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Almost-ready-to-fly Heli guide

Model Airplane News, Jul 2002 by Bell, Rick

FLIGHT TEST

The quick, easy way to rotary flight

Wild gyrations, inverted hovering and smooth scale maneuvers-- welcome to the world of RC helicopters. Though more challenging than learning to fly an airplane, mastering rotary flight can be very rewarding. Helicopters and their equipment have come a long way in the past few years and, just like their fixed-wing counterparts, the availability of almost-ready-to-fly (ARF) choppers is increasing. Instead of spending long hours completely building the machine, bench time has been reduced to just a few hours of placing sub-assemblies on a factory-built chassis and installing the radio system and engine. In some ARFs, even the engine comes installed. We've collected information on the most popular ARF hells, plus we include helpful hints to get you started. If you want to join in the fun,and excitement that RC helicopters-Have to offer, this guide will get you up and hovering in no time!

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HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Carefully follow the building guidelines and safety precautions in the helicopter's manual. If you have no RC experience, seek the help of an experienced RC chopper pilot. There are many choices of helicopters, radio systems, gyros and engines. Here's what you'll need at the field.

* Helicopter. Today's ARF hells are well-engineered to deliver many hours of flying fun. Best of all, they're inexpensive compared with the hells of just a few years ago. Helicopters (except electric- and gas-- powered) are grouped according to engine size: .30 to .35; .40 to .50; and .60. It's best to start with a .30-size hell; it's less expensive to buy, operate and repair. Contact the local hell club and ask for recommendations; experienced heli pilots are invaluable sources of information for initial setup and flight adjustments.

* Radio system. Most hells today have collective pitch, so you'll need a hell radio to fly them properly. Heli radios feature adjustments and mixing capabilities that make setting up and flying hells much easier. A computer radio is the only way to go; it offers throttle and pitch-curve programming to give you the best heli performance. If your budget allows, start with a midrange radio such as the JR 8103, Futaba 8UH, or Airtronics B6000. These are a great investment, and you'll never outgrow them.

* Engine. It is always best to go with the engine recommended by the hell's manufacturer. Engine choices include ABC or ringed versions; ABCs generally offer more power, but they are easily damaged if they ingest dirt and dust. (They're also intolerant of lean runs.) I think ringed engines are a better choice; they're easier to start and have excellent power. O.S., Webra, Enya and SuperTigre are the most popular hell engines. It's also best to bench run and break in the engine before you install it; this makes it easier to adjust the idle, and most important, the high-end needle settings.

* Gyro. You can choose from many gyros, but it is best to use a simple piezo gyro. Many are available in the $80 to $100 range, and they work much better than mechanical gyros. They are very simple to set up and operate and are ideal for the beginner.

* Training gear. A definite must-have for beginners. This makes the heli more difficult to tip and will save many dollars in repairs. (See the "Training Gear" sidebar.)

* Building tools. Good-quality metric Allen drivers and Phillips screwdrivers are essential and make hell building easier. Other useful tools include a blade balancer. Ditch gauge. ball-link driver, needlenose pliers and metric nut drivers.

* Starting equipment. As a general rule, helicopters use the same starting equipment as airplanes, but there are some differences. You can use the same electric starter, power panel and battery and glow igniter (if it will reach the glow plug). Some hells require the use of a remote glow-plug adapter. The difference is in the starting method of the engine. Unlike an airplane's engine, which can be turned over by using the propeller, the heli engine is buried within the chassis and can't be manually started by turning the crankshaft (i.e., it has no propeller). Usually, a shaft with a coupler extends from the engine, and a starting wand is attached to the electric starter that engages the coupler to spin the crankshaft. Other methods for starting hell engines include a top-cone start, which is like using an electric starter on an airplane spinner, and the belt-and-- pulley start, which uses a belt around the clutch housing that you engage with the electric starter.

These methods are rarely used on newer helicopters, except on Kyosho's hells, which use a cone-- start system.

Most helicopters use some sort of wand to start the engine, and there are many wands to choose from. Some starting wands are hex shaped and fit into a matchIng coupler on the hell. Others are smooth rods that engage a coupler that contains a one-way hearing. When the engine starts, the bearing disengages and allows the engine to over-run the slower-turning starter.

Almost-ready-to-fly Heli guide

Model Airplane News, Jul 2002 by Bell, Rick

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