How to Balance RC Helicopters

Learning to control RC (radio-controlled) helicopters poses the greatest challenge for beginners. Because the radio controls used to operate an RC helicopter are virtually identical to the ones used to control a real helicopter, considerable practice is required in order to learn to balance RC helicopters properly when hovering.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• RC helicopter
• Control unit

Learn to Balance Your Radio-Controlled Helicopter

1. Read every page of the instruction manual that accompanied your RC helicopter kit when you bought it. You will need to have a good working knowledge of your RC copter's moving parts in order to master the difficult task of finding balance while hovering.

2. Familiarize yourself with the radio control unit for your helicopter before you head out into the field. Consult your instruction manual if you need further explanation on the exact functions of the controls included.

3. Put your RC helicopter on the ground (grass, ideally, in case you crash) about 5 to 7 feet in front of you. Make sure the nose is pointing away from you, and the helicopter's tail is nearest you.

4. Use the radio control unit to bring the helicopter 'up to speed,' meaning to get its blades rotating fast enough for lift-off while maintaining ground stability. Note that this step itself may require considerable practice to perform properly.

5. Use the throttle on your radio control to give the RC copter the extra kick it needs to become airborne. Pull back on the amount of throttle you're applying once the copter is about 1 foot off the ground, giving it just enough juice to stay in the air. Make every effort to keep it in the same spot. This will be difficult, especially for beginners.

6. Release the throttle (also sometimes called the 'collective') so the helicopter returns to the ground. Make a note of what you did right and where things went wrong.

7. Keep trying. Flying an RC helicopter is not easy, and newcomers can become discouraged very quickly. The more you practice, the easier it will get.

Tips & Warnings

• Get advice from people who already know how to balance RC helicopters. Helifever.com (see Resources below) is a comprehensive source of information, where you can also connect to other RC helicopter enthusiasts in blogging forums to ask questions and get advice.

• Avoid contact with spinning RC helicopter blades at all times. They spin quickly enough to cause serious injury.

• Never fly an RC helicopter indoors. Always take it outside, and keep away from overhead hazards such as telephone wires.

Resources

• Helifever.com for information on every aspect of flying an RC helicopter