The RC helicopter swash plate assembly is that assembly which tilts the
blades of the helicopter so as to change the direction of the thrust generated
from the blades.

This happens as swash plate assembly consists of two plates and ball
bearing in between the two plates. On signal from the RC helicopter radio
the plates moves to one side due to which the blades and the complete
rotor assembly is tilted.

Due to this tilting, the blades displace air in an angular path which
makes the helicopter move in side or front or back or in a diagonal path.
Without the swatch plate assembly, 3D flying cannot be even thought of
without the use of swash plate assembly in a radio controlled helicopter.

Swash plate assembly consists of two plates with bearing in between them.
So the upper portion of the swash plate also rotates with the rotor at
approximately the same speed. The lower portion of a swash plate assembly
is connected to the control panel tubes called the Non-Rotating control
tubes.

The upper end revolves whereas the lower end remains stationary which
is the reason why it is used to tilt the rotor assembly and hence the
blades.

The upper end of the swash plate assembly revolves with the rotor whereas
the lower end connected with the helicopter remains stationery. When there
is a need to tilt the blade though a small angle, then the tubes connected
to the lower end of the swash plate called control tubes are used to change
the angle of the rotor assembly.

Since the lower end doesn’t rotate with the rotor, then it can be tilted
away easily. This is the procedure used in all radio controlled helicopters
and also in the real helicopters to tilt the rotor by a specific angle
to have the desired movement if the helicopter in the air.

A swash plate is a very important part of a RC helicopter. It might be
difficult to understand as a beginner, but once you have experiences the
movements of a swash plate, all this information will come together. Try
to see and handle the swash plate and see how it moves, it’s mind stretching
when you think about it.

So you’ve become interested in RC helicopters and want to learn how to fly
them, but the cost and potential for crashing your new model makes you
cautious.

Or perhaps you’ve been flying for a while, but you’re grounded because
of repairs after a crash, or you simply want to learn new skills.

An RC helicopter flight simulator is a program or game that simulates
the flight of a real RC helicopter, from the controls to the physics of
flight, to weather conditions. The best of these is generally rather expensive,
running from $130 to $200.

However, with a simulator, the inevitable crashes will not cost you time
or money, unlike with a real model – you will be back flying again in
the time it takes to load a screen. This means that the flight simulators
are an excellent place to gain initial flying skills, polish complicated
flying moves, and gain confidence, without worry of damaging an expensive
model.

The outlay for a simulator can in fact save you money over time. When
you gain your initial skills with a simulator, you avoid crashing your
real model and having to make hundreds of dollars in repair to it before
you can fly again. Because of this, you can gain your skills and confidence
faster.

Also, when you want to try out more complex moves and stunts, you can
test them on a simulator first and find out if the stunt is possible,
and how it feels.

RC helicopter simulators come in many varieties.

Some are truly nothing more than games – fun to play, but very poor simulation
of the physics of flight and the handling of the helicopter. Any RC helicopter
simulator that is for a game console is likely to be like this, and ineffective
for learning on. Other simulators come as ‘freeware’ or ‘shareware’ programs
for running on computers, where you pay nothing to try it out initially.

If it’s shareware, you have to pay to either get more features or use
it for more than a limited time. Some of these are very decent and are
somewhat helpful for gaining skill; it is best to read reviews to determine
which is worth your time. If you have a Macintosh computer, your only
choice for a simulator is a freeware one, the AlphaOmega RC Helicopter
simulator.

The best simulators are the ones you need to pay for, and are for Windows
machines online. The top of the line is the RealFlight Generation 2 RC
Flight Simulator, which even comes with a controller that models a real
radio so you can get a total immersive experience.

This comes in both full and lite versions, the difference being a matter
of options: with the lite version, you do not get the multiplayer option
or as much control over environmental variables.

It is, however, around $70 less expensive, also comes with the controller,
and more than suitable for learning new RC helicopter flying skills.

An RC helicopte radio can signal the helicopter to
move from one location to another.

Also stunts like gliding, rolling etc require radio signal for their

activation. The RC helicopter radios come in different prices that are
then determined by the functionality of “channels” the radio
controlling device offers.

At a first glance the different switches of RC heli Radio creates much
confusion but if you handle it a lot and play with the radio, it becomes
real easy to understand after a while. The different switches control
the different parts of the helicopter like rotor speed, blade angle and
hence the lift of the RC helicopter.

Most RC Radio’s are of 6 to 9 channels. The more channels a radio has,
the more costly it is. Price differs from $200 to even up to $1500 but
usually a $400-$600 price tag radios are good enough to be used by beginners.

Futaba and JR are the most popular brands for the Radio Controlled Helicopter.
Getting a well-known radio is good idea for a beginner, so that if a problem
occurs then he can contact the already experienced flyers about the nature
of problem.

Usually a radio with maximum channels is preferred as it gives freedom
to install other things like gyros, flying aids, etc.

The good radio sets have a digital window which lets you see the setting
for different channels and is highly recommended for beginner as you may
have to monitor the setting of different channels which can be easily
seen in the digital window.

Let me tell you that at first a radio is hard to understand, but if you
have time to study it then it will become second nature to understand
your RC helicopter radio. My recommendation is to get the most expensive
radio that you can afford. Trust me you will heart it from other flyers.

The reason I say this that eventually you are going to have to get a
more advance RC helicopter radio and why waste why your money on a cheap
one.

So, you are ready for your first RC helicopter hover. Well, let me tell
you that you will have some fun, and at the same time be a little nervous.

But if you know what to expect you will feel better when you fly your
RC helicopter.

First,
an RC helicopter flier should learn how the radio works.

Before you attempt to RC helicopter hover your helicopter
it is important to make sure you have set up your radio properly.

I can’t stress enough to anybody who wants to learn how to fly an RC
helicopter to study the radio in and out. Also, study the radio’s instruction
manual thoroughly and make sure you understand it even before attempting
to fly.

Note: When you
are first trying to hover make sure that people are not close around.
This could be extremely dangerous to you and to the people around you.

Second, the next thing that you should do is to make
sure that the RC helicopter is set up properly for an RC helicopter
hover. Make sure you have
good training gear that will support the RC helicopter that you will be
flying. Some training gears can only support a 30 class RC helicopter.

Third, try to pick a large grassy area. If you fly in
an area where there is a lot of dirt or rocks it will be hard on your
engine. The dirt and rocks will enter through the carburetor and the engine
can’t digest dirt and rocks as easy as grass.
These are some of the things you need to know to start your RC helicopter
hovering.

If you are having trouble with the basics, try to
have an experience RC helicopter pilot supervise you and see if you are
on the right track. You can find plenty of RC hobbyists at your local
RC helicopter club. Some of these clubs might require you to have some
kind of liability insurance just in case something goes wrong.

There are some responsibilities to think about when considering this
hobby as your choice. Before doing any flying, it might be a good idea
to get personal liability insurance.

Having insurance will protect you if an unfortunate accident may occur
with your RC helicopter. Example, property damage or injure somebody.

Some of these insurances are offered by RC Support companies like Academy
of Model Aeronautics (AMA). AMA will provide you with the coverage you
need and also give you more information on what to expect with your RC
helicopters.

Some RC Support companies even host events where people who love RC helicopters
get together and learn something new from each other.

Also, a task to consider when flying is to make sure that your RC helicopter
is in good working condition. When you start to fly your RC helicopter
it has to be inspected thoroughly. The servo links will need to be in
good working condition.

If not, don’t even attempt to fly your RC helicopter.

Try to make a check list to take with you before your first flight. This
will save your butt, it has saved mine a couple of times.

The important thing that I want you to remember is that RC helicopters
are not toys. RC helicopters have blades that can spin extremely fast
and can cause severe injuries or even kill somebody.

Let me give you a tip, when you begin to fly your RC helicopter, kids
will approach you, and I do guarantee this. To avoid injuring somebody
try to land your RC helicopter safely on the ground.

Trust me it is not worth hitting anybody with your helicopter.

So remember, really consider getting some basic liability insurance.
Having insurance will give you the piece of mind that if something does
happen, you will be covered!