RC Helicopters

RC Helicopter Reference

This is an easy to use reference for rc helicopters - Each page includes model examples and our own "How to's" and reviews when available.

Typically rc helicopters are categorized by the design or mechanics of the rotor or main blades and fall within 3 categories. Coaxial, Fixed Pitch (FP) & Collective Pitch (CP).

If you are new to flying radio controlled helicopters, your goal should be to find something that you can easily control without having to remember advanced features and when to use them. A basic coaxial helicopter or a FP helicopter will give you much needed experience in manipulating the controls and actions while learning how a helicopter moves. Once you've gotten the hang of it then you can move up a more complex heli.

It's important and I recommend that you seek out help locally if you are new to flying rc helicopters. Flying helicopters is very rewarding - but it can also be just as discouraging without help and experience to draw from. If you do choose to go it alone, I recommend you use a flight simulator until you are comfortable instead of attempting to fly your helicopter first even then be sure you have plenty of spare parts available.

Electric Helicopters	Nitro - Gas Helicopters
For more	For more

Electric Helicopters
Flying electric rc helicopters has become incredibly popular and relatively inexpensive. With the availability of very advanced yet inexpensive micro electronics with high quality RTF (ready to fly) and ARF (almost ready to fly) helicopters, Even some of the smallest helicopters benefit with very advanced features that typically was found only in much larger more expensive helicopters. Add up all these features and you'll find flying an electric rc helicopter has become much easier and affordable.  More

Gas Nitro Helicopters
Gas helicopters – require quite a commitment – both in time and money. Gas helicopters are very much involved since they are very similar to the real thing and while choosing to learn to fly gas helicopters can be incredibly rewarding be aware that because of the high cost and complexity these are not suitable for the novice flyer. More 

Coaxial helicopters – Excellent for the novice or beginner. These are typically electric and have dual counter-rotating rotors, this combination makes these heli's very stable and easy to learn to fly with. This stability and ease of flight has introduced a great many new flyers to the hobby. More.  

Micro Helicopters  Advances in micro electronics have really fueled the recent growth of these little helicopters. Even though they may be small, they very often have the same complex features that have only been available in the past to larger more expensive helicopters.  More 

Fixed Pitch (FP) & Collective Pitch (CP). Lets take a look at the differences.

On a Fixed Pitch (FP) Helicopter, more lift is generated when the rotor spins faster and the helicopter will rise. By slowing the rotor rotation, less lift is generated and the helicopter descends. A fixed pitch helicopter is ideal for a beginner since it has fewer moving parts and requires less maintenance. The trade off of that simplicity is a lag or delay in the response time needed to spin-up the rotor.

Collective Pitch (CP) Helicopter, With collective pitch helicopters, the rotor spins up to full speed (known as head speed) and is constant, lift and directional control are achieved by varying the blade pitch relative to the disk of rotation. Since the rotor is already at full rpm, control changes are almost instantaneous.

CP Helicopters are more agile, responsive and smoother to fly. The downside is a collective pitch helicopter is much harder to learn to fly and requires a more complicated 6 channel radio system increasing their cost. They also have many more moving parts that can easily break and require more maintenance.  

RC Helicopter controls and setup
helicopters have a different group of important setup items to deal with than rc airplanes, in this link we'll cover set-up, blade balancing, blade tracking and typical solutions for common issues like TBE (toilet bowl effect) etc…  More

If you are a novice and wonder what you should begin with, check out

 "The Beginners Guide" - The complete guide to rc flying for the novice!
 "Electric or Nitro"- Electric or Nitro, what's right for you?
 "Why Electric"-  Why Electric RC is becoming so popular!
 More "Beginner RC Helicopters" - Excellent Helicopters for the Novice!