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RC Helicopters



Thinking of getting into the wonderful hobby of RC helicopters, or just want to learn more about them?

If so, you've come the right place. A site dedicated to helping people new to the hobby in a friendly, inviting, and informative manner. So sit back, grab a beverage, and lets start having a little "RC heli fun"...

This hobby to me is defined by three words:

FUN FASCINATING REWARDING

Exactly what many of us are looking for in a hobby. An activity to free your mind from the "day to day", yet is fun enough to keep you interested & engaged for many years to come.

I've been flying RC (radio controlled) helicopters for almost 30 years and have seen so many advances in this fun hobby. The single biggest one is this hobby is no longer a super expensive, difficult, and almost elitist form of RC flight like it once was.

There are RC helicopters now for every budget and ability, in a vast array of types and sizes.

In short, there has never been a better time to get into "RC helis"!

You Won't Need A Runway!
RC Helicopters Don't Need Runways
Unlike most RC airplanes, radio controlled helicopters don't need a large mowed or paved runway.

They take-off & land vertically, so any open area will do.

This freedom of taking off & landing anywhere is what first sparked my interest in radio controlled helicopters. "Convenience" sums it up best.

It's still the number one benefit for me that remains to this day. Whenever you have a desire to go flying, it can be as simple as walking out into your yard, with heli in hand, to get some time on the sticks.

This is a HUGE time saver over having to cart a bunch of RC gear out to a flying field when you don't have the time.

Flying a Small RC Helicopter At Home, In Your Own Yard Is Very Convenient
Flying a Small RC Helicopter At Home, In Your Own Yard Is Very Convenient
What about flying during rotten weather?

It's no problem when you have a small micro electric indoor RC helicopter to fly in your own home or at the office.

Micro Coaxial RC Helicopter
Inexpensive Micro Coaxial RC Heli Flying Indoors
Radio controlled helicopters are such a fun hobby and enjoyable past time. They also teach you a great deal about rotary flight in its many forms, which to me is one of the most fascinating aspects of RC helicopters.

Multi Rotor RC Helicopter
Flying a Multi-Rotor RC Heli By FPV (first person view). Just Like Being Inside The Aircraft!
So Many Different Types Of RC Helicopters To Choose From
The number and specific types of radio controlled helicopters available these days is quite overwhelming. All have pros and cons, and all offer their own unique levels of fun, challenges, and rewards.

The best news for you...

The cost of RC helis and equipment has gone down over the past couple decades, while the technology keeps improving as does the usability. These factors are responsible for introducing so many more people to the hobby.

The Radio Controlled Helicopter Problem & Solution
There is one down side to this huge selection of radio controlled helicopters. Information overload!

Various Types & Sizes Of RC Helicopters
Various Types & Sizes Of RC Helicopters
 Unless you have some basic facts and understanding, you likely won't choose the best RC helicopter for you.

This usually leads to frustration, crashing, and discouragement.

I know many folks who gave up with RC helis before ever getting to experience the thrill and pure joy of flying one, because they simply got in over their head too soon, without understanding the basics first.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are others that choose RC helicopters that are way too simple for their particular interest and skill set. They quickly get bored and underwhelmed :-(

Unfortunately, there is also a good deal of junk out there that will add to these frustrations. In fact, RC aviation as a true and lasting hobby is in distress right now due to all this low cost, easy to fly, toy type crap! It's the biggest problem our hobby is facing right now in my opinion.

No longer are folks taking up RC helicopters and planes by investing the time and effort into what for many, then becomes an immensely rewarding lifelong hobby and pastime. Now, more times than not, it's all about the lowest cost, ready to fly, easiest out of the box, instant gratification fix possible.

No skill required, no knowledge needed, and no fun & rewarding lifelong learning curve involved. Boredom is inevitable in short order, and thus less and less people stick with it, and simply move onto the next fad.

Much of my website on the other hand is geared 100% toward the true RC helicopter enthusiasts that are still out there, and can't wait to start learning about these fascinating machines and take up the hobby.

The goal of this site is simple...

Give you the tools: Information & Knowledge, to get you off on the right foot. Saving you time and money, but above all, I want you to have brilliant FUN in your RC helicopter journey so you will passionately want to stick with the hobby for years to come. :-)

The Five Main Types of Radio Controlled Helicopters
Toy
Micro Coaxial
Micro Single Rotor Fixed Pitch
Quad/Multi Rotor
Single Rotor Collective Pitch (micro to large)
Turbine RC Helicopter
Large Collective Pitch Turbine Powered RC Heli - The Sound & Smell of A Jet Engine Is Hard To Beat!
Large turbine powered collective pitch RC helicopters such as shown above are mechanically and electronically complex. You have to enjoy "wrenching" and learning with these types of radio controlled helicopters. It can take years to become proficient, and that's all part of the fun.

This is not true of RC toy helis, and various micro size hobby grade RC helicopters which can offer up "out of the box fun."

Quad Rotors (also called Multi-Rotor and incorrectly Drones) are likewise easy to own & fly. These fun RC aircraft, have sophisticated electronic stabilization systems and very few moving mechanical parts for those of you who are not much into "wrenching".

Ready To Fly Quad Rotor RC Helicopter - Out of The Box Fun
Ready To Fly Quad Rotor RC Helicopter - Out of The Box Fun That Requires Little Maintenance
I have sections of this site devoted to RC Toy helis, Micro Coaxial helis, Quad/Multi Rotor, and Micro Single Rotor Fixed Pitch Helis.

They��re all fun and fairly easy to fly for kids and adults alike.

RC Multi Rotor RC Helicopter Equiped With High Output LED's For Night Flight.
*Night Flight Adds A Whole New Dimension Of RC Helicopter Fun (*if allowed/legal in your country)
I wanted to make those distinctions crystal clear so you understand there is a big difference between these various types of radio controlled helicopters...

They are all completely different machines.

They fly very differently from one another.
They require different levels of time & learning/practicing commitments.
They require different levels of mechanical & electronic skills.
A little homework on your part is thus needed to make an informed decision for you, or someone else if you are thinking of giving one as a gift.

Scale RC Helicopter
Scale Bell 222 Collective Pitch RC Heli - If You Like Real Helicopters, Scale RC Helis Are For You! But they are not for the RC Helicopter Newbie.
Collective Pitch RC Helicopters
The Challenges & Rewards In What Is Generally Considered The Ultimate Level Of Fun In Our Hobby.

Yes, collective pitch RC helis are both challenging and very rewarding.

In my experience with pretty much everything in life, "challenging" and "rewarding" are inseparable. The easier the challenge, the less rewarding it is (and vice versa).

This is why collective pitch remains to be the holy grail of all types of RC rotary flight.

So why is CP so challenging?

Single rotor collective pitch helicopters (model and full size) are unstable - at least when hovering.

Hovering a collective pitch RC heli is similar to balancing on a big ball. This is why the collective pitch RC chopper is more difficult than other RC vehicles. You are always making control corrections to keep it somewhat stationary, in a state of hover equilibrium.

I call this "active piloting".

This might make you ask "how on earth can that be fun or rewarding, this guy must be as unstable as his helicopter!" Certainly not far off the mark...

Joking aside, these constant control corrections connect you to your helicopter like no other RC vehicle. You're totally focused and "immersed in the moment."

Flying a scale RC helicopter
Immersed In The Moment - Flying A Collective Pitch RC Heli


I enjoy activities that have me so focused and engaged, I don't have the time or room in my head to think about all the other BS going on.

There haven't been many activities over the years I have participated in that provide that "living in the moment" fun escape route. Flying, building, and working on a collective pitch RC heli is however, one of them!

It's such an engaging hobby in that respect. There is no question that is why I (and I hope you as well), love flying collective pitch to this day - it's my/our escape!

Please don't dismiss collective pitch because it seems hard at first.

Once you learn how to hover a collective pitch radio controlled helicopter, you'll never forget! The control corrections become second nature, you don��t even realize you're doing them.

I can still remember the first day I learned to hover all those years ago. It is the same feeling you get when learning to ride a bicycle or any other difficult balancing act.

After trying and trying, something clicks. Your brain gets it. You're on cloud 9 for days. You have to keep flying & practicing, getting better and better.

A natural high occurs and yes, you are becoming addicted.

RC Helicopter Flying Inverted
Collective Pitch RC Helicopter Flying Inverted
Many who get bit by the RC heli bug in the simpler or easier to fly versions, want to give single rotor collective pitch a go.

It's hard to resist the challenge, performance potential, and overwhelming feeling of accomplishment offered with this form of RC flight. It is after all the closest most of us will get to what it's like to pilot a full size helicopter.

Micro sized collective pitch radio controlled helicopters have likewise revolutionized the hobby because of their low cost. They are just as challenging to fly (if not more so); but don't think you have to spend a couple thousand dollars like we once had to.

Low Cost Micro CP RC Helicopter Hovering Inverted - As Challenging As The Big Ones
Low Cost Micro CP Heli Hovering Inverted - As Challenging As The Big Ones, But Not Nearly As Intimidating
RC Heli Addiction Begins
My Passion, My Addiction...

RC Helicopters - My Passion, My Addiction!
Of course hovering is the first step, the fun is only beginning �C wait till you do your first loop or roll. Yes, now the adrenaline starts flowing.

Besides the flying fun, is the technical fun of understanding and maintaining a collective pitch RC helicopter. For many, that is the most rewarding aspect of this hobby; I fall into that category myself.

Collective pitch RC helicopters have taught me and many others so much about aerodynamics, physics, mechanics, and electronics (in a very fun way I should add) over the years, and I'm still learning new and fascinating stuff almost daily! That aspect of the hobby alone is somewhat priceless and the older I get, the more I appreciate its value. Learning when it's this much fun, is after all, one of life's great pleasures and joys.

Electrical & Mechanical Components Inside a Typical Collective Pitch RC Heli - Lots to Learn but Crazy Cool!

Inside A RC Helicopter
Here I'm flying one of my Radio Controlled Helicopters. Yep, I'm having lots of RC Helicopter Fun :-)

Time To Start (Spooling Up)
Are you still with me? If so, it's a safe bet to say you likely already have a fair amount of interest in this hobby. I hope the rest of my site will further help "fuel" your RC heli interest into a full blown passion!

The navigation bar (on the left side of the pages), has all the main RC heli topics. I've tried to arrange it in order of more beginner type info down to more advanced. If you can't find a particular topic, feel free to use the search bar located on the top of each page.

If you find the information useful and helpful, feel free to bookmark this site, Face-it, Tweet-it, Plus 1-it, link/share the pages, or subscribe to my "Heli Blog".

Happy Flying!