【Question: How long does it take to learn to fly?】
This all depends on how hard you work at it. Generally, it will take most people two or three weeks of practice maybe three to four evenings a week to learn to hold a fairly solid hover. After another month or so, you will be comfortable with forward flight. By the end of the third month you can be performing loops. It all depends on your personality, interest level, and how much you enjoy flying. We have seen many people doing loops and rolls within a month's time! The key point to remember is to have fun along the way. You may have fun just flying around, or you might be the type who always wants to get the most out of your machine so you will work very hard at executing maneuvers with precision. It all depends on you.
【Question: Where can you fly it?】
This again is up to your common sense. It is strongly recommended that you check with your local hobby store, the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics), and IRCHA (International R/C Helicopter Association), to see if there is a model club in your area. A club flying site is usually the best area to fly. Otherwise just look for what might be a suitable flying area keeping in mind the size of the site, who owns the property, electrical lines, houses and neighborhoods, kids, etc. Use good judgement. When learning, you will find that you are most comfortable and relaxed when you are all by yourself. A well-lit parking lot at night is even a good place for just learning to hover.
【Question: What types of things can an R/C helicopter do?】
Just about anything you can think of (that involves flying). That's another attraction that helicopters seem to have. They can hover in one spot, fly backwards, sideways, or do pirouettes while in forward flight, stall turns, loops, rolls, standing loops and rolls (a loop or a roll with no forward speed), tumble, and most amazingly to the laymen (and even to most accomplished fliers too) they can fly upside down and hover inches off the ground! Let's see an airplane or a full size helicopter do that!
【Question: How do you start a helicopter?】
A helicopter requires the use of an electric starter powered by a 12-volt hobby or motorcycle battery. The engines on model helicopters are set up so that they are easily accessible to the starter either by a standard starting cone or a special extension shaft. All helicopters have a clutch so that when the engine is brought up past idle it engages to drive the main blades. At idle, the engine happily hums away quietly without turning the main blades.
【Question: How hard is a helicopter to build?】
What attracts lots of people to helicopters is the fact that there is really no gluing, sanding, covering, etc. It's all just a bunch of nuts and bolts with a few precision machined parts thrown in! You might say it's sort of an advanced "Erector set." Just as anybody can fly one, so too can anybody build one, that is anyone who is willing to follow the instructions. If you can build an R/C car you can build an R/C helicopter. Generally it should take a beginner about four to five evenings to assemble a .30 size heli and get it ready to fly. Your local flying club or hobby store can help you if you run into trouble.
【Question: How much does it cost?】
This depends greatly on the type of machine you choose to purchase and what types and brands of equipment (radio, engine, gyro, starting accessories, etc.) that you choose. You can expect to pay about $600 to $700 for a basic .30 size setup. It all depends on how sophisticated you get with the type of equipment you decide to purchase. The end decision is yours but your local flying club or hobby store can present you with all the information to let you make the best decision on what to buy and how much to spend.
【Question: How much does it weigh?】
It depends on the size of the machine (.60 size or .30 size). A typical .30 size heli weighs about five to six pounds. Larger machines can weigh in at about nine to twelve pounds.
【Question: How far can a radio-controlled model helicopter go?】
The model's range is limited not by its radio equipment, but by the pilot's ability to follow and control it. Therefore, you can fly an R/C helicopter as far as your eye can see. The radio will control it from up to approximately one mile away.
