Radio Control: Helicopters
The 1995 IRCHA-AMA Helicopter Nationals was held at AMA's National Flying Site in Muncie, Indiana July 8-11, and everyone I saw was having a great time. I know a lot of you were unable to attend for a variety of reasons, but you really missed a lot of great helicopter flying and the chance to learn a lot about helicopters from the very best fliers in the country. IRCHA (International Radio Control Helicopter Association) president Shaun Ettinger and his many helpers did an outstanding job of preparation and handling the minute-by-minute tasks needed to keep three flight lines going at once. I don't know how they pulled it off so smoothly, but they almost made it look easy, and we all know it wasn't.
Radio Control: Helicopters
GAS X-CELL UPDATE: Several issues ago I wrote about the Gas X-Cell, and how much I enjoyed flying this gas-powered version of a proven, winning design. Since that time I've sent the stock Zenoah engine to Royce Brademan (3903 Quisenberry Dr., Alexandria VA 22309). Royce worked his magic on the engine so it would perform to its design specifications. I'm certainly no engine guy, so I don't understand everything he did, but the Zenoah is performing better (and smoother) than ever before. Royce says the Zenoah is very well designed, but the manufacturing process is rather "loose" to keep production costs down. Royce "blueprints" each engine to the original specifications for increased power and smoothness.
Radio Control: Helicopters
PITCH CURVES: In a previous issue I talked about some of the special features a helicopter radio has compared to an airplane radio. However, when you purchase a helicopter radio, it will still take an understanding of the various functions to make everything come together in a suitable program that will make your helicopter fly the way you want. One of the critical helicopter parameters is the pitch curve-how the collective pitch follows the movements of the throttle/collective (T/C) stick. Several years ago helicopter radios only gave us the ability to adjust the endpoints of the collective pitch range, which were connected by a straight line (as opposed to a curve). With the advent of the computer radio, we have the ability to adjust the shape of the curve between the endpoints to vary the collective pitch output in relation to the control stick input.
Radio Control: Helicopters
ONCE IN A WHILE a new product comes along that really improves on an older idea, and we sit back and say "Isn't that a neat idea? Why didn't I think of that?" Well, it's happened again, and not with just an accessory, but with a whole new helicopter design-the Lite Machines Corporation LMH-100. Paul Arlton, the company's co-owner, chief designer, (and bottle washer) took on the task of designing a new helicopter. It's targeted at the beginner; it's simple to build, easy to fly, and almost unbreakable in normal use. It's powered by the Cox Tee Dee .051 engine.
Radio Control Helicopters
HELI RADIO FEATURES: One of the questions I get asked a lot, especially from airplane drivers, is "What makes a helicopter radio different from an airplane radio?" This question was really asked a lot when there were only airplane and helicopter radios, but now we have radios specifically designed for sailplanes, cars, and boats. Helicopter radios are still distinct, and their features are really quite logical when analyzing their effect on helicopter flight. So let's take a look at some of the more basic functions you can expect to see on a heli radio, with advanced radios providing even more varied control for the advanced flier.
