How to Fly a 3-D RC Helicopter

Three-D RC helicopter controllers consist of at least four controlling joysticks. One controls the pitch, another controls the throttle, another controls the rudder, and the last one controls the cyclic pitch. The pitch settings are measured in degrees. The throttle settings are measured in percentages. The rudder setting is one of three positions: high, middle or low. The cyclic pitch determines the direction, forward, backward, right or left, of the flight. Combining the four control settings allows 3-D flight. Flying a 3-D RC helicopter takes practice to master.

• 1

  Set the rudder control position to high, the throttle control to 100 percent and the pitch control to between positive 9 and 11 degrees to lift off the ground.

• 2

  Set the rudder control position to the middle, the throttle to 90 percent and the pitch control to 0 degrees to hover.

• 3

  Set the rudder control to low, the throttle control to 100 percent and the pitch between negative 8 and 10 degrees to lower and land the plane.

• 4

  Adjust the cyclic pitch joystick to the front, back, left or right to move the plane. The angle of the cyclic pitch does not determine how fast it moves in the direction but the angle at which it moves in that direction.