First Time Buyer's

First of all radio controlled helicopters can be very dangerous and you should be aware of   the do's and don’ts.

As you are looking into starting this great  hobby, listed are items that are ideal for the beginer, you don’t have to spend loads to start, but it can be worth while in the long run.

BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING

 Locate your local Model Helicopter club . See the SAA or BMFA web site which list all the clubs in the UK.

SAA Model Clubs Scotland

 BMFA http://www.bmfa.org/clubs/clist.php

Pick a club and go along and speak with the club members.. There is a wealth of knowledge there ready to be tapped into.

Picking your first Helicopter

Model Helicopters come in different sizes typically 30 , 50, 60 & 90. These numbers refer to the engine size. Naturally the larger the engine size the bigger the model. It is recommended that the beginner looks only at 30 and 50 size helicopters.50 size helis tend to be easier to fly than a 30 size  and this should be considered before committing to buy .

Two mainly used 50 sized models  are the Raptor 50 and the  T-rex 600, these helicopter are ideal for starting out and will take you to full 3D flying. Both these  helicopters are available in kit or almost ready to fly. I would recommend that you go for a kit, at least you'll know how it all goes together.This can be very useful after you have a crash and have to put it back together again.  There are other good makes of helicopter available but check   out availability and price of  spare parts and there suitability for training  before buying.

Radio

Next we have the radio choice. Again you have a very wide choice to pick from. If I was starting out again in this hobby, I would pick either a Spektrum DX 7 or the Futaba 7C. Both   radios  are available  with servos and receiver. As there are lots of different makes of radio it's best check out at your local club what is being used there as it will make it easier to set your radio up if someone already knows it. You will be less likely to get help setting up your radio if no one at your chosen club has ever seen the radio type before.

Engine

Ok now  you will need an engine. There are 3  main  makes on the market at the moment for 50    sized helicopters and have had  very good write ups. They  are the Os50 hyper, Ys 50 and the Thunder Tiger red redline 53 .  All are  very good engines to use so it won't matter which you pick, There are other engine manufacturers out there who make engines for helis just be aware that the majority of heli pilots have opted for the makes I have stated because of their reliability.. I’m sure price will pay a big part in your decision.

Gyro

You will need to buy a gyro for your helicopter and it will come as no surprise that there are a lot of Gyros available, at this point  having spent a lot on the heli and engine etc., most people will tend to buy the cheapest , thinking a gyro is a gyro . Stop right there. get the best you can . Go for a heading hold gyro like the futaba 401 and if your budget can stretch to it get a  fast  servo like the futaba 9254, they both come as a package deal. and it's well worth it. A good Gyro will assit learning and make controlled flight easier.

Fuel

Model helicopter engines  tend to run hotter than Fixed wing aircraft engines . This is because cooling the engine is by a fan and is not directly in an air flow. To help keep the engine cool special fuels have been formulated . Such as Cool Power, Magnum, Bekra,Tornado,Wildcat, Optifuel etc., These fuels are made up from totally synthetic subtances  . That is they do not contain Castor oil as most of the fixed wing engine fuels do.  Synthetic fuels  will keep your helicopter engine cooler and cleaner as well as give it a longer running life.  The down side is Synthetic heli fuel is that it tends to be a little bit more expensive than fixed wing engine Fuels ..

As a rule of  thumb the more Nitromethame contained in the fuel the more power and the more expensive it will be. You should use 10 to 20 percent nitro fuel unless the engine manufacturer states something different.

Starting equipment

Well you need the following items 12V Battery, Usually a Lead acid type of 7 ampere hour or more.( Cost £12 to £18) 12V Starter, (cost £21.)  Glow Stick + Charger,(cost £15.)  Fuel Pump,(Cost £8-£10)  Hex Starter Extension with one way bearing (Cost £17- 40) and a pitch gauge. (cost £14-£19) All these prices are approximates . Shop around for the best deals.

Other tools

When building your helicopter you'll need some other tools, which most of us have around the house, but if not it'll only be a couple of pounds.

Typical costs

Many hobby shops have starter package deals. my local hobby shop has a package deal it includes

Raptor 30 v2, radio control set: Futaba 6EXA-H Computer radio with 5 servos, gyro, thunder tiger engine: ..39Pro H . all for £479.99. this does not included starting gear. So shop around. you may save pounds by not purchasing from the on place.. SHOP AROUND!!