ChopperAddict's Q&A Area

All the answers to all the questions 
beginners (& others) ask all the time

   

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  Please help me to supply  & maintain all of this information

Hi there, and welcome to the all new Q&A area of my Web site.

First and foremost, can I invite everyone to submit their own Questions (& Answers) for inclusion in this area. That way it should over time become the most comprehensive reference point for new helicopter pilots available on the web. Now is your chance to help other pilots with answers to the most common, or even less common questions that are asked by "newbie" helicopter pilots

I have tried to 'organize' this into different helicopter types where possible, with a GENERAL area which cover the more generic types of questions. I also have a RADIO section to cover radio specific questions.

If you cannot find the answer you want in this section, 
check out my TIPS & TRICKS area and even my TUTORIALS

PLEASE BEAR WITH ME - THIS AREA IS VERY MUCH UNDER DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW 
(DECEMBER 2011) SO SOME OF THE ANSWERS MAY NOT YET BE AVAILABLE.

Table A - Interceptor 400
1 How do you change the mainshaft ?

CLICK HERE
2 How do you change the Feathering shaft ?

CLICK HERE
3 How do you set the tension of the tail drive belt ? CLICK HERE
4 Which way should the tail rotor turn ? CLICK HERE
5 How do I change the direction of rotation of the tail rotor ? CLICK HERE
6 What pinion should the motor use as standard ? CLICK HERE
7 How do I change the main gear ? CLICK HERE
8 Where/How should the gyro be mounted ? CLICK HERE
9 How do you fit the lipo battery onto the tray correctly ? CLICK HERE
10 Can I use a larger lipo, and if so, how ? CLICK HERE
11 What pitch range should I have in 'Normal' mode CLICK HERE
12 Which way should the tail slider move ? CLICK HERE
13 What is meant by setting it all up with perpendicular links ? CLICK HERE
14 Why is the Interceptor not CCPM ? CLICK HERE
15 How do you set up the standard G1000 gyro ? CLICK HERE
16 Can I fit a 'better' head/tail to my Interceptor ? CLICK HERE
17 How do you set up the 'Soft Start' in the ESC ? CLICK HERE
18 Which way should the main rotor head turn ? CLICK HERE
19 How do you know if your tail blades are correctly setup ? CLICK HERE
20 What pitch should I have at 1/2 throttle in Normal Mode ?

CLICK HERE
21 What pitch should I have when the helicopter is just ready to take off ?

CLICK HERE
22 How/Why do I set the pitch to zero at mid throttle as I keep seeing mentioned ?

CLICK HERE
23 What are the various lever arms on the head called ?

CLICK HERE

 

Table B - Esky Belt CP
1 How do you change the mainshaft ?

CLICK HERE
2 How do you change the Feathering shaft ?

CLICK HERE
3 How do you set the tension of the tail drive belt ?

CLICK HERE
4 Which way should the tail rotor turn ?

CLICK HERE
5 How do I change the direction of rotation of the tail rotor ?

CLICK HERE
7 How do I change the main gear ?

CLICK HERE
8 How do you set up the standard Esky HH gyro ?

CLICK HERE

 

Table C - General
1 What exactly is the Idle Up, or Devils switch ?

CLICK HERE
2 How do I balance the main rotor blades ?

CLICK HERE
3 How do I use a pitch gauge ?

CLICK HERE
4 What throttle setting should I be at when the helicopter takes off ?

CLICK HERE
5 Why does the helicopter go left and backwards on take off ?

CLICK HERE
6 Why is head speed important when I am hovering ?

CLICK HERE
7 What is the difference between CCPM and NON CCPM ?

CLICK HERE
8 Where do I add weight to a main blade when balancing them ?

CLICK HERE
9 Why does my helicopter "nod" when it is hovering ?

CLICK HERE
10 Can I use different types/makes of servo to control my CCPM swash plate ?

CLICK HERE
11 What size of helicopter should I buy to learn with ?

CLICK HERE
12 Have you done your FAIL/SAFE setup - it is really CRUCIAL that you do so ?

CLICK HERE

 

Table D - Radios
1 I keep hearing that the Esky radio is not very good - Why is this ?

CLICK HERE
2 Why should I spend lots of money on a 'decent' radio like the Spektrum DX6i ?

CLICK HERE
3 What should I look for when I want to move up to a 7 or more channel radio ?

CLICK HERE
4 How can I make my helicopter less twitchy using the radio ? 

CLICK HERE
5 What is Expo for, and how does it work ?

CLICK HERE
6 I have 2 servos to control the ailerons on my helicopter, but my radio only provides a setting for one of them - what goes on ?

CLICK HERE
7 What are Dual Rates all about ?

CLICK HERE
8 My radio does not have an Idle up setting - what goes on ?

CLICK HERE
9 What is the Throttle Hold Switch for ?

CLICK HERE
10 Help, I don't understand what these swash plate types are all about ?

CLICK HERE
11 What are the swash plate settings use for ?

CLICK HERE
12 I am not sure how to set BOTH ends of the Travel Adjust in my radio ?

CLICK HERE
13 What are the MIX settings for ?

CLICK HERE
14 Is it true that 2.4Ghz radios cannot be affected by outside interference ?

CLICK HERE
15 Can I use rechargeable batteries in my transmitter (Tx) ?

CLICK HERE
16 I hear about the Tx switches being On or Off, but which way is which ?

CLICK HERE
17 Can you use the same type of receiver with different transmitters ?

CLICK HERE
18 What are each of the channels on the receiver used for on a helicopter ?

CLICK HERE
19 What is meant by hover pitch and hover throttle trims on a radio ?

CLICK HERE
20    

 

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THIS SITE IS MOSTLY NON COMMERCIAL AND IS FUNDED BY DONATIONS OF ALL TYPES FROM OTHERS IN THE RC HELICOPTER FRATERNITY.  MY THANKS GO OUT TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTE WITH IDEAS, INFORMATION, HELI PARTS OR EVEN CASH DONATIONS TO HELP WITH THE COSTS OF HOSTING & MAINTAINING THE SITE