Home >> Toys >> Toy Vehicles

How to Align an RC Helicopter

Radio-controlled (RC) helicopters are scale models of actual, life-size helicopters. Users operate them from the ground with the use of remote controllers. There are many types of RC helicopters to choose from, but they all work in similar fashion and have essentially the same type of components. It is very important to align an RC helicopter, or it will not take off correctly and will be hard to control after takeoff. Many RC helicopter models do not "remember" the adjustments from one flight to another and therefore have to be aligned after each charge, making the preparation for flying the miniature chopper a bit more involved.

Things You'll Need

RC helicopter
Charger
Batteries

Instructions

- 1
  Charge the RC helicopter by plugging it into the charger. Some of the chargers are located within the controller themselves and are powered by batteries. This process usually tends to last from between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the model.
- 2
  Unhook the helicopter from the charger, once it has finished charging, by unplugging the cable. Look in your RC helicopter model's user manual or the maker's website to determine how to know when the helicopter is finished charging. Often this is indicated by a blinking red light on the charger.
- 3
  Set the helicopter on a solid surface and turn off all of the fans in the room. Any wind will make a huge difference in the RC helicopter's flight; as such, most of these helicopters cannot function well outside. It's best at any rate to align the helicopter inside.
- 4
  Start the helicopter by pressing the "up" joystick on the controller very slightly. Some of the controllers have two joysticks and these will both need to be pressed. Once the helicopter is about a foot or two in the air, start the adjustments.
- 5
  Hold the joysticks steady and start to adjust the helicopter slightly with the "trim adjustment" knobs located either on the sides or the bottom of the joysticks. For example, if your helicopter is not steady and moving a bit to the left, move the trim slightly to the right with your thumb until the helicopter stops in mid-air. The joysticks need to be held steady with one hand as you are doing this. If your controller has two joysticks, hold both of them with one hand, one joystick with the web of the thumb and the other with the end of your thumb, while adjusting the trim. This takes a bit of practice, so take your time.

Toy Vehicles