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About R/C Helicopters
Beginners Guide to R/C Helicopters
Getting started in the RC Helicopter hobby can be a very frustrating experience. Learning the skills of flying an R/C heli is a fairly challenging undertaking. At first it may seem impossible but with enough practice you can do it. Helicopters provide a long sequence of challenges, and corresponding satisfactions of mastering them. Get personal advice from a local R/C Helicopter pilot if possible before you make any decisions.How hard is flying RC Helicopters?
The first step is to get a RC flight simulator (Phoenix http://www.phoenix-sim.com/ , RealFlight http://www.realflight.com/ ). Simulators connect to your computer and provide a means to practice your skills without the fear of costly mistakes! Practicing on a simulator is a great way to gain essential RC helicopter flight skills before you step on the flying field. They are also helpful after you learn to fly to experiment with new maneuvers. The first step is learning to hover in different orientations. After hovering, you will learn forward flight, auto-rotation, aerobatics, inverted flight, etc. What should be my first helicopters?
There are several good helicopters on the market. Helicopters are different than airplanes in that there is not one defined as a trainer. For the helicopter of your choice to be a trainer it is all in the set up. Repair cost is a big factor to consider when making your choice. Again get personal advice. Find your local AMA flying field and get to know the local flyers. Talk to them and get suggestions. You will want to start with a helicopter they are familiar with because this is where you will likely go when you need help. Everyone learns at a different pace!
When you get to the flying field remember everyone learns at a different pace. Some people are able to hover within a few hours and others may take several weeks. Take the hover practice at your own pace, and don't get rushed. You're going to crash. There's no ifs ands or buts about it. It's going to happen sooner or later. It happens to everyone, even the professionals. Just don't let crashing ruin the hobby for you - crashing is part of the learning experience. You'll be frustrated, sure, but pick yourself up, fix the helicopter, and get back out there. Model helicopter sizes
Helicopter sizes are often quoted as a number: 16, 90, 300, 325, 450, etc... Unfortunately these numbers are all measuring different things so here's a guide to why they were chosen.
Glow helicopters are usually measured by the size the motor they are designed for such as 30, 50 or 90. They can also be referred to by their intended blade size such as 550, 600 or 700.
Small electric helis are often designed around a particular motor. These motors were called 300,400,450,500. Larger electrics will be referred to their intended blade length in mm with an (E) behind it such as 550N, 600N or 700N.