Radio Controlled Helicopters - Understanding The Jargon

There are many different terms you will hear or seeWhen you use a collective control technique you will
when you buy a radio controlled helicopter for the firstalter the pitch angle of the blades.
time and fly it. It is important to understand the differentThe yaw is something that needs to be
terms so you can talk to other flyers and have a clearcounterbalanced. This is because the rotor has a
understanding of the terminology.specific action to prevent the helicopter from spinning
One of the terms that you will come across is RTF.in circles uncontrollably. When the tail rotor is mounted
RTF means ready to fly. This term is in reference to aproperly at 90 degrees then this is what prevents the
helicopter that you might purchase on a shelf. If auncontrollable spinning. The yaw is what gives you the
helicopter on a shelf is RTF then it means that you canside to side movement and control over a helicopter.
fly it right out of the box. Many helicopters are not RTFThe servo is something on a radio controlled helicopter
because they are designed for people to put themthat you control directly from your transmitter. There is
together on their own or parts need to be added toa push rod that is small and it responds on the element
the helicopter. An RTF is the best type of helicopter tothat it controls. This allows you to change the distance
buy if you are a beginner. Many people love to putor the angle that the helicopter can travel in. The servo
their own things together because they think that theyallows you to change the flight pattern or position
will know theirs better. This is true but it is best to buystrategically when you are flying your radio controlled
one ready to fly off of the shelf to learn off of.helicopter.
Another term that you will see is cyclic controls. CyclicThere are many terms that you will hear or see when
controls are those controls that allow a helicopter toyou begin flying radio controlled helicopters. It is
move forward/backward and left/right. This motion ofimportant to understand the different terms so you
your helicopter is done by altering the pitch of thecan learn how to properly fly your helicopter. In addition,
primary rotor head. When you manipulate both ofyou should learn these terms so you can talk to other
these controls together you will be able to achieve thehelicopter enthusiasts and know what they are talking
nose down position of a helicopter when doingabout. Many of these terms include words like throttle,
forward flights.collective control, servo, yaw, and more. These terms
The collective control is another term that you will hearare just a few that you will come across as
quite often. This control is what you will use to climbterminology for helicopter enthusiasts.
and descend when starting or landing the helicopter.