about $550.00 for the SX. The units are encased in a strong aluminum shell, use the latest generation MEMS gyro technology, plus every bit (more so in fact) as customizable as the original Rigid but easier to configure. With flight logging (SX version) and full firmware updatability online download support, the X series are indeed an impressive choice.

One of the neatest new features the SX version supports is something called "Rescue Mode". Basically no matter what position your bird is in, when you hit whatever toggle on your TX that you assigned to engage rescue mode, the heli will come back into a level & horizontal attitude and gain altitude. For those of us practicing aerobatics and getting comfortable with all the orientation reversals that occur when inverted or just simply getting disoriented, this feature alone has me wanting one and may be the final solution to end my simulator boredom! The SX also supports both Spektrum/JR & Futaba S-Bus once again showing which direction this technology is headed as well as the ever growing importance of staying with one of 3 big radio brands when getting into these more advanced flybarless systems.

Mikado VBar - $320.00USD

The Mikado VBar and mini Vbar flybarless systems out of Germany are also very popular and very performance minded. Some feel they are the best flybarless system out there, or at least used to be before some of the newest offerings from Align, Futaba, HeliCommand, and Skookum were released.

There is no doubt the VBar will continue to be a popular choice because, just as with most of these systems, the software keeps getting tweaked and allows so much setup flexibility. The continuing trend and goal is to create a mechanical flybar feel with an electronic flybarless system. Once again, the 3 big name radio manufacturers are fully supported with the Mikado V-Bar systems acting as your RX being both Futaba S-Bus friendly as well as Spektrum & JR satellite receiver friendly.

---

To conclude, I will leave you with 5 flybarless videos. First is a setup and flying video tutorial by Bert Kammerer on Align’s 3G flybarless system. This will give you a fairly good idea of the steps involved in simple flybarless setup and Bert does a really nice flying demo at the end explaining the feel.

Next up is Bobby Watts going over some of the features of Futaba's CGY750 along with a flight demo.

Third we have Alan Szabo putting both the new Trex 600E (high voltage 12S version) and the new Align 3GX through the paces.

Here is the HeliCommand HC-3SX showing the "rescue mode" in operation...

We started with Bert, and will conclude with Bert... this time talking about Mikado's Vbar and the newest software version...

---

---