Who knows about gas RC helicopters

Donald

Donald

Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
29,649
Location
Near the beach in Delaware
Growing up I always wanted a gas RC helicopter but never could afford one. So now I can afford one but not sure what I should be looking for beyond the basic helicopter. Going to be looking in FB Marketplace for one. Would like to spend $500 to $800. Please school me on what to look for. Got to be gas.
 
Had a neighbor who was big into RC planes and helos, his garage was full. Told me the helos are hands down the hardest RC thing to fly. Apparently there are models with stabilization to help you learn how to fly them. I'd worry about that more than looking for a pricepoint on FB. If you don't get stabilization you're going to be buying lots of parts and learning how to rebuild your helo a lot. He was all the time buying crashed helos from guys at his flying club and rebuilding them. It's not a question if you will crash it, the question is how much will it cost to repair it.
 
First, join the AMA and get flight insurance.
Second, get your FAA certification (as whatever you get will be over the weight limit) and it's required by law in order to fly.
Third, find a club nearby and attend. If they turn out not to be jerks, ask about joining and oh, by the way, who flys helos?
Fourth, get in some practice at the club with a trainer pilot. Most clubs have them.
Fifth, if you still want to do this, be prepared to spend a decent chunk of change on the support equipment.

Good Luck!
 
Most are electric now, research those first, that's where all the advancements have been made. Things have changed a lot in the last few years, flybarless rotor systems and advanced gyros have made them much easier to fly. Start small (less expensive) and learn how to fly them first, otherwise your first flight will cost you dearly. Beter yet, get a flight sim and get proficient, try RealFlight. You can crash an RC helicopter without leaving the ground, ask me how I know.
 
97K15004WD said:
First, join the AMA and get flight insurance.
Second, get your FAA certification (as whatever you get will be over the weight limit) and it's required by law in order to fly.
Third, find a club nearby and attend. If they turn out not to be jerks, ask about joining and oh, by the way, who flys helos?
Fourth, get in some practice at the club with a trainer pilot. Most clubs have them.
Fifth, if you still want to do this, be prepared to spend a decent chunk of change on the support equipment.
Good Luck!
Click to expand...
As a former avid R/C flyer and current pilot, I'll say there is some good advice there.

As recently as a few years ago, you could fly an R/C model without the FAA cert or remote ID so long as you keep altitudes < 400' and stay at least 5 miles away from the nearest airport. For conventional R/C (no POV cameras on board), that's not a problem because you can't fly it if you can't see it, so you have to keep it close anyway.
But that is no longer the case, so Google the new RID rules, for example:
www.modelairplanenews.com

The Future of RC: Understanding the new FAA rules for drones (and how they’ll affect our hobby) - Model Airplane News

RC Airplane News | Radio Control Plane & Helicopter News, Tech Tips, Reviews | Pilot Projects, Hobby King, Horizon Hobby, Nitro The Future of RC: Understanding the new FAA rules for drones (and how they’ll affect our hobby)
www.modelairplanenews.com www.modelairplanenews.com

The average lifespan of any R/C model flown for the first time by a newbie is about 3 seconds, with a 50/50 chance of leaving the ground at all. And helicopters are even more complex and difficult to fly. So find a local club and instructor to teach you, having a radio with a buddy cable.

BTW, R/C airplanes are also fun and less expensive, and learning to fly one of those first might ease the transition to helicopters.
 
Why not just get an electric one but tape your phone to it making gas rc sounds and a big cheap cigar so it looks like smoke's coming out of it.
 
You may want to consider a more basic electric helicopter model with a simplified control scheme (adjust altitude and turning only). Once you have become proficient with the basics, you can invest in a model with more control axes. It's easier to work your way up incrementally rather than to start off with an advanced, gas-powered model.
 
Gas (glow fuel) is a PITA.

Before opening your wallet, definitely find a flying club with helicopter pilots and ask questions.

I built, setup and learned to to hover 2'-3' on my own. This was a steep and long learning curve, not a recommended route to take at all.

I had to set it aside when I went to college and never picked it back up. I did get an electric but I never built it. I still have the Concept 30.

20231224_103512_resized.jpg
 
Last edited:
Yeah, I've been in RC since mid 1975. Things have changed a bunch since then. First RC copter I was saw a classmate of mine in 1976. He used a chainsaw engine and that thing was a bear to fly. No gyros, no stabilization - nothing but fast fingers and a big open wallet. Had huge "training wheels" on it and was tethered to the ground so it would only lift off about a foot or so. Hand made rotors, and a lot of them.

My first two channel was obviously handbuilt (Joystick with plans from RC Modeling IIRC and a TD 051) on 27Mhz. First flight cleared the tree line and my firends and I think it got "shot down" by a CBer with a 100 watt "booster" with spectrum bleed. Was flying fine until it got over the trees.

Anyway, the smell of the nitro is a very crisp reminder of the hobby. Lot's of good times and fun with my friends. Still have one on the wall:

IMG_5179.jpg
 
AZjeff said:
Had a neighbor who was big into RC planes and helos, his garage was full. Told me the helos are hands down the hardest RC thing to fly. Apparently there are models with stabilization to help you learn how to fly them. I'd worry about that more than looking for a pricepoint on FB. If you don't get stabilization you're going to be buying lots of parts and learning how to rebuild your helo a lot. He was all the time buying crashed helos from guys at his flying club and rebuilding them. It's not a question if you will crash it, the question is how much will it cost to repair it.
Click to expand...
Stabilization is an option I will definitely be looking for.
MRC01 said:
As a former avid R/C flyer and current pilot, I'll say there is some good advice there.

As recently as a few years ago, you could fly an R/C model without the FAA cert or remote ID so long as you keep altitudes < 400' and stay at least 5 miles away from the nearest airport. For conventional R/C (no POV cameras on board), that's not a problem because you can't fly it if you can't see it, so you have to keep it close anyway.
But that is no longer the case, so Google the new RID rules, for example:
www.modelairplanenews.com

The Future of RC: Understanding the new FAA rules for drones (and how they’ll affect our hobby) - Model Airplane News

RC Airplane News | Radio Control Plane & Helicopter News, Tech Tips, Reviews | Pilot Projects, Hobby King, Horizon Hobby, Nitro The Future of RC: Understanding the new FAA rules for drones (and how they’ll affect our hobby)
www.modelairplanenews.com www.modelairplanenews.com

The average lifespan of any R/C model flown for the first time by a newbie is about 3 seconds, with a 50/50 chance of leaving the ground at all. And helicopters are even more complex and difficult to fly. So find a local club and instructor to teach you, having a radio with a buddy cable.

BTW, R/C airplanes are also fun and less expensive, and learning to fly one of those first might ease the transition to helicopters.
Click to expand...
I flew one decades ago. Had a rubber band powered rudder. Press button once on the remote to turn right and twice to go left. That was extent of the remote. Second plane was Galloping Ghost. And maybe one with the two control wires to make it go up and down.
 
AZjeff said:
@Donald, your never ending boat doesn't run saga and now you pick what seems to be the absolute hardest RC vehicle to master even for guys with good RC plane experience. Do you golf too? :oops: 😵‍💫
Click to expand...
I need hobbies to take up my time in retirement.

2024 is the year my boat will run perfectly. I honestly think I am a worry wart with my boat and much of the time I suspected there was a problem there probably wasn't.
 
Looks nice!

A good first copter. Money is the big deciding factor here. How much can you spend on repairs?

Make sure to get a bunch of the replacement parts WHEN YOU BUY YOUR FIRST COPTER!

You don't want to be waiting weeks for parts so you can fly again. Also, it helps you see how much your cost to fly will be.

Try and avoid the "razor and razor blade" helo selling models. Lot's of great pricing on the copter, but oh boy, the repair parts will eat you alive.

Next, how is the gearbox made and what is the expected life. Check the RC forums and read the write-ups on the model you are looking at buying. Just be ready for the "thick or thin" arguments! You will have to decide yourself what you think is relevant.

Good Luck!
 
Fun fact, the athlete former known as Bruce Jenner used to be into Helis.
Definitely train with a flight simulator if you are serious. I thankfully realized that “motors mean more money” and they only slow us down. I stick with sailplanes. Mostly home built “foamies” now I’m old but i still have fun with the occasional moldie, they both go fast enough to get my adrenaline going.
IMG_5367.jpeg

IMG_3831.jpeg
 
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