Radio Control: Helicopters
Last month I talked about pitch curves - what they are, and how they are formed - and I gave a formula for an easy way to set up your computer radio to give a straight-line "curve" once you have determined the end points. Now I'll take another look at pitch curves - initial setup and adjustments, and how to tell what changes are needed after you have flown your helicopter. One of the most important aspects of setting up a pitch curve is making sure that the basic mechanical setup of the helicopter is correct.
Radio Control: Helicopters
THE NATS: Just saying it paints a picture of an event large enough to allow all modelers in the US (as well as other countries) to participate in all forms of flying competition. It wasn't too long ago the Nats was held in different cities throughout the country each year, allowing modelers to gather for a week or more to compete, or just renew old friendships, and share ideas with others about their favorite hobby. But that has all changed recently (for the better) by having the Nats at the same site each year: AMA's International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana.
Radio Control: Helicopters
BY THE TIME you read this, it will be close to Christmas and too cold to fly helicopters in some parts of the country. But it's still the middle of the summer in Florida, and a disturbing thing happened at my "other" flying field in Waynesburgh PA. I say "disturbing" because it concerns a new flier who did not want to come to the flying field to be with the rest of us on a nice Sunday afternoon. Rather, he practiced on training gear near his home, where others wouldn't see him bouncing around and make fun of him. Although I have written about this many times, it seems that it is all too common in clubs throughout the world, and is something that club members should try to correct when they can.
Radio Control: Helicopters
I'M GOING to present some of my ideas regarding subjects that people have asked me about, including techniques for adjusting the idle needle valve, seeing if heavy helicopters really do fly faster, and fixing a broken tail rotor drive shaft. Idle needle valve adjustments have become slightly more complicated in the past few years with the introduction of the three-needle carburetor, but I have found that by continuing to use the techniques that I've developed for the two-needle (TN) carb, things stay a little less complicated. The basic idea is to realize that the carburetor not only adjusts the amount of fuel going to the engine, but actually holds a small amount of fuel, which can be seen easily by pulling the fuel line off the engine while it's running. The engine continues to run for several seconds, and I use the quantity of fuel in the carburetor as a gauge for adjusting the idle mixture. Doing that may seem strange at first, but it has worked for me for many years, and you may find it very helpful.
Radio Control: Helicopters
THE JR ERGO .30/.46 Helicopter was presented in my last column, and since then I have had the opportunity to complete the setup and put several flights on this new helicopter. My overall impression of the Ergo continues to be nothing less of what we have come to expect from JR products: high-quality components combined with expert engineering to provide a product that will appeal to the novice and expert flier alike. The Ergo is slightly larger than other .30-size helicopters, providing plenty of room for a standard size radio and rear mounted gyro. Initial setup was also made easy (which the novice will appreciate) because many of the critical linkages were either preformed or factory assembled to the correct length.
