| Of all the RC crafts available, radio | | | | slightly and the helicopter will start to |
| controlled helicopter is arguably the hardest | | | | slowly descend back to the ground. Don't |
| to master. However, with the advent and | | | | throttle down too fast or your helicopter |
| advances of today's RC flight simulators, the | | | | will come crashing down and be damaged. |
| learning curve have decreased. Now, new RC | | | | |
| helicopter pilots can literally crash as | | | | Try hovering many times. Between each hover, |
| often as they want until they can eventually | | | | reflect on what you did right and what you |
| keep their helicopter in the air. | | | | did wrong. You will find that each hover will |
| Nevertheless, conventional RC helicopter | | | | be more precise and more controlled than the |
| training lessons has not lost their | | | | last. |
| importance. For some, they provide a guide to | | | | |
| practicing in the simulator. For others who | | | | Another important point during this lesson is |
| don't like simulators - or for some reasons | | | | to always point the tail of the helicopter |
| can't get their hands on one, flying lessons | | | | towards you. Don't try to point the |
| are invaluable. For those that choose to go | | | | helicopter in any other direction at this |
| the no-simulator route, it is generally | | | | point as you will very likely get |
| recommended that you hire a certified | | | | disoriented. Orientation training will come |
| instructor. But, with the increasing | | | | later. |
| popularity of cheaper electric RC | | | | |
| helicopters, the cost involved with this | | | | Once you're comfortable with hovering at 1 |
| hobby decreased exponentially. As a result, | | | | foot, try bringing the helicopter up to an |
| many new pilots are choosing to learn to fly | | | | altitude of 3 to 5 feet. It will seem scarier |
| with neither a simulator nor an instructor. | | | | but in fact, hovering at 3 - 5 feet is easier |
| No matter how you choose to learn to pilot RC | | | | than hovering at 1 foot. Keep doing this |
| helicopters, this article which provides | | | | exercise until you can hover for an entire |
| classic helicopter lessons will definitely | | | | flight of the battery pack or the fuel tank, |
| come in handy. | | | | which equals to around 7 to 10 minutes if |
| | | | you're practicing on a simulator. |
| Lesson 1: First Feel of Helicopter / Ground | | | | |
| Exercise | | | | Each pilot takes different amount of time to |
| | | | learn this crucial skill. Some get it |
| First things first, have your helicopter | | | | extremely fast (within days) while others |
| properly trimmed and set up before doing | | | | take weeks or even months. Don't be |
| anything. Most electric models are already | | | | discouraged, take your time and learn at your |
| set up right out of the box. If your model | | | | own pace. As long as you have fun while |
| requires any setting, make sure you follow | | | | practicing, who cares how long it takes. |
| the instruction in the manual or hire/ask | | | | Don't rush through this lesson. It is very |
| someone knowledgeable to do it for you. | | | | important that you learn to hover and can do |
| Trimming won't be covered in this article | | | | it comfortably. |
| because it is a whole topic in itself. | | | | |
| | | | Lesson 3: Basic Flight |
| Once your helicopter is trimmed, you'll need | | | | |
| a simple pair of training gear for bigger | | | | Once you've mastered hovering, the next step |
| models. You can actually make one yourself | | | | is basic directional flight. Get your |
| using two four-inch rods and four balls | | | | helicopter to hover as you've done in the |
| (ping-pong balls will do nicely). However, it | | | | last lesson, then pick a spot and pilot your |
| may be easier to buy one. If you are learning | | | | helicopter there. Then pick another spot and |
| with a co-axle ready-to-fly electric | | | | do the same thing. At this point, you want to |
| helicopter such as the Lama or Walkera 54, | | | | keep the helicopter in a tail-in position. |
| then the training gear is unnecessary. On the | | | | Keep doing this until you feel comfortable |
| other hand, if you are learning with a bigger | | | | that you can get your helicopter to go |
| and more conventional model such as the | | | | anywhere you want while it's in a tail-in |
| T-REX, then having a training gear is | | | | orientation. |
| absolutely mandatory. | | | | |
| | | | Lesson 4: Nose-In Hover |
| Now, you're going to pilot your helicopter | | | | |
| for the first time. However, for this first | | | | After having mastered hovering and basic |
| lesson, the goal is to learn what it "feels" | | | | flight while flying tail-in, the next step, |
| like to control one. Therefore, what you want | | | | the nose-in hover, will be relatively more |
| to do is to bring up the throttle/collective | | | | challenging. The idea behind this exercise is |
| to the point where the helicopter is just | | | | quite simple; simply hover like you did |
| about to lift off the ground but not quite | | | | lesson 2, but this time, hover with the nose |
| taking to the air yet. With the helicopter in | | | | of the helicopter pointed towards you. While |
| this half on the ground, half wanting to lift | | | | this may sound simple, many new pilots find |
| off phase, move the cyclic control around and | | | | this extremely difficult due to the fact that |
| see as well as get a feel of how the | | | | most of all the controls are now reversed. At |
| helicopter will react to each control. Do | | | | this point, you may already confident about |
| this several time until you have adequately | | | | flying and feel that you can easily perform |
| felt all of the controls and more | | | | this hovering exercise at a high altitude. |
| importantly, understand them. | | | | Please refrain from doing that. Instead, |
| | | | start this exercise by hovering at 1 foot, |
| Lesson 2: Hover (Tail In) | | | | then slowly increasing the altitude to 5 feet |
| | | | as you are more confident and comfortable |
| Once you've mastered the ground exercise, the | | | | with the now-reversed controls. Keep doing |
| next step is to hover. Every helicopter pilot | | | | this exercise until you can master hovering |
| and instructor will tell you that one of the | | | | with the nose pointed towards you. Having |
| most (if not the most) important component of | | | | accomplished this lesson will greatly improve |
| a helicopter flight is hovering. In fact, no | | | | your orientation awareness. |
| matter how fancy the flight, at its most | | | | |
| fundamental level, a helicopter flight starts | | | | Lesson 5: Square and Figure 8 Flights |
| and ends with a hover. | | | | |
| | | | This final lesson will combine the skills |
| For this lesson, make sure the tail is | | | | you've learnt from previous lessons, namely, |
| pointing in towards you. Bring up the | | | | hovering, orientation, and direction flight. |
| throttle to the point that the helicopter is | | | | The combination of these skills will produce |
| just about to hover just as you did in the | | | | a full flight. The first goal is to try to |
| ground exercise. Then, get the helicopter as | | | | navigate your helicopter in a square pattern. |
| stable as you can get it. After doing that, | | | | If you've been following the exercise without |
| give it a little more throttle/collective. | | | | cheating, you'll find that the square flight |
| Remember that you should make the helicopter | | | | can be accomplished quite easily. The next |
| stable on the ground first before giving it | | | | goal would be to fly in a figure 8 pattern. |
| the extra throttle to lift it off the ground. | | | | This will prove to be more challenging but it |
| Doing this will make this lesson much easier. | | | | is definitely not out of reach. As you do |
| When the helicopter starts to lift off the | | | | more and more figure eights, concentrate on |
| ground, it'll continue to ascend slowly. | | | | keeping the 8 a perfect shape. Try your best |
| Bring the throttle down slightly to stabilize | | | | not to veer off course. Becoming more |
| it at around 1 foot. | | | | experienced, you should aim for more and more |
| | | | flight control accuracy. Once you've mastered |
| Next comes the hard part. Try to keep the | | | | the figure 8, you should be able to pilot |
| helicopter hovering in one spot. This will | | | | your helicopter anywhere you desire. Practice |
| prove to be very difficult at first. Draw on | | | | makes perfect, but also remember to have fun; |
| what you've learnt on from the ground | | | | after all, that is the whole point of a |
| exercise. Once you've hovered for around 30 | | | | hobby. |
| seconds, bring the throttle down just | | | | |