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What Kind of Main Blades to Buy for 3D Flying

Remote control helicopters are as varied as the real helicopters they are modeled on. Some remote control helicopters do simple maneuvers like turning and diving, while others can do 3-D stunts such as barrel rolls. These two kinds of flying styles require different main rotor blades; ignoring the material and shape of your main rotor blade will prevent you getting all you want out of your model helicopter.

Nitro Versus Electric Helicopter
- Choosing the right main blades for your 3-D aerobatics begins with choosing the right helicopter propulsion. There are two types: nitro or electric. Electric remote control helicopters are smaller, more stable, and tend not to be the best for 3-D aerobatics unless you've tweaked the helicopter out. Nitro helicopters are bigger and in general come with more powerful engines and servos than their electric cousins. Since power is essential in hard 3-D maneuvering, nitro helicopters are usually the right choice.
Sizing
- The size of the blade is related to the size of the engine in a nitro helicopter. There are three size nitro helicopters: 30, 60, and 90. The higher the number class the bigger and more expensive the helicopter. Although a 30 class can perform 3-D maneuvers, they are easier to perform on a class 60 and 90 nitro. If you have a 30 class nitro helicopter, size 550 mm blades are common; if you have a 60 class, try size 680 mm and if you have a 90 class, go for 710 mm to start out.
Further Principles of Sizing
- Although its wise to start out with the standard sizing of blades dependent on your class of helicopter, its good to know the principles behind sizing if you feel like experimenting or customizing your machine for 3-D flying. In general, shorter blades are more responsive to the inputs from your controller. This is because they can change their head rate -- the rate at which they turn around the main rotor -- faster than a longer blade. Flexibility is another factor: the more flexible a blade, the less responsive it is to your inputs. In general, shorter blades are less flexible than longer ones. For these reasons, try out a shorter blade than your class size would indicate if you want more intense 3-D flying.
Materials
- The material the blades are made from is an important factor in how well they let your helicopter perform 3-D stunts. There are three main kinds of materials blades are made from: wood, carbon fiber, and fiber glass. In general, these materials are less flexible in the following order: fiber glass, wood, and carbon fiber. Because carbon fiber is the least flexible material, it's probably the right choice for your helicopter rotor blades for reasons cited in the previous section.

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