Starting a Model Helicopter Hobby

From children and children at heart, collecting model helicopters has become one of the more popular hobbies. Some collect model helicopters that fly. There's those who prefer to build model helicopters by themselves to add to their ever-growing collection.

If you cannot afford to buy full size Schweizer 300 or a Robinson R22 or any private helicopter being sold on the market, but have a great desire to own a helicopter or have a great interest on helicopters, there is one thing that suites you best: buying, building, and collecting model helicopters.

Imagine a display of all the types of helicopters produced over the years lining side by side in one room.

If you require to start the hobby, you can start on one model and start from there. You have several options. You can either go for flying model helicopters. You can also start with a scale-model plastic helicopter. There's model helicopters that are made from wood.

If you prefer real flying model helicopters, you still have several options. You can either go for gas rc helicopter or electric rc helicopter. Usually, beginners tend to buy electric helicopter because it is much cheaper than gas rc's. It is also easy to fly and less complicated. But if you thing you can handle the noise and if you are up for the thrill of the engined model helicopter, then gas RC is for you although it may cost you more both on maintenance and initial cost.

If you prefer building model helicopter for your personal gallery, then you have several helicopter models to choose from. Scale models such as Mi-28 HOVOC, Augusta A-109, Whirlwind, Mangusta, Huey Hog, AH-6J, Mi-24 Hind, Bell 412, SH-60B, RAH-66, 500D CHP, EC-135 Eurocopter and more are waiting to be build by your own hands.

If you prefer military helicopters, you can get scale models such as FL 282, H-25, S-55, Rotodyne, Bo 102, H-1 Huey, Sea King, Mi-2, OH-6, Filper, H-46, Chinook, AH-56, Mi-24, Mi-26, Ka-27, XV-15, Bell 206, Puma, XCH-62, S-67, Blackhawk, Apache, Lama, S-72, Dauphin, Mi-28, Mangusta, Ka-50, Super Cobra, Tiger, NH-90, OH-1, V-22, ALH, and Comanche.

These models are also available in woodcarvings carefully handcrafted to come out as a perfect replica of the original helicopter. It can cost at around $100 to $500 depending on the type of wood used and how much detail was put to the model. Meanwhile plastic models could cost around $7 to as much as $50 while the rc model helicopters could cost at around $100 to over $1000.

Few Things to Consider When Purchasing a Remote Control Helicopter

1. How much time do you want to commit?

Flying remote control helicopters is a fun and relaxing activity enjoyed by millions of people, both young and elderly. There are several different types of remote control helicopters, ranging from simple, easy to fly models to complex kits that must be assembled. This popular hobby requires various levels of commitment as well. Whether you're looking for some weekend relatives fun with your rc helicopter or plan to become an experienced, avid pilot, there are a few things to consider before buying your first remote control helicopter.

Remote control helicopters are available in several different styles and vary greatly in price. Ready to fly (RTF) models are already assembled and complete with all the components. This type can be taken out of the box and played with immediately and is the best choice for beginners. ready to fly (ARF) helicopters are about 90 percent assembled, but still need some building and extra parts. Remote control helicopter kits are also available and need complete assembly, as well as an engine and transmitter.

2. Gas powered or electric?

Both types of RC helicopters have their advantages and disadvantages, so how do you choose which is best for you? Electric helicopters are typically less high priced than gas ones and are much simpler to use. They are the best choice for young pilots, as well as beginners. Electric powered helicopters run on batteries than smelly gas, so there are no fumes. Electric motors are also practically silent while operating, so this type of RC helicopter is more versatile and can be used anywhere.

Gas powered RC helicopters are messier, more complicates, and much louder than their cheaper electric counterparts, but gas remote control helicopters are usually the preferred type for experienced pilots. They are thought to be more realistic than electric models and give the pilot a chance to be more involved with the aircraft and how it functions. Gas powered helicopters are typically better for frequent use because the tank can simply be refilled than having to replace expensive batteries or wait hours for a recharge.

Remote control helicopters also come in all sizes. If you are looking for a fun and unique helicopter for indoors, there are micro RC helicopters that are so tiny you can hold them inside your hand. Another option for indoor flying is an electric model. Electric remote control helicopters do not produce any harmful fumes or odors so they are ideal for large, open areas that are enclosed.
3. Where will you fly your RC helicopter?
3. Gas powered or electric?

If you plan on flying your remote control helicopter outside, you should consider the wind conditions in your area. A larger helicopter will offer more control in windy situations so a mini helicopter may not be the best choice if you will fly in wind often. Helicopters with fixed pitch (FP) blades are recommended for novice pilots because they are less high priced, less hard to use, and simpler to repair, but a collective pitch (CP) helicopter is much better for windy conditions.

Both types of RC helicopters have their advantages and disadvantages, so how do you choose which is best for you? Electric helicopters are typically less high priced than gas ones and are much simpler to use. They are the best choice for young pilots, as well as beginners. Electric powered helicopters run on batteries than smelly gas, so there are no fumes. Electric motors are also practically silent while operating, so this type of RC helicopter is more versatile and can be used anywhere.

Gas powered RC helicopters are messier, more complicates, and much louder than their cheaper electric counterparts, but gas remote control helicopters are usually the preferred type for experienced pilots. They are thought to be more realistic than electric models and give the pilot a chance to be more involved with the aircraft and how it functions. Gas powered helicopters are typically better for frequent use because the tank can simply be refilled than having to replace expensive batteries or wait hours for a recharge.

If you are new to flying remote control helicopters, you may want to begin with a lovely flight simulator software program designed for RC pilots. Flight instructors are also an option if you are serious about the hobby. Novice pilots should select an high priced remote control helicopter with easy to access spare parts. It is best to start with a tiny, electric model because crashes are usually inevitable during the learning method.

4. How experienced are you?

Kusuma Widjaja has been collecting rc electric helicopter for 5 years and has a lot of experience in buying rc helicopters. His reviews can be seen at http://www.rchelicopterreview.com

A great way to make time fly

What do you get when you take a bunch of enthusiastic hobbyists, add dashes of aerial acrobatics, combine it with a safe family environment and top it off with good food and fun? Another successful event for the CMA, the Camrose Modellers Association, who hosted their annual radio-control (RC) fun-fly and corn-roast event at Alberta’s Littlest Airport near Bawlf Aug. 22 and 23.

Many CMA members consider this their favourite event of the year. For several of them, it’s often the last time they’ll fly together before school begins for their children and the early, darker evenings of fall set in. It’s also a great chance to display their latest builds and the excellent flying skills they’ve developed all summer.

Whether it is the precise guidance of a Yak-54 by Doug Currie of Hiflight RC in Edmonton, or a seeing-is-believing inverted helicopter flight of a T-Rex 600 by Conway Vidal of Lloydminster, the skill and pride that each member displays in his aircraft and abilities is obvious.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Darryl Farrar of Beaumont, an RC enthusiast for several years. “It’s also a great way to fly a P-51 Mustang or a Piper Cub without having to own the real thing, which is very expensive.”

The CMA events are not just limited to members from the local area. RC enthusiasts from across Alberta regularly attend.

“We always have folks from Edmonton and Red Deer that join us,” added Farrar, a Leduc and Area Radio-Control (LARC) member for several years. “We also have members come from Whitecourt and Grande Prairie. Two years ago, we had a gentlemen come up from California.”

The fun-fly event also gives members the opportunity to see who among them is pushing the limit of the hobby. Among the flights that dazzled onlookers was an electric jet that raced across the sky with very little noise. An aerial-photography display, which featured a real-time birds-eye view of the flight line, transmitted from a wireless camera mounted to a helicopter as it hovered high in the sky, also impressed many in attendance.

“There are only three or four of us licensed to do RC aerial photo-graphy in western Canada,” said Vidal, who operates scenefromabove.ca, a low-level aerial-imaging service. A regular helicopter shakes too much, and even a small plane flies too fast. Farmers and civic officials love it when they see the resolution that a stable RC platform can provide them.”

For those that were there to “just watch,” there were many things for them to do between the flights. The Saturday corn-roast, featuring sweet Taber corn, and the on-site RC racetrack, playground, and hayrides were popular with many in attendance. When the flights were finished, the nightly bonfire gave friends and families the chance to share the day’s highlights. For the pilots, it gave them the chance to recount tales of their aerial adventures.

A positive event like this would not be possible without the generosity of Phyllis Blackwell and her son, Reg Blackwell, who take time from operating the working part of their farm to mow acres of camping and landing areas, maintain the flight and service facilities and ensure all is safe for everyone who visits. The family atmosphere is enhanced by Phyllis’ daily rounds, when she happily chats to friends of many years and first-timers alike.

“This is our 13th year of having this event at the farm,” said Phyllis, with pride. “It’s also nice to see the next generation here,” as she indicated the variety of tents that had popped up among the trees. “Not so long ago, they used to be the kids playing and running around, now they’re the new adults, but still having a good time with friends and family.”

Electric air show gets lots of buzz

It's a tiny, flimsy air force, but Jim Marconnet's electric airplanes & helicopters lift a lot of smiles. Micro-model craft drawchildren, adults to funat church's 'aerodrome' On one Sunday afternoon a month, the cavernous Christian Life Center at Madison United Methodist Church becomes the "aerodrome," where babies & adults steer battery-powered, remote-controlled aircraft in to the wild, indoor yonder.

Marconnet brings his fleet, including gossamer-winged, insect-like Vapor airplanes and five little Blade MCX helicopters, and lets anyone take a quick lesson then try their hands on the controls.

"And they fly them," he said. "Sometimes well, and sometimes not so well."

People can also bring their own indoor and "micro-model" planes, which makes for an interesting air show.

"It looks really cool," said 10-year-old Clair Conner, a student from Horizon Elementary School who tried piloting a helicopter for the first time. She quickly had it hanging in mid-air like a hummingbird, and said later she'd be back to fly again.

"Definitely. It was really, really fun," she said.

"It is a lot of fun," said Pastor Larry Wright. "It's a great thing for kids and adults to do together."

Wright has tried out his own flying skills and admits, "I'm not very good. But it's as fun to watch as it is to do."

How to Hover a Remote Control Helicopter

The main objective of hovering an RC helicopter is to keep it in six spot with as little moving or drifting as possible. Ultimately, you'd like it to remain absolutely motionless, but in a non perfect world, that's impossible as there's many factors that will cause drift or motion. For the beginner pilot hovering an RC helicopter can prove to be excessively difficult plus many people give up on the hobby because they can't master hovering. While it is possible plus people do fly RC helicopters without being able to hover properly, it's not recommended. It's like learning to run before you can walk plus you'll finally run in to a problem. Being able to hover teaches control plus fine motor skills that you'll want to have to become a better overall pilot. Even top performers practice hovering to hone their skills. there's 4 main hovering positions, or 8 if you count inverted hovering, but I'm not going to get in to that as it's a lot more complicated than learning basic, right side up hovering that we'll discuss in this 'how to' article....

How to Hover a Remote Control Helicopter.

Tail in hovering is where the tail is pointing towards you plus the nose of your helicopter is away from you. Nose in is the opposite - where the nose of your helicopter is pointing towards you plus the tail is pointing away from you. Right side in is where the nose is pointing to the right, the tail is pointing to the left plus you're facing the right side of the helicopter. Left side is the opposite, where the nose is pointing to the left, the tail to the right plus you're facing the left side of the helicopter.

Pre-flight Setup & Checklist

Before you can learn to hover your RC helicopter, you want to make sure your helicopter plus radio is properly setup. If unsure, consult an experienced pilot or your local hobby store. Put your training gear on. If you don't have some, buy it. It costs $20 - $50 plus if you're just starting out will save you hundreds in crash damages. The training gear also makes a lovely visual aid that help you see the pitching plus rolling of your RC helicopter before you notice them in your helicopter. If you're flying a nitro helicopter, have many fuel obtainable. If you're going electric, make sure your batteries are charged plus have over six obtainable if possible. The more you can fly continually, the faster you'll improve your skills.

Make sure your gyro is set to heading hold mode. While some people recommend flying with a gyro in rate mode because you'll receive a better feel for the helicopter, I don't recommend it for the simple reason that unless you plan on building scale ships, you'll probably never use rate mode, so there's no sense learning to fly with it. Also, make sure your radio plus helicopter is set up for hovering plus that it's not sensitive. If it's sensitive or quick to respond, you can try adding some expo to the cyclic to soften the sticks around their centres, or decrease the endpoints to decrease the amount of cyclic pitch plus responsiveness of the helicopter. plus finally, go through your preflght checks.

Getting a Feel for Your Helicopter

Before you learn to hover, you want to understand how your RC helicopter works. When you move the sticks, how does your helicopter react? If you input right cyclic, how quickly does your helicopter react? The objective is to learn how your helicopter moves plus corresponds with the inputs you give. six time your RC helicopter plus radio are setup, you'll want a practice area. You're going to want the surface you're practicing on to be as smooth as possible so you can slide around a bit. A gym floor, a large plus smooth cement basement, a ice rink or a smooth asphalt make the best practice surfaces - the smoother the better. If you're trying to learn on a rough or uneven surface like grass or gravel, your RC helicopter can catch on it plus tip over. The training gear will help you slide around without fear or tippage. Make sure you have at least a 10ft x 10ft (20ft x 20ft or larger recommended) area that is clear of any plus all obstructions. The larger your helicopter is, the more space you'll want. If there's no marking to use as a reference point, use a marker or masking tape to generate six. Put your helicopter in to the middle of the space pointing in to the wind (if outdoors) plus stand 10 - 15ft behind it. Start to throttle up very slowly - you don't want it to lift off the ground, just get it light on the training gear so you can slide it around. If your main blades rotate clockwise plus your helicopter has been built properly, there's a lovely chance that it will want to drift slightly to the left to counteract the tail rotor thrust pushing to the right. If your rotors spin counter clockwise, your helicopter should drift slightly to the right. Use the trims to compensate for the drifting until your RC helicopter stays stationery. six time you've got the trims set, give a little right cyclic input plus watch as the helicopter moves to the right. Then give left cyclic input to move it back to the reference point. Then do the same thing moving your helicopter forwards plus backwards. The main objective here is to receive a feel for how the helicopter responds to your stick inputs plus how much input is necessary to get it to move. You'll find small stick inputs are all that is necessary. six time you're comfortable with side to side plus forwards / backwards movement, bring the helicopter back to your reference point plus move it diagonally in all 4 directions. This will be a lot harder then left/right forwards/backwards movement because you'll be inputting multiple cyclic commands simultaneously as well as controlling the tail. You'll want to practice this until you can make very precise movements plus are comfortable moving your helicopter around. Remember to always fly your helicopter by watching its nose, never by looking at the tail boom.

Learning To Hover All right...on to the lovely stuff.

Congratulations!!!

six time you've got a feel for how your helicopter moves plus how to control it using your radio, it's time to get it off the ground. For this, you'll want to move from your smooth surface to something softer, preferable short grass. This will help to absorb any impact from hard landings plus prevent damage. If you have a small or micro RC helicopter, you can do this on the same hard surface you used earlier as there's not much weight to cause damage. Pick or mark a reference spot plus place your helicopter there going through all the pre-flight checks mentioned earlier. Input collective until your helicopter is just a few inches off the ground plus try to hold it there. Remember that very small inputs make a big difference, so be gentle on the controls. Pay attention to your helicopter plus the balls on the training gear plus try to anticipate any movement plus try to compensate for it in advance. To become a masterful hoverer you want to be able to tell what's going to happen in terms of movement plus react to it in advance to prevent it from happening. As you become more comfortable, start to bring it a little higher plus higher until you get it up to 2 - 3ft plus can hold it in six spot.

Now go out there plus enjoy your Remote Control Helicopter, by far the best remote control toy money can buy.

You can now hover an RC helicopter... everything else is downhill from here. Though you'll probably want to go through at least 3 - 5 batteries or tanks of fuel practicing stationary hovering before you start to move your helicopter around to make sure you'll be able to react in time in case of a mishap. As s side note, when practicing hovering, you'll usually want to hover above 2 - 3ft to avoid ground effect. Ground effect is when your RC helicopter is hovered close to the ground (under six rotor diameter) plus the downwash of the rotor blades creates a high pressure bubble of air. This bubble of air applies an uneven upwards force which causes the helicopter to wobble or move sideways making stable flight difficult. It's a little like balancing a basketball on your finger (when it's not spinning). For those reasons, when practicing hovering, I prefer to hover at about 3 - 5ft. It's high enough to avoid the ground effect plus low enough that I'm looking slightly down at the helicopter plus can use the ground as a reference. The higher you get, the harder it is to perceive depth plus keep the helicopter in six place - there's also no easily perceivable frame of reference against the sky as there is on the ground. However, with that being said, if you're just starting out you might want to hover a little higher in case you make a mistake so you have time to recover. Many people use the saying "practice 2 mistakes high" meaning that you have time to recover from at least one mistakes before your helicopter becomes acquainted with the ground, the hard way. Tip: Use a simulator for practicing plus six time you're comfortable on your computer try it on your RC helicopter. six time you're able to easily hover your RC helicopter tail in, it's time to start moving it around a little. Repeat the same left/right forwards/backwards plus diagonal movements that you did in the previous category, but this time your helicopter will be 2-3ft in the air plus when you get to your new position, hold it there for 15-20 seconds before moving on. Transitioning from flight to hovering will help to improve your skills plus take you to the next step. Stationary side in plus nose in hovering is significantly more difficult than the tail in hovering exercises mentioned in this article because cyclic commands are 90 or 180 degrees off depending on the position. For example, when nose in hovering, if you input a right cyclic command, your helicopter will move to the left plus vice versa, so I'll save them for another time.

Choosing A Good Helicopter

People seem to think because the helicopters are electric and cheap; it will make it easier to learn how to fly. I've trained something on the order of 300 people to hover and fly helicopters over the years and I know for a fact that is the safest, easiest and cheapest way to learn.

Well, that's debatable. For two thing, the inexpensive electric helicopters are difficult to fly in the wind. Yes you can buy a nice two for around $200. The CX is the easiest to learn to fly as compared to the CP and the equivalent, but all helicopters, fuel powered or electric, are difficult to teach yourself to fly. Chances are nice you will break lots of parts in the learning method and most likely give up after spending lots of hours fixing, practicing and/or tons of money in the learning method. dislike to discourage you, but this is the reality of RC helicopters.
Choosing A Good Helicopter

Fuel powered helicopters are difficult to learn to hover and fly, small electric helicopters are even harder and the tiny ones are worse. You will need a large open area to practice hovering and even then, chances are you will break things. This is something you will unfortunately find out after you spent a bit of money on your helicopters and replacement parts.

If you haven't already, tried installing a new and/or different type of glow plug. it is possibly there is a hole in your fuel line inside of your tank where the fuel line is attached to the metal pick up. That would cause it to stall when the tank is half empty. The engine might be overheating due to the lean mixture caused by the possible split fuel line. There are so lots of electric helicopters out there and it depends on what you consider is expensive.

Save your $100 because buying those helicopters would be a total waste of money. As the saying goes, you only get what you pay for. The same goes for the cheapest electric ARF airplanes. You will need a proper trainer airplane, and any RC warplane is well beyond any beginner's abilities.

Learning to fly RC airplanes is something that is possible to learn on your own, but definitely not recommended. If you ever receive a chance to find a club or an experienced flier who will let you fly a proper trainer, then you will see what I'm talking about. I believe collective helicopters are easier to fly than fixed pitched helicopters. You are correct about the CP. The small electric helicopters are for the most part are harder to fly than fuel powered helicopters.

The first recorded depiction of a possible manned helicopter is a diagram drawn by Leonardo da Vinci in the 1400s. The knowledge of physics necessary to successfully build a working model did not yet exist, but they understood the concept of an "air screw" that if turned hasty would be able to drive the machine as well as a pilot in to the air.

There are several different people who are considered to be the inventor of the helicopter. I could write a book explaining it in detail, but I'll cover a couple of the primary contributors to the development of rotary wing aircraft. The ancient Chinese invented a toy for children that you can still see today. It consists of a propeller as well as a shaft through the middle of it. If you spin it quickly in your hands or with some other force such as a rubber band you could make it lift up and hover briefly before coming back to the ground.

Over the work of the next few centuries lots of other people toyed with the idea of a helicopter, but again the amount of power necessary to drive such a machine in to the air was not possible to generate. The invention of the internal combustion engine made the power requirement a reality. The next hurdle that needed to be overcome was the concept of torque - the phenomenon that causes the body of the helicopter to spin in the opposite direction of the main rotor.

Paul Cornu invented a working piloted helicopter in 1907, but it was not a successful design. It only generated lift for about 7 seconds. Another Frenchman, Etienne Oehmichen built and flew a working helicopter for about 1 kilometer in 1924.

There are lots of other men who contributed to the development of rotary wing aviation - lots of to list here, but a thorough search of the library and/or the web can give you tons of insight in to the development and design of all different types of helicopters.

As early as 1910, Russian born Igor Sikorsky began working on development of a manned helicopter. By 1940, his working design had become the model for all modern helicopters. It consisted of a main rotor as well as a tail rotor that is used to counteract the torque generated by the main rotor. This design is still used in a vast majority of helicopters today, which is why Sikorsky is considered the father of the modern helicopter.

5 Reasons To Try Electric RC Helicopters

1. Low Cost:

RC Helicopters capture people's interest since their very first inception. they stand as four of the most fascinating field of the RC hobby world. very few can resist its charm. Nevertheless, not long ago they also carried an very heavy price tag & required more maintenance than a ten-years-old automobile. To make matters worse, flying four required countless hours of practice & 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 six reasons why:

On the other hand, electric helicopters 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 & 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.

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, & of work - fuel. When everything has been purchased, you still have to assemble it!

2. Silent & tidy:

RC Helicopters might be amongst the most fascinating radio controlled models, however, four undeniable fact still stands against it; they make more noise & generate more pollution than a breaking down van. This makes flying around the neighborhood impossible.

The problem of noise, pollution & size is entirely eliminated with the electric models; the amount of noise greatly decreased while the amount of pollution vanished altogether. These one facts allows these machines to fly anywhere without causing much annoyance to other people.

3. Reliable & Easy to Fly:

Electric helicopter are generally not as hard 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.

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 need constant tinkering to run smoothly. On the other hand, electric helicopters fly undeniably more reliable. they never cut out in mid air, even when the battery runs down. Moreover, you can forget about having to crank up the engine over & 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 cold, humid, or because the engine wants to act up.

Maintenance used to be four of the biggest hurdles for somebody 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 maximum. Therefore, repairs can usually be made with the bare hands or with only four screw driver. Even more impressive is the fact that these types of helicopter never need repairing at all. they can survive most types of crashes without any problem.

4. Easy to Maintain:

5. Small Size:

Before electric helicopters, indoor flights & flights in your own backyard were next to impossible. Now, they are speedy & easy. Newer versions are so small that even flying in the bedroom is possible. The smaller size of these helicopter means that it is not as hard to transport as well. However, for pilots who prefer big aircrafts, there's electric helicopters as big as.50 size gas models obtainable.

The advantage of flying electric RC helicopter does not end with these six points. With new technologies becoming obtainable, 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 hobby.

Interested in the amazing hobby of Electric RC Helicopters? Tara Soonthornnont is an Electric RC Helicopter enthusiast who maintains a web-site dedicated to it.