RC Helicopters - Getting Started

coolwings

I got a question from a friend today about how to get his heli up and running. He has already built it, and put in the RC gear.
So I looked up the lessons to fly helis that I used to have.
A few of the links have changed.
I thought folks here might find them useful, so here are a couple of the better links ...

Beginner Frequently Asked Questions
http://dmoz.org/Recreation/Aviation/Model_Aviation/Radio_Controlled/Helicopters/faq.html

The flying lessons, and the order in which to attempt each new maneuver
http://www.helifever.com/basic/
http://www.helifever.com/adv/

DannyD

Is there any legislation regarding flying model airplanes or helicopters in Ireland ? Can one fly a copter over a residential area ?

coolwings

DannyD wrote:

Is there any legislation regarding flying model airplanes or helicopters in Ireland ? Can one fly a copter over a residential area ?

There may not a statute law against it, but there is plenty of civil damages law to cover destruction through negligence. If you are going to get sued for 000s, why do it in the first place?
You need to appreciate the power, weight of these machines, as well as how easy it is to lose control. Flying a heli is difficult. Planting it onto the ground with a lot of force is easy. Anyone underneath is in danger.
They can kill or cause injuries. A little girl was killed in the UK last year by a model plane that had been built with a mistake in it's construction.
There is damage you may cause to (for example) a parked BMW or other vehicle), so it is no problem at all to be looking at a damages bill of huge size if you crash in the wrong place.
You should also be aware that a lot of radio frequency (RF) interference comes out of built up areas .
So it is far easier to have a problem in a built up area, and more damage occurs when a model falls onto such an area.
Do you want to take such chances with your future?
Simply choose a safer place.

DannyD

Thing is coolwings that I'm an expert Battlefield 2 heli pilot ! Does that count

coolwings

DannyD wrote:

Thing is coolwings that I'm an expert Battlefield 2 heli pilot ! Does that count

Of course, it helps.
But it won't save u if u take an RF interference hit. U still have to buy/fix heli. assuming it came down in your garden.
I would tether a heli/use PCM in built up area, whenever flying anything that weighs more than eg 750 grams.

A NEW FIRST ON BOARDS

MATHS - SAFETY TEST

QUESTION
Momentum calculation .... how does a RC aircraft model 1 kg x 40 metres per second = compared to a 20 g bullet travelling at 10 times the speed.
ANSWER
kinetic energy of small model versus bullet ...
Model : 1kg x 40m/s = 40
Bullet : 0.02kg x 400m/s = 8
Conclusion ... model has 5 times the power of a medium/heavy calibre bullet :eek:

See what I mean ....

:cool: :cool: :cool:

Fobia

DannyD wrote:

Thing is coolwings that I'm an expert Battlefield 2 heli pilot ! Does that count

It counts if you want to join TiG .

Good point with the kinetic energy there Coolwings, only do you really fly all your models at 144km/h? My quick calculations may be wrong, but that seems awfully fast to me...

coolwings

Fobia wrote:

...do you really fly all your models at 144km/h? My quick calculations may be wrong, but that seems awfully fast to me...

Hi Fobia

You know ... you made me go and work it out all again...just to be sure ...

I just did a quick conversion of model at 90 miles per hour to 144 kph = 40m/sso as to metric and all that. Is 90 mph all that fast? Maybe I get carried away myself, but some gliders go quicker Then I based it on my general knowledgeof pistol ammunition.

But you made me check it all..... and it IS different.

---

Actually when I re-did the calc again I thought of something.
A 1000 gram plane would have to be sleek and full throttle to do 100 mph wouldn't it? But the model that cruises comfortably at 120 mph eg an EDF jet weighs 3-4 kilos, and the 60 size glowfuel aerobatic (Home Run, Spitfire, Mustang) etc models would be 3.5 - 4.5 kgs and do similar speed.
Something like this AeroNaut Rafale...
http://www.greenhobbymodel.com/rafale.wmv

So the more likely setup would be....
A 50 size model 3.5 kg x 40 m/s (90mph) = 140 kinetic energy
or at full throttle/in a dive
3.5 kg x 60m/s (130mph) = 210 kinetic energy.

whereas the bullet (5.65mm Nato military regulation) weighs about 4 grams but is higher velocity than pistol at 900m/second And that's a bullet designed to penetrate 15-20" into soft tissue. :eek: :eek:
so 0.004 x 900m/s = 3.6 kinetic energy or 1/58th the power of the airplane.

BTW info from here...
http://www.answers.com/topic/5-56-x-45-mm-nato

Just for the craic let's move up to 7.62mm ammunition
bullet 10g x 830m/s = 8.3 kinetic energy
In this more likely comparison the model is 16 times the power of the bullet at 90mph and 25 times the bullet at 130mph.

And they are BIG BULLETS

Whaddaya know, I'm gobsmacked !
My models are even better than I thought they were

Fobia

Hehe, well done for all the research, but I'm not sure a trainer heli can go that fast (though they can certainly do fast spurts), and that's whats being asked here .

I'll have to sticky this thread I think

NitroCruiser

Hi,

I think an RC heli is a pretty good man for trimming your back garden trees.
Oh yes.
Mine went on a little ramble in my back garden one day. Wasn't flying high only 5-6 inches off the ground.
Nice gust of wind took it backward into the trees I have.
Wooow. did a fairly efficient job of cutting the top off a tree. Fairly thick trunked tree

I think the main rotors on a model heli are more dangerous than a bullet. The rotors will take your leg off, end of story. Take a decent calibre bullet to do the same damage wouldn't it.

Back garden flying is a bit dodgy considering all the electrical equipment around if you are in a built up area. Could interfere pretty bad. I try to avoid it.

Empty fields far away from people and dogs are the places to fly.

coolwings

Anyone know the top speed of a model Heli?
I would assume somewhere between 45and 60 mph, myself from what I've seen.
Surely a record has been made somewhere....
Anyone know?

NC.
Rather the tree than my leg.
Trees can grow new limbs, given time, but the stem cell research on legs .......

NitroCruiser

I think the top speed of a 30 is about 60 - 70 mph.
The 50s and bigger go faster I think depending on what engine you put in the sucker.
Hey what about those new jet turbine heli's I have seen. I bet if you tweak those babies you can get some speed out of them.

coolwings

Quote from a New Zealand fun fly....
Quote
At a funfly we had, a local cop turned up with his radar gun and try as we might, the highest reading we got was with a 91 powered CS diving at him out of the sky with a huge tail wind, that clocked up 163km/h which I think is somethign like 101mph.
unquote.
The general view seems to be 100mph is possible from a 60 heli after a dive, but straight and level 80-90mph is the top so far.

To be honest, that fast on a big heli would be terrifying.
OTOH it's another thing I wanna do before I die :cool:

NitroCruiser

Wow, can you imagine a heli going at 100mph.
Woooooooooooooooo, what a rush.

NC