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How to Fly Small Toy Helicopters

Radio-controlled helicopters are fun, affordable, and readily available at hobby stores. Gas and electric models are available in all sizes, although you'll want to learn to fly with one of the small battery-powered helicopters. These toys are limited to indoor flight, since they are so light that the wind will send them tumbling to the ground. Your garage will give you adequate room to fly, although a barn or gymnasium is better for learning.

Instructions

Learning to Fly Up and Down
- 1
  Charge the batteries in your receiver, as well as the battery in the helicopter. Carefully read the helicopter instructions to familiarize yourself with all the controls. Turn on the receiver's switch. Turn on the helicopter's switch.
- 2
  Set the helicopter on the floor in the middle of the room, far away from all obstructions. Hold the receiver with your left thumb on the up-down knob and your right thumb on the left-right knob. Gently push the up-down control up until the helicopter starts to raise, tip, or spin. Do not allow it to leave the ground. Release the knob. Repeat several times until you are comfortable with working the up-down control.
- 3
  Press the up-down control for a slightly longer period of time, allowing the helicopter to barely leave the ground, then release the control (using the left-right control to stabilize it, if necessary). Repeat until you are comfortable lifting the helicopter off the ground and landing it again.
- 4
  Press the up-down control for a longer period of time, allowing the helicopter to hover a few feet off the ground without turning. Press the up-down control down just enough for the helicopter to drift gently to the ground. Repeat until you are comfortable with take-offs and landings.
Learning to Fly Left and Right
- 5
  If the helicopter starts to spin when you push the up-down control, gently push the left-right control in the opposite direction to keep the helicopter from spinning. Practice synchronizing the up-down and left-right controls near the ground, gradually going higher as you become more comfortable.
- 6
  Raise the helicopter off the ground and allow it to fly straight forward, using the left-right control to make it fly in a straight line. Press the up-down control more or less to maintain the same height above the ground. Gently press the left-right control to make the helicopter turn around and face the other direction. Allow the helicopter to fly straight back to where it started. Land the helicopter.
- 7
  Practice more left-right maneuvers, like flying in circles or figure eights. Start simply, then get more complicated as you become more comfortable with the controls.

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