Tips for Beginners (Helicopters)

If you are a newcomer to radio-controlled model helicopters, you will probably be confused about what you need to buy and how to get started. Following are a few tips which we think will help you get off to a good start:-

1. Join a club. Any club will do, but we hope you will consider LMAS if you live in the area. The main reason is that you will get practical help from other members; but other reasons which you may not have thought of include insurance, transmitter frequency control (how to stop someone else's transmitter from interfering with yours), and permission from local authorities. All of these will be covered by a properly organised club.

2. Don't try to teach yourself. This is almost certainly a recipe for one or more wrecked models, even if you have practised on a computer simulator. A good club will have members who are willing and able to teach you, so go back to 1.

3. Buy a "30" sized model. Helicopters are generally available in 3 sizes: 30, 46 and 60. Most people learn to fly with a 30 size model, mainly due to the price of the kits and spares. 60 size models can be more stable and easier to see at a distance but the costs of kits and spares is not cheap. There is no such helicopter as a trainer. It is the setup of the heli that determines whether it is good for training or aerobatics. When it comes to choosing your heli, take advice from a local club. This way you will get to know which ones are reliable, value for money and spares are readily available. The most popular models appear to be the Raptor, Shuttle, Nexus, Concept and Space Baron.

4. Buy good brand name equipment. There are a variety of engines available, some good, some not so good. Japanese engines are generally top of the range and reliable, the last thing you need when training is an engine that cuts regularly. There are also Chinese and eastern European makes which are cheaper but vary in quality and noise output, so check with club members first. Your radio gear will probably be Japanese or German, and will preferably be a "computer" set ( these are coming down in price) and have lots of useful features that you will use as you progress into the sport.. Remember, your engine and radio gear are re-usable in other models and are rarely damaged when the heli crashes, so look on them as a long term investment. If you buy all together, your model shop will probably give you a "deal" price for heli, radio, and engine.

5. How to control the Helicopter. The helicopter has five functions:- Throttle, pitch, aileron, elevator and rudder. On most helis the throttle and pitch are linked together and control by one stick. As you move the stick up,. throttle and pitch are added at the same time to make the helicopter lift of the ground. This linking together allows the main rotor blades to spin at a constant RPM allowing for smoother control. The aileron and elevator, (or cyclic in heli terms) bank the helicopter left and right, and pitch the nose up and down. The rudder allows the helicopter to yaw around it's axis. A fair bit of hand-to-eye co-ordination is required to fly a helicopter but it's only practise thats needed. It may seem hard at first but you will soon get the hang of it.

6. Gyro's. I don't think anybody fly's without a gyro. These devices are fitted between the rudder servo and receiver and provide stability to the tail. Without them the torque of the rotor blades would yaw the tail as the throttle stick is moved. Technology has moved on over the years and now it is common to find heading lock gyro's at reasonable prices. These can hold the tail in a rock solid position so it's possible to learn to hover without having to worry about the rudder. There are flyers out there who think this is a bad thing for learners as when you start circuits you will have to fly the tail instead of allowing to naturally weathercock into the wind. As with most things in life, you have to make your own decision on whats best.

7. If you don't understand, ask for help. Most helicopter instructions are very good and building one is no more difficult than building with Meccano. Do not hesitate to come along to the club field if you have any problems, especially when it comes to the setting up stage. A correctly set up model will make a big difference to your rate of progress.

8. Accessories. There are certain items that you will need to have in your pit box to enable you start the model. A starter is almost essential (it is possible to buy engines with a pull start system included), a 12 volt battery to power the starter and a power panel that includes sockets for a glow clip. Some power panels also have fuel pumps built in. If you don't want a power panel you can buy a small battery just for powering the glow plug and a manual fuel pump.

9. Take advice on fuel. This can be a real minefield. Some flyers use fuel with no nitro, others use fuel with as much as 30% nitro. The nitro content provides more power and aids cooling but is not cheap. Again, visit the local club field and see what the flyers there use. Popular brands include Model Technics, Cool Power and Liquid Gold.

10. Training aids. Buy a training undercarriage. This usually consists of 4 sticks with balls on the ends that are joined together to make a cross. Strapping this to the heli's undercarriage will allow you to get away with dodgy landings that would otherwise break the heli. They cost about £15 but will save you that many times over!!! Also consider a simulator for a home computer. Most will allow you to connect your transmitter to the computer so enabling you to become familiar with the controls. There are varying opinions as to how useful simulators are but it is generally thought that whatever you master on the simulator you will have halfway there on the real thing.

Note: The above is an opinion only. Go to a club field and talk to experienced flyers before parting with your hard earned cash.