The Ultimate RC Helicopter Starter Guide For Rookie "Pilots"
Posted 2011-10-26
The Ultimate RC Helicopter Starter Guide For Rookie "Pilots"
For kids and hobbyists alike, flying remote control (RC) helicopters is truly a joy. A trip to a park to fly your new Electric RC Helicopter is fun alone, but yours is sure to attract a crowd of interested onlookers. And with models for beginners starting around $20, remote control helicopters are a great option for kids and rookie pilots. Instead of imagining the day when you can afford a radio control helicopter, take a look to see how budget-friendly this hobby can be. Electric RC Helicopters run on batteries (Li-po, or lithium-ion polymer in some RC Helicopters; some AA or other standard batteries) and can fly for 10 minutes up to much longer for more expensive models. Some, like the Double Horse 9051A Eagle Helicopter kit, come with A/C wall chargers for the included rechargeable batteries. Or, look for a radio controlled helicopter that can charge through USB ports—like Syma’s S107G Mini Gyro—so read around rc helicopter reviews to get a sense of which model will best suit your needs and budget.
Many RC helicopters can come RTR (ready to run), so there’s no assembly required, but can also be purchased to build yourself. For RTR versions, look for phrases like ready to run, ready to fly, fly from the box, flight ready, and no assembly required.
RC helicopter kits, unlike RC helicopter parts purchased individually, contain everything you need to get your helicopter flying fast: the helicopter, charger and batteries, radio controller, and instructions/flight manual. A popular option, Mini helicopters, like the Syma S107G Mini Gyro, come RTR and are recommended for pilots age 7 and up.
At just under 6 inches in length, the Syma S012 HG-64 Military Apache rc helicopter boasts an auto stability system that helps keep it in balance. This makes it easier than ever for a novice flyer to control it. For the lower price, the controller has a range of 100 feet, perfect for indoor flying and the casual hobbyist or young user.
The Double Horse 9074 Craft Gyro RC helicopter is a great indoor helicopter, perfect for days of inclement weather. RC helicopter reviews for the Double Horse show that its handling performance make it great both for new pilots learning about flying indoor RC helicopters as well as for experienced hobbyists looking to hone their flight skills.
Viefly mini helicopters are on the low end of prices for electric RC helicopters, along with mini Syma helicopters and gyros, UDI/RC and Double Horse RC models.
Higher priced options (more than $60) offer features for the serious flight hobbyist. Electric RC helicopters in this price range offer more channels to prevent interference (more than 3), greater maneuverability and control, longer flight times and longer distances for control. RC helicopters for more experienced pilots also have higher tail control for precision movements and landing.
The ESky Honey Bee King 4, for example, is a great model for serious RC pilots. Completely assembled and ready to fly out of the box, this new model of the popular Honey Bee King series boasts a 400 brushless motor and powerful Li-Po battery for incredible power and performance.
The E-Flite Blade CX2 RTF electric micro helicopter measures 16.42 inches long and boasts a main rotor of 13.6 inches, and has two 180 motors installed for great power. It’s a striking sight in the air!
For a pilot interested in military history as well as RC helicopters, Syma manufactures a Chinook model (S022 Big Chinook) that takes size to another level at 18.11 inches long. This popular silhouette comes fully assembled and ready to fly with the 3-channel transmitter; motion commands are left /right, forward/back, up/down, and hover. It is recommended for users 10 years and up.
It’s important to read online RC helicopter reviews in order to determine which RC helicopter best suits your needs and flight preferences.
For a newcomer to radio control flying, an inexpensive mini gyro for both indoor and outdoor play is a great choice; improved design and performance of lower-end models like the Syma S107G make them fun and easy to learn at a fraction of the cost of the upper-end RC helicopter models.
The smaller size of mini helicopters and gyros makes them a great choice for radio control beginners, children, and flyers who want an easy-to-transport model. Just 5 inches long, the popular Syma Mini Gyro has performance abilities that make it a great “starter” RC helicopter to learn on as well as a fun and inexpensive model for experienced hobbyists to practice with.
More expensive models for the serious collector and hobbyist differ from lower-end RC helicopter and gyro models not just in price, but also in power, transmitter distance, flight time, size, and stability/control. They also typically incorporate more advanced control units, with main motor ESCs, mixer, and head locking gyro. Some include a tail motor in addition to the main rotor motor.
For example, the Double Horse 9053 Gyro Volitation, a sleek 3-channel model, has built-in gyroscopic control and two powerful 180 main motors in addition to an N20 tail motor. Even experienced radio control hobbyists can enjoy flying this heli, and at around $100, it’s still significantly less expensive than the highest-end RC helicopter models.
When determining which RC helicopter is right for you, make sure to read lots ofRC helicopter reviews for the models you are considering. Many serious RC collectors and flyers share specific pros and cons of each option. Some are better for flying indoors while others thrive in the open air outdoors. Some RC helicopters are tiny and zip around, while others are larger and more dramatic in flight. What matters most in determining which RC helicopter is right for you is how you plan to use it, and what type of commitment level you have to the hobby.
For youngsters and newbies, inexpensive RC helicopters offer the magic and majesty of flight for very little cost, and serious hobbyists can spend upwards of several hundred dollars for the latest, sleekest, and most responsive RC helicopters on the market. It all depends on what your interests and budget are.
