Looking at maybe getting into RC HELIS...Heres what you need

[ThBrtmn]

Are you interested in flying RC HELIS and looking at taking the plunge. Well here is a list I created for a friend a while back... This is a basic list to help the new person interested in Radio Controlled Helicopters to get a feel of what they will need to get a Glow(nitromethane-fuel) Helicopter in the air.
Before the acquiring the items listed below. I would strongly suggest that the first thing you get is a Simulator. Its not needed to learn how to fly but is a HUGE benefit on how quickly you learn and also will save you money down the road from Crashes or mishaps that would of happened if you didn't hone your skills on Simulator. This is an absolutely fun Hobby and one of the major elements that will cause a person to loose interest or develop a distaste for it is having to constantly pour money into something thats suppose to be Enjoyable... Simulators help prevent that constant dishing out of funds to repair a broken bird. So...I and many others will suggest a Simulator first and foremost for the experience in learning and also to really prove to the person interested if he/she is really going to enjoy it. Good luck!

Things To Get An RC Helicopter Flying

1. Helicopter kit (will need blades as well as muffler if not in kit)
2. Engine
3. Radio (most come with Receiver and Batteries for both)
4. Gyro (for tail rudder/servo) Some places offer a package deal...(gyro & high speed tail servo)
5. 5 servos(4 if gyro/tail servo is purchased together) Some places offer package deals of 4or5 servos w/ radio.
6. Glow plug(s)
7. Glow Driver/lighter.
8. Starter (spins the motor over) and starter shaft(type, depends on Helicopter Brand)
9. Battery/Batteries to connect to/run starter. Setup depends on preference…corded or cordless.
10. Fuel and Pump (to get fuel out of container of choice)
11. Fuel Tubing

Tools Needed for Assembly

1. Ball link pliers
2. Hex driver set (1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm hardened tips)...way easier than a set of allen keys.
3. Glow plug wrench. ( can be substituted with a socket wrench with 8mm socket)
4. Pitch Guage (unless you can borrow a buddies for the time being).
5. Blade Balancer (unless you can borrow a buddies for the time being).
6. Blue Locktite (I keep red LT on hand too).
7. CA (Cyanocrylate) model glue...(pretty much super glue)
8. Small metric ruler. (comes in handy)

Optional Items

1. Head Button (to slow your head speed down when retrieving the Heli or tuning the motor)
2. Fuel line clamp and plug for fueling without flooding the carb.
3. Fuel filter (This would almost be a must… very wise to have one) "T" if you use a clamp and plug system.
4. Remote glow adapter(almost a MUST unless you enjoy removing the canopy every time you want to start it).

[flyoz]

Bart you forgot:
Understanding wife, kids, friends and boss
Your own Pvte shrink online for when you get "the fever"
Understanding Bank manager
Unlimited access to funds
Plenty of storage space for the next heli, next heli, scale fuselage, next heli etc
Powerful PC for those great Sims and online chat boards
Comfortable PC chair for hours online
Camera equipment to capture your new addiction and on and on and on

[ThBrtmn]

EXACTLY...just trying to to scare them off first. :mrgreen:

[polymorph]

i wanna get started, but dunno what to get, have looked thru the mags, n thinking bout the raptor 50, or is that a bit much???

[flyoz]

A 50 is a good choice:
Best option is a 30or50 as parts are reasonably priced (and you will use quite few spares such as booms, links, blades etc)

A Raptor 50 standard Kit with a TT50 engine is a great choice and will perform well all the way from beginner to 3d and is a bit larger than the 30 so more stable for a beginner.

Get a Kit (as opposed to Almost ready to fly) as you will learn a ton of valuable information whilst building an tuning it all.

Std digital servos are fine ie JR DS811's (or Futaba equiv)with probably a futaba 401 Gyro and 9263 or 4 servo for the tail (its fast so corrects for changes well).

Contrary to some advice a governor is not a neccesity (tune the heli to fly well mechanically and you should be able to handle variations in headspeed fine ).

Radio can be a JR6102 6ch (min) to more channels I would probably have gone for a JR8103 (8ch) JR9x (9ch) if money wasnt to tight. or futaba 7 or 9 channels.

Upgrades are only in the nice to have category and are not must haves.

Go to www.raptortechnique.com and have a good read.
There is virtually every piece of info there that you may need to build tune and fly the Rappy.

PS before you know it youll no doubt be accumulating a stable of helis anyway

[polymorph]

thanks mate, i take it it'll be in my intrest to get a crash kit as well, i was looking at the raptor coz it seems theres a better range of spares

[flyoz]

Crash Kit is ok but probably has a couple of things you wont need.
You definitely will need:
Blades ($15 woodies are fine)
Flybars (come in 2 packs)
Boom
Boom support rods
Main spindle
The above are quite usual replacements even after a small bingle)
Flybar rod
some extra plastic Ball links (and a ball or 2 with screws)
Maybe a couple of each size link rod (can come loose and get lost in a crash).
the flybar oval links
maybe tail blades
spare fuel tube
Skids (or sometimes can use bent Boom rods to work as skids)
extra Grub screws (from the starter shaft- little buggars seem to work loose unless locktite well)

Try looking at www.cyberheli.com for the Heli and www.rotor.com for the spares Will save a heap (just make sure you get the Kit With the motor and exhaust- a few are sold as kit only so you can say use an OS motor)

Couple of extras worth the while are Battery monitor (strip of LEDs that monitor batt voltage) and a remote Glow plug adaptor lead.


Basic Field gear:
assorted tools , pliers cutters, screw drivers tape et etc etc
the Hex keys come with rappy's but a good Hex driver set makes life easier.
Gel cell 12V &AH battery for starter.
Glowplug igniter and battery (get one with a wall charger)
Fuel 4ltrs 15% Nitro, 20% Synthetic oil and rest Methanol is
a good blend value / Performance.
a Mechanical (hand wind) fuel pump to get fuel from main bottle to heli and back if left over after flight.)
Starter Motor Electric hand held
Starter Hex shaft (on raptors you wont need the one way type as the Rappys have a 1 way bearing on starter shaft inbuilt
at Least 2 spare Glow Plugs Enya #3 or OS #8 best

Nice to haves:
a good charger for the TX, RX field Battery and Glow battery
Blade balancer
maybe a field box
Power panel
Electric punp

ad nauseum

[polymorph]

blimey, loads to take in, but gettin more info off here than local hobby shop

[flyoz]

Looks a lot but it all maks sense eventually (wish I had access to these answers rather than stumble out blindly) The 2 web site will save you 1/2 the cost over the LHS alone.

Welcome to a great hobby.

[blakka_1]

What about a tacho?. I think there pretty important.

[flyoz]

Im sure there are many really experienced pilots here that could chime in with valuable advice ...?

I have a Tacho but havnt used it yet Blakka_1 so cant comment , can you fill us in on its use / value etc?.

[blakka_1]

The tacho will measure the head speed or rpm of your blades. Most 30 to 90 size nitro helicopters have a manufacturer's headspeed limit of 2000 rpm, also blades have rpm limits so it's good practice to measure your helis head speed in order to make sure that you are not running a head speed which exceeds the manufacturer's limit.

I mostly fly a R50 and I like to keep the headspeed under 2000 rpm as my MS blades have a limit of 2000 rpm, therefore I run my R50 at a safe governed 1850 rpm. A tacho is very important because without it there is no way to judge the headspeed at which your heli is running, if you run a headspeed which is too high you can cause stress on the heli and this may end up in parts breaking in flight causing the pilot to crash.

[flyoz]

Ah Har thanks for that Blakka
Ive read many times guys recommending various head speads but assumed it was more for 3d peformance tweaking and thought Ill get to it later. Ill dust of the tach and have a look at my rappy

Ps: just a note/request to the more experienced guys;
Please keep in mind that even a quick 1 line explanation of a tech related comment is always appreciated by newer pilots.

Its often simple and maybe even obvious with experience but in the earlier days its all a bit hard to absorb

[polymorph]

its gonna be a month or 3 before i pick up my machine as i have to try and get the funds together, so would you lot mind if i hang about and pick your brains as and when i need to? :?:

[flyoz]

Thats what everyone else does

[polymorph]

like yer style fly, like yer style

[ed6910]

Good info here. I just ordered everything I need to fly a rappy 50 from heliproz. Again more info that I collected here. Larry from Heliproz was very helpful, not to mention impressed that I had some knowledge base to order the good equipment. Again the info derived from helifreak.com. I am gratful to all of the input from the experienced flyers on helifreak. Thanks again!

[ThBrtmn]

Good on ya Ed....
Let us know when you get it together or if you need help in the process.

[flyoz]

Outstanding Mate welcome to the addiction.

hey Satan weve conned another soul :twisted:

[Espeefan]

Please excuse my newbie-ness, but can someone explain what a head button is? Would I be on the right track in thinking you use it to apply pressure (with your hand) to the rotor head to slow the blades down or keep them from spinning while starting and tuning a nitro model? And speaking of starting a heli, how much throttle can you give a nitro motor when starting it, before the clutch will try and engage?