Anyone with a love of remote control apparatus combined with a love of flying can pick up an RC helicopter and enjoy it. With practice it won’t be very difficult to master the controls. But when purchasing an remote control helicopter it can be difficult to understand how it works and the difference between terminologies used to describe the machine.
Pitch described the angle of the main rotor blade. With fixed pitch models the angle of the blade is fixed so the flier cannot alter it. As the rotor gains momentum and speeds up, its curved blades help the helicopter gain lift. Because of its simple design and rotor configuration it is much cheaper to buy and easier to repair. This type of remote control helicopter is easier to fly and generally comes ready to fly upon purchase and is perfect for a beginner.
With collective pitch models the pitch of the blade is also a factor in helping the aircraft gain lift. This type of aircraft is harder to learn but it is smoother to fly than the fixed pitch version. Because of its agility a collective pitch model can perform more complex maneuvers. Unfortunately, they are easily damaged and a lot more expensive.
Understanding how the engine on your bird works and how it is powered will only increase the pleasure that you gain from your RC helicopter experience. Engines can be powered by nitro, electric or gas.
A nitro powered model is the most popular bird. Nitro gas is expensive and difficult to ship. It can also be dangerous to handle for a novice as it is easily combustible. Due to the inevitability of crashes a nitro powered bird is a good option as the engines are difficult to damage and it also has a long life expectancy. Unfortunately nitro does have emissions that are messy and because of this it is only suitable outdoors.
An electric powered engine is very simple and cheap to operate. The battery is rechargeable and with some models flight times are just as long as for a nitro powered version. They are also easy to set up and cheaper to operate than any other RC helicopter. Electric engines produce very little vibrations which mean the aircraft can be used in areas with strict noise regulations and for aerial photography. The disadvantage is that the initial purchase cost can be high and if not taken care of properly the lithium batteries can easily catch fire.
Gas engines runs on gasoline which is available anywhere and because it runs on a low RPM it is not very noisy. They are easy to start and are not as messy as nitro engines. The disadvantage with gas engines is that there aren’t as many models to choose from and because they tend to be larger they easily damaged in a crash and are also more expensive.
Obviously there is a lot more to learn about your model and the best way to do it is to get a more experienced flier to teach you as you go along.