| Well, that's debatable. For one thing, the | | | | helicopters are for the most part are harder |
| inexpensive electric helicopters are very | | | | to fly than fuel powered helicopters. |
| difficult to fly in the wind. Yes you can buy | | | | |
| a pretty good one for around $200. The CX is | | | | There are several different people who are |
| the easiest to learn to fly as compared to | | | | considered to be the inventor of the |
| the CP and the equivalent, but all | | | | helicopter. I could write a book explaining |
| helicopters, fuel powered or electric, are | | | | it in detail, but I'll cover a couple of the |
| difficult to teach yourself to fly. Chances | | | | primary contributors to the development of |
| are good you will break many parts in the | | | | rotary wing aircraft. The ancient Chinese |
| learning process and most likely give up | | | | invented a toy for children that you can |
| after spending too many hours fixing, | | | | still see today. It consists of a propeller |
| practicing and/or tons of money in the | | | | and a shaft through the middle of it. If you |
| learning process. Hate to discourage you, but | | | | spin it quickly in your hands or with some |
| this is the reality of RC helicopters. | | | | other force such as a rubber band you could |
| | | | make it lift up and hover briefly before |
| People seem to think because the helicopters | | | | coming back to the ground. |
| are electric and cheap; it will make it | | | | |
| easier to learn how to fly. I've trained | | | | The first recorded depiction of a possible |
| something on the order of 300 people to hover | | | | manned helicopter is a diagram drawn by |
| and fly helicopters over the years and I know | | | | Leonardo da Vinci in the 1400s. The knowledge |
| for a fact that is the safest, easiest and | | | | of physics necessary to successfully build a |
| cheapest way to learn. | | | | working model did not yet exist, but he |
| | | | understood the concept of an "air screw" that |
| Fuel powered helicopters are difficult to | | | | if turned fast enough would be able to drive |
| learn to hover and fly, small electric | | | | the machine and a pilot into the air. |
| helicopters are even harder and the tiny ones | | | | |
| are worse. You will need a large open area to | | | | Over the course of the next few centuries |
| practice hovering and even then, chances are | | | | many other people toyed with the idea of a |
| you will break things. This is something you | | | | helicopter, but again the amount of power |
| will unfortunately find out after you spent | | | | necessary to drive such a machine into the |
| quite a bit of money on your helicopters and | | | | air was not possible to generate. The |
| replacement parts. | | | | invention of the internal combustion engine |
| | | | made the power requirement a reality. The |
| If you haven't already, tried installing a | | | | next hurdle that needed to be overcome was |
| new and/or different type of glow plug. It is | | | | the concept of torque - the phenomenon that |
| possibly there is a hole in your fuel line | | | | causes the body of the helicopter to spin in |
| inside of your tank where the fuel line is | | | | the opposite direction of the main rotor. |
| attached to the metal pick up. That would | | | | |
| cause it to stall when the tank is half | | | | Paul Cornu invented a working piloted |
| empty. The engine might be overheating due to | | | | helicopter in 1907, but it was not a |
| the lean mixture caused by the possible split | | | | successful design. It only generated enough |
| fuel line. There are so many electric | | | | lift for about 7 seconds. Another Frenchman, |
| helicopters out there and it depends on what | | | | Etienne Oehmichen built and flew a working |
| you consider is too expensive. | | | | helicopter for about 1 kilometer in 1924. |
| | | | |
| Save your $100 because buying those | | | | As early as 1910, Russian born Igor Sikorsky |
| helicopters would be a total waste of money. | | | | began working on development of a manned |
| As the saying goes, you only get what you pay | | | | helicopter. By 1940, his working design had |
| for. The same goes for the cheapest electric | | | | become the model for all modern helicopters. |
| ARF airplanes. You will need a proper trainer | | | | It consisted of a main rotor and a tail rotor |
| airplane, and any RC warplane is well beyond | | | | that is used to counteract the torque |
| any beginner's abilities. | | | | generated by the main rotor. This design is |
| | | | still used in a vast majority of helicopters |
| Learning to fly RC airplanes is something | | | | today, which is why Sikorsky is considered |
| that is possible to learn on your own, but | | | | the father of the modern helicopter. |
| definitely not recommended. If you ever get a | | | | |
| chance to find a club or an experienced flier | | | | There are many other men who contributed to |
| who will let you fly a proper trainer, then | | | | the development of rotary wing aviation - too |
| you will see what I'm talking about. I | | | | many to list here, but a thorough search of |
| believe collective helicopters are easier to | | | | the library and/or the internet can give you |
| fly than fixed pitched helicopters. You are | | | | tons of insight into the development and |
| correct about the CP. The small electric | | | | design of all different types of helicopters. |