Thursday 17 February 2011

Remote Controlled Helicopters Are Good Fun

 Since the development of modern aviation at the start of the previous century, the construction of model aircraft has been a popular pastime and one which has delighted several generations of children and continues to grow in popularity. However, over the years, this hobby has become no longer just a privilege for the young and the models have become more and more advanced and it is now possible to purchase kits to make working, flying model aircraft, such as helicopters, which can be made for leisure and even to enter into competitions. There is a wide range of kits on the market to meet all levels of expertise, with basic models suitable for flying around a garden to highly advanced models for the more serious model aviator.

 When embarking on constructing a remote control helicopter as a novice, several items need to be taken into consideration: the helicopter itself, choosing a suitable engine, the radio system, the tail rotor gyro, a suitable muffler and starting equipment. All of these items are readily available from any good supplier or model shop. Normally, a helicopter kit contains only a kit of the airframe, meaning that you will have to purchase the engine, radio, gyro and starting equipment separately.

There are a variety of fuels that are used to power such models. The most common being standard petroleum, however, the alcohol-based ‘Glow Fuel’ is another effective alternative but it is important to note that to use this fuel, the model requires a ‘glow engine’. The use of ‘Glow Fuel’ is beneficial due to the fact that it is odourless and considerably less volatile than petrol and also because the glow engines have a very good power to weight ratio. However, these engines produce a high-pitched sound which may prove irritating, but the use of a muffler plus the fact that these models are flown outside will counter this.

Thursday 10 February 2011

Remote Controlled Helicopter

All children of any ages enjoy playing with toys. Some toys are aimed specifically at children of a certain age, whereas as others can provide entertainment for children and even adults of all ages. Buying a toy which is designed for use of all ages is a good idea, as no child or adult can ever grow too old for it.  There are many toys which are intended for adults as well as children, including remote control toys such as cars, trains and helicopters.
A remote control helicopter is a toy which can never fail to entertain, as unlike a remote control car, a remote control helicopter actually flies. Small children are always fascinated by a toy which actually flies, and adults can enjoy helping children to work their toys.
There are many different models of remote control helicopter available to buy such as blade helicopters, electric helicopters and battery helicopters. They come in all sorts of different models, makes and sizes, and you can also choose to buy a remote control helicopter which is ready for use, or alternatively, a remote control helicopter model kit, in which you buy the components to make your very own toy.
All the remote control helicopter have features such as different options for controlling the position of your helicopter whilst flying, large and small gears, a streamlined body to enable better flying, an easy to change battery system which allows you to quickly change batteries when necessary and carry on your flying session and many other features. They are all lightweight in order to make flying easier and to allow the battery to last as long as possible.
A remote control helicopter is a toy which will provide hours of fun for people of all ages, and one which will last a good many years.

Thursday 3 February 2011

Remote Controlled Helicopters

Flying Remote controlled helicopters, or ‘RC helicopters, is a hobby enjoyed by a large community of devoted enthusiasts. The vast amount of different models and parts and competitions has giving rise to large culture of collecting, building and competing. But many remain unsure as to what RC helicopters actually are and how they work.
They are small, model versions of helicopters, with miniature motors running on fuel. They are controlled by a pilot from a distance via radio signals. These are not to be confused with RC airplanes, which are aerodynamically very different and are built to function very differently because of course the RC helicopters use rotating blades to fly.
There are multiple types of RC helicopters, with various basic designs. For instance, the latest helicopters use a design known as ‘collective pitch’ (the ‘pitch’ refers to the angle of the blades.) Collective pitch is a design which has the extra function that the pilot can control the angle of the blades. The pilot can change the longitudinal angle of the helicopter blades whist they are flying and rotating. This gives the pilot much more control over how high the helicopter can go, but also makes it more difficult to fly. Alternatively there is the ‘fixed pitch’ design, which is recommended for beginners to remote controlled helicopters. Fixed pitch RC Helicopters keep the rotor blades in a fixed position, so the angle of the blades cannot be controlled by the pilot. This means there are fewer things to worry about when controlling flying the helicopter, so they are generally much easier to fly. RC helicopter pilots refer to the speed with which a helicopter increases its height as ‘lift.’ With fixed pitch models, instead of changing the lift using the angle of the blades, pilots use the speed of the blades. The faster they rotate, the greater the lift. However, there is a consensus amongst enthusiasts that most complex models, with ‘collective pitch,’ are acrobatically superior.
There are a few popular RC helicopter enthusiast communities online, where helicopters, spare parts, batteries, fuel and startup kits can be purchased. They also provide advice about various problems people may encounter when building or piloting a Remote controlled helicopter.