RC Helicopters – Some useful information for beginners

Flying RC Helicopters is one of the most satisfying hobbies out there. In fact, this hobby provides you will the chance of having a real picture of how pilots fly real helicopters. But even though joining the hobby is a great way of learning how to fly RC Helicopters, there is still need for new hobbyists to have adequate information before concerning these air-crafts.

There is a lot of information on Helicopters. But not all of it is important for individuals who are joining the hobby for the first time. Most of the information found either online or offline mainly carters to the needs of those who already have been flying helicopters for a long time.

Mistakes that new hobbyists face when flying RC Helicopters

Due to the fact that new hobbyists have inadequate knowledge on how to fly helicopters, they tend to face a lot of problems after joining the hobby. Some of the problems that they face include:

Buying the wrong air-crafts

A lot of people who have no access to information on RC Helicopters end up purchasing the wrong type of helicopters. For instance, those who want an indoor aircraft end up buying an outdoor helicopter and those who want the outdoor one mistakenly purchase an indoor air plane. This is all a result of having inadequate information on what kind of helicopters suit what type of environment.

Having few flying skills

Just like any other worthwhile hobby, flying RC Helicopters is not easy and hence one can't expect to learn everything overnight. In fact, it may take some people more than 6 months to have adequate flying skills. And because most new hobbyists have no knowledge of this, they end up crashing their expensive Helicopters since they don't know that one needs to start with simulators before trying various flying techniques on real helicopters

Losing confidence in their flying abilities

Whether you like it or not, the helicopter that you will buy will crash sooner or later. This is one of the realities that everyone who joins the hobby has to accept. However, many new hobbyists don't realize this and they lose confidence in their fly skills when their helicopters crash frequently.

Begin with a simulator

Most of the mistakes mentioned above can be easily avoided if new hobbyists buy RC simulators before they purchase an RC Helicopter. This is necessary because simulators provide you with information on what type of RC helicopter is best for what environment as well as are a great platform where you can learn the skills that you will need to fly helicopters.

RC Helicopters – Some useful facts about their maintenance

RC helicopters require constant maintenance. Investing in the right tools right from the get go will save you a lot of time and money. Trying to construct your own RC helicopter without the proper tools will most likely lead to a crashed aircraft and even if you purchase a ready to fly remote controlled helicopter, you will still need the proper tools for its maintenance. Don't waste your money buying every available helicopter tool, start with the bare essentials and over time, you will know exactly what tools you need for each job.

The simple helicopter pitch gauge is utilized to align the pitch angle and the type of range of pitch that your main rotor blades will have. This is one of the most important tools and is used even for ready to fly models as you need to confirm whether the pitch angle and pitch range are correct.

Do not rely on the cheap, poor quality tools that come with most remote control helicopters. It is better to invest in your own assortment of metric Allen Drivers. The best way to do this is to start with a nice basic set then buy hex and nut drivers individually.

To prevent damage due to vibrations, get a Dubro Balancer which can be used for engine cooling fan balancing and airplane propeller balancing. Make sure you also buy a good soldering iron and station with adjustable heat settings, replaceable tips, cleaning pad and holder.

Your kit should also include wire charger leads for your charger and a flybar lock for some helicopters, small flat blade and Phillips screw driver, spark plug socket, hobby knife and blades and quality wire strippers. To set up a 120 degree CCPM swashplate in the right manner and to level it as well, you will need proper swashplate leveling tools. To save money you can also build your own swash leveling tool. It won't be as easy to use as a readymade one, but it will be adequate for most users.

For the electric powered remote control helicopters, make sure you buy a good quality computerized battery charger. This can also be used to power the on-board electrics on your fuel powered models.

Lastly, be sure to purchase different types of bearing greases and the general lubricating oils, epoxy glue, instant CA glue, blue medium strength locktite, a good quality metric ruler, an electric drill and drill bits, heat shrinking tubing and nylon tie straps.

Remote control helicopters are the most rewarding of all RC hobbies and part of the fun is all the work that goes into it. Without the right tools, it will be impossible to finish a project and lots of first time buyers end up abandoning the project altogether after getting frustrated at the length of time it takes. Make sure you research on remote control helicopter repair tips before attempting any work yourself.