RC Helicopter

[Proquad101]

I'm going to buy a rc helicopter soon and I wanted to see if anybody had any advise on which one to get. I have never flown a rc helicopter but I have over 400 hours in a blackhawk, so I want to know which one would be best to get for a learning helicopter.

[Meat]

I heard they're very difficult to fly. You'll learn to fly on a tether till your good enough. SynTaXX is into the RC choppers.

[rocketboy]

ive flown model airplanes and the choppers are very very difficult i knew actual chopper pilots who tried the rc and said its way harder to fly the damn things than a real chopper

when the helicopter is coming toward you all controls reverse and its very frustrating and youll need lots of time on it to get decent and not destroy the thing.they are cool but in an instant it can be completly destroyed in untrained hands

[Wallrat]

Spend about $200 and get this program: RealFlight

 

Fly the heli's on there and you'll get a pretty good idea. I've taught quite a few people how to fly planes on that program before letting them fly real RC's. Its incredibly realistic. Also they have everything from beginner helis up to full 3d ones to try out (read: crash).

[Wheatchex]

Personally I've not flown an RC Helicopter. However I did see one destroy itself in a blink of an eye to the tune of $300 (1986 dollars) for parts to fix it. This happened all because of a glitch or battery failure(we couldn't determine exactly what happened). Friend was learning to hover and had made several successfull flights just prior. He was getting ready to take off again and had run up the engine and was just about to take off and then the helicopter just flipped over to one side. Tore it up pretty good. Any way my suggestion is to learn on a plane first then go to the helicopter. Also use the training software wall rat suggested if you have no one to show you how to fly. Get an instructor from the local club. Here is the web site for the Academy of Model Aeronautics: AMA Website. Look there for local clubs. I have no reccomendations for specific models of helo's. I do suggest that you get the best helicopter radio (8 channels if possible) you can afford to go with your helicopter. Make sure that it is a helicopter radio (if it comes with a gyro great, otherwise look into getting one as well) as it will have functions on it that are helicopter specific and will make flying easier. I have been told that flying RC helo's is like balancing a marble on a bowling ball using the radio. It's hard.

 

Wheatchex

[blk02banshee]

buy a cheaper helicopter to begin with. There was one at our local hobby shop that was $500 ready to run, and parts were very cheap. The guy said that one was great for learning, because the average crash only cost $15-$30.

If you have playstation, try to get a game called RC stuntcopter. It'll help you with the basic controls. Not nearly as good as a simulator like Realflight, but if you can master the game, you'll at least be able to get off the ground with the real one, lol.

[redcell43]

me and my father fly rc planes and he flys helo's he has a kyosho beginer. one its pretty fun to watch the first few time stand way back they can get away from you quick. the guys at our flying feild taught him they zip tied a hula hoop to the bottom skids for more stabilty when learning for the first times.

[04ShEeLE]

My advise to you is "don't let it hit a tree" I used to have one when I was like 13 and I was learning how to fly it and ran it into a tree!!!

 

That's a great way to screw up your day.

[SDD]

Listen to Matt (Wallrat). Realflight is a great program as it has an actual control which really helps out. I've been flying on Real Flight for over 9 month now and have been saving up for a Heli. From what I hear the real rc heli's are a tad easier to fly than the Real Flight ones.

 

Hey Matt what do you fly? I have a trainer that has been collecting dust waiting for better weather.

[Wallrat]

Right now I've just got:

 

A Seniorita (high wing trainer) that I did some bashing on to allow for a bigger engine and ailerons.

 

A Something Extra with extensive modifications. I was trying to turn it into a 3d plane but the engine I got didn't live up to the hype. Plane was designed for a .46, its got a ported .60 in it now...thinking I might put in either a .72 or a .91. I built it for a massive engine so it should handle either.

 

A tiny ass ME-109. It was a cheap ARF and I had the .15 engine laying around anyway. It needs some work though...I sorta got a booboo on the tail section last time it flew.

 

As for heli's...I can fly em ok on the sim, don't wanna get a real one tho cuz those things are money pits.

 

 

UPDATE: Paul you inspired me. Just got back from buying a Magnum .91 - Hehehe...this thing is huge!

Edited March 8, 2005 by Wallrat

[SDD]

Right now I've just got:

 

A Seniorita (high wing trainer) that I did some bashing on to allow for a bigger engine and ailerons. 

 

A Something Extra with extensive modifications.  I was trying to turn it into a 3d plane but the engine I got didn't live up to the hype.  Plane was designed for a .46, its got a ported .60 in it now...thinking I might put in either a .72 or a .91.  I built it for a massive engine so it should handle either.

 

A tiny ass ME-109.  It was a cheap ARF and I had the .15 engine laying around anyway.  It needs some work though...I sorta got a booboo on the tail section last time it flew.

 

As for heli's...I can fly em ok on the sim, don't wanna get a real one tho cuz those things are money pits.

UPDATE:  Paul you inspired me.  Just got back from buying a Magnum .91 - Hehehe...this thing is huge!

335020[/snapback]

 

Matt... Britt is going to run me over with the YFZ next time she see's me huh? Britt I didn't tell him I swear! It's not my fault he tends to spend money at will when I'm around!

[Wallrat]

Just picked up one of these helicopters: Blade Runner

 

Its a toy so its far from perfect but it flies pretty good and is a buttload of fun to chase the ferrets and wife with For $70 you can't beat it. Next closest heli in price is $100 more.

[Proquad101]

That looks pretty fun, did it come with everything you need to start flying? (servo, charger, ect.) Is it a good learning helo.

[Proquad101]

I went ahead and orderd one, I will let everybody know how long it took me to crash it.

[Wallrat]

The only thing you need to start flying is a 9 volt battery for the radio. The charger is built into the radio so you just open up a hatch and pull out the charging cable for the heli, and then plug in the charging jack to the wall. Takes about 20-30 min to charge and you get about 3-4 min flight time stock (assuming you keep it flying the whole time). I did a few mods to mine so I'm getting about 5-6 min fly time..or was. My rotors have several repairs and are now out of balance. I think I'll just pick up a couple new sets of rotors since although I could balance them, all of my repairs are adding unwanted weight.

Its pretty easy to fly. Fairly stable and slow moving. If you get within a couple feet of a wall or ceiling it gets sucked into it so watch out for that. Look on their website for repair tips as well as tweaks to fix trim. Even with the tweaks the trim tends to change during the flight so you'll have to constantly alter the trim lever. But hey its a toy, not a real model.