Specifications

Chapter 9. Transmitters

9.1. Suitable helicopter transmitters

You can fly some helicopter with a simple four-channel radio, but you will be limited to the fol-

lowing helicopters:

• Piccolo FP and clone with any Piccoboard

• Hummingbird with onboard mixer board with any gyro

• Corona with heading hold gyro with no remote gain (e.g. GY240)

• ECO 8 with mechanical mixing with any gyro

(deprecated - not recommended due to sluggish response)

Ideally, you want a better radio with at least six channels and some or all of the following fea-

tures:

• No throttle detents ("notches")

Most airplane versions of radios have "clickers" which will only allow a fixed number of

throttle positions instead of a completely linear throttle position. This is very annoying when

flying helis because the perfect throttle position for hovering is usually between two throttle

click positions so you wind up fiddling with the throttle and bobbing up and down. Airplane-

style radios can be converted to remove the notches by "flipping over" the metal arm which

touches the joystick detents, but it's nicer if the radio is already configured for a helicopter.

• Exponential

This will allow you to make the helicopter cyclic less sensitive around the center, which will

help you learn hovering more quickly. After you develop a delicate touch, you may want to

reduce the amount of exponential.

• 5 point throttle/pitch curves (or better)

When flying a collective pitch helicopter, you will want a constant headspeed from a little

below hovering up to full throttle. This is difficult to do with a three-point throttle pitch curve,

and a five point curve is better.

• Throttle hold switch

This is a basic safety feature. It will prevent the helicopter from spooling up if a gust of wind

pushes your shirt over the throttle stick or you accidentally bump it with your hand.

• 90 and 120 CCPM swashplate support

(See Chapter 31, Glossary for a definition of CCPM)

Most helicopter nowadays use 90 or 120 CCPM swashplate modes. If your transmitter

does not support these modes, then you will not be able to fly them.

• Idle-up support

(See Chapter 31, Glossary for a definition of Idle-up Mode )