Radio Control: Helicopters
Paul Tradelius, 6704 Santiago, Ft. Worth TX 76133
Moving to Florida
After many years in Ft. Worth, Texas my wife and I have decided to move to Bradenton, Florida to be closer to my son and his family. Although it's exciting to move to a new area and start a new way of life, I will miss all of my close friends and flying buddies in Ft. Worth.
This news may not be of special interest to all helicopter enthusiasts, but it explains why I might be short on photos in this or the next issue: everything I own is in boxes in transit to Florida!
Winter Helicopter Inspection
Now that the flying season is over for many of us (not those of us who live in Florida), it's a good time to inspect our helicopters and related equipment so they can be safely stored for the winter and ready for flying in the spring. The following inspection doesn't take a lot of time and can be easily accomplished on a rainy afternoon.
Begin a close inspection starting at the nose of the model. The list below isn't exhaustive—modify it as needed for your helicopter.
- ### Canopy
- Remove and check for cracks or splits, especially at glued seams.
- Inspect mountings, rubber grommets, and latches for wear from vibration.
- ### Servo Tray
- Check for cracks in metal trays and broken glue joints in wooden ones.
- Twist, push, and pull gently to check solidity and mounting to the frame.
- ### Pushrods
- Check ball-links for wear and replace as needed.
- Balls and links wear easily if they get dirty or fuel-soaked from the engine or exhaust.
- Disconnect pushrods from servos and check for slop or binding.
- Make sure all pushrods are straight.
- ### Bearings
- Oil or pack with bearing grease as needed (you should have oiled them when storing).
- ### Landing Gear / Skids
- Ensure they are secure and straight.
- Metal skids may need bending back to sit straight and level.
- ### Frame
- Check that all nuts and bolts are secure.
- Inspect for cracks around engine and skid mounts; replace parts as required.
- ### Head
- Consider removing rotor blades and removing the head.
- Grease thrust bearings if it has been a while.
- Inspect for bent links, pushrods, or flybars.
- Check balance of the head/flybar using a High Point or DuBro balancer.
- ### Main Blades (special attention)
- Main blades can be one of the most dangerous failure points.
- Inspect tips for scrapes, check for warps, and examine root reinforcements for fatigue or enlarging mounting holes.
- If using wooden blades, remove the covering and inspect the wood—coverings can hide problems.
- Note: I hang helicopters from small ceiling hooks; a rotor blade once departed a helicopter on its first flight of the new year—likely due to drying of wooden blades near the ceiling. If in doubt, replace blades rather than risk the entire helicopter and people at the field.
- ### Tailboom
- If wire-driven, relubricate the drive wire.
- If belt-driven, check the belt for wear and adjust tension.
- ### Tail Rotor Gearbox
- Disassemble, inspect, and relubricate all gearboxes.
- Check security of the tail rotor and associated linkages—they take high stress and rpm and bolts can loosen.
- ### Set Screws
- After lubrication and confirming no binding, apply fresh removable Loctite to all set screws.
- Check the plans to remember all set screw locations and disassemble as required.
- Technique:
- Remove the screw and clean both the hole and the screw.
- Place a drop of removable Loctite in the hole and a drop on the screw.
- Tighten the screw. The extra Loctite in the hole fills small gaps and helps secure the screw.
- I have used this method for years; it virtually eliminates set screws coming loose.
- ### Fuel Tank
- You shouldn't have stored the helicopter with fuel remaining. If you did, remove and clean the tank.
- Check all fuel lines for holes or splits that can cause erratic running.
- Ensure the clunk weight is secure in its tubing and free to move, especially if you plan to fly inverted.
- ### Radio
- Cycle transmitter and receiver batteries after storage to check each cell's ability to hold a full charge.
- Inspect connectors and wires for breaks, frays, or where wires enter connectors—wires can be dislodged if pulled.
- Check for wire rubbing against the frame; insulation wear can cause complete failures (an example: an elevator servo wire rubbed through and broke in flight).
- Ensure rubber servo grommets are secure but not so tight as to remove vibration protection.
- Check foam protecting the receiver and battery; replace as needed.
- Consider crash protection products (for example, the Strongbox from LDM Industries).
- Inspect servo arms for cracks or enlarged holes; disconnect and inspect output splines on the servo shaft.
- Check the antenna for cracks or rubs; minor damage can be repaired with a small piece of heat-shrink tubing.
- Tugging on the antenna can weaken its connection to the receiver circuit board—consider opening the receiver case to inspect this connection.
- ### Range Check
- After everything looks good, perform a full range check as you would for flight.
- Do not change antenna routing or remove the canopy during the check—this can alter results.
- Compare range to last season and ensure it exceeds the manufacturer's minimum.
- If the radio fails the range check, do not run the engine—have a qualified technician inspect it.
- ### Gyro
- Check wiring and connectors.
- With the radio on, verify proper servo movement as if flying: gently move the helicopter's nose left and right and observe smooth gyro commands to the tail servo.
- If operation seems off, open the gyro case and check spring positions, that weighted wheels spin freely, and that the electronic pickup is clean.
- A small drop of light oil on the bearings may help.
- ### Engine and Muffler
- Remove the carburetor and glow plug.
- Disassemble the carburetor as much as possible and check for foreign matter, dried fuel, and oil.
- Clean with solvent and relubricate.
- For caked-on black oil residue, Z-Best engine cleaner can restore condition—be careful, it is corrosive to paint and tabletops.
I'm sure there are more checks specific to your helicopter, but this list should get you started on the right track. It may seem time-consuming at first, but once you get started the inspection shouldn't take long—unless you find other problems that require repair.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
