Radio Control: Helicopters
ALTHOUGH THIS is officially the January issue, it should be getting to you by late November-still in plenty of time to make additions to your Christmas wish list. So, just to whet your appetite, I thought this would be a good time to present some of the more interesting products I have used over the past few months. Futaba Corporation of America, 4 Studebaker, Irvine, CA 92718, has recently released a new microreceiver and microservo for small electric or gas powered helicopters. I have been very impressed with them in my EP Concept helicopter.
Radio Control: Helicopters
One of the problems with having to work for a living is that I was not able to get time off to visit the Nats and see some of the best helicopter flying in the country. But from the reports I have received from several sources, this was one of the best Nats ever for helicopters. Just because I was not able to be there is no reason you should not get a full report on the major happenings.
Radio Control: Helicopters
THE LAST COUPLE of issues I have been talking about collective pitch-how to get a straight-line "curve" (in the September issue), and use of the pitch gauge (in the October issue). To round out this series on collective pitch, here are some of my techniques for getting the initial pitch setup on a helicopter, and some mistakes I see others make.
Radio Control: Helicopters
IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE of MA I talked about using a computer heli radio to set up a straight-line pitch curve once you have determined the high and low pitch end points. However, measuring these high and low end points requires the use of a pitch gauge. To put it another way, if the helicopter is to fly as designed and to your personal desires, the pitch gauge, which enables you to set the pitch or angle of attack of the rotor blades to whatever position or range you desire, must be set correctly, and within certain limits.
Radio Control: Helicopters
IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO when we were all happy with the new breed of helicopter radios that let us set more than one pitch curve. This capability is important to helicopter fliers because the collective pitch range needed for hovering and normal forward flight is not what is best for aerobatics. Different aerobatic maneuvers are better when flown with their own pitch curves.
