RC Helicopters – Get into the fun

For all those with the love of flight, practicing this hobby shouldn't be far-fetched. You probably yearn for doing cool flying stunts like the ones you see on TV, and it's all possible with RC helicopters. RC stands for "radio controlled" and not "remote controlled", which is what most people think. The good thing about RC helicopters is that they can be flown anywhere; indoors and outdoors. They don't require a runway path like RC planes. Instead they take off vertically.

RC helicopter are not childish; they can be really tough to fly and master. They look nothing like a children's toy; with the complexity of design and the importance of small details, they are more similar to real helicopters than you may think. They come in many sizes ranging from the size of a speaker to the size of a vacuum cleaner. Their prices vary from around 20$ to 200$ depending on quality, size and type. Fortunately, they keep getting cheaper and cheaper with time due to the technological improvement.

As a beginner, you will become completely overwhelmed with the extremely wide range of types and brands out there. If you are thinking about buying your first RC helicopter, then the coaxial helicopters are perfect for you. They have two main rotors and no tail rotor. Having two blades that rotate in opposite directions eliminate the necessity of a tail rotor, thus the beginner has one less channel to worry about. Their flight is extremely stable since the two main rotors cancel each other's torque effect. They fly smoothly and slowly. The four channel coaxial helicopter comes with the most movement options; it can go back and forth, up and down, side to side and spin around its axis. However, its speed remains limited which insures minimum damage when crashing.

When you master the coaxial and you feel ready for the next level, you can upgrade yourself to the fixed pitch. The fixed pitch is a single rotor helicopter that can go much faster than the coaxial helicopters. Controlling altitude is done by the rotor speed; more motor power generates more lift. This makes it hard to maintain a constant height though. But still, fixed pitch helicopters are a great additional challenge for those who want more than coaxial helicopters.

Collective pitch helicopters are even harder. Before buying them, one has to be sure he is ready since they are serious business. He has to know about the coordination of motor power, collective pitch control and cyclic pitch control. Going wrong with them can cause unpredictable damages. That's why they come with more thrill, and really cool moves and stunts can be done with them.

Flying RC helicopters empower maneuvering skills, quick thinking and physical laws. It's also great for people with an interest in electrical circuits and machinery. Indeed, flying an RC helicopter is one of the most rewarding hobbies out there.