Author: Mark Fadely
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
Page Numbers: 124,125,126
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Radio Control Helicopters

Mark Fadely [[email protected]]

There's just something about Scale helicopters

WELCOME BACK to your RC helicopter headquarters. The year 2008 is almost over; can you believe it? How was it for you? With all the bad news in today’s world, it sure is nice to have a fun hobby such as RC helicopters to which we can escape. There is nothing like lifting off into the air on that perfect day.

I remember one special, warm summer morning earlier this year. I was flying my helicopter when the air was still and the ground was wet with dew. Those quiet, solitary moments remind me of my childhood when I was flying balsa gliders in my parents’ backyard.

I would give the models a toss and then stand back watching, in fascination, the forces that allowed them to float in midair. I built and flew all kinds of balsa airplanes, experimenting with many designs that educated me about the basics of aerodynamics.

I graduated to bigger, better models as the years passed. My appetite for more realistic, better-flying aircraft steered my interests toward scale. A miniature replica that appears identical to its full-scale counterpart has a sort of magical allure.

Many beautiful scale airplanes made their way in and out of my hangar/bedroom. When one left (usually in pieces), another one quickly filled the vacant spot.

When I returned to the hobby, I could not wait to try RC helicopters. Airplanes were fun, but helicopters seemed so much more complex and challenging; boy, was I right. They were complex, little, mind-boggling, flying erector sets.

Interest in 3-D flying was blossoming in the mid-1990s, and scale helicopter activity was diminishing. I jumped into the 3-D party with both feet. I thought, “Man, these whopper chopper things sure are fun!” But scale helicopters have started to make a comeback.

A lot of work goes into building one. The typical scale model used to be a true builder’s kit. Most modern pilots did not want to take the time to build a scale aircraft when everyone was having so much fun flying aerobatic 3-D ARF helicopters. Now several manufacturers are offering scale helicopter ARFs. This usually means that the fuselage is built and painted, and everything is in the box, enabling the mechanics of a popular 3-D helicopter to be transformed into a beautiful scale machine.

Thunder Tiger is one of the companies that is amping up its scale department. It has introduced quite a lineup of excellent prepainted fuselages that make it easy and affordable for anyone to get into scale flying. Century Helicopter Products has produced nice prepainted scale helicopter bodies through the years.

Having the manufacturer do most of the work is great for many pilots, but some builders still want to take on the responsibility and make their own custom scale creations, as so many scale pilots before them. Sandy Jaffe is one of those guys who loves to build. He is also one of the best craftsmen I have ever seen.

At the 2008 IRCHA Jamboree, Sandy had his newest scale creation on display. You cannot miss this model in the air; it has a huge, bright-red fuselage with white markings.

Sandy is from State College, Pennsylvania, and he got the inspiration for his helicopter at an air-ambulance company in nearby Coatesville. He visited the hangar where the full-scale aircraft is stationed. The people in charge were nice enough to let Sandy inspect their helicopter by climbing in and around it. He made measurements, took pictures, and used all the gathered information to build a perfect miniature replica. This detailed documentation is an important element in scale competitions.

Sandy used an MD 900 NOTAR (no tail rotor) kit from the Vario company. No tail rotor? That's right. You may have seen one of these helicopters before, but many people are unaware of it.

The tail of a NOTAR machine effectively works like that of a normal helicopter with a tail rotor. Instead of the air being grabbed by a conventional bladed tail-rotor disk, the NOTAR system uses a fan attached to the power system to blow air down the center of the tailboom. The air then is blown out the tailboom in the rear, with side force generated by an adjustable opening. It is amazing and works great.

Uli Streich started Vario approximately 35 years ago. He was a full-scale helicopter mechanic who had a passion for the machines on which he worked. He still has that passion today; his company makes some of the most respected scale model helicopter kits in the world. Sandy said that his Vario kit is excellent in every detail.

Sandy decided to use a Rossi .91 nitromethane engine to power the MD 900. His radio is a standard JR PCM system.

The Vario models are builders' kits, though, which means that factory finishing is not done. You must prepare, assemble, and paint the entire fuselage. Then the whole assembly has to be fitted to whatever mechanics you choose. For most modelers, a top-quality scale helicopter project takes a few months to complete.

Getting modern RC pilots into scale is a tough job. Everyone seems to enjoy watching those models fly, but many are too busy to put the necessary time into building them. Whenever one goes up at the flying field, most other pilots gather around to take pictures and ask questions. The only difference between the pilot flying and the pilots watching is the willingness to go through all the time and trouble it takes to build a full-on scale kit.

It is refreshing to see some of the major companies going after the ARF scale market. Look at how many beautiful large scale ARF airplanes are being sold; I'll bet the helicopter companies are already selling quite a few of their new scale ARFs.

Think about it. You do not have to be flip-flopping all over God's creation to have fun flying a helicopter. I know that hovering is kind of boring for pilots who are so advanced, but hovering and gently flying an awesome scale machine is a different story. I have piloted quite a few different types of scale models, and I get a thrill out of it.

Can you fly a 25-pound scale model in a slow, realistic way in any wind conditions? Can you hover perfectly over one spot and do a full 360° pirouette that takes 30 seconds to complete? Now that is difficult. There are as many challenges in the scale arena as with any other aspect of RC helicopters.

If I have piqued your interest in pursuing some scale-related venture, I'm happy. It was an eye-opening experience to see all the scale introductions into the hobby this past year. Next year is going to be the best yet in RC helicopters!

I'll be back next month. MA

Sources:

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.