Specifications

Model helicopters have a better power-to-weight ratio than full-size helicopters, so this is
usually not a huge problem, however, it does occur.
Slop
The amount of "free play" in a control system. A common example of this is a door knob. If
you gently twist the doorknob back and forth, you can feel a few degrees of looseness be-
fore the internal mechanism engages. These few degrees of looseness is the sloppiness
or "slop" in the mechanism. Slop can make the helicopter more unpredictable and less re-
sponsive to control input.
Stabilizers
Small plates affixed to a helicopter's tail to force the tail to weathervane and improve for-
ward flight characteristics. Helicopters usually have a vertical stabilizer (to prevent the tail
rotor from touching the ground) and may have a horizontal stabilizer. Aerobatic models will
often have stabilizers with cutouts to reduce the weathervaning effect.
Static tail rotor compensation
Multiplex's term for revo mix.
See also Revo mix/Revo mixing
Stator
The stationary part of a motor. For a brushed motor, this includes the magnets; for a
brushles motor, this includes the motor windings.
See also Rotor
Swashplate
The control mechanism component which mechanically joins the non-rotating control por-
tions to the rotating control portions of the main rotor.
Switchless inverted
An inverted helicopter flying technique (mostly pioneered by Mike Mas) where inverted fly-
ing is done without using a transmitter switch to invert the flight controls. Modern 3D heli-
copter aerobatics are based on the switchless inverted style of flight.
Most modern helicopter transmitters do not have an invert switch. However, some older
transmitter still sold today such as the JR XP8103 and the Futaba 9Z WCII have an invert
switch.
Sub-trim
An auxiliary trim adjustment on many transmitter models which allows trim of controls with
the joystick trim centered. This allows full trim adjustment while flying.
T
Threadlock
See Loctite
Throttle Curve
A transmitter feature which allows adjustment of the translation from throttle stick position
to the throttle channel output so it is not linear. Most transmitters have a three-point or five-
point throttle curve which allows you to set the channel values at the 0%, 50%, 100% or
0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% stick positions. When the throttle stick position is between
two points, the transmitter will linearly interpolate between the two nearest throttle curve
points.
See also Pitch Curve
Glossary
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