What and why I fly (at least check out the videos!)

So, if you've taken the time to scan my profile and hubs, you undoubtedly have noticed I seem to have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with all things mechanical. This love affair started with cars when I was still a toddler, according to my mom. My love for cars is still going strong, though it has been forced to take a back seat to budget, time, and family concerns. In lieu of that, about 5 years ago, I discovered RC (Radio Controlled) Helicopters and have been addicted ever since. In fact, my very first (and least read) "hub" was geared toward the prospective 'heli pilot.

My current helicopter started off life in 2007 as an Align RC T-Rex 450 SA. Since then, it's been crashed and rebuilt more times than I'd care to recall, had almost every part... okay... every part replaced or upgraded, and been through multiple "retirement-reinstatement" cycles. My radio is a Spektrum DX7 with AR7000 reciever running the stock Align speed control and a Scorpion 2221-8 brushless outrunner motor with a 13 tooth pinion. Tail control is assisted greatly by the tried and true Futaba GY-401 gyro with a JR DS3400G servo. Handling cyclic/collective duties are 3 JR DS281 sub-micro servos. My batteries of choice currently are Zippy "Flightmax" 2200 MAh lipos happily re-energized by an FMA Direct Cellpro 4s. Truth be told, most of my gear at this point is outdated... but it has served me and for the most part, survived my piloting "skills" well over the years.

Well, there are many reasons, really. Understandably, many would consider it a waste of time or money but, obviously, I do not. Since I was a kid, I've always loved anything RC. In fact, when I was 16, I had a hobby quality RC stadium truck that I eventually traded straight across for a Chevy Celebrity that was actually in pretty good shape, lol. I had always wanted to get into RC planes, what we in the heli-world refer to with only a little sarcasm as "plankers", but never had the money. Somewhere around that time, I seem to remember being vaguely aware that there were such a thing as RC Helicopters, but back then they were so expensive that it wasn't even a consideration... strictly a rich man's toy.

Fast forward 10-15 years. I was sitting on my computer wasting away the hours of the day, as I so often do. A habit I suppose I shouldn't complain too much about as it's brought me my two favorite things in life outside of my family... RC Helicopters and HubPages... I had stumbled across a YouTube video of some scratch built 1:6th scale RC Tanks duking it out in a simulated war and decided it was the coolest thing I had ever seen, I was going to build one! The very first website I looked up changed that plan, as on the side of the page, what I'm guessing was a Google AdSense ad was listing a "complete, ready-to-fly helicopter" for $129.99.

With a quick check of my bank account to ensure I had the $130 (plus $20 or so for express shipping) my new "bird" was on her way! In hindsight, a bit of research would have served me well, as this "ready to fly" heli turned out to be about the biggest p.o.s. I could have purchased, but pile of junk or not, it was a fully functional 6 channel heli none-the-less, and when it finally showed up, I was immediately hooked. For just long enough to "get me", it held my affection. The design of the head alone was so complex and intricate, I remember studying it intently while I anxiously awaited the battery to charge.

Being the mechanically obsessed knucklehead I am, that was the first big draw to heli's. The functional parts involved in their flight is, for the most part, identical to their full-scale counterparts, and just as complex... only smaller. I genuinely love the challenge of building them and "trimming them out" to get them flying correctly, though admittedly it can be a royal p.i.t.a., at times. Power can range anywhere from 0.5 up to 10 or more horsepower, and generally comes from either an electric motor or a nitro-methane fueled two-cycle combustion engine, as in these videos, though some are actually powered by legitimate miniature turbine (jet) engines!

 In the video below, you'll see not only a pristine example of just how realistically these models can be built, but also take note as to how accurately the pilot mimics the true maneuvers of a full-scale machine. If he was not in most of the shots, you could easily mistake this for a "real" Hind attack helicopter. Believe it or not, this takes an unbelievable amount of practice and skill to accurately portray,  

Like I said, I've been into "RC" on and off most of my life (hey... there's dorkier things, you know! Aren't there?) and I guess I've just always been kind of a "natural" at it. Two other vehicles in my fleet include a scale RC rock-crawler based on an HPI Wheely King and a nitro powered Traxxas T-Maxx monster truck equipped with a two speed transmission and capable of true speeds well in excess of 65+ MPH, which might sound "slow", but keep in mind we're talking about a truck one tenth the size of a full-scale vehicle, and that's intentionally geared down, as it's rare to be able to reach speeds much higher and still be able to see such a small truck so far away. By comparison, the fastest RC you're likely to find at Wal Mart or Radio Shack MIGHT do 10-12 actual MPH. Both are HEAVILY modified from stock form and quite frankly, would be almost undrivable to a novice (just ask my wife, lol). Yet I've never found either to be much of a challenge. Fun? Definitely, but not the least bit challenging... which is rather disappointing.

I know RC airplanes would add another dimension, but, all things considered... A) For me at least, I don't think the additional "challenge" would last beyond a week or two before I was bored with it, and B) Planes have to be made of light weight materials such as balsa wood or Styrofoam which, quite frankly, don't take to crashing very well. Don't get me wrong, I like building things, and I like "tweaking" things... but I do NOT enjoy spending weeks at a time perfecting something just to have it completely and irrevocably destroyed due to one minor 0.5 second duration episode of "dumb thumbs".

So, if I am to continue my long enduring love affair with radio-controlled vehicles, and yet also find a way to keep them both interesting and challenging for myself, what better way than helicopters? They fly in all three dimensions, can stop, reverse direction, or hover in mid-air, and possibly best of all, are made of aluminum, plastic, and carbon fiber parts which bolt together (as opposed to being glued) and can be fixed after a crash in 20 minutes after a quick trip to the hobby store. And believe me... if you want a challenge... try flying an RC Helicopter!

My final (for now) item on the list of reasons to tackle the world of RC heli's would have to be the end goals, or "aspirations". Watch the video I posted at the beginning of this hub of Alan Szabo Jr., and keep in mind A) This is actually a pretty "tame" display of the 3D flight capabilities of these little helicopters, and B) The kid behind the sticks is in his mid 20's, think what he'll be able to do in another 10 years?

You can think or believe whatever you like about the how, what, why, or where of conquering this particular skill... but if you enjoy mechanics or the theories of powered flight, and enjoy challenging yourself to learn a difficult skill, until you've honestly at least attempted to tame the beast that is a radio controlled helicopter, the simple truth is, you will never grasp the appreciation or respect for this "skill" that it honestly deserves. It's easy to mock something you don't understand, but give it a shot... and see if you don't at least hold a new appreciation for "pilots" such as Mr. Szabo!

Controlling a full-scale helicopter is difficult enough when you sit in the cockpit and have a conjoined relationship with the vehicle relative to it's position in space... let alone to stand at a fixed position and have to compensate for your control inputs being "reversed" depending on the orientation of the aircraft relative to your vantage point. While one's life may not be on the line, per se, your wallet certainly is! To be able to gain such a mastery of the skill to perform a routine such as above is a talent I greatly respect.

If you think you might be interested in learning more about these little rotary winged beasties; cost, where to get started, how to's, who to talk to, etc., then by all means, shoot me an email, or better yet, look me up under the same user I.D., "shynsly" at:

www.helifreak.com

Thanks for stopping by, and have fun hubbin'!