RC Helicopters and Flight Simulators
Learning to fly a remote controlled helicopter is a daunting task. It can also be an expensive proposition what with the crashes. There is another way...
The other way involves using a flight simulator. A personal computer and flight simulator software takes all of the rish out of the initial process. The use of a simulator has the dual purpose of learning the fundamentals. It will also give you a feel for the hobby and help you decide if RC helicopter flying is really something you want to pursue. Using the simulator allows you to crash over and over without risk to an expensive RC model.
Fortunately, there are many flight simulators available. There are commercial versions, for which you would pay a price. There are shareware or free versions that won't cost anything. My suggestion would be to initially try one of the free versions. If it doesn't work or you want something upscale, you can always try a commercial versions. My experience has been that many free versions of software are just as good as those for which you pay a price. Any decent simulator can give you a feel for flying an RC helicopter.
There are many benefits to using a flight simulator software, the most obvious being the fact that you aren't risking damage to a device for which you have paid a dear price while you are mastering the intricancies learning to fly. Simulators can also allow someone that knows flying to improve his skills at flying. If you shop around, you can probably find a simulator that supports the model of remote controlled helicopter you wish to become proficient in flying. Some of them will actually require use of a controller that is specifically designed for the purpose of connecting to your computer. These devices simulate the remote controll transmitter. Another plus for the simulators is being able to fly under many different simulated conditions as well as flying many different models. On most of these, you can adjust the flight parameters under which you fly, such as experiences various simulated malfunctions thus learning recovery.
With the simulator, the weather is always clear and sunny (If you want it to be that way.) Some
simulators have training systems that will let you control different
axes of motion, while the simulator controls the rest. This technique serves to make it much easier for the complete beginner.
Some available simulators include:
- The Dave Brown Products Ratio Control Flight Simulator 2001
- The Great Planes RealFlight R/C Flight Simulator G-3
- The Flying Model Simulator (FMS) - free!
- There are many more versions available. Remember Google is your friend. Do an online search. Many of the ones you find will have user evaluations of the software.
Just as a matter of information, airlines use simulators to train their pilots. Realism is such that a pilot can actually become certified in an aircraft without ever having been in the cockpit! If it is good enough for them, it should be good enough for you. If you are not busy right now, why not google RC helicopter simulators and download one of the free versions and see what this is all about. You want have to invest anything and who knows, you could have some fun flying this simulated radio controlled helicopter.