Radio Control: Helicopters
Paul Tradelius, 4620 Barracuda Dr., Bradenton, FL 34208
"Am I progressing fast enough?" a reader asked recently. He was concerned that others at the flying field were "getting the hang" of helicopters faster than he was.
Actually, this is a rather normal question for fliers to ask, whether they admit it or not. A negative answer can:
- Have a disastrous effect on enjoyment of the hobby.
- Inhibit the ability to progress normally.
- Cause crashes from trying to progress too rapidly.
The caller prompted me to think about psychological steps modelers seem to go through as their flying progresses. I can't remember the subject progression ever being discussed in a helicopter article, so I thought it would be a good idea to present some of my thoughts. Hopefully I'll hear whether some of you agree or not, and what ideas you may have.
One of the first concerns a new flier has (besides learning to control his helicopter) is "fitting in" with the others at the club field. While reading articles about helicopters' great capabilities and watching others perform maneuvers that seem almost impossible to the novice, it's very easy to feel that you don't belong. There's really big training gear on your helicopter, and you may think it would be better to practice almost anywhere but the club field.
Trying to get the feel for this machine that seems to have a mind of its own is not a pleasant experience, and it becomes even harder when you worry about asking "dumb" questions or about the eyes watching you "make a fool of yourself." That's exactly the opposite of what you should be thinking as you start this great hobby. Negativity makes it harder to maintain a relaxed and productive attitude, which contributes directly to helicopter control. No matter how good a pilot might be, he or she started the same way — with large training gear bouncing over the ground.
Every club I have been associated with goes out of its way to welcome new fliers, so members won't have to "reinvent the wheel." New members can gain from others' experience and avoid the mistakes made by those who simply didn't know better. It's amazing how a little knowledge and help at the right time can make all the difference in flying progress. I don't think there is a question you can ask that hasn't been asked by a pilot before you, and the information you receive can help you leap forward in ability while reducing mishaps.
The phone call I received was from a pilot who could loop and roll his helicopter, but he was still greatly concerned. Since I had never met him and knew nothing of his personality or flying abilities, I tried to answer his question in a way that would change his thinking.
I asked him if he was enjoying flying and working on helicopters, associating with other fliers, and enjoying the hobby as a whole; he said he was having a great time. I told him that all else should be secondary, because modelers are supposed to enjoy themselves.
Everyone has to work for a living and everyone needs something to look forward to, whether it's working on helicopters in the evening or going flying with friends on the weekend. If you enjoy it, your hard-earned money is well spent. This immediately put him in a much better frame of mind. Then we discussed ways to improve flying while increasing enjoyment:
Ways to improve flying and increase enjoyment
- Fly with a friend who also wants to improve their abilities. When you fly, have that person observe your performance and make constructive comments. A small remark about power, rotor speed, smoothness of flight, etc., can lead to different techniques to improve your flying. You should also observe the other person's flights and offer the same kind of feedback.
- Talk to more advanced fliers and see what techniques and setups they use (again, to avoid reinventing the wheel). I remember one of the first times I saw Curtis Youngblood do his almost-impossible routine. I could not imagine how he could keep up with the flip-flopping position of the helicopter. When I mentioned this to him, he gave me a very simple tip that has always stayed with me: always remember that up-elevator (aft cyclic) moves the nose toward the rotor blades. That's commonly known, but I had not thought of it as a help to 3-D flight. That simple thought really improved my flying and overall confidence.
- Never let the belief that you are not good enough to fly in the presence of more experienced pilots keep you from flying. Everyone had to start the same way, and progression is natural in this demanding hobby. The more advanced fliers who are watching you should be happy to provide help, since I'm sure they received help along the way.
I have spent many days at the flying field where I helped others for five hours and flew my own helicopter for about half an hour. I can remember how good I felt driving home, and how all of us at the flying field were more than willing to help others. Giving back a little of what we have received in days gone by is a major part of our hobby.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
