Whoops!

Everybody crashes once in a while learning to fly RC helicopters (with all due respect to RADD). Even experienced fixed-wing RC pilots remark that heli's are another world. Attempting new, more difficult maneuvers or 3-D aerobatic tricks are liable to result in crashes. And component and electronic failures take their toll. We do our best to stay in the air, but sooner or later repairs are necessary.

RC helicopter pilots are expert mechanics. We get familiar with all of the parts on our machines and how they go together. We keep spares on hand that we know we will need and tools and materials to get back in the air. Procedures become familiar and we find faster ways to do them. The section on Adjustments gives you a short but meaty list of tools and materials you will need.

Keep your old and broken parts. Amazing things can be done with old parts, parts of parts, and miscellaneous screws, bolts, nuts, washers, and bearings. All carbon fiber (CF) rods ought to be kept—including training sticks when you no longer use them. I keep a stock of clear plastic sheets from product packaging that I use to reinforce broken parts that are glued back together. Metal and plastic tubing—cheap ball point pen bodies! (for fixing CF tail booms)—insulated and plain wire, are a few of the materials that are good to have on hand.

This web site covers a few basic, commonly-needed repairs because model information sheets and the rare booklet do not tell you how to fix your helicopter. True, the parts are right there to be seen, and in time you will realize it is fairly easy to take them apart and reassemble them, even the rotor head. But the in's and out's can occasionally be tricky. If you don't see what you need on this web site, take advantage of the combined experience of your fellow helicopter nuts. Click on 'Info on the Web' to see links to RC helicopter web sites that abound with technical information. If you need to know something that isn't already covered you can ask—start your own discussion thread—and RC helicopter pilots from all over the world will do their best to help you.

Pretty soon you will become experienced at flying and fixing your heli, and while browsing RCgroups will read of a new pilot wondering what to do—and you will share your experience to help her or him get back in the air.

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