Most RC helicopters have a fly bar, but for you novices what is it? It’s the small bar above or below the rotor blades that looks like its got paddles on the ends. But what does it do?
The fly bar is an essential component of your RC helicopter, it is usually situated under the main rotor blades and helps control the pitch of the main blades and stabilise the helicopter in flight. It does this by taking signals from the swash plate to aid cyclic-changes.
The fly bar is set at a 90° angle to the main rotor blades and stabilises the copter by moving up and down to remain horizontal during cyclic movements. It in fact affects the rotor pitch itself so absorbs any effects from sudden gusts of wind. Even if the chopper tilts, the fly bar will want to stay horizontal which is what provides the compensatory effect to the rotors.
You can usually change the fly bar weight which will in turn affect the stability of the copter. All you need to decide is if you want the copter more stable or more manoeuvrable. All you need to remember is further out, more stable – further in, get ready for aerobatics!