What do I need to get the helicopter off the ground

Helicopter

We recommend you start with a 30 to 50 size kit for which you can easily get parts and service. Some suggestions include the Century Hawk Sport, Falcon, Hirobo Shuttle and GPH, Kyosho Nexus and Concept, JR Ergo or the Thunder Tiger Raptor 30.

Engine

We recommend using the best engine you can afford. For the beginner this is very important because the better engines are very easy to tune, reliable and durable. You want to spend your time at the flying field practicing, not tuning your engine. We recommend O.S., Enya and Webra engines.

Muffler

Helicopter engines do not come with mufflers and some helicopter manufacturers do not include a muffler in their kits. Helicopters like the Century Hawk, Hirobo Shuttle and Kyosho Nexus include mufflers. Hatori and KSJ make high-quality mufflers and tune pipes

Radio

We recommend that you start with at least a basic computerized 6 channel helicopter radio such as the Airtronics RD6000, JR 652 or Futaba 6XHS. If your budget can go higher, get a good 7,8, or 9 channel heli radio with dual ball bearing servos such as the Futaba 9CH, JR 8103 or Hitech Eclipse 7. As your flying skills progress, these better radios will keep you from being limited by the basic features provided in the entry level units.

Gyro

You want to choose a piezo type gyro, just about any brand works well, prices for any worthwhile unit will range from $80 up to $399. We do not recommend you start with the high cost complicated heading lock gyro. Why? Because, when training, you may have the odd "hard" landing, and you can damage an expensive high end gyro just as easily as the low priced basic one. And at the beginning stage, the difference in performance will not be that detectable. Save your money for fuel to practice. Good entry level single rate piezo gyros are the Century Pico Piezo, the Futaba GY240 and the JR 400. The Century PG2000 dual rate piezo gyro is a good, inexpensive unit that will allow you to have a higher rate for the hover and a lower rate for when flying acrobatics.

Starting Equipment

You need a 12 volt starter, 12 volt sealed battery, 12 volt battery charger, 2 or more glow plugs, glow plug igniter (with meter preferably) and charger, electric or hand crank fuel pump, 3 feet of fuel line, fuel filter, air filter, and some models will need an extra starter extension. Try to get at least 15% nitro methane helicopter fuel, usually with synthetic oil, stay away from castor oil type of fuel.

Training Gear (Flying Simulators)

A set of training gear will save you a lot of money and skid stops reduce wearing on your skids later when you remove the training gear. Although many have learned how to fly helicopters before the introduction of computer simulators, the modern trainee can take advantage of this new development. We highly recommend the "Real Flight G2" computer simulator or something similar. These electronic devices have the ability to very closely simulate r/c helicopter & airplane flight. In the initial learning stages and as you progress to aerobatics, you will find them an invaluable teaching aid, well worth the cost.

Accessories

A remote glow plug adapter to facilitate hook up to the glow plug when starting the engine. An on board battery monitor to check the receiver battery condition. Foam rubber (or our velcro wraps) and rubber bands to cover and mount the radio receiver and battery. A thread locking compound is a must, you use it on every bolt and nut that does not use a locknut. JB Weld or epoxy for gluing anything in high stress areas. Tri-Flow Teflon lubricant for all metal to metal sliding parts, and some small size wire ties to help keep all the servo wires together.

Tools

A set of (1.5mm/2.0mm/2.5mm & 3.0mm) hardened hex drivers will help greatly in the assembly and last forever. To save money, you can use a Bondus metric allen key set. Also add a metric ruler, hobby knife, ball link pliers for installing and removing ball links, cross wrenches for engine nut & glow plug. A pitch gauge and fly bar paddle gauge will be handy for setting up the main rotor pitch angles. Main blade balancer, piston locking tool and a ball link driver are also considered relatively necessary tools if one is to continue in this hobby.

Books, Magazines, and DVDs

We recommend you get as much information as possible. There are many of these items available that are of great assistance in setting up your heli, for learning how everything works together, for explaining different flight exercises etc. Two books we recommend are "Beginners Guide to Model Helicopters" by Peter Rieksts and for the more advanced "The comprehensive guide to Model Helicopter Aerobatics" by Russ Deacon and the "R/C Helicopter Book of Questions & Answers" by Curtis Youngblood. Recommended magazines, in the order of recommendation are "Model Helicopter Technique" edited by Michael Humic, "Model Helicopter World" edited by Jon Tanner, and "Rotory Modeler" edited by Mike Mas. Videos of consequence are the Curtis Youngblood series and the "R/C Basic Hover Flight Training" tape.