Hey, what about helicopters?

[Allen I]

Hi everyone,

My name is Allen. I’ve been coming to your website for a long time, and all along I’ve been contemplating getting my MAAC and becoming a member of your club. I just have one concern, if you really even want to call it a concern. I’m interested in flying helicopters, I’m definitely a beginner, I started flying those small little coaxial helicopters, and then I wanted more of a challenge so I bought a Walkera CB180D (fixed pitch). I have had a lot of fun with it. I’m comfortable flying it around the house without crashing into anything and occasionally take it outdoors if there is no wind; to this day I still have fun with it, and I’m still learning a lot about RC helicopters. I just recently got my first CP helicopter, KDS 450S, and I’m at the point of just trying to figure out how to hover it. It definitely has a lot more power and I’m slowly getting used to it. Obviously with a bigger helicopter I’m finally able to really fly outdoors, so your club would be the perfect spot. The only thing I noticed is that there doesn’t appear to be a lot of talk on your website about helicopters. Is there anyone there who flies them or are there really not that many people interested in them? I know I’m just a beginner and I’ve been learning on my own, but I’m sure I would learn faster from people with experience or even others at the same stage I am. Don’t get me wrong I love helicopters, they are a challenge, and they will probably always be my main focus, but I have a feeling at some point I will also want to learn to fly an airplane. So I suppose my only real concern is do you guys do much with helicopters? Is there a wings program for helicopters?
Hope to hear from you soon. Yes, I’m seriously considering joining your club because I’ve got the bug; I’m hooked on RC.

Allen

[yorcram]

Welcome,

I am a plane guy myself. But there are a handful of heli fliers and there are always a flew flying every weekend. Bring your Kit to the field some morning and someone will be able to help you.

Cheers,

[Coyote]

Hi Allen - welcome

There are a few heli pilots in our group as Bill stated. Rick likes tricopters, Roady is also handy with the rotors - there are also a few others.

I'm sure if you drop a line in Heli discussion forum - someone will chime in - they likely read/watch those like hawks

I started out with planes and am trying to learn heli also. Long process for me - thank god for flight sims - my sim field is covered in less expensive virtual heli parts and rotors

[Dirt Torpedo]

You're likely to find many heli guys fly elsewhere. Probably for a combination of the following reasons:

1) Not much heli action at Shannon Park.
2) You don't need much space to hover, do scale circuits, F3C, or 3D.
3) 450s get small in a hurry, and are a bugger to maintain orientation at a distance.
4) Airspace is somewhat incompatible between planks & helis. I can't focus on flying anything if a heli is up and within decapitation distance.
5) The biggest heli you can fly at Shannon (under HEFA weigh limits) is a 500, maybe a 550 class.

You probably already know that they go into a ballistic trajectory when the pilot loses orientation or there is an equipment failure. Tip speed on those sharp carbon blades is generally at least 200mph - think flying lawnmower. Planks can be scary, helis are scarier.

I understand that there are a couple of guys flying T-Rex 700e's around up at Leon's (in Burnside) from time to time, and I think Rhoady flies a 550 up there as well.

My Blade 400 and Funcopter are ok for farting around in the field across the street but my limited spare time gets sucked up with planes, so I haven't been flying them much lately. I wish I had a lot more time, space, and money to do a more. Big air with a big German FBL heli like a Henseleit TDR or Logo 600se, maybe a big scale turbine too.

[RocketManRC]

Actually there are four of us including me who fly helicopters regularly and I expect the number will grow. Our new field in Porter's Lake will have no weight limitations except for the MAAC limits. We could even make a separate heli field there if we want too because there is lots of space.

The best thing to do is to drop by Shannon Park one of these weekend mornings and have a chat.

Rick

[propster]

Hi Allen - I'm a heli nut and I'll gladly spend some time with you. I'm in the process of relocating from the UK at the moment (with all my heli fleet in tow). When my container gets in around mid July I'll be out with my Trex 500 & I have a bunch of Trex 600s to play with too. So, you're not alone!

Looking forward to meeting everybody....finally.