After the 3-channel, micro co-axial electric helicopters, fixed-pitch 4-channel models are generally considered the easiest for beginners to fly. However, they can still be tricky to learn.

For a start, the pitch in this instance refers only to the altitude control, i.e. the angle of the main rotor. In fixed-pitch helicopters, lift is attained by means of the throttle alone. In collective pitch, it is a combination of throttle and rotor adjustment. But the directional or cyclic controls are the same for both.

For fixed-pitch RC helicopters the radio controls are as follows:

One channel controls the speed of the main rotor and the speed of the tail rotor where it is belt or shaft driven.

The second channel controls the pitch of the tail rotor, and/or its speed where it is driven by a separate motor. This stops the helicopter spinning by torque effect. It also turns the helicopter left or right, so is often termed the rudder control.

The third channel controls the forward and back movement, or cyclic pitch.

The forth channel controls the side-to-side movement, or cyclic roll.

Although fixed-pitch electric helicopters have one less control, much of the piloting remains the same. However, a lack of rotor adjustment does give them a serious disadvantage over their collective-pitch counterparts: they are notoriously slow to respond to throttle control, which makes it impossible to perform advanced moves. Even in simple hovering, responsiveness is of the essence for success.

This is because the weight of the rotor assembly causes inertia (when speeding up) or momentum (when slowing down). Although this can be compensated in CP electric helicopters, there is no such adjustment available on fixed-pitch aircraft.

This makes hovering tricky. The pilot accelerates to a certain level so he can hover, and then closes the throttle down. But momentum carries the craft on upwards. Then, when it does begin to drop, inertia means it is slow to respond to the increased power needed to keep it airborne. Instead of smooth acceleration and a steady hover, the pilot ends up performing a series of ‘bunny hops.’ Taking the helicopter into a turn from this position requires even more skill, and a training rig is essential to avoid expensive crash landings. Perhaps it is just as well that fixed-pitch helicopters are not capable of advanced aerobatics such as inverted flying.

Fixed-pitch RC helicopters are certainly a worthy introduction to single rotor flying and are generally cheaper on parts than their collective-pitch equivalents. However, if you are planning to fly outdoors, it might be best to start how you mean to go on, and invest in a collective-pitch model. There really isn’t that much more involved.

For those who have decided upon a single-rotor helicopter it seems the answer has got to be yes. Whether it is belt-driven, or driven by its own separate motor, that tail rudder is tricky enough in itself, without having to add collective-pitch to the mix.

Yet for every person saying that fixed-pitch choppers are easier than collective-pitch, there is someone else saying the opposite.

It is certainly true that, for beginners who intend to follow their hobby to its max, collective-pitch RC helicopters are best. Although learning the basics takes longer, there is no tricky switching of techniques and both they and their machine will “grow” together. As far as crashes go, these can be minimised by use of a training kit. It’s worth remembering, too, that whilst it is possible to “steer” a stalled CP helicopter back to earth, there is no such option for a fixed-pitch machine. They fall out of the sky like a sack of potatoes.

But many an absolute beginner has never gone further than taking their 6 Channel bird out of its box; flawed at the outset by the complicated sequence of controls needed for even the simplest of manoeuvres. An obvious plus to fixed-pitch electric helicopters, therefore, is the number of channels – 4 as opposed to 6.

But flying isn’t just about twiddling knobs. It’s about how RC helicopters respond to those twiddles and, unfortunately, this is where fixed-pitch electric helicopters come unstuck. The next article will look at this in more detail.

Radio control helicopters are divided into two types: twin rotor (co-axial), and single rotor models. Single rotor RC helicopters are further divided into fixed pitch and collective pitch models.

It is generally accepted that co-axial RC helicopters are the easiest for beginners to get to grips with. The 3 channel models in particular, are a great way to learn the basics of flying. They can also be addictive fun - the Salvation 12 Combat Helicopter kit comes complete with infrared missile launchers and sound effects! The reason these little electric helicopters are so easy to fly, is because they lack a tail rudder. But why is this?

The physics of helicopter flight is governed by torque. Simply put, this refers to the force applied to the helicopter body by the turning rotor. Above a certain level, the power of the rotor will cause the helicopter to turn in the opposite direction – unless a secondary force is applied.

In radio control helicopters, this is done in one of two ways; either a contra-rotating blade on the central axis (co-axial) or a vertically mounted tail rotor (single rotor) It is that tail-mounted rudder (as it is often called) that makes flying most RC helicopters such hard work; even fixed-pitch models need a minimum of 4 channels, and balancing the two rotors whilst manoeuvring the chopper through its paces is no easy task.

In contrast, piloting a 3 Channel co-axial is simplicity itself. The two rotors work together, so in this way the controls are just like those of single rotor RC helicopters. But with no tail rudder to worry about, the pilot can concentrate on perfecting their up/down, left/right and forward/backward manoeuvring.

Or, of course, concentrate on shooting Junior out of the sky.

The hover is an essential skill for any RC helicopter pilot to learn. Yet although it looks simple, it is the most difficult of all techniques to master. Considering how easy it is to write-off an electric helicopter, and that even simple landing can be fraught with difficulty for the beginner, it is false economy not to invest in a basic training rig.

There are two types of training kit for radio control helicopters. The first is a stand, where the chopper is anchored in place whilst in operation. This is a good choice for indoor flying as it is not going to crash into anything. However, some people have reported cases of damage to their craft, and even personal accidents when RC helicopters have come adrift during flying.

A better option is the purchase of a training undercarriage. Most beginner pilots, working without a training kit, find it impossible to prevent the RC helicopter from tipping over whilst hovering. The kit provides a floating “cushion” of support, stabilising the craft by providing a larger surface area than the landing “skids” provide, and spreading the load over a much larger area. It also provides a buffer in case of crashes.

Because the craft is being flown in a natural manner, users prefer undercarriage kits to training stands. They are quick to install and remove, cheap to buy, and novices can master all sorts of techniques, from simple landing to advanced “nose-in” hovering. When they return to conventional flying, they invariably find their electric helicopters a whole lot easier to handle.

Training kits are available for all types of RC helicopters, from micro co-axials to large CP machines. The most common design is a set of crossed sticks with soft balls at the ends, which is attached to the undercarriage with cable ties. There is no need to remove the skids. Although the balls are designed to stop the sticks digging into soft ground, the best operating surface is a solid one.

Just as with their full size cousins, RC helicopters depend on a combination of factors to remain airborne, and to perform intricate manoeuvres. For this reason, radio control helicopters – in particular, the collective-pitch type - are the most difficult of all RC models to operate properly, and the easiest to crash when first starting out. We all know how difficult it is to fly a full-size helicopter, and models are no different!

A helicopter relies on a combination of pitch and throttle power to fly. Depending on the model, this can include the main rotor pitch, cyclic pitch and tail rotor pitch. Some radio control helicopters (the co-axials) have two counter-rotating blades on the central axia, and no tail rotor. With others (fixed-pitch craft) the central rotor is not adjustable, although the tail rotor can be adjusted.

Both co-axial and fixed-pitch craft have fewer moving parts to operate, and thus are easier to fly. The downside of this is that they are less responsive than collective-pitch helicopters. They are also restricted in manoeuvrability, unable to perform the 3D stunts that make owning RC helicopters so much fun. Nonetheless, the co-ordination needed to successfully operate a CP helicopter can be daunting to beginners.

When you consider that the 4 operations on a simple 4-channel CP control are: collective pitch, forward/back cyclic pitch, side to side cyclic pitch and rear rotor pitch – and that is before we have even touched the throttle - it is hardly surprising that beginners look for anything that might make their job easier!

Although helicopters are available in Nitro, gas and petrol powered formats, RC electric helicopters are one of the most popular choices. They are light, easy to fly, and the best for beginners.

Here, we will describe the various electric helicopters available, so you can choose what is best for you. The first thing to decide is – do you want to buy a RTF (ready to fly) part-built, or full kit model? In many ways the kit form is best, as building your own machine allows you to “see” deep into the workings of it. At some time you may need to repair or replace components and this is far easier to do if those components were first installed by yourself.

However, not everyone is mechanically minded or has the time to build from scratch. In this case, a part-built kit is the answer. In these, the main body is assembled leaving the owner to install the main working parts such as the engine, rotor blades and radio pick-ups. Since these are the parts of an RC helicopter most likely to need attention, this is a good alternative for those wanting to do some of the work themselves.

The third option is, of course, the RTF (ready to fly) electric helicopter. Most of the simple, palm-sized models are of this type. For the true beginner, this would seem to be the obvious choice. However, ready-built doesn’t necessarily mean easy to fly! There are other things to consider, such as the number of channels and whether the craft is fixed or collective pitch.

The ease of piloting your aircraft is governed by the number of channels the radio transmitter has. Each channel performs a certain function, thus the more channels there are, the more functions you have to control. RC helicopters are available as 3, 4, and 6 channel craft. Although it is possible for a beginner pilot to learn a 6 channel operation, it is best to start with 3 or 4 channels.

3 Channel electric RC helicopters are the easiest of all helicopters to fly. They are all only suitable for indoor use. The 3 channels control fore and aft (backwards/forwards) motion, up and down, and left spin/right spin. Popular with children and adults alike, they are an excellent introduction to the world of RC flying.

The 4 channel RC Helicopters have the above 3 functions, plus the ability to fly left or right. For many reasons these are a favourite for beginners as, despite their more complicated operation, they are still easy to learn and provide the best route for progression to the most advanced 6 channel RC helicopters. They are still fairly small however, and are best suited for indoor use unless the weather is very calm.

6 channel radio control helicopters are best suited to those with previous RC experience (for example, with fixed wing planes) or people who can confidently fly 4 channel craft. The extra channel allows for far more manoeuvrability and aerobatic display work. Naturally, this makes 6 channel RC helicopters more expensive, and generally only suitable for outdoors work. Beginners are much more likely to have crashes and cause real damage with 6 channel models. Whilst it is tempting to go for the biggest and best you can afford, it is best to work up to these.