The RC Helicopter

Leonardo da Vinci created on paper, at least with theany of the modern connivances that make today's
first helicopter, and the very first piloted helicopter wasHelis fly so well and easy. We even had to
invented by Paul Cornu in 1907, however, this designmechanically set the lead/lag of the main blades, until
was not successful. Another Frenchman, Etiennewe just left off 2 of the 3 bolts on the main blades
Oehmichen built and flew a helicopter 1 kilometer inand let them seek there our lead/lag.
1924. An early practical helicopter that flew for aBut the RC Model helicopter matured quickly and by
decent distance was the German Focke-Wulf Fw 61the '80's the RC Model Helicopter could fly quite nicely,
invented by an unknown inventor. (the radio manufacturers started making good
Igor Sikorsky is considered to be the "father" ofHelicopter Radios, the Helicopters themselves had the
helicopters not because he invented the first. He ismodern style Bell/Hiller control system, single point Main
called that because he invented the first successfulBlade attachment for self Lead/Lag and gyros
helicopter, upon which future designs were based.became common place. Direct drive or belt drive tail
So where when did the RC model helicopter begin?rotors still were used.
Well I do not know who is credited with the First RCIn the '80's and '90's the Far East began to create
Model Helicopter, but it was in the 70's that the RCbeautiful Models of all sizes. And the "Ready To Fly"
Helicopter revolution really began.models became common place. The race was one
For the most part, they were all Nitro powered, usingand the things they started doing with the RC
standard Model Airplane engines (40 and .60 size) andhelicopter was only limited by ones imagination.
4-6 channel airplane radios.I would think that this century is know as the "Age of
Using a 4 channel radio to control the 5 functions of aElectrics" and today you can get an Electric Helicopter
model helicopter was quit unique in it challenges andin any size, (small enough to fix it your hand) to 40-60
results. What they did was used a "Y" connector forsize.
the throttle and pitch servo. Then you mechanically setAnd can they ever fly, they are competitive with your
up the throttle and pitch curve on the heli.fuel choppers, only quiet and no smoke, no starting
In the '70's there were 2 basic type of Helis, theequipment needed and are fully 3D capable.
teetering head, fixed pitch and soon after came theSo if you're flying interest lean toward the rotary wings
collective pitch. And just like today, some had directbirds, check out the new electrics. They make then so
drive tail rotors systems while other went with beltsimple today that you can buy one, open the box, and
drive.charge the batteries and fly, even if you have never
The first of these Heli's where hard to fly, had veryflown before!
poor control and lacked any tail gyros, radio mixing or