I am going to assume that if you found yourself here, then you are a novice, or beginner with radio controlled helicopters. So, I will give all the information you will need to chose the correct heli for you. I will also tell you what to stay away from. If you haven't noticed yet, you will soon discover that there are more types, styles, sizes, prices, colors, etc... of helicopters, and knowing what to get can be very confusing, and if you aren't careful, you could get something that doesn't work, or you may end up with something too advanced which would only discourage you from trying any further. So, let me start at the very beginning and explain how these things work. It is important to know this, so you can decide what you want to do with it. If you already know how a helicopter flies, then skip to the next paragraph.
First of all, if you are the type who just wants the 'in-a-nut-shell' version, then feel free to skip to the end of each paragraph were it says 'nutshell', and that way you can skip all the boring details. Also, please refer to the figure bellow while reading this paragraph. There are two common types of RC helicopters to choose from: co-axial, or conventional (that may be my term). The co-axial helicopter has two main rotors to produce lift, while the conventional (or single rotor) only has one main rotor to produce lift. The single rotor design must have a tail rotor to counter-act the torque from the main rotor. In other words, if there was no tail rotor, the helicopter would spin in the opposite direction of the main rotor disc. So, the tail rotor (which is much smaller than the main rotor, and blows sideways instead of up and down) blows air to push the tail against the torque. If we increase the tail rotor blowing, then the heli will turn in the same direction of the main rotors. If we decrease the tail rotor blowing, then the heli will turn in the opposite direction of the main rotors. The amount of blowing can be changed by either changing the speed of the rotor, or changing the pitch of the rotor blades. So far so good? Now, the co-axial. Since there are now two main rotors (spinning in opposite directions), there is no torque. So how do we turn the heli? By changing the torque of the two rotors. Do I always answer my own questions? yes. So, if we increase the torque of the top rotor, and decrease the torque of the lower rotor, then the lift will be the same, but now the heli will rotate in the direction of the lower rotor. Think about it this way: If the top and bottom rotor are spinning the same, then they each hold one half of the total torque (each rotor spinning at 50%). If we send 100% of the torque to the top rotor, and completely stop the lower rotor, then the torque of the top rotor will cause the heli to spin the other direction. So we can vary the torque to control the turning of the heli in either direction. (by the way, this is called 'yaw'). So we have up and down and yaw, now let's talk about side to side and forward and backward. Some can do this and some can't. There are two options for moving a helicopter forward or backward. In a single rotor design, this is either done with a swash plate that is moved by servos and is part of the main rotor disk. When we tilt the swash plate, we in turn, tilt the rotor disk, moving the heli in that direction. (more detail on this later). OR, if there is no swash plate, the only way to move forward is to add weight to the nose of the heli. In this case, there is no way to go backward. In a co-axial, it is pretty much the same way. On one heli I had, made by AirHogs, there were actually two fans on the side of the fuselage to push the heli forward or backward. If the heli does not have a swash plate, then the heli cannot move side to side (sideways to the left, or sideways to the right). I know this is a long paragraph, but hang in there, it's almost over. We just need to talk about the swashplate. So, there can be a swashplate on any type of heli, but the way it works depends on if the heli is fixed pitch, or collective pitch. Fixed pitch basically means that the pitch of the main rotor blades is at a fixed angle. This is on all co-axis and some single rotor helis. The outer part of the swash plate is connected to the servos (either one, or two, or three) and does not rotate with the rotor. It is tilted by the servos, in order to tilt the rotor disk. The inside of the swashplate rotates with the rotor disk and is connected to the blades, or rotor head, or fly bars. The end result is that the rotor disk tilts in order to move the heli. If it tilts forward, the heli flies forward; same for backward, or left side or right side. Now, on a collective pitch heli, the swashplate can also move up and down. This will either increase the pitch, or decrease the pitch of all of the blades at the same time. This will increase or decrease lift, and on some helis (3D), the pitch can be reversed to allow it to fly inverted.
*NUT SHELL*
1. There are two basic choices for a heli. (co-axial or single rotor)
A.) co-axial
1) with a swash plate can move forward, backward, side to side, rotate, and go up and down (these would be 4 channel. If it says 3 channel, then the swash plate will only move it forward and backward, and not side to side)
2) without a swash plate can move up and down, rotate, and if it has a fan on the tail, then it can go forward and backward.
B.) single rotor
1) fixed pitch with a swashplate can do the same as a co-axial with a swashplate (again, 4 channel)collective pitch does all the same, but may fly inverted (this would be 6 channel)
2) without a swash plate (would always be a fixed pitch), and can only fly up, down, rotate, and could fly forward if weight is added to the nose
So the first decision you need to make is co-axial or single rotor. If you are a complete beginner, and are not familiar with helicopters or radio controls, then I would highly recommend a co-axial. Co-axials are more stable and easier to fly. Now, if all you want to do is fly around the house on occasion and you have no desire to do any more than that, then I would recommend a palm sized 3 channel co-axial. These are available from about $30 to $100. They do not have a swash plate and most of them are fairly crash friendly (not many parts break). Please stay away from the ones at your local pharmacy or convenience store that sell for $19.99 and does not have a brand name on it. These are pure crap. If you are lucky, it will work and fly out of the box, and if you are really lucky, then it will last about 2 weeks. Even if it does work, you don't really have much control of it. You merely make a suggestion on what you want it to do, and it does what it wants. A better choice would be something made by Air Hogs. They do much better, and there are a lot to choose from. I would also highly recommend the Propel Gyropter. That is a very easy heli to fly around the house, and mine lasted for about two years. It lists for about $80, but I got it on sale for $40. If you want something bigger, then you may want to check out the UDI R/C helicopter series. The U23 (for example), has a 535mm main rotor diameter, and is very crash resistant, and flies very well for what it is. One thing to keep in mind, is that these are not classified as a hobby grade model; they are toys. And the battery is not meant to be replaced (on most of them). When your battery stops holding a charge, you have three choices: 1) throw it away and buy a new one 2) replace the battery, but this requires soldering skills and finding a replacement battery online, or 3) give it to me (I need parts). If you want to stay in this group of helis, but you want a hobby grade heli, then I would recommend something like an E-flite Blade mcx. (By the way, here is a list of some common acronyms: m=micro, cx=co-axial, fp=fixed pitch, cp=collective pitch). If you want a little bigger (maybe to fly outside on a calm day) then go with something like an E-flite Blade cx2, or E-Sky KOB. I can tell you that these are great flying helis, they are 4 channel, but if you crash it, you can expect to have to replace something.
*Nut Shell*
Start out with a co-axial. When you are familiar with how to control it, then move up to a fixed pitch single rotor, then eventually collective pitch. The T-Rex series are great, but require some mechanical abilities to set it up for flight. Do not spend less than $30, or you will probably be very disappointed. If you have no desire to tinker, or fix anything, then buy a 3 channel from a toy store.
Your next choice is whether to go electric or gas. This may be a no brainer if you truly are a novice. All of the cheaper co-axials are going to be electric, so there basically is no choice. If you are moving up to a single rotor, then you could go either way. Electric would be quieter, easier, and cheaper. So why would anyone use gas? For one thing, the electric batteries could take anywhere from 30 min to 2 hr to charge, and then you can only fly for about 7 to 15 minuets. So if you want to go out and fly all day, then you need several batteries, which can get very expensive. Gas on the other hand, is loud and sometimes getting the motor to run correctly can be tedious. However, a gallon of fuel can last a very long time. You don't have to wait forever for batteries to charge. If you plan on being a serious professional heli pilot, then gas may be the way to go for you.
Size may be another issue for you. Keep in mind that size has nothing to do with price. There are some big helis out there that are very cheap, and some small ones that are very expensive. The price has to do with the controllability, the quality of the electronics, and mechanisms, and usually number of channels. If you plan on doing more outdoor flying, then bigger is better. If you are in a small house with a small back yard, then smaller is better.
Color. Your choice. I don't care.
Just a few more things to consider:
1) Try to avoid helis that charge the battery from the transmitter. They work, but it's a hassle. If you can get one with a removable battery and wall addapter charger, is a better way to go.
2) Typiccaly, the term 3D means 6 channel and it can fly inverted. Some manufactures will use the term 3D to say that it is 3 channel. Don't ask me why, I don't know. Just be careful.
3) Avoid the impulse buy. The first price you see is probably not the best price you see. shop around.
Finally, before you commit and buy one, do your research. Read as many reviews as you can, and better yet, try to find a video online of one in flight. Ask any friends that have helis for there recommendations. Also, join a forum. As a member of a forum (and there are plenty to choose from if you do a quick search. Helifreak is good) you can ask thousands of people who have been where you are and can give great advice. Like I said, there are hundreds of helis out there, I cannot test them all and tell you which one is the best for you. I can only recommend what I have experience with. If you are concerned about spending a small fortune on something and crashing it, then maybe you should buy an r/c tank. Still want something that flies? Then I can also highly recommend the air swimming fish. These are helium filled fish shaped balloons with an r/c flipper tail to swim around your house. These things are awesome! Just make sure all ceiling fans are off (don't ask me how I know).
Good luck with what you choose, I hope this has been helpful, and please e-mail me with any questions.
