What do I need to get started?

What do I need to get started?
Radio Control helicopters are complex little beasts. Just about everything on the helicopter is required to make it fly properly. Therefore you can find yourself needing to acquire quite a bit of equipment to support them. Luckily though, not all of this stuff needs to be brought right away. You can build it up as you go.

The following are a list of that you need, or will eventually need.

Helicopter
Well that's pretty obvious isn't it? There are all manner of different makes of helicopter on the market. There's different sizes also.
Radio System
You need some thing to control the helicopter. The radio system includes the transmitter, receiver, servos, and battery. Once again, there's different types of radio equipment.
Gyro
These are little magic gadgets that help look after the tail of the helicopter. You need them to help keep the tail under control as they adjust to counteract the torque of the main rotors and wind conditions.
Engine
If you brought your helicopter brand new, chances are you'll need to buy the engine as well. If you got your machine second hand, it may have an engine with it.
Exhaust
That's right, you've gotta buy the exhaust as well. Likewise if you brought a second hand machine, it will probably have one already.
You'll also need to get some field equipment to support your machine when you're at the field. A typical set of field equipment is:

Starter motor
Unless your machine has some kind of pull start mechanism (some do!), you're gonna need a starter motor to get the engine started.
Glow plug device
Before a glow engine will start, it's glow plug needs to have an electrical current passed through it. These devices do that for you.
Fuel can and pump
You'll need something to hold all your fuel and something to transfer it to your helicopter.

Now, you'll need some tools to support your machine for maintenance, repair or tuning purposes: Typical tools are:

Set of hex drivers
Most helicopters are constructed using bolts that use a hexagonal head. You'll need some hexagonal drivers (or allen keys) to use these bolts.
Pitch gauge
The pitch (angle of attack) on the rotor blades needs to be checked to set up the helicopter. You'll need this to set up the pitch curve during setup.
Glow plug wrench
From time to time you'll need to remove the glow plug from the engine to check or replace it, you'll need one of these to help you.
Ball link pliers
Helicopters use plastic ball links in their control systems. In order to remove these to adjust or replace them, you'll need a set of ball link pliers.
Small phillips screwdrivers
Some of the fasteners on a helicopter are phillips screws.

[Daz(DJLFlapper)]

STOPnow you have seen a list of some of the stuff that you need. what you need now is a good bit of knowledge and a plan of action that is going to help you learn to fly heli's. Your going to want to do this as cost affectivly as you can.

First thing you should do is decide what you want to do.

1:Fly a heli: Are you the sort of person that is too eager to listen to good advice, That just wants to get a heli and start flying?

IF you are this person, Then my advice is to purchase a helicopter that can stand up to crashes very well. A heli that is going to allow you to fly for as long as you can handle it. A heli that will react the same way as the bigger nitro/electric heli's, that can outfly any fixed pitch heli. But most of all is going to cost you very little to Keep in parts. I personally reccomend the HOVERFLY, See www.snelflight.co.uk
INFORMATION about this heli: It is mains powered, Very long flight times. It has an umbilical that does not interfear with its flight ability. It flies just like the other collective pitch heli's. It is safe to use in your home. It is very strong, If you shut the power off when your in trouble you can have many crashes and not need to replace a blade. Just put it all back as it should be and fly some more. IT IS THE BEST starter heli for the money out there. NO settup just open it plug the bits in and your ready to fly. IF you purchase the transmiter that the site has on offer the flight control is fantastic. I know this because I have 2 of them and teach many people to fly useing them.

2:Learn how to fly first then choose the heli you want?

IF you are this person, You should look at learning to fly useing a flight simulator. The advantages of a flight simulator are that you can start to learn to fly as soon as it is on your PC. You can learn to fly for as long as your brain can take the accute concentration. The flight simulator is not just somthing that is there for you to learn to fly with. It is there to help you throughout your flying hobby. I myself still fly my flight simulator almost every day to prctice many different stunt moves and keep in touch with my autorotations as well as my basic skills. It will allow you to fly and crash as many times as you want without costing you a penny more than its purchase cost. Something I tell all my students is to just add the cost of a set of blades + 20 bucks each time you crash. (make a note on paper) You will soon see that a flight simulator pays for itself in no time as your flying skills improve. There are a few very good flight sims on the market today the tough choice is to make your mind up weather you want one with a Dummy transmitter or you want to purchase a radio and get the simulator together. The advantage of this is you will get to learn how to use your radio and learn to fly at the same time. So when your ready and confident about your skills you can then think about the Helicopter you want to start off on. I am sure that you will be able to fly it well enough with your new found skills.
One word of advice here is to take as long as you require on the simulator and be honest to yourself. Kidding yourself will only lead to repair costs on your first helicopter. REMEMBER We all crash, I still crash today and I do this because I choose to push myself on the flying field. The difference is that I do it a LOT LESS than I would without the simulator. Mine have saved me thousands I say MINE because I have 2. One that I bought when they first became popular to use, The Easyfly/Piccofly. The second is the Reflex XTR, I use this with my FF8 futaba radio. I can use the radios features and see thier affect on the aircraft I am flying.
Simulators are excellant DON'T under estimate there importance.

3: If you want to learn, Also have a heli to fly:
DO BOTH OF THE ABOVE
If you want to fly a heli and learn on the sim try useing the hoverfly above it is like haveing a sim in your front room. Only you can actually fly and see it three Dimensionally with the added benifit of learning on your simulator. This way you can actually learn and see yourself progress for real.

Now if you have read through to this point, Well done.

The information I have given here is the best advice that I can give to anyone thinking of starting this fantastic hobby. I know it to be good advice as it is what many of my good friends and people that I teach (and have become good friends) are doing very succesfully at this presant moment.

The advice is Here now you have a choice, Use it: Don't use it:
Which ever you choose to do, Have fun and be safe.
I wish you well in this fantastic Hobby of ours, Yes that includes you.

see ya,

[shmokinmonki]

Just a little question Daz, do you work at "snelflight", its just that every post u write in you booster up the snelfight,or have u got shares in that company?

And a little question, how long is the lead to the heli (flight radius), I thought id boost your shares and buy one....

[Daz(DJLFlapper)]

Honestly Nope (NO)

The only reason that I give that little heli such a good rateing, Is truely because I believe that it is without a boubt. The best little electric heli on the market for the money.
I do not have any association with its company other than I have 2 of its products Which I used to teach my own children how to fly heli's.

Now then the Lead comes in a standard lecth of about 10 foot, But you can get a longer lead which extends you range to 20' (foot). I have flown mine outside dureing the summer when the weather has allowed it. You do require nill wind/no wind at all,
I have no conection with the company at all. I just truely think that if you interested in flying/learning to fly. If you buy this little heli with the transmitter it is BETTER than any fixed pitch electric on the market. I KNOW THIS and all I am trying to do here is be as honest as I can in helping others get into the hobby/sport.

Just remember If when you fly yours you get into trouble pull the throttle down to shut off power and you won't have any problems, Just put it back how it should be and off you go again. You will get so much more flight time in that you will be glad you got it. Remember also that it comes with its own little training gear. In the botttom of the box you will have 2 black posts one with a h,ole in it and one without. The one without fits inside the other and you got your training skids. just tape them on or somthing and it will help you avoid tipping the heli at lift off.
You can fly it as long as your transmitter batteries will last and that a good while. Order yourself a spare set of blades Just incase .
Now have fun when it arrives. I'm sure that you will love it.

Darren,

I really do only give the advice because I know it is good. Why else would I be Here helping, or at least offering too.

Have loads of learning time and fun.

[shmokinmonki]

, I was only pulling ur leg, but thanx for the reply about the lead........
Ive been happy with my FP twister, it was just the crap set up at the beginning that didnt help, i wonder how many newbies have struggled with hover because of bad factory settings?
Ive only had the heli for 4 weeks and im happy with nose in, figure eight and circular flight (stil got the training gear on). Im lucky because i work in a big council W/shop (gotta have enough room for fire engines ect...), so i can get the safety of height and plenty of room (500m x 300m)and no wind...... ideal, but i thought the "snel" would be fun practice..

[bladebreaker]

I myself are not connected with snelflight but after reading some articles on here decided it was the best way to go to start off with it really will take some punishment and the only thing to break so far are the small props so order some spares if you go for one
after a few hours I got my first real hover only short (few seconds) but that was it I got the bug and now hover tail in for as long as I wish and am now trying nose in side in ect before going for trex 450 I have tried before with walkera 4 fp ect but stood no chance as parts kept breaking tail rotors not lasting and frustrated at not being able to hover as I go with DAZs comments it does what it says on the tin BEST OF LUCK

[Daz(DJLFlapper)]

Nice to hear you getting on so well with the hoverfly.
One word of advice though is that you should not try to fly the Trex at least until you can fly a circute in your room and then bring it back to tail in hover and land. If you can take off, Hover, Fly round the room, then bring it back to just infront of you hover and land. Then I would say that as long as you take it easy and dont rush you should have no problem with your Trex.

Good luck,
Darren.

We'll I read the good words, picked up a century 30 at the field.
it was a good deal. I've been flying planes guess now I'll be givin
helis a whirl. I know the bird flys it was a buddys starter. I've got a
jr 6102 raido, as far as flying all I need is raido settings, but I've seen
plenty of heli desasters at the field and trying to have better sugsess
Looking forward to flying but I have patience. I happion to get a moment
on a buddys sem. tryied the heli for laughes seemed to have the touch for it
your words seem to go along with what I had thought, any advice on good
sems. for helis? (pops)