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How to Fly a Radio Controlled Electric Helicopter

Flying RC airplanes and helicopters, in the past, was a hobby only for the rich since these remote-controlled craft were quite expensive. With new technologies, however, RC helicopters and airplanes have become quite inexpensive and more popular. Although almost anyone can purchase a helicopter nowadays, it takes practice and determination to learn how to fly these machines. Expect to spend a couple months simply learning how to get off the ground. The more you practice, though, the better you will get, and the more fun you will have at this remote-controlled hobby.

Things You'll Need

  • Remote-controlled helicopter
  • RC computer simulator
  • Training landing gear
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Instructions

    • 1

      Practice with a remote-controlled flying simulator before trying the real thing out. You can purchase these computer simulators online or at your local hobby shop. Although these simulators can often cost a couple hundred dollars, due to the realistic RC controller they include with the CD-ROM, they will save you literally thousands in helicopter parts from crashed landings. Before flying the real thing, give yourself, at the very least, two weeks with the simulator. This will prepare you for the unexpected when flying your real machine.

    • 2

      Purchase a large training gear for soft helicopter landings. This gear is usually only $10 or $20, and they can save your helicopter if you crash on hard surfaces.

    • 3

      Ask an RC flying veteran to test-fly your helicopter before you try it out. Have him trim out your helicopter so you can just worry about the basics of lifting, banks and turns. You can trim your helicopter by adjusting the plastic knobs on the side of your joystick. These turn up, down and side-to-side. Simply turn the knob to the area that needs adjusting.

    • 4

      Practice lifting your helicopter off the ground in small hops of 2 feet or so. Once you get to the point where you feel comfortable with this, move on to hovering at 2 feet. The wind will soon start to affect your machine at this point so be ready to compensate for this change in position of your helicopter. Be careful not to over-react with these gusts, however, as you can very easily slam your helicopter into the ground this way.

    • 5

      Hover your helicopter at 3 feet above the ground and start practicing turns. Work on getting your helicopter into a figure 8 pattern around your body. Adjust your trim and gyro, when needed, to resist the wind blowing on your helicopter.

    • 6

      Take off the training gear as this can cause you to develop bad habits of using it as a visual landmark of your helicopter. You will instantly notice a change in speed and responsiveness. It may take a while to get used to this new feeling from your helicopter.

    • 7

      Practice hovering between 10 and 20 feet, and carefully bring it back down again. Keep at the figure 8s from this higher altitude. You will soon be on your way to becoming an RC flying veteran.


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