Air Land Sea Hobbies

Helicopter rides are a huge part of the tourist industry in many places across the world. Some of the most notable locations are the Grand Canyon and Hawaii. Tourists can experience the gaping chasm of the Grand Canyon up close and personal with a helicopter ride, as you lower towards the bottom for a thrilling ride. And helicopters offer a truly unique experience because they offer this intimate experience as well as a more general overhead view. On the Hawaiian front, you can get this close and distant view of waterfalls, rainforests, and ocean scenery.

The only downside with these tours is that they’re not exactly wallet friendly. That is to say, they are usually extremely expensive. And unless you’re taking a helicopter trip in a foreign country where you receive a favorable exchange rate, it can simply not be feasible for many people. But if you still want to experience helicopters for a lot less cost, just look into purchasing a remote control helicopter. You won’t get to know what the ride itself feels like, but you will get the thrill of being the pilot. And that’s not something you can get out of any helicopter tour!

For some reason, adults are prone to believe that playing and having fun is something that should be done exclusively by children. There is this belief that you must grow up, mature, get a job, and stop messing around. But where’s the fun in that? Adults would be a lot happier in their day to day lives if they just loosened up a bit and learned to have a little fun again. Everyone was a carefree, happy go lucky kid at one point or another. And it’s not really that difficult to learn how to become that kid again.

Just invest some time and effort into a silly hobby. No matter what it is, just make sure it makes you smile. Maybe you used to love video games. If that’s the case, pick up a remote controller again, and help Mario save the Princess from the clutches of evil Koopa. Or maybe you have always loved airplanes. Purchase several RC planes and feel the stress dissolve as you stand in your backyard doing graceful loops or crazy tailspins. Whatever your interests, there’s sure to be something that puts a smile on your face after a taxing day at the office.

Setting up a radio for an electric powered airplane should be simple. I recently helped a friend get his radio set up to run a Electronic Speed Controller, to control his electric motor properly. I had run the motor, ESC, and battery combination on my bench and it worked perfect. After it was installed in a large EP airplane he set his throttle trim by it’s built in computer to the minimum throw.  One would think this is proper, but the ESC would not respond.

The ESCs sold by AirLandSeaHobbies.com have a built in safety feature that the throttle stick and trim lever need to be in the lowest possible position when you turn everything on, if this isn’t done the electronic speed controller will not allow the motor to start. What we found was that you need to set your throttle trim in the radios computer program to it’s maximum throw, that in reality lowers the setting. After making these changes the power system worked flawlessly in the plane as it did on my work bench.

Safety first, may your landings not bounce.

RC helicopter piloting is one of the most enjoyable activities in the RC world, but there are a few safety precautions every pilot needs to know.  First of all, it’s important to check wind conditions in the area; sometimes it can feel like it’s not windy on the ground because it’s a sheltered area, when in actuality there can be a strong current twenty or thirty feet above.  It’s also important to fly in an open area away from rooftops, trees, and power lines.  Make sure you don’t let your electric RC helicopter get too far away from you, even if the range of the radio allows it.  You should also be aware of other RC helicopter or airplanes in the area (though depending on where you are this can be quite uncommon). 

Taking these safety precautions will ensure an enjoyable and safe RC helicopter experience.  If you are piloting near trees, even if it’s just a few shorter ones, always be prepared to climb; a boat hook can also be an invaluable tool.