One of the most thrilling experiences you can have is to fly an aircraft on your own. That is, if you can afford to buy your private helicopter or can avail flying school training. But if both of these are far from realization, then you must have an alternative. No, it’s not what you are thinking. You cannot hijack an aircraft! Cut that idea off your mind. What you should be thinking is this: flying a helicopter remotely.
Rc helicopter flying has become a better alternative to flying a real helicopter. It costs less and completely safe from crashing. But that is not all. Rc helicopter flying has become a hobby for those who have the passion on helicopters. (Helicopter owners must have one or several of these at home.) Since rc helicopter flying takes every kids and kids at heart to the closest experience of flying a real helicopter, it is undoubtedly thrilling and exciting experience.
Just think of it this way: you are on the ground holding a radio controller while your rc helicopter is doing its stunts on mid air with you taking full control of its every movement.
A popular type of rc helicopter is the electric rc. It is powered by a battery that is connected to a machine that makes the rotor spin to get lift. The electric rc is sometimes regarded to as the “beginner’s rc” since it is easy to fly and less complicated to operate. The electric rc helicopter is also much cheaper than the next type of rc helicopter: the gas rc helicopter.
Gas rc helicopter is powered by an engine that is ran by fuel. This is much complicated to maintain and requires a higher level of mechanical understanding to operate (compared to electric rc helicopter). Gas rc helicopter is also much expensive than the electric. And because of these factors, serious rc helicopter pilots consider gas rc helicopter as their primary choice. It is said that flying a gas rc helicopter is somewhat similar to flying a real helicopter. Both are treated with much respect and much care.
Flying gas rc could also be treated as your stepping stone into flying a real one since you have gained enough response and sensitivity to the nature of the helicopter. Of course, the experience is still much different if you are flying the full-size helicopter. Nonetheless, both the electric and gas rc helicopter are enough to keep you hooked with the experience of flying.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Noisy Rc Helicopter! What Can You Do?
Noise Pollution of RC Helicopters!Forget about the noise because gas RC Helicopters comes with the engine the sound cannot escape your ear. But here lies the answer to the question. Gas RC Helicopter is powered by an engine that is ran by fuel. This is much complicated to maintain and requires a higher level of mechanical understanding to operate (compared to electric RC Helicopter). then you should settle for kinds that are easy to fly. What you should be looking for is an electric radio-controlled helicopter. In this way you eliminate the risk of crashing down your newly purchased helicopter to the ground.
Build Your Own RC HelicoptersIf you prefer building model helicopter for your personal gallery. If you don't fly on an AMA sanctioned field AMA insurance ($60 / yr) still has many benefits theft insurance to name one. ...and so long as you follow all the AMA guidelines when flying at a park or school you are covered there too incase the unimaginable happens and someone gets hurt. If you want instant RC Helicopter parts homebuilt helicopters are sold in kit.
RC Helicopter are SimpleRC Helicopters become more complicated because of the fact that there are more ways to fly them and thus. Do not fly with the sun near the horizon. It gets hard to see the attitude. Practice hovering a little bit higher say 10 - 20 feet. Practice subtle 180 stalls and figure-8's. Practice going faster and slowing down. Practice transitioning your RC Helicopter from fast forward flight to landing. All about RC Helicopters at http://www.rchelicopterguide.info. Brands: There is nothing really to say about this if you know what your looking for then we stock some of the best brands including Century JR Futaba Hirobo etc...
Getting a RC Helicopter Sim PackI think RC Helicopter simulator teaches you coordination very well. It teaches some bad habits maybe. If your helicopter banks yaws or pitches by itself you need to compensate with trim. Practice hovering from 6 inches to 1 foot. Be prepared for gusts: wind will increase the effectiveness of your rotor blades and make your helicopter climb fast. Ok.
Build Your Own RC HelicoptersIf you prefer building model helicopter for your personal gallery. If you don't fly on an AMA sanctioned field AMA insurance ($60 / yr) still has many benefits theft insurance to name one. ...and so long as you follow all the AMA guidelines when flying at a park or school you are covered there too incase the unimaginable happens and someone gets hurt. If you want instant RC Helicopter parts homebuilt helicopters are sold in kit.
RC Helicopter are SimpleRC Helicopters become more complicated because of the fact that there are more ways to fly them and thus. Do not fly with the sun near the horizon. It gets hard to see the attitude. Practice hovering a little bit higher say 10 - 20 feet. Practice subtle 180 stalls and figure-8's. Practice going faster and slowing down. Practice transitioning your RC Helicopter from fast forward flight to landing. All about RC Helicopters at http://www.rchelicopterguide.info. Brands: There is nothing really to say about this if you know what your looking for then we stock some of the best brands including Century JR Futaba Hirobo etc...
Getting a RC Helicopter Sim PackI think RC Helicopter simulator teaches you coordination very well. It teaches some bad habits maybe. If your helicopter banks yaws or pitches by itself you need to compensate with trim. Practice hovering from 6 inches to 1 foot. Be prepared for gusts: wind will increase the effectiveness of your rotor blades and make your helicopter climb fast. Ok.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Fixed pitch vs. Collective pitch
If you are new to R/C helicopters you are probably wondering what the heck is fixed and collective pitch anyways?
The pitch in R/C helicopters refers to the angle of the blade with respect to the horizontal plane.
A heli with a fixed pitch has main rotor blades that remain in a fixed position.
Fixed pitch helis are well suited for beginners because there is one less thing to control, making them that much easier to fly.
With fixed pitch helicopters the amount of lift is dependent only on rotor speed and not on the angle or pitch of the blades.
Increased rotor speeds mean there will be more lift, and the heli will rise. Lower motor speeds mean less lift and the helicopter comes down. The newer, more advanced models of helis incorporate a collective pitch.
The main rotor blades can rotate to different angles to change the lift being applied to the chopper. Collective pitch is controlled by the throttle through automatic mixing.
The pitch of each blade changes collectively to create the desired movement of the heli.
Here are some major differences between fixed and collective pitches to give you a better idea of the two.
Differences between fixed and collective pitch
Fixed Pitch
Fixed pitch is easier to build and set up.
It has fewer moving parts.
It is less expensive.
It is slightly easier to fly than collective pitch.
You can only hover indoors and outdoors and fly forward.
Cheaper to repair in case of a crash.
If the engine quits at an altitude the chopper becomes a dead weight because there is virtually no auto-rotation.
Collective Pitch
It is harder to set up because there are more moving parts.
It is more expensive than fixed pitch.
It is harder to fly than fixed pitch.
It is a R/C pilot's delight! You can fly any way you want to indoors and outdoors.
The collective pitch can do fast forward flights, loops, rolls, stall turns, inverted flying, in place flips, and pretty much anything the R/C pilot wants it to do.
Takes more time and money to repair in case of a crash.
If a chopper's engine quits in flight it is still possible to glide the chopper down safely at a low or negative collective pitch setting ; thanks to auto-rotation.
All in all, it seems that the fixed pitch is a good idea for people just starting out. Once you master the fixed pitch helis, you can upgrade to collective pitch and really start doing some crazy stunts!
The pitch in R/C helicopters refers to the angle of the blade with respect to the horizontal plane.
A heli with a fixed pitch has main rotor blades that remain in a fixed position.
Fixed pitch helis are well suited for beginners because there is one less thing to control, making them that much easier to fly.
With fixed pitch helicopters the amount of lift is dependent only on rotor speed and not on the angle or pitch of the blades.
Increased rotor speeds mean there will be more lift, and the heli will rise. Lower motor speeds mean less lift and the helicopter comes down. The newer, more advanced models of helis incorporate a collective pitch.
The main rotor blades can rotate to different angles to change the lift being applied to the chopper. Collective pitch is controlled by the throttle through automatic mixing.
The pitch of each blade changes collectively to create the desired movement of the heli.
Here are some major differences between fixed and collective pitches to give you a better idea of the two.
Differences between fixed and collective pitch
Fixed Pitch
Fixed pitch is easier to build and set up.
It has fewer moving parts.
It is less expensive.
It is slightly easier to fly than collective pitch.
You can only hover indoors and outdoors and fly forward.
Cheaper to repair in case of a crash.
If the engine quits at an altitude the chopper becomes a dead weight because there is virtually no auto-rotation.
Collective Pitch
It is harder to set up because there are more moving parts.
It is more expensive than fixed pitch.
It is harder to fly than fixed pitch.
It is a R/C pilot's delight! You can fly any way you want to indoors and outdoors.
The collective pitch can do fast forward flights, loops, rolls, stall turns, inverted flying, in place flips, and pretty much anything the R/C pilot wants it to do.
Takes more time and money to repair in case of a crash.
If a chopper's engine quits in flight it is still possible to glide the chopper down safely at a low or negative collective pitch setting ; thanks to auto-rotation.
All in all, it seems that the fixed pitch is a good idea for people just starting out. Once you master the fixed pitch helis, you can upgrade to collective pitch and really start doing some crazy stunts!
Friday, April 25, 2008
How Do RC Helicopters Work?
Helicopters are one of the most versatile modes of transportation in existence and give the pilot complete access to a fully 3-dimensional space. Because of this, helicopters, whether RC or full size, are one of the most difficult vehicles to learn to control.
For example:
A train can travel in 2 directions: forwards and backwards.
A car can travel in 4 directions: forwards, backwards, left and right.
An airplane can travel in 5 directions: forwards, left, right, up and down.
Whereas a helicopter can travel in 6 directions: forwards, backwards, left, right, up and down. Plus it can also rotate 360 degrees in either direction and do all of that while inverted.
In a traditional full size helicopter, the pilot is facing forwards controlling the cyclic with one hand and the collective with the other.
However, in an RC helicopter, you’re not always looking the same way the helicopter is flying which makes it quite difficult to keep oriented and stay in control. Heck, I’ve even heard full size helicopter pilots say that an RC helicopter is harder to fly - though in reality it’s probably not - but keeping orientated when you’re not facing the same way the helicopter is can be extremely difficult to master.
How Do RC Helicopters Fly?
So, how does an RC helicopter fly? Someone once said that it beats the air into submission – and in fact, it kind of does.
RC helicopter flight can be broken into 5 basic components and their functions. The main rotor, tail rotor, swash plate assembly, collective control and cyclic control.
The Main Rotor
A conventional RC helicopter has its main rotor above the fuselage (its body) which consists of 2 or more rotor blades extending out from a central rotor head, or hub assembly.
The main rotor of an RC helicopter is what produces the lifting force that allows the RC helicopter to fly. The rotors on a collective pitch RC helicopter are shaped just like the airfoils of an airplane wing, only they are thinner, narrower and both sides are symmetrical.
As the rotor blades rotate through the air, they generate lift. The amount of lift generated is determined by the pitch angle (and speed) of each rotor blade as it moves through the air. Pitch angle is referred to as the angle of attack when the rotors are in motion.
Some cheaper RC helicopter models which use fixed pitch rotors, generate lift by speeding up or slowing down the motor and therefore the speed of the main rotors. This results in a much slower responsiveness of the heli, since it takes some for the motor speed to speed up or slow down. As far as I know, there aren’t any real RC helicopters which use fixed pitch available on the market anymore an don’t go picking one up at a garage sale – there’s a reason they’re no longer made.
Depending on how the RC helicopter is set up, the main rotors typically spin at a constant headspeed ranging anywhere from 1,500 RPM to 3,000RPM. Larger size .60 or .90 RC helicopters will usually have a headspeed of 1,500RPM to 2,000RPM where smaller .30 or .50 size helis might have a headspeed in the 2,000RPM to 3,000RPM range.
To increase thrust, or lifting power, you simply need to increase the pitch of the main rotor. On an RC helicopter, the angle of attach (pitch) can be anywhere from +15 degrees to -15 degrees, though most RC helis are somewhere in the +11 to -11 range.
The pitch angles of the blades are controlled by the collective and the cyclic control which are transferred to the main rotors through the swash plate.
The Tail Rotor
Since Newton’s law states that “For every force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force,” as soon as the RC helicopter leaves the ground, there is there is nothing to keep the helicopter from spinning in an opposite direction to the torque force generated main rotors.
To stop the spinning of the body, a force which counteracts the force of the main rotors needs to be applied to stop it. In a single rotor RC helicopter, this is usually done by a smaller set of rotors attached to a long tail boom called the tail rotor, which is used to control the yaw, or rotation, of the helicopter.
The amount of thrust the tail rotor produces is determined by their angle of attack.
Increasing the angle of attach (pitch) of the tail rotor blade will increase the thrust, which will push the helicopter in the same direction as the main rotor blades, while decreasing the pitch decreases the amount of thrust, allowing the natural torque force of the main rotors to take over letting the helicopter rotate in the opposite direction to the main rotors.
A gyro, either mechanical or piezo-electric, measures the difference in rotational force between the helicopter and tail rotor and adjusts the pitch of the tail rotor accordingly to hold the RC heli steady.
The tail rotor is typically mounted at a 90 degree angle from the main rotor and provides a sideways thrust which counteracts the rotational force applied by the main rotors to hold it straight.
Depending on the gearing ratios, the tail rotor typically turns 3 – 6 times faster than the main rotor.
Tail rotors in RC helicopters are typically driven by a belt or a torque tube which is powered off the main gear which also powers the main rotor. In some cheaper models, a separate motor is used to power the tail.
The Swash Plate Assembly
The swash place on an RC (or full size) helicopter is used to translate the pilots commands into the motion of the main rotor blades and / or flybar.
The swash plate assembly fits on to the main rotor shaft beneath the head of the heli and consists of one rotating and one non-rotating disc.
The lower, non-rotating disc is linked directly to the cyclic and collective controls which are controlled by servos under the command of the pilot’s transmitter inputs.
This non-rotating disc is attached by a bearing to the second rotating disc, which turns with rotor and is linked to the main rotor blade pitch horns.
The swash plate can be made to tilt in any direction according to the cyclic controls, or move up and down to change the pitch of the rotors under the collective control, which allows the pilot to control the RC helicopter in a 3-dimensional space.
Collective Control
The collective control raises the entire swash plate assembly as a unit. As the swash plate rises or falls, it changes the pitch (angle of attack) of all rotor blades simultaneously and to the same degree. This is known as collective control.
Therefore, when the collective control is increased, it will raise the entire swash plate assembly increasing the angle of attack. Increasing the angle of attack increases the lift of the main rotor, causing the heli to gain altitude, while decreasing the angle of attack decreases the lift.
Since all blades are changing pitch together, the change in lift remains constant throughout every full turn of the blades.
Cyclic Control
The cyclic control works by tilting the swash plate up or down and increasing the pitch angle of a rotor blade individually as they revolve, so the angle of attack on one side of the helicopter is greater than it is on the other.
As the pitch angle changes, the lift generated by each blade changes and this unbalanced lift causes the helicopter to tip towards whichever side is experiencing the least amount of lift.
This allows the helicopter to move in any direction around a 360-degree circle, including forwards, backwards, left and right or any combination of the 4.
For example, when the cyclic control is pushed forwards on your radio transmitter, the swash plate tilts forwards increasing the angle of attack (and lift) in the rear of your helicopter which causes it to move forwards.
Because of the cyclic and collective pitch control of the main rotor blades and the pitch control of the tail rotor, your engine RPM and therefore the speed of the main rotor blades, can be kept at a constant rate increasing maneuverability response time.
Your radio transmitter handles all the mixes and translations between cyclic and collective movement, so all you need to think about is which way you want your helicopter to fly, not angles of attack or swash plate tilting.
For example:
A train can travel in 2 directions: forwards and backwards.
A car can travel in 4 directions: forwards, backwards, left and right.
An airplane can travel in 5 directions: forwards, left, right, up and down.
Whereas a helicopter can travel in 6 directions: forwards, backwards, left, right, up and down. Plus it can also rotate 360 degrees in either direction and do all of that while inverted.
In a traditional full size helicopter, the pilot is facing forwards controlling the cyclic with one hand and the collective with the other.
However, in an RC helicopter, you’re not always looking the same way the helicopter is flying which makes it quite difficult to keep oriented and stay in control. Heck, I’ve even heard full size helicopter pilots say that an RC helicopter is harder to fly - though in reality it’s probably not - but keeping orientated when you’re not facing the same way the helicopter is can be extremely difficult to master.
How Do RC Helicopters Fly?
So, how does an RC helicopter fly? Someone once said that it beats the air into submission – and in fact, it kind of does.
RC helicopter flight can be broken into 5 basic components and their functions. The main rotor, tail rotor, swash plate assembly, collective control and cyclic control.
The Main Rotor
A conventional RC helicopter has its main rotor above the fuselage (its body) which consists of 2 or more rotor blades extending out from a central rotor head, or hub assembly.
The main rotor of an RC helicopter is what produces the lifting force that allows the RC helicopter to fly. The rotors on a collective pitch RC helicopter are shaped just like the airfoils of an airplane wing, only they are thinner, narrower and both sides are symmetrical.
As the rotor blades rotate through the air, they generate lift. The amount of lift generated is determined by the pitch angle (and speed) of each rotor blade as it moves through the air. Pitch angle is referred to as the angle of attack when the rotors are in motion.
Some cheaper RC helicopter models which use fixed pitch rotors, generate lift by speeding up or slowing down the motor and therefore the speed of the main rotors. This results in a much slower responsiveness of the heli, since it takes some for the motor speed to speed up or slow down. As far as I know, there aren’t any real RC helicopters which use fixed pitch available on the market anymore an don’t go picking one up at a garage sale – there’s a reason they’re no longer made.
Depending on how the RC helicopter is set up, the main rotors typically spin at a constant headspeed ranging anywhere from 1,500 RPM to 3,000RPM. Larger size .60 or .90 RC helicopters will usually have a headspeed of 1,500RPM to 2,000RPM where smaller .30 or .50 size helis might have a headspeed in the 2,000RPM to 3,000RPM range.
To increase thrust, or lifting power, you simply need to increase the pitch of the main rotor. On an RC helicopter, the angle of attach (pitch) can be anywhere from +15 degrees to -15 degrees, though most RC helis are somewhere in the +11 to -11 range.
The pitch angles of the blades are controlled by the collective and the cyclic control which are transferred to the main rotors through the swash plate.
The Tail Rotor
Since Newton’s law states that “For every force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force,” as soon as the RC helicopter leaves the ground, there is there is nothing to keep the helicopter from spinning in an opposite direction to the torque force generated main rotors.
To stop the spinning of the body, a force which counteracts the force of the main rotors needs to be applied to stop it. In a single rotor RC helicopter, this is usually done by a smaller set of rotors attached to a long tail boom called the tail rotor, which is used to control the yaw, or rotation, of the helicopter.
The amount of thrust the tail rotor produces is determined by their angle of attack.
Increasing the angle of attach (pitch) of the tail rotor blade will increase the thrust, which will push the helicopter in the same direction as the main rotor blades, while decreasing the pitch decreases the amount of thrust, allowing the natural torque force of the main rotors to take over letting the helicopter rotate in the opposite direction to the main rotors.
A gyro, either mechanical or piezo-electric, measures the difference in rotational force between the helicopter and tail rotor and adjusts the pitch of the tail rotor accordingly to hold the RC heli steady.
The tail rotor is typically mounted at a 90 degree angle from the main rotor and provides a sideways thrust which counteracts the rotational force applied by the main rotors to hold it straight.
Depending on the gearing ratios, the tail rotor typically turns 3 – 6 times faster than the main rotor.
Tail rotors in RC helicopters are typically driven by a belt or a torque tube which is powered off the main gear which also powers the main rotor. In some cheaper models, a separate motor is used to power the tail.
The Swash Plate Assembly
The swash place on an RC (or full size) helicopter is used to translate the pilots commands into the motion of the main rotor blades and / or flybar.
The swash plate assembly fits on to the main rotor shaft beneath the head of the heli and consists of one rotating and one non-rotating disc.
The lower, non-rotating disc is linked directly to the cyclic and collective controls which are controlled by servos under the command of the pilot’s transmitter inputs.
This non-rotating disc is attached by a bearing to the second rotating disc, which turns with rotor and is linked to the main rotor blade pitch horns.
The swash plate can be made to tilt in any direction according to the cyclic controls, or move up and down to change the pitch of the rotors under the collective control, which allows the pilot to control the RC helicopter in a 3-dimensional space.
Collective Control
The collective control raises the entire swash plate assembly as a unit. As the swash plate rises or falls, it changes the pitch (angle of attack) of all rotor blades simultaneously and to the same degree. This is known as collective control.
Therefore, when the collective control is increased, it will raise the entire swash plate assembly increasing the angle of attack. Increasing the angle of attack increases the lift of the main rotor, causing the heli to gain altitude, while decreasing the angle of attack decreases the lift.
Since all blades are changing pitch together, the change in lift remains constant throughout every full turn of the blades.
Cyclic Control
The cyclic control works by tilting the swash plate up or down and increasing the pitch angle of a rotor blade individually as they revolve, so the angle of attack on one side of the helicopter is greater than it is on the other.
As the pitch angle changes, the lift generated by each blade changes and this unbalanced lift causes the helicopter to tip towards whichever side is experiencing the least amount of lift.
This allows the helicopter to move in any direction around a 360-degree circle, including forwards, backwards, left and right or any combination of the 4.
For example, when the cyclic control is pushed forwards on your radio transmitter, the swash plate tilts forwards increasing the angle of attack (and lift) in the rear of your helicopter which causes it to move forwards.
Because of the cyclic and collective pitch control of the main rotor blades and the pitch control of the tail rotor, your engine RPM and therefore the speed of the main rotor blades, can be kept at a constant rate increasing maneuverability response time.
Your radio transmitter handles all the mixes and translations between cyclic and collective movement, so all you need to think about is which way you want your helicopter to fly, not angles of attack or swash plate tilting.
Rc Helicopter Flights: How Easy!
By: Adwina Jackson
So how difficult is the model helicopter to control in fight? Well, it has been described as similar to balancing a steel ball on a knife edge whale riding a bicycle! Added to this is the type of thrill that is involve every second of flying. The electric RC Helicopter is also much cheaper than the next type of RC Helicopter: the gas RC Helicopter. So here are the things you should know in order to get you end up getting the right radio-controlled helicopter for you. Evaluate your flying skill.
You can also start with a scale-model plastic helicopter. There are model RC Helicopter that are made from wood. If you want to fly with the airplanes (which they tend not to like when you hover all over the runway) you will need AMA insurance. Homebuilt RC Helicopters are motorized (although wit less power) and can lift you off from the ground with the same experience you can get from a conventional full-size helicopter.
What kind of engines do RC Helicopters run on? Special remote control RC Helicopter engines. They come in 2-stroke and 4-stroke glow burning engines as well as 2 stroke gasoline models. If you descend to quickly you will enter your own down wash and the RC Helicopter will pull itself into the ground and need considerable collective to compensate. This is a bad condition. Full RC Helicopter guide at http://www.rchelicopterguide.info/heli/index.html. The HELICOPTER STATS give you a brief guide to price. If the RC Helicopter has NOT got RTF beside it you will have extra costs to get it flight ready and will have to do some building.
Then there are the bad RC Helicopter crashes where you look for the parts that aren't broken. Thanks to James for providing this sample of what happens when you turn a rotary-wing into a fixed-wing while in flight. Do not over-react and send it launching into the sky. All problems were eventually overcome and the fully controllable R/C model helicopter had arrived.
Just take it easy and if it gets "on top of you" do not touch anything but a little forward cyclic for 1 or 2 seconds. Before we start it is traditional for other pilots to share their experiences so get there and ask ask ask and ask.
So how difficult is the model helicopter to control in fight? Well, it has been described as similar to balancing a steel ball on a knife edge whale riding a bicycle! Added to this is the type of thrill that is involve every second of flying. The electric RC Helicopter is also much cheaper than the next type of RC Helicopter: the gas RC Helicopter. So here are the things you should know in order to get you end up getting the right radio-controlled helicopter for you. Evaluate your flying skill.
You can also start with a scale-model plastic helicopter. There are model RC Helicopter that are made from wood. If you want to fly with the airplanes (which they tend not to like when you hover all over the runway) you will need AMA insurance. Homebuilt RC Helicopters are motorized (although wit less power) and can lift you off from the ground with the same experience you can get from a conventional full-size helicopter.
What kind of engines do RC Helicopters run on? Special remote control RC Helicopter engines. They come in 2-stroke and 4-stroke glow burning engines as well as 2 stroke gasoline models. If you descend to quickly you will enter your own down wash and the RC Helicopter will pull itself into the ground and need considerable collective to compensate. This is a bad condition. Full RC Helicopter guide at http://www.rchelicopterguide.info/heli/index.html. The HELICOPTER STATS give you a brief guide to price. If the RC Helicopter has NOT got RTF beside it you will have extra costs to get it flight ready and will have to do some building.
Then there are the bad RC Helicopter crashes where you look for the parts that aren't broken. Thanks to James for providing this sample of what happens when you turn a rotary-wing into a fixed-wing while in flight. Do not over-react and send it launching into the sky. All problems were eventually overcome and the fully controllable R/C model helicopter had arrived.
Just take it easy and if it gets "on top of you" do not touch anything but a little forward cyclic for 1 or 2 seconds. Before we start it is traditional for other pilots to share their experiences so get there and ask ask ask and ask.
RC Helicopter vs RC Planes
By: Greg Haehl
Since RC Helicopter flying takes every kids and kids at heart to the closest experience of flying a real helicopter it is undoubtedly thrilling and exciting experience. In terms if RC Helicopter sizes - here you can trim down your choices into gas electric mini micro and toy.But in the case you want to upgrade to ultralight you can easily get familiar with flying since you have already been with an engined-helicopter.
If you prefer building model helicopter for your personal gallery. Just follow the entire manual to the 't' Do not get all excited when the heli is all put together you still have many hours of configuring / balancing / and adjusting everything. Homebuilt RC Helicopters are motorized (although wit less power) and can lift you off from the ground with the same experience you can get from a conventional full-size helicopter.
What kind of engines do RC Helicopters run on? Special remote control RC Helicopter engines. They come in 2-stroke and 4-stroke glow burning engines as well as 2 stroke gasoline models. If you descend to quickly you will enter your own down wash and the RC Helicopter will pull itself into the ground and need considerable collective to compensate. This is a bad condition. Model enthusiasts are notably quick to emulate full-size aviation achievements, but were not as successful with rotary wing aircraft, and it was not until 1968 that the first fully controllable R/C model helicopter appeared, built by Dr. Dieter Schluter of West Germany.
Since RC Helicopter flying takes every kids and kids at heart to the closest experience of flying a real helicopter it is undoubtedly thrilling and exciting experience. In terms if RC Helicopter sizes - here you can trim down your choices into gas electric mini micro and toy.But in the case you want to upgrade to ultralight you can easily get familiar with flying since you have already been with an engined-helicopter.
If you prefer building model helicopter for your personal gallery. Just follow the entire manual to the 't' Do not get all excited when the heli is all put together you still have many hours of configuring / balancing / and adjusting everything. Homebuilt RC Helicopters are motorized (although wit less power) and can lift you off from the ground with the same experience you can get from a conventional full-size helicopter.
What kind of engines do RC Helicopters run on? Special remote control RC Helicopter engines. They come in 2-stroke and 4-stroke glow burning engines as well as 2 stroke gasoline models. If you descend to quickly you will enter your own down wash and the RC Helicopter will pull itself into the ground and need considerable collective to compensate. This is a bad condition. Model enthusiasts are notably quick to emulate full-size aviation achievements, but were not as successful with rotary wing aircraft, and it was not until 1968 that the first fully controllable R/C model helicopter appeared, built by Dr. Dieter Schluter of West Germany.
5 Steps To Piloting RC Helicopters
By: Tara Soonthornnont
Of all the RC crafts available, radio controlled helicopter is arguably the hardest to master. However, with the advent and advances of today’s RC flight simulators, the learning curve have decreased. Now, new RC helicopter pilots can literally crash as often as they want until they can eventually keep their helicopter in the air. Nevertheless, conventional RC helicopter training lessons has not lost their importance. For some, they provide a guide to practicing in the simulator. For others who don’t like simulators - or for some reasons can’t get their hands on one, flying lessons are invaluable. For those that choose to go the no-simulator route, it is generally recommended that you hire a certified instructor. But, with the increasing popularity of cheaper electric RC helicopters, the cost involved with this hobby decreased exponentially. As a result, many new pilots are choosing to learn to fly with neither a simulator nor an instructor. No matter how you choose to learn to pilot RC helicopters, this article which provides classic helicopter lessons will definitely come in handy.
Lesson 1: First Feel of Helicopter / Ground Exercise
First things first, have your helicopter properly trimmed and set up before doing anything. Most electric models are already set up right out of the box. If your model requires any setting, make sure you follow the instruction in the manual or hire/ask someone knowledgeable to do it for you. Trimming won’t be covered in this article because it is a whole topic in itself.
Once your helicopter is trimmed, you’ll need a simple pair of training gear for bigger models. You can actually make one yourself using two four-inch rods and four balls (ping-pong balls will do nicely). However, it may be easier to buy one. If you are learning with a co-axle ready-to-fly electric helicopter such as the Lama or Walkera 54, then the training gear is unnecessary. On the other hand, if you are learning with a bigger and more conventional model such as the T-REX, then having a training gear is absolutely mandatory.
Now, you’re going to pilot your helicopter for the first time. However, for this first lesson, the goal is to learn what it "feels" like to control one. Therefore, what you want to do is to bring up the throttle/collective to the point where the helicopter is just about to lift off the ground but not quite taking to the air yet. With the helicopter in this half on the ground, half wanting to lift off phase, move the cyclic control around and see as well as get a feel of how the helicopter will react to each control. Do this several time until you have adequately felt all of the controls and more importantly, understand them.
Lesson 2: Hover (Tail In)
Once you’ve mastered the ground exercise, the next step is to hover. Every helicopter pilot and instructor will tell you that one of the most (if not the most) important component of a helicopter flight is hovering. In fact, no matter how fancy the flight, at its most fundamental level, a helicopter flight starts and ends with a hover.
For this lesson, make sure the tail is pointing in towards you. Bring up the throttle to the point that the helicopter is just about to hover just as you did in the ground exercise. Then, get the helicopter as stable as you can get it. After doing that, give it a little more throttle/collective. Remember that you should make the helicopter stable on the ground first before giving it the extra throttle to lift it off the ground. Doing this will make this lesson much easier. When the helicopter starts to lift off the ground, it’ll continue to ascend slowly. Bring the throttle down slightly to stabilize it at around 1 foot.
Next comes the hard part. Try to keep the helicopter hovering in one spot. This will prove to be very difficult at first. Draw on what you’ve learnt on from the ground exercise. Once you’ve hovered for around 30 seconds, bring the throttle down just slightly and the helicopter will start to slowly descend back to the ground. Don’t throttle down too fast or your helicopter will come crashing down and be damaged.
Try hovering many times. Between each hover, reflect on what you did right and what you did wrong. You will find that each hover will be more precise and more controlled than the last.
Another important point during this lesson is to always point the tail of the helicopter towards you. Don’t try to point the helicopter in any other direction at this point as you will very likely get disoriented. Orientation training will come later.
Once you’re comfortable with hovering at 1 foot, try bringing the helicopter up to an altitude of 3 to 5 feet. It will seem scarier but in fact, hovering at 3 - 5 feet is easier than hovering at 1 foot. Keep doing this exercise until you can hover for an entire flight of the battery pack or the fuel tank, which equals to around 7 to 10 minutes if you’re practicing on a simulator.
Each pilot takes different amount of time to learn this crucial skill. Some get it extremely fast (within days) while others take weeks or even months. Don’t be discouraged, take your time and learn at your own pace. As long as you have fun while practicing, who cares how long it takes. Don’t rush through this lesson. It is very important that you learn to hover and can do it comfortably.
Lesson 3: Basic Flight
Once you’ve mastered hovering, the next step is basic directional flight. Get your helicopter to hover as you’ve done in the last lesson, then pick a spot and pilot your helicopter there. Then pick another spot and do the same thing. At this point, you want to keep the helicopter in a tail-in position. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable that you can get your helicopter to go anywhere you want while it’s in a tail-in orientation.
Lesson 4: Nose-In Hover
After having mastered hovering and basic flight while flying tail-in, the next step, the nose-in hover, will be relatively more challenging. The idea behind this exercise is quite simple; simply hover like you did lesson 2, but this time, hover with the nose of the helicopter pointed towards you. While this may sound simple, many new pilots find this extremely difficult due to the fact that most of all the controls are now reversed. At this point, you may already confident about flying and feel that you can easily perform this hovering exercise at a high altitude. Please refrain from doing that. Instead, start this exercise by hovering at 1 foot, then slowly increasing the altitude to 5 feet as you are more confident and comfortable with the now-reversed controls. Keep doing this exercise until you can master hovering with the nose pointed towards you. Having accomplished this lesson will greatly improve your orientation awareness.
Lesson 5: Square and Figure 8 Flights
This final lesson will combine the skills you’ve learnt from previous lessons, namely, hovering, orientation, and direction flight. The combination of these skills will produce a full flight. The first goal is to try to navigate your helicopter in a square pattern. If you’ve been following the exercise without cheating, you’ll find that the square flight can be accomplished quite easily. The next goal would be to fly in a figure 8 pattern. This will prove to be more challenging but it is definitely not out of reach. As you do more and more figure eights, concentrate on keeping the 8 a perfect shape. Try your best not to veer off course. Becoming more experienced, you should aim for more and more flight control accuracy. Once you’ve mastered the figure 8, you should be able to pilot your helicopter anywhere you desire. Practice makes perfect, but also remember to have fun; after all, that is the whole point of a hobby.
Of all the RC crafts available, radio controlled helicopter is arguably the hardest to master. However, with the advent and advances of today’s RC flight simulators, the learning curve have decreased. Now, new RC helicopter pilots can literally crash as often as they want until they can eventually keep their helicopter in the air. Nevertheless, conventional RC helicopter training lessons has not lost their importance. For some, they provide a guide to practicing in the simulator. For others who don’t like simulators - or for some reasons can’t get their hands on one, flying lessons are invaluable. For those that choose to go the no-simulator route, it is generally recommended that you hire a certified instructor. But, with the increasing popularity of cheaper electric RC helicopters, the cost involved with this hobby decreased exponentially. As a result, many new pilots are choosing to learn to fly with neither a simulator nor an instructor. No matter how you choose to learn to pilot RC helicopters, this article which provides classic helicopter lessons will definitely come in handy.
Lesson 1: First Feel of Helicopter / Ground Exercise
First things first, have your helicopter properly trimmed and set up before doing anything. Most electric models are already set up right out of the box. If your model requires any setting, make sure you follow the instruction in the manual or hire/ask someone knowledgeable to do it for you. Trimming won’t be covered in this article because it is a whole topic in itself.
Once your helicopter is trimmed, you’ll need a simple pair of training gear for bigger models. You can actually make one yourself using two four-inch rods and four balls (ping-pong balls will do nicely). However, it may be easier to buy one. If you are learning with a co-axle ready-to-fly electric helicopter such as the Lama or Walkera 54, then the training gear is unnecessary. On the other hand, if you are learning with a bigger and more conventional model such as the T-REX, then having a training gear is absolutely mandatory.
Now, you’re going to pilot your helicopter for the first time. However, for this first lesson, the goal is to learn what it "feels" like to control one. Therefore, what you want to do is to bring up the throttle/collective to the point where the helicopter is just about to lift off the ground but not quite taking to the air yet. With the helicopter in this half on the ground, half wanting to lift off phase, move the cyclic control around and see as well as get a feel of how the helicopter will react to each control. Do this several time until you have adequately felt all of the controls and more importantly, understand them.
Lesson 2: Hover (Tail In)
Once you’ve mastered the ground exercise, the next step is to hover. Every helicopter pilot and instructor will tell you that one of the most (if not the most) important component of a helicopter flight is hovering. In fact, no matter how fancy the flight, at its most fundamental level, a helicopter flight starts and ends with a hover.
For this lesson, make sure the tail is pointing in towards you. Bring up the throttle to the point that the helicopter is just about to hover just as you did in the ground exercise. Then, get the helicopter as stable as you can get it. After doing that, give it a little more throttle/collective. Remember that you should make the helicopter stable on the ground first before giving it the extra throttle to lift it off the ground. Doing this will make this lesson much easier. When the helicopter starts to lift off the ground, it’ll continue to ascend slowly. Bring the throttle down slightly to stabilize it at around 1 foot.
Next comes the hard part. Try to keep the helicopter hovering in one spot. This will prove to be very difficult at first. Draw on what you’ve learnt on from the ground exercise. Once you’ve hovered for around 30 seconds, bring the throttle down just slightly and the helicopter will start to slowly descend back to the ground. Don’t throttle down too fast or your helicopter will come crashing down and be damaged.
Try hovering many times. Between each hover, reflect on what you did right and what you did wrong. You will find that each hover will be more precise and more controlled than the last.
Another important point during this lesson is to always point the tail of the helicopter towards you. Don’t try to point the helicopter in any other direction at this point as you will very likely get disoriented. Orientation training will come later.
Once you’re comfortable with hovering at 1 foot, try bringing the helicopter up to an altitude of 3 to 5 feet. It will seem scarier but in fact, hovering at 3 - 5 feet is easier than hovering at 1 foot. Keep doing this exercise until you can hover for an entire flight of the battery pack or the fuel tank, which equals to around 7 to 10 minutes if you’re practicing on a simulator.
Each pilot takes different amount of time to learn this crucial skill. Some get it extremely fast (within days) while others take weeks or even months. Don’t be discouraged, take your time and learn at your own pace. As long as you have fun while practicing, who cares how long it takes. Don’t rush through this lesson. It is very important that you learn to hover and can do it comfortably.
Lesson 3: Basic Flight
Once you’ve mastered hovering, the next step is basic directional flight. Get your helicopter to hover as you’ve done in the last lesson, then pick a spot and pilot your helicopter there. Then pick another spot and do the same thing. At this point, you want to keep the helicopter in a tail-in position. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable that you can get your helicopter to go anywhere you want while it’s in a tail-in orientation.
Lesson 4: Nose-In Hover
After having mastered hovering and basic flight while flying tail-in, the next step, the nose-in hover, will be relatively more challenging. The idea behind this exercise is quite simple; simply hover like you did lesson 2, but this time, hover with the nose of the helicopter pointed towards you. While this may sound simple, many new pilots find this extremely difficult due to the fact that most of all the controls are now reversed. At this point, you may already confident about flying and feel that you can easily perform this hovering exercise at a high altitude. Please refrain from doing that. Instead, start this exercise by hovering at 1 foot, then slowly increasing the altitude to 5 feet as you are more confident and comfortable with the now-reversed controls. Keep doing this exercise until you can master hovering with the nose pointed towards you. Having accomplished this lesson will greatly improve your orientation awareness.
Lesson 5: Square and Figure 8 Flights
This final lesson will combine the skills you’ve learnt from previous lessons, namely, hovering, orientation, and direction flight. The combination of these skills will produce a full flight. The first goal is to try to navigate your helicopter in a square pattern. If you’ve been following the exercise without cheating, you’ll find that the square flight can be accomplished quite easily. The next goal would be to fly in a figure 8 pattern. This will prove to be more challenging but it is definitely not out of reach. As you do more and more figure eights, concentrate on keeping the 8 a perfect shape. Try your best not to veer off course. Becoming more experienced, you should aim for more and more flight control accuracy. Once you’ve mastered the figure 8, you should be able to pilot your helicopter anywhere you desire. Practice makes perfect, but also remember to have fun; after all, that is the whole point of a hobby.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Legacy of the Helicopter Developed by Design
By: Ben Franklin
The helicopter and the airplane are undoubtedly the most important inventions of the 20th century’s aeronautical industry. People have had dreams of flying since they were born. Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian genius, was the first person who ever drew a sketch of a manually piloted helicopter. It stirred some water at that moment, but it wasn’t until the 20th century that the first modern helicopter was built, in the late 30s.
There are many and important differences between the airplane and the helicopter. Although we are not going to talk about the plane much, its basic idea is that it has to execute a forward motion in order to be able to move. The wings have the purpose of generating a force which neutralizes the gravity force when they are moving through the air, and this is exactly what makes the plane fly.
The helicopter is very different. Its ability to hover into the air without even moving is unique. This is caused by the continuous motion of the blades. This has a main factor, like in the case of airplane wings, the air resistance force.
The force which the rotating blades generate is equal to the weight of the helicopter when the helicopter hovers. If the pilot wishes to take the helicopter to a bigger height, the blades’ positioning angle must be modified. The pilot has the ability to do this simultaneously with all the helicopter’s blades.
The helicopter has only one engine, and this engine is used to spin the rotor. Although most helicopters have a single main rotor, there are some who have two. They are meant to offer a greater stability for the helicopter by spinning in different directions.
Most helicopters have a single main rotor though and a smaller one which produces a horizontal force at the tail of the helicopter. If, by any chance, the engine fails in mid-air, the main rotor’s spin will be significantly reduced. This means that the rotor won’t be able to provide the necessary ascending force for the helicopter to fly.
However, even in this desperate situation, a helicopter can still land safely, especially if there’s an experienced pilot on board. This can be done through a method called auto-rotation. This is also one of the main advantages of the helicopter, the fact that even in the most difficult conditions it can bring a pilot safely to the ground.
Helicopters have many uses, from warfare to saving lives or as a transportation means. The most technologically advanced ones are a menace on any battlefield, due to their sheer maneuverability and stealth. There are also big helicopters used to carry military equipment from place to place. Also, rich people can afford helicopters which are able to get them from place to place very quickly.
Then, helicopters are also used in rescuing people from difficult situations, in places where nothing else could reach. For example, countless persons have been saved from remote mountain tops or from rough seas. This could have never been possible otherwise, and this is maybe the biggest utility of a helicopter.
The helicopter and the airplane are undoubtedly the most important inventions of the 20th century’s aeronautical industry. People have had dreams of flying since they were born. Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian genius, was the first person who ever drew a sketch of a manually piloted helicopter. It stirred some water at that moment, but it wasn’t until the 20th century that the first modern helicopter was built, in the late 30s.
There are many and important differences between the airplane and the helicopter. Although we are not going to talk about the plane much, its basic idea is that it has to execute a forward motion in order to be able to move. The wings have the purpose of generating a force which neutralizes the gravity force when they are moving through the air, and this is exactly what makes the plane fly.
The helicopter is very different. Its ability to hover into the air without even moving is unique. This is caused by the continuous motion of the blades. This has a main factor, like in the case of airplane wings, the air resistance force.
The force which the rotating blades generate is equal to the weight of the helicopter when the helicopter hovers. If the pilot wishes to take the helicopter to a bigger height, the blades’ positioning angle must be modified. The pilot has the ability to do this simultaneously with all the helicopter’s blades.
The helicopter has only one engine, and this engine is used to spin the rotor. Although most helicopters have a single main rotor, there are some who have two. They are meant to offer a greater stability for the helicopter by spinning in different directions.
Most helicopters have a single main rotor though and a smaller one which produces a horizontal force at the tail of the helicopter. If, by any chance, the engine fails in mid-air, the main rotor’s spin will be significantly reduced. This means that the rotor won’t be able to provide the necessary ascending force for the helicopter to fly.
However, even in this desperate situation, a helicopter can still land safely, especially if there’s an experienced pilot on board. This can be done through a method called auto-rotation. This is also one of the main advantages of the helicopter, the fact that even in the most difficult conditions it can bring a pilot safely to the ground.
Helicopters have many uses, from warfare to saving lives or as a transportation means. The most technologically advanced ones are a menace on any battlefield, due to their sheer maneuverability and stealth. There are also big helicopters used to carry military equipment from place to place. Also, rich people can afford helicopters which are able to get them from place to place very quickly.
Then, helicopters are also used in rescuing people from difficult situations, in places where nothing else could reach. For example, countless persons have been saved from remote mountain tops or from rough seas. This could have never been possible otherwise, and this is maybe the biggest utility of a helicopter.
Top Reasons To Fly Electric Model Planes
By: Victor Epand
Fewer numbers of moving components. Electric motors do not have a high number of parts such as crankshafts or pistons, etc. They also do not have any carburetor to regulate the gasoline flow. A brush less electric motor is a sealed unit and it requires only a battery to be connected to it. A gasoline motor on the other hand will require valve setting after some hours of flying. It also requires lubrication in the form of oil to be mixed along with the gasoline to lubricate all the inner parts. This results in smoke coming out of the engine and it also leaves an oily residue on the body of the plane. An electric motor is also steady and does not vibrate like a gasoline motor. Electric motors can also be easily fitted to a big propeller, but a gasoline engine would need a complex clutch system to attach it to a big propeller.
Higher efficiency. An electric motor has almost double the efficiency as compared to an equivalent gasoline engine. This means that electric motors convert power into energy in a much better way than gasoline engines convert fuel into energy. Cold or humid climates do not have any effect on electric motors, but gasoline engines might need to have their settings changed to make it work efficiently in different weather conditions.
Higher reliability. Electric motors are also very reliable as compared to gasoline engines. The brush-less electric motor is virtually bullet proof and hardly ever breaks down. Gasoline motors can have reliability problems due to the sheer number of parts required to run it.
Electric motors are silent. Electric motors make no noise, vibration or give out harmful emission. 2-Stroke engines emit a lot of smoke and also emit a high-pitched whine, which could get you into trouble if you are flying your plane in a residential area. Electric planes can be flown almost anywhere because they are noiseless and smoke free.
Just plug and fly. Electric motors do not have any idling jets or airscrews to be set before any flight. All you have to do is to connect it to the battery and it is ready to fly. However, in the case of a gasoline engine, some expertise is required to set the idling rpm and the flying rpm.
Ease in re-charging. An electric motor can be charged at home, in your car or in your boat. Whereas, a gasoline motor will require the proper fuel mixed with the right percentage of lubricants to make it run properly.
It is these above factors, which make electric motors the first and better choice for not only model planes, but also model helicopters, cars, boats and trains.
Fewer numbers of moving components. Electric motors do not have a high number of parts such as crankshafts or pistons, etc. They also do not have any carburetor to regulate the gasoline flow. A brush less electric motor is a sealed unit and it requires only a battery to be connected to it. A gasoline motor on the other hand will require valve setting after some hours of flying. It also requires lubrication in the form of oil to be mixed along with the gasoline to lubricate all the inner parts. This results in smoke coming out of the engine and it also leaves an oily residue on the body of the plane. An electric motor is also steady and does not vibrate like a gasoline motor. Electric motors can also be easily fitted to a big propeller, but a gasoline engine would need a complex clutch system to attach it to a big propeller.
Higher efficiency. An electric motor has almost double the efficiency as compared to an equivalent gasoline engine. This means that electric motors convert power into energy in a much better way than gasoline engines convert fuel into energy. Cold or humid climates do not have any effect on electric motors, but gasoline engines might need to have their settings changed to make it work efficiently in different weather conditions.
Higher reliability. Electric motors are also very reliable as compared to gasoline engines. The brush-less electric motor is virtually bullet proof and hardly ever breaks down. Gasoline motors can have reliability problems due to the sheer number of parts required to run it.
Electric motors are silent. Electric motors make no noise, vibration or give out harmful emission. 2-Stroke engines emit a lot of smoke and also emit a high-pitched whine, which could get you into trouble if you are flying your plane in a residential area. Electric planes can be flown almost anywhere because they are noiseless and smoke free.
Just plug and fly. Electric motors do not have any idling jets or airscrews to be set before any flight. All you have to do is to connect it to the battery and it is ready to fly. However, in the case of a gasoline engine, some expertise is required to set the idling rpm and the flying rpm.
Ease in re-charging. An electric motor can be charged at home, in your car or in your boat. Whereas, a gasoline motor will require the proper fuel mixed with the right percentage of lubricants to make it run properly.
It is these above factors, which make electric motors the first and better choice for not only model planes, but also model helicopters, cars, boats and trains.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
So You Want To Start Flying German RC Airplanes!
By: Jerry Johnson
So you want to start flying German RC airplanes! You have looked around and did your research. You are headed out to purchase a big ole RC controlled model jet fight. Whoa! If you never flown a remote control airplane before, maybe you should learn to stand before walking and then walk before running. A big warbird such as a radio controlled jet is galloping not running.
Ok, so where do I start. Many RC modelers will prefer gliders for the novice flyers. The RC gliders are usually what they started off with to get their feet wet. The 6 foot wingspan of glider class is a perfect size. It is large enough to easily fly but small enough to fit in your car. You will find that beginner gliders are lighter, fly slower and are more tolerable to the non-flying (grumpy) community than gas powered planes. They have no noise or mess. It makes the first time experience a lot more pleasant not having to deal with a lot of other factors.
Gliders are cheaper (the entry level models) than the nitro powered planes. There is no fuel, batteries, and starter etc. to buy. The electric flight models are silent and clean. You will find more tolerance from neighbors around the flying field. All I need is the RC glider and more than likely spare battery packs. With RC gliders, you can fly from smaller fields. Nitro powered RC planes will let you fly longer but because of the noise and weight, you might have to go a field with the population is not a factor.
I really like the looks of German RC Airplanes. Try to be patient. They look cool, inviting, and powerful. It is your choice for your first RC model but try to stay away from those smooth speedy scale jobs! Remember, these machines are fast and they fly furious hard. Have you ever heard of an airplane crash? Buy one of these RC airplanes as your first RC entry and you will become very familiar with crashing. Crashing means breaking. Breaking means it cost you money. I know the trainers aren't as cool looking as a RC F4 jet airplane but using a trainer to learn to fly will make you a better pilot. Hey the Air Force doesn't just put a student pilot in a jet and start training. They use trainers.
RC flying is fun. RC flyers are a friendly group of folks. They can help you learn the sport. They are usually ready to help anyone who asks for help. RC flying is a great hobby. Now go enjoy your self and off into the wild blue yonder!
So you want to start flying German RC airplanes! You have looked around and did your research. You are headed out to purchase a big ole RC controlled model jet fight. Whoa! If you never flown a remote control airplane before, maybe you should learn to stand before walking and then walk before running. A big warbird such as a radio controlled jet is galloping not running.
Ok, so where do I start. Many RC modelers will prefer gliders for the novice flyers. The RC gliders are usually what they started off with to get their feet wet. The 6 foot wingspan of glider class is a perfect size. It is large enough to easily fly but small enough to fit in your car. You will find that beginner gliders are lighter, fly slower and are more tolerable to the non-flying (grumpy) community than gas powered planes. They have no noise or mess. It makes the first time experience a lot more pleasant not having to deal with a lot of other factors.
Gliders are cheaper (the entry level models) than the nitro powered planes. There is no fuel, batteries, and starter etc. to buy. The electric flight models are silent and clean. You will find more tolerance from neighbors around the flying field. All I need is the RC glider and more than likely spare battery packs. With RC gliders, you can fly from smaller fields. Nitro powered RC planes will let you fly longer but because of the noise and weight, you might have to go a field with the population is not a factor.
I really like the looks of German RC Airplanes. Try to be patient. They look cool, inviting, and powerful. It is your choice for your first RC model but try to stay away from those smooth speedy scale jobs! Remember, these machines are fast and they fly furious hard. Have you ever heard of an airplane crash? Buy one of these RC airplanes as your first RC entry and you will become very familiar with crashing. Crashing means breaking. Breaking means it cost you money. I know the trainers aren't as cool looking as a RC F4 jet airplane but using a trainer to learn to fly will make you a better pilot. Hey the Air Force doesn't just put a student pilot in a jet and start training. They use trainers.
RC flying is fun. RC flyers are a friendly group of folks. They can help you learn the sport. They are usually ready to help anyone who asks for help. RC flying is a great hobby. Now go enjoy your self and off into the wild blue yonder!
7 Tips To Maximizing Your Battery Performance
Battery technology seems to have taken a leaping step recently, allowing electric RC models to go places where once only nitrous model could go. Leading this innovation are the Li-Po or Lithium Polymer batteries which has become the standard power source for electric powered helicopters, planes, cars, boats, and almost every other type of model. However, these batteries are not exactly cheap, and improper operations will have detrimental effects. Here are seven tips to maximize your battery performance.
1. Break In New Batteries
Although not as big a deal with newer Li-Po packs as it was when NiMh and NiCad batteries were kings, it is still recommended that you fully charge the battery before first use. Fully discharging and charging batteries a few times before first flight or will also give your battery a little bit extra lifetime and power.
2. Keep the pack clean
This is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of battery operations. It is a good idea to keep the battery pack clean, and this is especially important for the dean connectors. If the dean connectors are dirty, the connection may be obstructed and could result in a mid-flight power failure. The easiest way to clean dirty contacts is simply with alcohol and cotton swaps.
3. Keep up the battery’s health by constant exercise
Leaving the battery inactive for a long period of time shorten its life and decrease its total potential. You should use your battery pack at least once every one to two weeks. Fully discharging then charging the pack will also quell this problem.
4. Take breaks between flights
A fully charged li-po pack has enough power for a 10-minute flight. However, to fly for ten minutes straight on one pack is not recommended. If you have two packs, it’s best to fly a 5 minute flight, switch to a fresh pack, fly for another 5 minute, and then switch back to the old pack. Doing this will greatly increase the life-span on the battery.
5. Do not charge when hot
Never charge the battery pack while it is still hot. Battery pack becomes very hot right after a flight; you must wait until it cools down before charging it again. Charging a still-hot pack is one of the most successful ways to shorten a battery’s life.
6. Store them well
To store the battery for a prolonged period (a month or more), the best way to store them is in a clean, dry, cool place away from metal and heat. Remember also that battery packs loose charge over time even without usage.
7. Avoid hard impact
Individual cells within a battery pack can be damaged upon heavy impact which could cause circuit leaks and can be dangerously unstable. There is also no way to repair a damaged cell. Try your best not to crash, but of course, we all already do.
1. Break In New Batteries
Although not as big a deal with newer Li-Po packs as it was when NiMh and NiCad batteries were kings, it is still recommended that you fully charge the battery before first use. Fully discharging and charging batteries a few times before first flight or will also give your battery a little bit extra lifetime and power.
2. Keep the pack clean
This is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of battery operations. It is a good idea to keep the battery pack clean, and this is especially important for the dean connectors. If the dean connectors are dirty, the connection may be obstructed and could result in a mid-flight power failure. The easiest way to clean dirty contacts is simply with alcohol and cotton swaps.
3. Keep up the battery’s health by constant exercise
Leaving the battery inactive for a long period of time shorten its life and decrease its total potential. You should use your battery pack at least once every one to two weeks. Fully discharging then charging the pack will also quell this problem.
4. Take breaks between flights
A fully charged li-po pack has enough power for a 10-minute flight. However, to fly for ten minutes straight on one pack is not recommended. If you have two packs, it’s best to fly a 5 minute flight, switch to a fresh pack, fly for another 5 minute, and then switch back to the old pack. Doing this will greatly increase the life-span on the battery.
5. Do not charge when hot
Never charge the battery pack while it is still hot. Battery pack becomes very hot right after a flight; you must wait until it cools down before charging it again. Charging a still-hot pack is one of the most successful ways to shorten a battery’s life.
6. Store them well
To store the battery for a prolonged period (a month or more), the best way to store them is in a clean, dry, cool place away from metal and heat. Remember also that battery packs loose charge over time even without usage.
7. Avoid hard impact
Individual cells within a battery pack can be damaged upon heavy impact which could cause circuit leaks and can be dangerously unstable. There is also no way to repair a damaged cell. Try your best not to crash, but of course, we all already do.
How to get started flying RC helicopters
RC helicopters have become a very common RC toy lately and come in a variety of prices and types. Many problems that beginners face are what type of helicopter to choose, power source for it and whether they want an indoor or outdoor one. With many more options on top of those you can imagine how difficult it is for beginners to take off, literally. First let's talk about the different power sources that a RC model helicopter can have, and which one will best suit you.
If you are a beginner RC helicopter pilot, then the best power source for you is electric. Electrically powered chopper engines are still very fast, but yet still quiet, and can maneuver just as good a full sized fuel powered one! Another main attraction to electric helicopters is the fact that you don't have to deal with messy fuels or with tuning the engine at all. Plus fuel cost money and electricity is much cheaper. If you are a beginner then I definitely recommend that you get an electric powered RC helicopter and then progress your way up to a glow powered one.
Glow engines have been used in RC airplanes for some time now, and have made there way over to helicopters. Glow engines have a simple ignition system that uses a glow plug rather than a spark plug. The glow plug is heated by a battery operated glow starter, and meanwhile the modeler uses a starter to turn the engine over. When fuel enters the combustion chamber, it is ignited by the heated glow plug and the engine starts up.
If you want to seriously get into the RC helicopter hobby, then a glow engine chopper is perfect for realism, building, maintaining and flying! You will be able to personalize your chopper exactly the way you want it, like hover time and rotor speed. Once you get a feel for your helicopter, and have everything adjusted perfectly, your helicopter will fly just the way you want it and not the way some factory decided it should.
The next challenge beginner helicopter pilot's face is learning how to fly their chopper. This is a big problem since a helicopter is the hardest aerial vehicle to fly and having a miniature version of one doesn't make things easier. If you have no helicopter flying experience and you try to fly it, most likely it will crash into the ground. To save yourself frustration you need to learn how to properly put it together and fly it.
I recommend that you read the instruction manual, front to back, before you attempt to put it together and when you actually do, make sure you tighten every bolt and include every screw. One missing screw or loose bolt can throw the whole helicopter off and send it crashing to the ground because it is unbalanced.
Learning how to fly a RC helicopter is a challenge within itself, and could never be fully taught over the internet or through some book. The best way to learn is to get real flying experience with an instructor at first, and then on your own later. You can find an instructor at a local RC airplane and helicopter club. RC airplane clubs are most common and exist in just about every state and country, and since most of them will have experience with planes they most likely will also know how to fly RC model helicopters too.
If you are a beginner RC helicopter pilot, then the best power source for you is electric. Electrically powered chopper engines are still very fast, but yet still quiet, and can maneuver just as good a full sized fuel powered one! Another main attraction to electric helicopters is the fact that you don't have to deal with messy fuels or with tuning the engine at all. Plus fuel cost money and electricity is much cheaper. If you are a beginner then I definitely recommend that you get an electric powered RC helicopter and then progress your way up to a glow powered one.
Glow engines have been used in RC airplanes for some time now, and have made there way over to helicopters. Glow engines have a simple ignition system that uses a glow plug rather than a spark plug. The glow plug is heated by a battery operated glow starter, and meanwhile the modeler uses a starter to turn the engine over. When fuel enters the combustion chamber, it is ignited by the heated glow plug and the engine starts up.
If you want to seriously get into the RC helicopter hobby, then a glow engine chopper is perfect for realism, building, maintaining and flying! You will be able to personalize your chopper exactly the way you want it, like hover time and rotor speed. Once you get a feel for your helicopter, and have everything adjusted perfectly, your helicopter will fly just the way you want it and not the way some factory decided it should.
The next challenge beginner helicopter pilot's face is learning how to fly their chopper. This is a big problem since a helicopter is the hardest aerial vehicle to fly and having a miniature version of one doesn't make things easier. If you have no helicopter flying experience and you try to fly it, most likely it will crash into the ground. To save yourself frustration you need to learn how to properly put it together and fly it.
I recommend that you read the instruction manual, front to back, before you attempt to put it together and when you actually do, make sure you tighten every bolt and include every screw. One missing screw or loose bolt can throw the whole helicopter off and send it crashing to the ground because it is unbalanced.
Learning how to fly a RC helicopter is a challenge within itself, and could never be fully taught over the internet or through some book. The best way to learn is to get real flying experience with an instructor at first, and then on your own later. You can find an instructor at a local RC airplane and helicopter club. RC airplane clubs are most common and exist in just about every state and country, and since most of them will have experience with planes they most likely will also know how to fly RC model helicopters too.
How fast can a radio-controlled model helicopter fly?
Top speed during straight and level flight is approximately 50 mph. However, some fliers using streamlined fuselages designed for aerobatic competition claim that their models have hit speeds of over 100 mph! How far can a radio-controlled model helicopter go?
The model's range is limited not by its radio equipment, but by the pilot's ability to follow and control it. Therefore, you can fly an R/C helicopter as far as your eye can see. The radio will control it from up to approximately one mile away. How hard is a helicopter to build?
What attracts lots of people to helicopters is the fact that there is really no gluing, sanding, covering, etc. It's all just a bunch of nuts and bolts with a few precision machined parts thrown in! You might say it's sort of an advanced "Erector set." Just as anybody can fly one, so too can anybody build one, that is anyone who is willing to follow the instructions. If you can build an R/C car you can build an R/C helicopter. Generally it should take a beginner about four to five evenings to assemble a .30 size heli and get it ready ready to fly. Your local flying club or hobby store can help you if you run into trouble. How do you control it?
As with full-sized helicopters, radio controlled helicopters are controlled with five functions:
THROTTLE and COLLECTIVE PITCH of the main rotor blades is mixed together. As you advance the "throttle" stick of the radio controller, not only is the engine power increased, but the pitch of the main rotor blades is also added collectively to make the helicopter go up (or down as the "throttle" stick is brought back). Ideally, the proportion of throttle and rotor blade collective pitch is mixed so that the rotor head speed is always the same.
The TAIL ROTOR BLADES are there in the first place to counteract the torque created by the engine power used to turn the main rotor blades. Without a tail rotor the helicopter would just keep spinning around out of control. The pitch of the tail blades is controlled by you in order to tell the helicopter which direction it "faces." Technically, the axis about which the tail rotor turns the helicopter is called the "yaw" axis (this would be a line drown straight down through the main shaft).
The FORE-AFT CYCLIC control changes the pitch of the main rotor blades only at one point around each 360 degree revolution of the rotor blades in cycles or cyclically. When this happens the helicopter will "nose up" or down in order to move the helicopter forward or backward. The axis about which the helicopter "noses up" or down is called "pitch" axis.
The LEFT-RIGHT CYCLIC is the same as described for fore-aft cyclic except that the pitch of the main rotor blades changes at a different point (90 degrees later) throughout each 360 degree revolution in order to "bank" the helicopter to the right or left. The axis about which the helicopter banks is called the "roll" axis.
Imagine all this going on around 1,6000 times per minute! If this seems complicated, don't worry. You don't really have to understand it because the controls will do their job and the helicopter will fly with or without your technical knowledge of how they operate. You get to do the fun part!
What types of things can an R/C helicopter do?
Just about anything you can think of (that involves flying). That's another attraction that helicopters seem to have. They can hover in one spot, fly backwards, sideways, or do pirouettes while in forward flight, stall turns, loops, rolls, standing loops and rolls (a loop or a roll with no forward speed), tumble, and most amazingly to the laymen (and even to most accomplished fliers too) they can fly upside down and hover inches off the ground! Let's see an airplane or a full size helicopter do that! Where can you fly it?
This again is up to your common sense. It is strongly recommended that you check with your local hobby store, the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics), and IRCHA (International R/C Helicopter Association), to see if there is a model club in your area. A club flying site is usually the best area to fly. Otherwise just look for what might be a suitable flying area keeping in mind the size of the site, who owns the property, electrical lines, houses and neighborhoods, kids, etc. Use good judgement. When learning, you will find that you are most comfortable and relaxed when you are all by yourself. A well-lit parking lot at night is even a good place for just learning to hover. How hard is it to fly?
Of all the radio controlled vehicles out there, no question about it, helicopters are the hardest to fly. Don't let this scare you! Many times you will hear some clever analogy of how hard it is to fly a helicopter . . . "It's like standing on a beach ball on one foot while trying to balance a broomstick in the palm of your hand on a windy day." Clever, but these people probably have not even flown a helicopter themselves. Yes, they are difficult to fly, but anybody who really wants to learn to fly one can do so with some time and perseverance. The nice thing is that you can learn how to fly all by yourself, though it is highly recommended that you have us at least help you set up your machine. All you have to do is progress at a rate that you are comfortable with. Soon you will be hovering, and then into forward flight, and then loops and rolls, and then who knows what! How long does it take to learn to fly?
This all depends on how hard you work at it. Generally, it will take most people two or three weeks of practice maybe three to four evenings a week to learn to hold a fairly solid hver. After another month or so, you will be comfortable with forward flight. By the end of the third month you can be performing loops. It all depends on your personality, interest level, and how much you enjoy flying. We have seen many people doing loops and rolls within a month's time! The key point to remember is to have fun along the way. You may have fun just flying around, or you might be the type who always wants to get the most out of your machine so you will work very hard at executing maneuvers with precision. It all depends on you. Do you have to start with R/C airplanes first?
NO! With helicopters you start flying from the ground up. Having flown an airplane certainly cannot hurt, but as far as hovering goes, it is completely different from an airplane anyway. Vice, versa. If you started out on helicopters you probably would pick up airplane flying a little quicker, too. Who will help me fly it?
Most hobby stores that sell helicopters offer flying lessons, or they can help put you in touch with a model club in your area that can help you. Are helicopters dangerous?
At a glance a helicopter may appear to be harmless, but when the engine is spinning the blades at over 2000 RPM (275 mph), you can easily see how much energy this model has. Helicopter pilots must be very careful to choose a location that is a safe distance from spectators, buildings, trees, and roadways. To avoid accidents, they must also pay attention to the condition of their machine. Do you have to use a helicopter radio? How many channels?
Highly recommended, but not necessary. A helicopter radio has special throttle/collective-pitch/tail mixing functions that are not available on airplane radios. These mixing functions make the helicopter much easier to set up and fly. Special features such as "throttle hold" and "idle up" also increase ease of aerobatics. The helicopter will fly with a minimum number of 4 channels by directly linking throttle and collective pitch on one servo or channel. The minimum number of channels available on a helicopter radio is five: throttle, collective pitch, tail rotor pich, fore-aft cyclic and left-right cyclic. More channels may be used for other purposes: gyro switching, lights, landing gear. Do I have to use a gyro? What does it do?
Yes you have to use a gyro (if you really want to learn at a quick rate with less crashes). Just as you will buy a helicopter radio sooner or later, you will end up buying a gyro even sooner if you don't right at the initial purchase. Until you know the difference, you can't really appreciate how much one will help you. What a gyro does is act as automatic pilot for the tail rotor (the function that tells the helicopter what direction to face). When learning, it is important that the helicopter is always facing the same direction as you are (the nose pointing away from you and the tail pointing towards you). This way every input that you give to the helicopter will be the same direction you are facing. Right is right, left is left, forward is forward, etc. If the helicopter is sideways to you or facing you, until you are ready to control the machine in this orientation, you will be very confused. The gyro will help the helicopter always face the same direction. It compensates for wind and over controlling the function. It dampens the "twichiness" of the tail.
The model's range is limited not by its radio equipment, but by the pilot's ability to follow and control it. Therefore, you can fly an R/C helicopter as far as your eye can see. The radio will control it from up to approximately one mile away. How hard is a helicopter to build?
What attracts lots of people to helicopters is the fact that there is really no gluing, sanding, covering, etc. It's all just a bunch of nuts and bolts with a few precision machined parts thrown in! You might say it's sort of an advanced "Erector set." Just as anybody can fly one, so too can anybody build one, that is anyone who is willing to follow the instructions. If you can build an R/C car you can build an R/C helicopter. Generally it should take a beginner about four to five evenings to assemble a .30 size heli and get it ready ready to fly. Your local flying club or hobby store can help you if you run into trouble. How do you control it?
As with full-sized helicopters, radio controlled helicopters are controlled with five functions:
THROTTLE and COLLECTIVE PITCH of the main rotor blades is mixed together. As you advance the "throttle" stick of the radio controller, not only is the engine power increased, but the pitch of the main rotor blades is also added collectively to make the helicopter go up (or down as the "throttle" stick is brought back). Ideally, the proportion of throttle and rotor blade collective pitch is mixed so that the rotor head speed is always the same.
The TAIL ROTOR BLADES are there in the first place to counteract the torque created by the engine power used to turn the main rotor blades. Without a tail rotor the helicopter would just keep spinning around out of control. The pitch of the tail blades is controlled by you in order to tell the helicopter which direction it "faces." Technically, the axis about which the tail rotor turns the helicopter is called the "yaw" axis (this would be a line drown straight down through the main shaft).
The FORE-AFT CYCLIC control changes the pitch of the main rotor blades only at one point around each 360 degree revolution of the rotor blades in cycles or cyclically. When this happens the helicopter will "nose up" or down in order to move the helicopter forward or backward. The axis about which the helicopter "noses up" or down is called "pitch" axis.
The LEFT-RIGHT CYCLIC is the same as described for fore-aft cyclic except that the pitch of the main rotor blades changes at a different point (90 degrees later) throughout each 360 degree revolution in order to "bank" the helicopter to the right or left. The axis about which the helicopter banks is called the "roll" axis.
Imagine all this going on around 1,6000 times per minute! If this seems complicated, don't worry. You don't really have to understand it because the controls will do their job and the helicopter will fly with or without your technical knowledge of how they operate. You get to do the fun part!
What types of things can an R/C helicopter do?
Just about anything you can think of (that involves flying). That's another attraction that helicopters seem to have. They can hover in one spot, fly backwards, sideways, or do pirouettes while in forward flight, stall turns, loops, rolls, standing loops and rolls (a loop or a roll with no forward speed), tumble, and most amazingly to the laymen (and even to most accomplished fliers too) they can fly upside down and hover inches off the ground! Let's see an airplane or a full size helicopter do that! Where can you fly it?
This again is up to your common sense. It is strongly recommended that you check with your local hobby store, the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics), and IRCHA (International R/C Helicopter Association), to see if there is a model club in your area. A club flying site is usually the best area to fly. Otherwise just look for what might be a suitable flying area keeping in mind the size of the site, who owns the property, electrical lines, houses and neighborhoods, kids, etc. Use good judgement. When learning, you will find that you are most comfortable and relaxed when you are all by yourself. A well-lit parking lot at night is even a good place for just learning to hover. How hard is it to fly?
Of all the radio controlled vehicles out there, no question about it, helicopters are the hardest to fly. Don't let this scare you! Many times you will hear some clever analogy of how hard it is to fly a helicopter . . . "It's like standing on a beach ball on one foot while trying to balance a broomstick in the palm of your hand on a windy day." Clever, but these people probably have not even flown a helicopter themselves. Yes, they are difficult to fly, but anybody who really wants to learn to fly one can do so with some time and perseverance. The nice thing is that you can learn how to fly all by yourself, though it is highly recommended that you have us at least help you set up your machine. All you have to do is progress at a rate that you are comfortable with. Soon you will be hovering, and then into forward flight, and then loops and rolls, and then who knows what! How long does it take to learn to fly?
This all depends on how hard you work at it. Generally, it will take most people two or three weeks of practice maybe three to four evenings a week to learn to hold a fairly solid hver. After another month or so, you will be comfortable with forward flight. By the end of the third month you can be performing loops. It all depends on your personality, interest level, and how much you enjoy flying. We have seen many people doing loops and rolls within a month's time! The key point to remember is to have fun along the way. You may have fun just flying around, or you might be the type who always wants to get the most out of your machine so you will work very hard at executing maneuvers with precision. It all depends on you. Do you have to start with R/C airplanes first?
NO! With helicopters you start flying from the ground up. Having flown an airplane certainly cannot hurt, but as far as hovering goes, it is completely different from an airplane anyway. Vice, versa. If you started out on helicopters you probably would pick up airplane flying a little quicker, too. Who will help me fly it?
Most hobby stores that sell helicopters offer flying lessons, or they can help put you in touch with a model club in your area that can help you. Are helicopters dangerous?
At a glance a helicopter may appear to be harmless, but when the engine is spinning the blades at over 2000 RPM (275 mph), you can easily see how much energy this model has. Helicopter pilots must be very careful to choose a location that is a safe distance from spectators, buildings, trees, and roadways. To avoid accidents, they must also pay attention to the condition of their machine. Do you have to use a helicopter radio? How many channels?
Highly recommended, but not necessary. A helicopter radio has special throttle/collective-pitch/tail mixing functions that are not available on airplane radios. These mixing functions make the helicopter much easier to set up and fly. Special features such as "throttle hold" and "idle up" also increase ease of aerobatics. The helicopter will fly with a minimum number of 4 channels by directly linking throttle and collective pitch on one servo or channel. The minimum number of channels available on a helicopter radio is five: throttle, collective pitch, tail rotor pich, fore-aft cyclic and left-right cyclic. More channels may be used for other purposes: gyro switching, lights, landing gear. Do I have to use a gyro? What does it do?
Yes you have to use a gyro (if you really want to learn at a quick rate with less crashes). Just as you will buy a helicopter radio sooner or later, you will end up buying a gyro even sooner if you don't right at the initial purchase. Until you know the difference, you can't really appreciate how much one will help you. What a gyro does is act as automatic pilot for the tail rotor (the function that tells the helicopter what direction to face). When learning, it is important that the helicopter is always facing the same direction as you are (the nose pointing away from you and the tail pointing towards you). This way every input that you give to the helicopter will be the same direction you are facing. Right is right, left is left, forward is forward, etc. If the helicopter is sideways to you or facing you, until you are ready to control the machine in this orientation, you will be very confused. The gyro will help the helicopter always face the same direction. It compensates for wind and over controlling the function. It dampens the "twichiness" of the tail.
Between Gas and Electric RC Helicopter
Rc helicopter has become one of the more popular “boy toys” that hit and hit big. Its popularity is not surprising at all. Imagine fulfilling your dream of flying an aircraft without spending too much. And most of all: without leaving your foot off the ground. Now that’s a good plus factor if you simply don’t want to risk your life flying with a spinning rotor above your head.
Rc helicopter usually come in either gas or electric powered. Here are the things you should know about the two:
Electric rc Helicopter – If you are a novice rc enthusiast, then the most advisable thing to buy is the electric rc helicopter. The reasons are simple. Electric rc helicopter is simpler than other types of rc helicopters especially the gas rc’s. With the electric, you don’t have to deal with the engine and the gas it will consume. You would not need to have proper knowledge about mechanics just to make it fly. You don’t have to spend a lot of time reader the manual just to understand how it works. And if the helicopter fails, you don’t have to figure out how to fix it.
If you are thinking that electric rc helicopter would not fly for long then you should change you perspective. Most modern electric rc’s are powered by lithium batteries and coupled with brushless motors. This makes it fly much longer. In fact it can out last some of the gas rc’s.
And last thing: It is quiet on air thus you cannot disturb other’s privacy.
Gas rc Helicopter – A more experienced rc helicopter pilot prefers gas powered rc helicopters for several reasons. One is, flying gas rc helicopter flies like flying a full-size helicopter since the sound that the engine creates can trigger excitement. Oh! You might think that it is quite absurd. But no! The sound of the engine makes it more exciting to fly. Another reason is that gas rc helicopter is more complicated that keeps its pilot more addicted with it. Why? This is because the pilot is not only limited to flying the helicopter alone. Pilot is involved with how the mechanics of the RC. This gives him more reason to become excited on the RC.
Choosing between an electric RC helicopter and a gas RC helicopter is up to you. Evaluate carefully so that you get most out of your rc flying experience.
Rc helicopter usually come in either gas or electric powered. Here are the things you should know about the two:
Electric rc Helicopter – If you are a novice rc enthusiast, then the most advisable thing to buy is the electric rc helicopter. The reasons are simple. Electric rc helicopter is simpler than other types of rc helicopters especially the gas rc’s. With the electric, you don’t have to deal with the engine and the gas it will consume. You would not need to have proper knowledge about mechanics just to make it fly. You don’t have to spend a lot of time reader the manual just to understand how it works. And if the helicopter fails, you don’t have to figure out how to fix it.
If you are thinking that electric rc helicopter would not fly for long then you should change you perspective. Most modern electric rc’s are powered by lithium batteries and coupled with brushless motors. This makes it fly much longer. In fact it can out last some of the gas rc’s.
And last thing: It is quiet on air thus you cannot disturb other’s privacy.
Gas rc Helicopter – A more experienced rc helicopter pilot prefers gas powered rc helicopters for several reasons. One is, flying gas rc helicopter flies like flying a full-size helicopter since the sound that the engine creates can trigger excitement. Oh! You might think that it is quite absurd. But no! The sound of the engine makes it more exciting to fly. Another reason is that gas rc helicopter is more complicated that keeps its pilot more addicted with it. Why? This is because the pilot is not only limited to flying the helicopter alone. Pilot is involved with how the mechanics of the RC. This gives him more reason to become excited on the RC.
Choosing between an electric RC helicopter and a gas RC helicopter is up to you. Evaluate carefully so that you get most out of your rc flying experience.
HELICOPTERS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Radio will not turn on/communicate with helicopter. What is wrong?
A: Make sure all 8 batteries are installed in the radio and the full LED display on radio lights up.
Q: Will my helicopter hover by itself?
A: No. A properly trimmed helicopter will fly very stable, however continuous inputs are required.
Q: Everything works but the motors. What is wrong?
A: Make sure and check that the throttle and trim tab on the radio is all the way down. On the 3D model, make sure the flight
mode switch is in the up and normal position.
Q: On the Walkera H22, Eagle 50 and Walkera #5-4 models, what are the toggle switches and button on the front of the radio for?
A: This is a universal radio and those switches are not functional for these applications.
Q: What are the dip switches on the back of the radio for and what do they do?
A: They are set at the factory and should not be changed as the helicopter will become non operational. Refer to manual for proper sequence.
Q: How should the flybar paddles be set?
A: They should be straight and level and parallel to the flybar tray.
Q: How tight/loose should the main blades be?
A: The main blades should be just tight enough to hold in place but not so loose as to let the blades flop around.
BATTERIES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Will my nickel metal hydride (NiMH) charger also charge my lithium polymer (LiPO) batteries?
A: No. Do not attempt. You must use a charger specifically for LiPO batteries.
Q: Will the charger that came with my ready-to-run vehicle charge the higher milliamp (mah) after-market
batteries?
A: No. We do not recommend this application. It is best to acquire a peak type charger.
Q: How do I determine the charge rate of my battery?
A: There are many factors that determine charge rate. Check manufacturer's specifications for charging. Most receiver packs should be charged at 1 amp. Most stick packs should be charged at 3-4 amps.
Q: Does my nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery need to be fully discharged before re-charging?
A: No. A NiMH battery does not require a full discharge each time. We recommend approximately one full discharge every 30 cycles.
Q: How long will my battery last in terms of life expectancy?
A: If a battery is properly charged and used in a proper application, you should get hundreds of uses.
Q: Does my NiMH battery need to be discharged for storage?
A: No. NiMH batteries must have at least a 50% charge left before storing.
Q: How do I charge my LiPO battery?
A: LiPO batteries should only be charged with a specified charger at the recommended charge rate. Check manufacturer's specifications for the battery and charge rate.
Q: How long will it take to charge my battery?
A: Charging time greatly depends on charge rate, mah capacity and type of charger. All times will vary. Always check
charger and battery specifications.
A: Make sure all 8 batteries are installed in the radio and the full LED display on radio lights up.
Q: Will my helicopter hover by itself?
A: No. A properly trimmed helicopter will fly very stable, however continuous inputs are required.
Q: Everything works but the motors. What is wrong?
A: Make sure and check that the throttle and trim tab on the radio is all the way down. On the 3D model, make sure the flight
mode switch is in the up and normal position.
Q: On the Walkera H22, Eagle 50 and Walkera #5-4 models, what are the toggle switches and button on the front of the radio for?
A: This is a universal radio and those switches are not functional for these applications.
Q: What are the dip switches on the back of the radio for and what do they do?
A: They are set at the factory and should not be changed as the helicopter will become non operational. Refer to manual for proper sequence.
Q: How should the flybar paddles be set?
A: They should be straight and level and parallel to the flybar tray.
Q: How tight/loose should the main blades be?
A: The main blades should be just tight enough to hold in place but not so loose as to let the blades flop around.
BATTERIES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Will my nickel metal hydride (NiMH) charger also charge my lithium polymer (LiPO) batteries?
A: No. Do not attempt. You must use a charger specifically for LiPO batteries.
Q: Will the charger that came with my ready-to-run vehicle charge the higher milliamp (mah) after-market
batteries?
A: No. We do not recommend this application. It is best to acquire a peak type charger.
Q: How do I determine the charge rate of my battery?
A: There are many factors that determine charge rate. Check manufacturer's specifications for charging. Most receiver packs should be charged at 1 amp. Most stick packs should be charged at 3-4 amps.
Q: Does my nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery need to be fully discharged before re-charging?
A: No. A NiMH battery does not require a full discharge each time. We recommend approximately one full discharge every 30 cycles.
Q: How long will my battery last in terms of life expectancy?
A: If a battery is properly charged and used in a proper application, you should get hundreds of uses.
Q: Does my NiMH battery need to be discharged for storage?
A: No. NiMH batteries must have at least a 50% charge left before storing.
Q: How do I charge my LiPO battery?
A: LiPO batteries should only be charged with a specified charger at the recommended charge rate. Check manufacturer's specifications for the battery and charge rate.
Q: How long will it take to charge my battery?
A: Charging time greatly depends on charge rate, mah capacity and type of charger. All times will vary. Always check
charger and battery specifications.
5 Reasons to Try Electric Flights
RC Helicopters capture people's interest since thseir very first inception. They stand as one of the most fascinating field of the RC hobby world. Very few can resist its charm. Nevertheless, not too long ago they also carried an extremely heavy price tag and required more maintenance than a ten-years-old car. To make matters worse, flying one required countless hours of practice and tremendous amount of patience. However, all that is about to change. With the introduction of electric RC helicopters, flying these amazing models are not as far-fetched as they used to be. Here are five reasons why:
1. Low Cost:
Flying RC Helicopter used to set people back thousands of dollars. People had to buy the helicopter kit (which comes in hundred small pieces - unassembled), servos, engine, starter, gyro, receiver, radio controller, a hundred other equipments, and of course - fuel. When everything has been purchased, you still have to assemble it!
On the other hand, electric helicopters almost always cost less than 200 dollars with cheaper but better versions coming out regularly. Even better, most of these helicopters come ready to fly right out of the box. In addition to that, every necessary equipments and accessories often come included as well. Finally, by using batteries, the running cost of these helicopters is greatly reduced as it is no longer necessary to buy gallons after gallons of gas.
2. Silent and Clean:
RC Helicopters might be amongst the most fascinating radio controlled models, however, one undeniable fact still stands against it; they make more noise and create more pollution than a breaking down truck. This makes flying around the neighborhood almost impossible.
The problem of noise, pollution and size is almost entirely eliminated with the electric models; the amount of noise greatly decreased while the amount of pollution vanished altogether. These two facts allows these machines to fly anywhere without causing too much annoyance to other people.
3. Reliable and Easy to Fly:
With gas helicopters, countless crashes occur not because of pilot errors, but because the engine fail in midair. Who's to blame? After all, everybody knows that gas engines aren't the most reliable thing in the world. They also notoriously require constant tinkering to run smoothly. On the other hand, electric helicopters fly undeniably more reliable. They almost never cut out in mid air, even when the battery runs down. Moreover, you can forget about having to crank up the engine over and over. These electric motors will run anytime anywhere as long as there's battery. There's nothing more frustrating than taking your helicopter to the field only to find that it won't start because it is too cold, too humid, or just because the engine wants to act up.
Electric helicopter are generally easier to fly than gas models, making them ideal for beginners. Some model allows beginner to start out with only 2 or 3 channels to worry about as oppose to 6 or 7 that the gas model requires. Avid pilots won't have to worry though, as professional fully 3D-capable electric models also exist.
4. Easy to Maintain:
Maintenance used to be one of the biggest hurdles for anyone wanting to start flying RC helicopters. Thankfully, electric RC helicopters tremendously decreased the amount of repairs required. These little wonders were specifically designed to keep the amount of fixing necessary to minimum. Therefore, repairs can usually be made with just the bare hands or with only one screw driver. Even more impressive is the fact that these types of helicopter rarely need repairing at all. They can survive most types of crashes without any problem.
5. Small Size:
Before electric helicopters, indoor flights and flights in your own backyard were next to impossible. Now, they are quick and easy. Newer versions are so small that even flying in the bedroom is possible. The smaller size of these helicopter means that it is easier to transport as well. However, for pilots who prefer big aircrafts, there are electric helicopters as big as.50 size gas models available.
The advantage of flying electric RC helicopter does not end with these five points. With new technologies becoming available, these aircrafts are improving at surprising speed. All in all, it is not hard to see why electric RC helicopter is the fastest growing field of RC
1. Low Cost:
Flying RC Helicopter used to set people back thousands of dollars. People had to buy the helicopter kit (which comes in hundred small pieces - unassembled), servos, engine, starter, gyro, receiver, radio controller, a hundred other equipments, and of course - fuel. When everything has been purchased, you still have to assemble it!
On the other hand, electric helicopters almost always cost less than 200 dollars with cheaper but better versions coming out regularly. Even better, most of these helicopters come ready to fly right out of the box. In addition to that, every necessary equipments and accessories often come included as well. Finally, by using batteries, the running cost of these helicopters is greatly reduced as it is no longer necessary to buy gallons after gallons of gas.
2. Silent and Clean:
RC Helicopters might be amongst the most fascinating radio controlled models, however, one undeniable fact still stands against it; they make more noise and create more pollution than a breaking down truck. This makes flying around the neighborhood almost impossible.
The problem of noise, pollution and size is almost entirely eliminated with the electric models; the amount of noise greatly decreased while the amount of pollution vanished altogether. These two facts allows these machines to fly anywhere without causing too much annoyance to other people.
3. Reliable and Easy to Fly:
With gas helicopters, countless crashes occur not because of pilot errors, but because the engine fail in midair. Who's to blame? After all, everybody knows that gas engines aren't the most reliable thing in the world. They also notoriously require constant tinkering to run smoothly. On the other hand, electric helicopters fly undeniably more reliable. They almost never cut out in mid air, even when the battery runs down. Moreover, you can forget about having to crank up the engine over and over. These electric motors will run anytime anywhere as long as there's battery. There's nothing more frustrating than taking your helicopter to the field only to find that it won't start because it is too cold, too humid, or just because the engine wants to act up.
Electric helicopter are generally easier to fly than gas models, making them ideal for beginners. Some model allows beginner to start out with only 2 or 3 channels to worry about as oppose to 6 or 7 that the gas model requires. Avid pilots won't have to worry though, as professional fully 3D-capable electric models also exist.
4. Easy to Maintain:
Maintenance used to be one of the biggest hurdles for anyone wanting to start flying RC helicopters. Thankfully, electric RC helicopters tremendously decreased the amount of repairs required. These little wonders were specifically designed to keep the amount of fixing necessary to minimum. Therefore, repairs can usually be made with just the bare hands or with only one screw driver. Even more impressive is the fact that these types of helicopter rarely need repairing at all. They can survive most types of crashes without any problem.
5. Small Size:
Before electric helicopters, indoor flights and flights in your own backyard were next to impossible. Now, they are quick and easy. Newer versions are so small that even flying in the bedroom is possible. The smaller size of these helicopter means that it is easier to transport as well. However, for pilots who prefer big aircrafts, there are electric helicopters as big as.50 size gas models available.
The advantage of flying electric RC helicopter does not end with these five points. With new technologies becoming available, these aircrafts are improving at surprising speed. All in all, it is not hard to see why electric RC helicopter is the fastest growing field of RC
How To Build an RC helicopter
When you decide to Build an RC helicopter and jump into the RC helicopter hobby, the first thing you will need to do is decide on and purchase a model.Last month,I bought a model from hobby-estore.com.
However, you will not be ready to fly immediately; no matter what model you choose, you will need to build it before you can fly.
Building an RC helicopter can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and information you will gain a lot of knowledge and joy for completing this task.
The first thing to do is to decide on what helicopter to buy.
The best way to determine this is to find out the different kinds of RC helicopters, read reviews on various models of the types you are interested in, and make an informed decision from this information on how to Build an RC helicopter.
After you've decided on and purchased your RC helicopter, you will also need to purchase the various parts for it.
You will need an engine to make it run, servos to control various mechanical parts in the helicopter, a gyro to control the tail rotor, a radio to control it once it's ready to fly, and receivers to transmit signals from the radio to the servos.
You should also make sure you have the tools necessary to Build an RC helicopter; screw drivers, ball drivers, nut drivers, wrenches, pliers, fuel-filters, addition glow plugs, ball link pliers, and a pitch gauge. You may also want to see what kind of bolts and screws you will be using so you can purchase additional ones, just in case the kit is missing some, or through mischance one rolls off and goes missing during assembly.
Finally, you should prepare for when you are ready for your test flight by having field equipment - which should definitely include the type of starter your helicopter requires!
When you begin building your helicopter, it is extremely important you read and re-read the instructions until you fully understand them and how the parts will fit together when you begin building the helicopter. When you start the actual assembly of the helicopter, it is of prime importance that you take your time.
Anything that turns should be balanced, all end points should be equal, and all bolts are tightened enough - but not too much.
You will also want to balance your blades, which is best done with a blade balancer. Afterwards, you will need to set up your radio. The more familiar with your radio you can be before you fly, the better off you will be.
Finally, before you fly, you may want to have an experienced RC helicopter pilot look over your model. Oftentimes you can find a person to do this at the shop you bought your helicopter and parts from. Having an experienced hobbyist look over your Build an RC helicopter can help ensure that everything is put together properly and ease your mind about your upcoming first flight
However, you will not be ready to fly immediately; no matter what model you choose, you will need to build it before you can fly.
Building an RC helicopter can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and information you will gain a lot of knowledge and joy for completing this task.
The first thing to do is to decide on what helicopter to buy.
The best way to determine this is to find out the different kinds of RC helicopters, read reviews on various models of the types you are interested in, and make an informed decision from this information on how to Build an RC helicopter.
After you've decided on and purchased your RC helicopter, you will also need to purchase the various parts for it.
You will need an engine to make it run, servos to control various mechanical parts in the helicopter, a gyro to control the tail rotor, a radio to control it once it's ready to fly, and receivers to transmit signals from the radio to the servos.
You should also make sure you have the tools necessary to Build an RC helicopter; screw drivers, ball drivers, nut drivers, wrenches, pliers, fuel-filters, addition glow plugs, ball link pliers, and a pitch gauge. You may also want to see what kind of bolts and screws you will be using so you can purchase additional ones, just in case the kit is missing some, or through mischance one rolls off and goes missing during assembly.
Finally, you should prepare for when you are ready for your test flight by having field equipment - which should definitely include the type of starter your helicopter requires!
When you begin building your helicopter, it is extremely important you read and re-read the instructions until you fully understand them and how the parts will fit together when you begin building the helicopter. When you start the actual assembly of the helicopter, it is of prime importance that you take your time.
Anything that turns should be balanced, all end points should be equal, and all bolts are tightened enough - but not too much.
You will also want to balance your blades, which is best done with a blade balancer. Afterwards, you will need to set up your radio. The more familiar with your radio you can be before you fly, the better off you will be.
Finally, before you fly, you may want to have an experienced RC helicopter pilot look over your model. Oftentimes you can find a person to do this at the shop you bought your helicopter and parts from. Having an experienced hobbyist look over your Build an RC helicopter can help ensure that everything is put together properly and ease your mind about your upcoming first flight
How to Safely Dispose of Lithium, LiPo, LiPoly Battery Packs
Unlike NiCd batteries, lithium-polymer batteries are environmentally friendly. For safety reasons, it’s best that LiPo cells be fully discharged before disposal (however, if physically damaged it is NOT recommended to discharge LiPo cells before disposal - see below for details). The batteries must also be cool before proceeding with disposal instructions.To dispose of LiPo cells and packs:1. If any LiPo cell in the pack has been physically damaged, resulting in a swollen cell or a split or tear in a cell’s foil covering, do NOT discharge the battery. Jump to step 5.2. Place the LiPo battery in a fireproof container or bucket of sand.3. Connect the battery to a LiPo discharger. Set the discharge cutoff voltage to the lowest possible value. Set the discharge current to a C/10 value, with “C” being the capacity rating of the pack. For example, the “1C” rating for a 1200mAh battery is 1.2A, and that battery’s C/10 current value is (1.2A / 10) can be used, such as a power resistor or set of light bulbs as long as the discharge current doesn’t exceed the C/10 value and cause an overheating condition. For LiPo packs rated at 7.4V and 11.1V , connect a 150 ohm resistor with a power rating of 2 watts (commonly found at Radio Shack)to the pack’s positive and negative terminals to safely discharge connecting it to an ESC/ motor system and allowing the motor to run indefinitely until no power remains to further cause the system to function.4. Discharge the battery until its voltage reaches 1.0V per cell or lower. For resistive load type discharges, discharge the battery for up to 24 hours.5. Submerse the battery into bucket or tub of salt water. This container should have a lid, but it should not need to be air-tight. Prepare a plastic container (do not use metal) of cold water. And mix in 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water. Drop the battery into the salt water. Allow the battery to remain in the tub of salt water for at least 2 weeks.6. Remove the LiPo battery from the salt water, wrap it in newspaper or paper towels and place it in the normal trash. They are landfill safe.
Rc Helicopter Flights: How Easy!
By:Adwina Jackson
So how difficult is the model helicopter to control in fight? Well, it has been described as similar to balancing a steel ball on a knife edge whale riding a bicycle! Added to this is the type of thrill that is involve every second of flying. The electric RC Helicopter is also much cheaper than the next type of RC Helicopter: the gas RC Helicopter. So here are the things you should know in order to get you end up getting the right radio-controlled helicopter for you. Evaluate your flying skill.You can also start with a scale-model plastic helicopter. There are model RC Helicopter that are made from wood. If you want to fly with the airplanes (which they tend not to like when you hover all over the runway) you will need AMA insurance. Homebuilt RC Helicopters are motorized (although wit less power) and can lift you off from the ground with the same experience you can get from a conventional full-size helicopter.What kind of engines do RC Helicopters run on? Special remote control RC Helicopter engines. They come in 2-stroke and 4-stroke glow burning engines as well as 2 stroke gasoline models. If you descend to quickly you will enter your own down wash and the RC Helicopter will pull itself into the ground and need considerable collective to compensate. This is a bad condition. Full RC Helicopter guide at http://www.rchelicopterguide.info/heli/index.html. The HELICOPTER STATS give you a brief guide to price. If the RC Helicopter has NOT got RTF beside it you will have extra costs to get it flight ready and will have to do some building.Then there are the bad RC Helicopter crashes where you look for the parts that aren't broken. Thanks to James for providing this sample of what happens when you turn a rotary-wing into a fixed-wing while in flight. Do not over-react and send it launching into the sky. All problems were eventually overcome and the fully controllable R/C model helicopter had arrived.Just take it easy and if it gets "on top of you" do not touch anything but a little forward cyclic for 1 or 2 seconds. Before we start it is traditional for other pilots to share their experiences so get there and ask ask ask and ask.
So how difficult is the model helicopter to control in fight? Well, it has been described as similar to balancing a steel ball on a knife edge whale riding a bicycle! Added to this is the type of thrill that is involve every second of flying. The electric RC Helicopter is also much cheaper than the next type of RC Helicopter: the gas RC Helicopter. So here are the things you should know in order to get you end up getting the right radio-controlled helicopter for you. Evaluate your flying skill.You can also start with a scale-model plastic helicopter. There are model RC Helicopter that are made from wood. If you want to fly with the airplanes (which they tend not to like when you hover all over the runway) you will need AMA insurance. Homebuilt RC Helicopters are motorized (although wit less power) and can lift you off from the ground with the same experience you can get from a conventional full-size helicopter.What kind of engines do RC Helicopters run on? Special remote control RC Helicopter engines. They come in 2-stroke and 4-stroke glow burning engines as well as 2 stroke gasoline models. If you descend to quickly you will enter your own down wash and the RC Helicopter will pull itself into the ground and need considerable collective to compensate. This is a bad condition. Full RC Helicopter guide at http://www.rchelicopterguide.info/heli/index.html. The HELICOPTER STATS give you a brief guide to price. If the RC Helicopter has NOT got RTF beside it you will have extra costs to get it flight ready and will have to do some building.Then there are the bad RC Helicopter crashes where you look for the parts that aren't broken. Thanks to James for providing this sample of what happens when you turn a rotary-wing into a fixed-wing while in flight. Do not over-react and send it launching into the sky. All problems were eventually overcome and the fully controllable R/C model helicopter had arrived.Just take it easy and if it gets "on top of you" do not touch anything but a little forward cyclic for 1 or 2 seconds. Before we start it is traditional for other pilots to share their experiences so get there and ask ask ask and ask.
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