Scale RC Helicopters-How to Guide

I didn’t get the idea of somebody spending countless hours in building a scale rc helicopter model instead of buying one from the store until I built one myself. It came to me that building a scale rc helicopter is a fun of its kind and is not less thrill than flying one.

It gives a lot of accomplishment feeling when you plan, create, machine and build a scale rc helicopter from zero. When you complete building it and everything fits together to give the right look and feel, the happiness you get from it is just immense.

The larger the size of the scale rc helicopter the more realistic it will feel and look but the cost involved will increase in proportion to its size. Scale rc helis can come in 1/30th to ¼ scale sizes, you can choose the size according to your budget. Good scale rc helicopters are made and designed not only to look like actual helicopters but to perform, sound and fly like the real ones too.

There are numerous competitions around the world that are arranged to judge the most closely resembled scale rc helicopter. The professional scale helicopter modelers go to every detail of not only the outside of the heli but all the minor details of inside of the cockpit as well.



Building a scale rc helicopter can e as simple as buying a kit or it can be as difficult as creating everything from scratch which includes planning and designing. However, if your aim is to fly a scale model helicopter, your best bet is to learn it on Pod and Boom helicopter.
A pod and Boom helicopter is consists of a Pod in the front which encapsulates the machinery of the helicopter. At the rear end of the Pod extends a long tube pipe which usually made up of aluminum, called Boom. The Boom holds the tail rotor of the helicopter.
So, the Pod and Boom helicopter is the basic helicopter design which serves as the base for a scale rc helicopter. Scale Remote Control Helicopter is nothing but a Pod and Boom heli covered in a scale fuselage.

You must have understood by now that the right way to build and fly a scale rc helicopter is to first fly a Pod and Boom Helicopter but still I give you the main reasons to chose them as your first basic learning choice:



-It becomes very simple to put a scale fuselage on the pod and boom model once you understand the mechanics of it. If you try put together the scale helicopter fuselage in the beginning, the whole process becomes complicated and frustrating. Because you will be required to make some dynamic and static adjustments to your scale model after it is built and when you try flying it the first time. Understanding the ins and outs of the pod and boom basic model makes the whole process understandable to you to the extent that you can do all that adjustments easily.

-Good quality large fiber glass fuselage do not come cheap, in fact a good one can cost you more than the pod and boom kit. You crash your scale fuselage in your first flight and nothing is more disheartening than this because even a small crash will make it useless.

- You need to have a Pod and Boom basic model helicopter in any case even if yu want to fly a scale model, so why not clean your hands on the basic model, understand its mechanics and then buy a scale model fuselage to fix it on the pod and boom model. This is the right way of doing it.

The important thing in deciding which pod and boom rc helicopter kit to buy is that you must make sure that the fuselage of the scale rc helicopter you want can get fixed on the rc helicopter kit you are buying.

If you want to become an aerobatic rc helicopter pilot than scale rc helicopter models are not the choice for you, because the fuselage adds extra weight on the basic model and that is a hurdle in making advanced aerobatic maneuvers.



The choice of material is also a point to consider when buying. The best remote control fuselage and pod covers are made from under mentioned materials:

Carbon Fiber is much expensive material used to make fuselage and pod covers and that is why it is not usually used. However it is the lightest and strongest material. We have seen the price of carbon fiber to come down in recent years which makes it certain that it will be used in making fuselage and pod covers commonly. Be careful in grinding and repairing a fuselage made up of carbon fiber because its dust can cause severe lung infections.

Fiber Glass is the best material for making large rc helicopter fuselages. It is more expensive than other materials used and also is heavier. Cold weather and vibration tolerance is good in fiberglass and it is also easy to make it look like new after little damage.
Polystyrene is used for building mini rc helicopters. It is cheap but provides good cover for small and light rc helicopters.

Polycarbonate is also a light and inexpensive material but used for small rc helicopters. Cold temperatures make polycarbonate brittle in nature that’s why it is not advisable to fly them in winters.

Gas RC Helicopters are the Big Thing !

Real Helicopter, Real Thrill of Gas RC Helicopter:
Who says that Gas RC helicopters are a thing of the past? It is an established fact that veteran RC helicopter pilots genuinely prefer gas remote control helicopters over electric powered RC helicopters. The first and foremost reason for this preference is that flying gas remote control helicopters is very much the same as flying a real life size helicopter. Not only that the sound of gas remote control helicopters feels enthralling and exciting, the unavoidable smell of burning fuel adds greatly to the thrill and joy of the sport itself.

You might have definitely heard the saying that “When The Going Gets Tough – The Tough Get Going”, well my friends, this applies exactly in the same sense to being able to own and operate gas remote control helicopters. You see, when a hobby or sport gets the most of you, everything about it starts becoming more and more serious in stark contrast to what some people might think of it. When people start taking their hobbies seriously, they make every effort to make them more enjoyable and exhilarating.

All those RC enthusiasts who own gas rc helicopters not only take pleasure in flying this exciting machine but they also take pride in handling and maintenance of their RC helicopters. They are so much engrossed in the technicalities and up keep of their equipment that doing this job inevitably becomes a twin hobby for them. The heavy price of gas remote control helicopters becomes a secondary issue for these RC heli buffs as they are more driven by passion than simple cost effective recreation.

While discussing more about gas RC helicopters, let’s take the engine first. The engine used in a conventional gas RC helicopter is not very different from a two stroke single cylinder motorcycle engine that is well known for its power and speed. Similarly, the fuel it uses is a mixture of regular gasoline and two-stroke mobile oil. The engine capacity for typical gas remote control helicopters is between 20 cc to 30 cc and could possibly go over 30 cc in case of custom built RC helicopters.

Generally, gas remote control helicopters come in large RC Helicopter sizes because of the engine size required for such machines. The rotor diameter of a typical gas RC helicopter starts from a bit over 1400 mm which is equal to about 57 inches and goes to 2000 mm which is equal to 80 inches. However, custom built gas remote control helicopters may have lesser or higher rotor diameters according to their particular specifications. This means that if you want to have a large RC helicopter for yourself but do not wish to pay a relatively large amount of money for it, you can opt for a gas powered remote control helicopter in place of one with a turbine engine.

While talking of large sizes, it will definitely not be out of place to mention that large sized RC helicopters have certain advantages over smaller RC helis. Due to their larger size and obviously heavier weight, they are a great deal more stable during flight in strong weather conditions. Flying a remote controlled helicopter with heavy winds blowing across can no doubt be a thrilling experience for many enthusiasts.

The additional gear required for gas remote control helicopters is not very much different from the one that goes with other RC helis. For example the radio remote control device or unit (transmitter and receiver), the gyro and other equipment required for a gas powered radio controlled helicopters is quite identical to the one that comes with nitro powered or turbine helicopters. You may go for a self start version or can get a pull start type of ignition system to start the engine of the helicopter. Many gas powered helicopter engines have both options available for user convenience.

If you are a starter remote control or radio controlled helicopter user, you might be required to do some practice on a lighter and smaller type of RC helicopter in order to get used to handling such equipment. This for instance may be a cheaper electric powered RC helicopter. You should also keep in mind that one should always practice on lighter and cheaper equipment before taking that big leap. Once you are through with the basic flying practice with lighter electric powered remote control helis, you can then move up to medium weight machines and subsequently to the larger and heavier class such as the classic gas remote control helicopters.

In the end I reiterate that fact that gas remote control helicopters need regular and extensive maintenance and a lot of love and care not to mention quite a few bucks as well. On the other hand I assure you that with big and heavy gas RC helicopters; you can most certainly stand out of the crowd and above all, have the respect that goes with owners of such classic machines.