Greetings My Fellow Rotor Heads,

Many of us old timers learned to fly the HARD way ! Having disaster strike your precious chopper is a VERY unpleasant experience.

Here is a list of tips which I dearly hope will keep you in the air and out of the shop.

1. Batteries

Never fly without fully charging BOTH the receiver and transmitter batteries. I have seen many a pilot totaly destroy their chopper due to a bad or low charged battery.

Charge the batteries overnight using a factory charger.Get yourself a Hobbico field charger and volt meter. Check the receiver battery after each flight with a load on the battery. Receiver battery is showing less than 4.8 volt. Place it on the field charger before attempting another flight.The nicads are good for maybe three years and then it is time to replace them. When nicads go bad they will show a good voltage reading when checked but will discharge at a very rapid rate.Batteries are very inexpensive compared to the cost of your chopper.

2. Afterrun oil

When you are finished flying for the day,run some after run oil thru the engine. The little screaming monsters will corrode quickly due to an amount of hydrochloric acid residue.This acid will slowly eat away at the metal innards of your engine if not treated with a good quality oil.When thru for day,remove the glow plug and squirt a small amount of Marvel Mystery Oil into the engine and slowly tun it over with the glow plug out.You use afterrun oil and the little beast will last for 10 years or better !

3. SEE THE SMOKE !

Make sure that you can see some smoke coming out of the chopper. No Smoke ? The engine is running to lean,lean is HOT and you will destroy the engine.Never run your engine too LEAN. You do not see smoke,turn the needle valve out some until you do.

4.HIGH SPEED STARTS!

Developed a checklist before flying. Turn on the receiver. Turn on the transmitter. Check that all linkages are at 90 degrees. DEFINATELY check the throttle linkage for tightness and that it is in the IDLE position BEFORE attempting to start.I forgot to turn on my transmitter once when starting and the engine was wide open. Chopper was screaming and you could smell the clutch liner starting to burn ! This is why you always hold on tightly to the rotor head when starting and do not let it go if you suffer ahigh speed startup. THE BLADES WILL BEAT YOU ! You have a high speed start, jerk the fuel line OFF the carburetor as fast as possible before damage occurs.

5. Fly the NOSE !

The most common problem neophytes suffer from when learning is getting into the deliterious habit of staring at the tail when learning to fly. This is a great way to become totaly disoriented when in the air.NEVER FLY THE TAIL ! ALWAYS WATCH THE NOSE ! Where the nose goes,so goes the chopper.I have a couple of DVD's in my E Bat store for folks who wish for some help to learn to fly a model chopper.

6. Loctite

Use loctite on all the nuts and bolts in your heli which screw or thread into or onto metal. USE THE BLUR LOCKIGHT ! DO NOT USE THE RED! Tyhe RED is for stud and bearing mounts.This stuff will require HEAT to break it loose if you ever need to disassemble model.Use the MEDIUM blue locktite and use just a drop ! Do not smear the nasty stuff ALL over what you are assembling ! A drop will do FINE !

7. TILT

Tilt the heli backwards after flying to drain all the sticky nitro out of the muffler. This will kep the nasty stuff from staining vehicle upholstery or carpet.

8. Hunting or safari vest

Get you a vest which has ALOT of pockets ! Wear it when flying ! When you start the heli, put the glow starter in your vest pocket and you will not drive home and leave it at the field,thus donating it to charity!

9. Blade holders

Foam blade holder on chopper will prevent damage to all your rotor head linkages,they do alot more than just hold the blades.

10.Vibration

You see the heli vibrating or shaking like a dog passing peach seeds ! SHUT IT DOWN ! LAND NOW ! Check the tail and main rotor to see what is broken or loose. This problem WILL NOT cure itself !

Hope these tips help your flying ! You have found this guide helpful,please give it a positive vote !

Have any questions abou model choppers,just give me a message. Check out my E Bay store if you want to see some nice looking models !

Have a great day and many a safe flight !

Rgds, Master Modeler Warehouse