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Basic Principles of Flight
Moving up and down:
The helicopter moves up and down by varying the speed of its main rotors
(those two big things that spin). You can control how fast these spin by using the left stick on the
controller. Pushing the stick up will increase the throttle.
To get good results, be gentle and subtle. Small adjustments made slowly and carefully are the best way
to get the helicopter to fly well. Be careful when easing off the throttle – if the helicopter stalls (that
is, doesn’t have enough lift to stay in the air) it’ll fall, and might not be able to recover in time, even if
you jam the throttle back on.
Forward, Backwards and Rotation:
The right stick on the controller affects the helicopters direction,
kind of like the right stick on a video game controller.
Pushing the right stick up will pitch the helicopter forwards. Whilst pitched in this way, the main rotors
will push the helicopter along forwards. The opposite is also true – moving the right stick down will
pitch the helicopter backwards and move it in reverse.
You can change the speed of the tail rotor by using the Tail Rotor Speed Select Button.
To rotate the helicopter, move the right stick to either side. This will cause the two main rotors to
change their speeds, causing the body of the helicopter to spin on the spot.
By using the right stick at different angles and positions, you can design and execute some graceful,
arcing turns. On the other hand, quick thrusts of the stick in different directions can create some unique
tricks or stunts. Practice makes perfect!
Trim (Rudder):
If you find that the helicopter is turning slowly left or right when you’re not using the
right stick on the controller, then you’ll need to adjust the trim. The trim knob is located on the side of
the controller, on the right side of the right control stick.
You’ll probably have to do this every couple of flights, but it only takes a moment. Basically, the trim ‘fine-
tunes’ the speed of the rotor blades, and will help keep the helicopter flying straight.
If the helicopter is rotating clockwise (it’s turning right from the imaginary miniature pilot’s perspective)
then turn the trim knob counter-clockwise (left). If the helicopter is rotating counter-clockwise (it’s
turning left from the imaginary miniature pilot’s perspective) then turn the trim knob clockwise (right).
