OK YOU ARE ALL READY TO LEARN ABOUT RADIO CONTROLLED HELICOPTERS, BUT LETS ANSWER SOME COMMON QUESTIONS FIRST.When I am out flying any of my radio controlled helicopters, I often get asked many questions by people who stop and watch. Yes flying a RC helicopter usually draws a crowd. 
There are several common questions I always get asked, but let's start with the basics first. THE BIG THREE Nope, not car manufacturers, what I am talking about are the 3 main different types of radio controlled helicopters. Toy 
Toy radio controlled helicopters are exactly that, a toy. They are very basic and inexpensive. The controls are limited and not precise, but they are still loads of fun and easy to fly.A toy RC heli can take quite a bit of abuse from crashes or from hitting objects. If you just want to get your feet wet and find out if you even enjoy controlling a small flying device by radio control, then a toy heli is a good starting point. I have a section devoted to toy RC helicopters - click here if you wish to learn all about them. Micro Coaxial Hobby Grade 
Micro Coaxial hobby grade radio controlled helicopters are the next step up in complexity, cost, and control ability. First off, hobby grade generally means there are individual parts on the helicopter that can be purchased from a hobby shop and replaced separately.This means when you crash or break something, the heli is not junk, you simply purchase a new part/s and your bird is good as new. The other benefit with hobby grade is that replaceable parts allow you to upgrade certain components to get better performance. A toy heli on the other hand comes as is, and if it breaks, that is the end of it. Micro coaxial hobby grade RC helicopters, also called dual or twin rotor helicopters start introducing real helicopter control - up, down, turn, forward, backward, sideways movement and of course hovering. Micro Coaxials are almost as easy to fly as a toy radio controlled helicopter but they are larger in size and mass. This means if you crash one, you may break or damage a part. The good news as I mentioned above, is you can fix it. If you already know you will enjoy flying a radio controlled model, and want good control over your RC helicopter, a hobby grade micro coaxial is a great way to start out. They are best for flying indoors, but a nice calm day outside will provide a nice flight as well. I have a section devoted to micro coaxial RC helicopters - click here to learn all about them. Single Rotor Hobby Grade 
Now we get into real helicopter control, amazing performance potential, increased complexity, and cost. The majority of my web site is focused on single rotor RC helicopters because there is so much to learn about them and how to fly them. On that note, lets dive into the complex, but fun world of single rotor hobby grade radio controlled helicopters. I usually get these 3 questions when I am out flying more than any other: COST? Probably the single most common question I get asked is "How Much Does A radio controlled helicopter Cost?" What most people dont understand is the helicopter is just one part of it. A better question is "How much does it cost to start flying hobby grade single rotor RC Helicopters?" There are several items you need to get before you can start flying, and usually these all have to be purchased separately. Electric Power Fuel Power Remember these are just very approximate numbers and you can spend many times more than this if you get top notch everything. Many Hobby shops will give discounts on full packages. Manufacturers are starting to recognize that people just want to get in and get out - so they are putting together entire starting packages such as E-Flite's Blade 400 or Heli Max's AXE 400 that will save you time and money. There are always sales going on, and dont over look the used or pre-owned market . This might seem like a lot of money for a hobby, but when you look at what other hobbies cost RC Helicopters are actually very reasonable. I also windsurf and just started kite boarding - wish they were as inexpensive as radio controlled helicopters. DO YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO FLY RC AIRPLANES FIRST? Not at all. There are very limited similarities in flight controls between helicopters and airplanes. Experience with an RC airplane won't help you fly a radio controlled helicopter, but will certainly help you with things such as getting your engine running and tuning it. It will also help with the familiarity of RC radios, speed controllers and batteries. Even RC car and truck experience will help. In fact, our RC car sisters and brothers probably have an advantage when it comes to building the helicopter, there are many similarities between the mechanical workings of RC cars and RC helis and how they are built. Of course if you have no RC experience, that is ok too, you will just have a longer learning curve. ARE RADIO CONTROLLED HELICOPTERS HARD TO FLY? No sugar coatings here when you are first starting they are exceedingly difficult. It is said that radio controlled helicopters are harder to fly than real ones. I have talked to a few helicopter pilots who fly both, and most will agree with that statement to an extent. Here is write-up I have done that explains in greater detail just how hard - or easy depending on your point of view. This is the main reason why I built the How To Fly RC Helicopters section of this web site and am offering these on line lessons for free - I don't want people to give up with RC helis simply because they didn't have someone to guide them through the basics of learning how to fly. You also have to understand some basic helicopter flight theory before you even attempt to fly a helicopter, although that is the same for RC airplanes. Like I side before, learning how to skate or ride a bike seemed impossible for many of us, but once you got it, it seemed so easy right. Helis are no different just more technical. There are more tools now than ever to help you along the way such as rc flight simulators, and the equipment is much better. Learning from a qualified RC heli instructor is the best way to go, but so many of us have learned on our own. Any one can figure it out, some catch on quick others take a bit longer but if you take your time, understand the basics, and learn in small steps, you will succeed I promise! If you are looking for a good book on getting started with RC helicopters, I recommend The Basics Of Radio Control Helicopters. From purchasing your first RC helicopter to areobatics this book covers it all. 
Setup & Tips For 400 Size RC Helicopters is my own e-Book that will help people who are starting out by showing how to properly set up your RC helicopter for learning on. Proper set up is crucial to prevent crashing. Click on the image of the book to learn more about what's inside and how it can help. This DVD provides good general information on RC helicopters. If you would rather watch than read, it is a nice alternative. There are several reasons why many people give up or fail with Radio Controlled Helicopters, the most common are: I built this web site to offer sound advice and guide you along the way. I want people to succeed with radio controlled helicopters and enjoy this rewarding and fun hobby as much as I do - hopefully for a life time. Good Luck And Have Fun!
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