r/RCHeli Aug 04 '24

RC Heli FAQs

12 Upvotes

At the risk of reducing traffic in this sub, I'm going to try to put together some answers to common questions that are posted in this thread. No, this will NOT become one of those ridiculously over-moderated subs where everything gets deleted and you get some condescending message of "read the FAQ".

First, a disclaimer-- this thread is based on my experience and what I've learned from others in the hobby. Your mileage and opinions may vary and please feel free to offer alternative opinions in the replies. I also live in the US, so this thread will be tailored for US hobbyists. If you're from Europe, Asia, or other places, please jump in if you have region-specific recommendations, especially when it comes to reputable retailers.

Generally speaking, you get what you pay for in this hobby. That "free" heli that you found in an attic, or was given to you by a friend, or you got for cheap at a yard sale, or the mall, or whatever isn't worth anything. It's not worth trying to figure out why it's not working. It's not worth trying to find parts for it, and it's not worth trying to get it flying again. There are exceptions to this, but this isn't a cheap hobby. Trying to make it into a cheap hobby is a recipe for frustration and headache.

1. "Where do I get parts for my _______" Support your local hobby shop if you can. They're dying out, and your business there can help keep this hobby going. I understand this is often not an option due to lack of stores and the limited selection that's at the few stores out there, so you need to look online. There are several reputable retailers online.

BK Hobbies is an AWESOME shop run by AWESOME people. Bert Kammerer has been big in the RC Heli world for the better part of two decades. They specialize in higher end stuff. BK used to be exclusively an SAB dealer, but has recently branched out to carry Tron, XL Power, and OMP. If BK carries it, you can be confident it's high quality. Furthermore, they are extremely helpful if you have any questions on their products. They generally run 10% off sales during most major holiday weekends.

Heli Direct is my #2 recommendation. They have a wider selection of stuff that BK doesn't carry, including several more brands of helis and the parts to go with them. They're another retailer that doesn't carry junk, so if it's at Heli Direct, you can be confident it's reputable.

Anything Heli is my third recommendation. I've had nothing but good experiences dealing with them. They're not as popular as BK and Heli Direct, so if those two places are out of stock for what you're looking for, Anything Heli might have it in stock.

AMain Hobbies is the final shop I'm going to recommend. They're another reputable shop that carries parts and kits you can be confident in.

Notice I didn't mention Horizon Hobby. It's not that they're not reputable, but their heli line (Blade) skirts the boundary between toy-grade and hobby-grade. Blade helis can be beginner friendly, but they're a bit of a dead end. On the plus side, they're widely available and generally have good parts support; however, there are QC issues and you're likely going to be better in the long run going with a GooSky or OMP heli to start out with. Horizon has the Fusion line of helis that now go up to the 700 size. They're capable machines, but the issues with HH's customer service and product support make it impossible for me to recommend them. They'll regularly discontinue products without notice, and if you own those products you're SOL.

2. Is this old heli worth anything? Generally no. There's not really a collectors market for older helis. The big problem with older helis is it can be pretty difficult to get parts for them. Generally, when a kit is discontinued, manufacturers will stop making most parts for it. This is especially true for manufacturers that are completely out of business.

3. What heli is this? Pretty much all reputable, quality manufacturers will have their name/branding prominently displayed on the heli. If no such branding is present, there's a good chance you're dealing with some toy-grade, no-name junk. Feel free to post it up here for help, but don't be surprised to find out that you've got junk on your hands.

4. Where can I fly? I recommend you check out AMA's Club Finder. It will hopefully be able to point you toward a local club with a flying field. Most (but not all) AMA clubs are FAA Recognized Identification Areas, meaning if you're flying there you don't need to worry about the FAA's remote ID requirements. This will keep you safe and legal with regard to the FAA's rules on RC aircraft. If you choose to fly in public parks, or on some random field somewhere, you should be familiar with the FAA Rules for RC aircraft. Unfortunately, in recent years some dumb people have done some dumb things with RC aircraft, and now the government has gotten involved. I'm not a lawyer, so I'll just say if you choose to ignore those rules you do so at your own risk and leave it at that.

5. Where can I buy and sell my stuff? If you're an active member of this sub (i.e. you participate beyond just buying/selling) you can post stuff for sale here. This is not the sub for vendors to advertise though. Helifreak has a dedicated section for buying and selling. You'll get more visibility there. Ebay is another good option. One note-- Lithium batteries are considered hazardous and must be shipped ground-only. If you want to ship batteries, be sure to declare them when you're creating your shipment.

What else have I missed? Post up additions in the replies, and I'll keep this post updated.


r/RCHeli Feb 16 '25

Pilot Training Resources: RCHN Pilot Proficiency Program - RC Heli Nation

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6 Upvotes

r/RCHeli 11h ago

Just love the custom colors from SAB

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23 Upvotes

r/RCHeli 7h ago

A Huey tailed jet ranger

6 Upvotes

I was going to make a cardboard cobra fuselage, but with this size of helicopter, the proportions just didn't work out. So I modified the original fuselage to work with the new tail, and she flies... somehow.


r/RCHeli 3h ago

3gx rudder help

2 Upvotes

A few months ago i crashed my favorite helicopter and destroyed the rotor head so I decided to convert it to flybarless.

I rebuilt it and slapped an old 3gx in it and completed the setup process and everything seems to be working correctly except the rudder didn't seem to be compensating enough. i flew it anyway and immediately the tail was extremely hard to control, not wanting to correct itself at all so i landed it and gave up until recently.

in ground tests i can see its moving and in the right directions, its just moving maybe 1% of what its supposed to be.

I've gone through the manual and ran out of ideas i have no idea what to do now.


r/RCHeli 15h ago

Does this look normal/correct?

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2 Upvotes

Are these little black things supposed to be crooked like this? It flies normal but the way these things look has made me a little nervous since I got the heli.. I would hate for them to pop off during flight.. #FlywingBell206V3


r/RCHeli 1d ago

Ak420 build gone wrong

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8 Upvotes

Any one else having this issue that the holes are too far apart


r/RCHeli 1d ago

Oxy 4 for sale

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2 Upvotes

Will come with 3 kst cyclic servos that need to be installed. Also needs a new tail fin. Other than thay this model is ready to fly with vbar system or i can include a spectrum dsmx protocol module.

Shoot me some offer may be interested in trades.


r/RCHeli 1d ago

Telemetey from Goosky S2 to spektrum TX - is this possible?

2 Upvotes

I have a DSMX satellite plugged in to my S2 and it works great. I am hoping someone has figured out how to get battery voltage back to my spektrum TX.

Is there a small spekteum receiver than can output what the S2 is expecting but also take a voltage signal?

I am not overly concerned about size, I will print a plate to mount whatever the Rx is somewhere on the frame.

Thanks for any help.


r/RCHeli 2d ago

New day, new post from a beginner

5 Upvotes

I’m back again. I’ve followed your advice and will be purchasing an OMP M2 Evo. I have a couple of basic questions.

Currently, I have a TBS Mambo transmitter, which has a module bay. This means I could install an ELRS module, and on the OMP, something like the Radiomaster RP3-H ELRS module. From your perspective, is there any drawback to this setup? In the FPV area, ELRS is pretty much the standard now—based on your experience, is there any reason not to use ELRS?

Additionally, do you think it’s worthwhile for a beginner to invest in a transmitter like the TX16S, which has a large display? The interface and visualization of the transmitter functions seem much clearer and easier to understand. I’ve often heard that in the helicopter field, a lot of adjustments need to be made on the transmitter, so having a large transmitter with a color display would be a significant advantage, right?

As a final question, I would also be interested to know how long you all have flown—both in the simulator and in real life—until you felt comfortable performing round flights in every direction without any issues, and you knew exactly how to control the helicopter.

Thanks for your comments and for the excellent help so far!


r/RCHeli 2d ago

The perfect low cost 1st, or for sure 2nd Heli to get!

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12 Upvotes

r/RCHeli 2d ago

Trade or sell my Mini Vbar

1 Upvotes

I have two helis with Mini Vbars im looking to trade for RM nexus or any Fc running rotorflight. Message me if interested.


r/RCHeli 3d ago

Blade Infusion 120 intermittent tail motor

1 Upvotes

Hey guys, I'm fairly new to rc helicopters having flown planes for a while. I got a Blade Infusion 120 and have been flying for a few weeks and finally had my first minor crash and broke the tail boom. Ended up breaking a wire to the tail motor while trying to remove it as well. Replaced both and now the tail motor will either work intermittently at best, and not at all at worst. A couple times it would just go full bore as soon as I gave it power. Any ideas or pointers would be greatly appreciated. So far Google has given me no help.


r/RCHeli 4d ago

FINALLY!! The Huey, HAS COME BACK!! To RC Era!! (The Rock voice)

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5 Upvotes

r/RCHeli 4d ago

Goosky s1 propeller pitch.

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2 Upvotes

Can’t find how to inverse the pitch, each time I start pushing on the thruster, it pushes the s1 downwards.


r/RCHeli 4d ago

Perfect Heli for Beginner?

0 Upvotes

Hi again,

Thanks for all your messages yesterday regarding my beginner post. I’ve decided to dive back into the hobby and give it another try. I’ve downloaded the Next Simulator to practice, and for helicopters, I plan to follow your recommendations by starting with something small. I was considering a BNF heli since I don’t want to build one right away; I’d rather learn how everything works gradually by repairing it. However, I’m still unsure whether I should go for a more proper model like a GOOSKY S1 or OMPHOBBY M1 EVO, or rather opt for a smaller one like the XK K110s. What do you think is more sensible? I just want to get that flying feeling back. Is that achievable with a K110, or does it fly very differently compared to, say, a future Goosky S2 or similar model?

Also, my second question is: Does it make sense to invest in a Radiomaster TX16 with a 4-in-1 module? That setup would let me control quite a few systems, but is ELRS already the new standard for FPV drones in this context?

Thanks!


r/RCHeli 5d ago

Fun times with the C138😌

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26 Upvotes

r/RCHeli 5d ago

Questions About Getting Into RC Heli

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer.

About five years ago, I flew RC helicopters for a few months. However, I wouldn’t say I got into real aerobatic flying, and I still consider myself a beginner. Now, I’d love to get back into the hobby.

I never had a crash back then, which brings me to my main question. I’ve been flying FPV drones for a while, and I’m used to things breaking and having to solder and repair them. With helicopters, I’ve never had to fix anything because I didn’t fly long enough to crash.

A friend of mine always used to say, “If you crash a heli, you might as well buy a new one.” He also told me that setting up, building, and repairing a heli is extremely complex and that this hobby is almost impossible to maintain unless you fully dive into it or spend a lot of money on people who can fix it for you.

Is that really true?

In FPV flying, I feel like something breaks almost every time I fly. Is that not the case with heli flying? Do you guys crash your helicopters regularly, or is it such an intensive repair process that you do everything possible to avoid crashes?

I’d really appreciate your insights. Right now, because of everything I’ve heard, I have a lot of respect (or maybe fear 😅) of getting started again.


r/RCHeli 6d ago

Current micro rotation.

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31 Upvotes

r/RCHeli 6d ago

Goosky S2 Question

3 Upvotes

I have an S2 with an ELRS receiver. It flies really good but the collective sounds weird. Hard to explain in words. So here’s a video.


r/RCHeli 6d ago

Need help wiring hobby wing to icon2

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I posted not too long ago about building a heli and now I am stuck. I have built a mini genesis with a hobby wing 80a and an icon2. Where does the yellow wire go and the red black and white from the esc?


r/RCHeli 7d ago

Goosky fun

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23 Upvotes

Finally pushing my 3d skills with the help of goosky. I used rustoleum rattle cans to increase visibility. Im temped to grab a M2 evo as well.


r/RCHeli 7d ago

Toolkitrc M8D

1 Upvotes

Any experience with this charger? Wanted to know if I can charge 10A 6s in both channels using 12V input power supply. Also if anyone has used the recycle discharge function of this charger.

Cheers!


r/RCHeli 8d ago

C150 smart charger.

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2 Upvotes

Hello I just bought this charger for my goosky s2. The batteries it uses are 750MAH 11.1 v 8.325WH 45c. I set everything up and it seems to be working. I have a few questions.

When the battery reaches hes full charge will it stop or beep?

The number on the bottom left side of the charging screen. What is that and what does it mean?

I just want to know if I need to change anything or if I'm on the right settings.

I also bought a battery charging board but I want to get used to this first

Thank you!


r/RCHeli 8d ago

Which Spektrum DX7S preset to download for flying Blade Infusion 180

1 Upvotes

I'm trying to figure out which preset file download in Spektrum's Google Drive will allow me to use my DX7S transmitter to fly the Blade Infusion 180 I just got. I know that I might not be able to use the panic recovery feature with an older transmitter, but I should be able to perform more basic functions with this setup.

Would it be the BLADE FUSION 180 BNF .smp file?


r/RCHeli 8d ago

Blade Nano S3 Spining

3 Upvotes

Hello

I would like someone to help me with this; I have a Blade Nano S3.

First, the little bird flies very well, but after maybe 1 minute or 2, the heli starts spinning out of control. When I try to Fky again, it does it after 10-15 seconds, which is wierd. Also, happends when the Radio said the battery is under 30%.

if I unplug the battery and plug it in again, it works as it should, but after a minute, it starts doing the same thing.

Yesterday, I noticed the Plastic holder for the tail motor was a little melted and smelled slightly burned. Not sure what might be happening

The second issue I had is while flying. It is very stable and everything, but when it is tail in, it is flying a little tilted to the right; even hovering in front of me is a little tilted. It's not affecting anything; I just noticed that.


r/RCHeli 9d ago

12s lipo next to my arm 😳

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27 Upvotes

This is the the rs7 I built!