Helicopters

This section is choc-a-bloc full of goodies related to flying R/C helicopters. If there is someting you wish to see here, or you have a contribution, please contact Gavin Wagenaar. Before diving into the goodies, just the standard disclaimer:

All information provided here is provided as-is. No specific claims are made that this information is fit for purpose. You use this site, this tab, and this information at your own risk. Building and flying R/C helicopters can be dangerous to your health, those around you, and your wallet. You do so at your own risk. Serious injury or death is often the result of ignoring one's spouse and spending more time with your helis, sneaking off to the hobby shop instead of mowing the lawn, or fixing that leaky kitchen tap. DDRF and the authors of this blog will therefore not be held responsibleor liable for, but not limited to, crashes, property damage, overdrawn bank accounts, maxed out credit cards, sleeping on the couch, or failed relationships that were caused directly or indirectly as a result of this blog or the advice provided here. This disclaimer provided courtesy of rchelicopterfun.com.

General Information
RCHelicopterFun:This site is courtesy of John Salt, and is full of goodies. For novice and expert alike, take a read. You are sure to learn something.
HeliFreak: This is Bob White's site. Again, a jolly good read. Go there often, and learn.
Also see these articles on our very own blog, courtesy of Lood Birk, Ermelo Radio Flyers.

Fun


Heli Build and Setup


Building a heli

General tips

Disclaimer: The following build videos are for brand-name clones. DDRF and the authors in no way promote any specific brand of helicopter, including the ones on the videos, or suggest that these videos replace the manuals for your helicopter. This information is purely for beginners to familiarise themselves with some basic pitfalls, practical suggestions, and so forth.

450 Electric

  • Follow this link. Be sure to watch all 15 videos.
  • Another set at this link for an alternative perspective.

600 Electric

500 Electric

250 Electric

Note: it is higly suggested you replace the feathering shaft and tail belt with brand name parts if building a clone - see this video.

Setting up a heli

General

Swash plate setup

Bob White's classic videos:

Gyro setup


Scale Helis

Multiblade rotor heads

Scale blades

Flybarless Setup

General


    Learning to Fly

    RCHelicopterFun's Flight School:

    This is a 10 "day" lesson plan, where every "day" is a specific lesson. The idea is not really that you can do the complete course in 10 days (Duh! Learn to do basic acrobatics and nose-in hover in 10 days???), but that you stick with this set of skills until you master them - then you go to the next "day". Every day is well described, and also demonstrated with a video. Check it out if you are setting out to learn. Here are direct links, day-by-day:

      SAMAA guidelines (proficiencies, version 2007):

      The link above opens the full manual - highly suggested reading. The suggested sequence of learning, in summary, is:
      • Tail in hover.
      • Tail in squares and circle.
      • Tail in Figure 8.
      • Side on hover (both sides)
      • Figure eight.
      • Forward flight.
      • Nose in hover
      • Circuits and hover.
      • Autorotation
      • High speed flight.
      • Advanced circuits.


      Safety

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