This probaly sounds like a really stupid guestion, but how do you start and turn off a heli. I saw a couple vids where it looked like it started by itself.

thanks

Was it nitro, electric or turbine?

Electric is pretty obvious and turbine has on board start equipment that can be started with the flick of a switch.

The majority of nitro helis use a hand held electric starter. I would guess that some of the larger models may have been converted to be on board start. This would only be practical in big models where the weight would be less of a factor. I can't see any real benefit of it apart from looking cool.

You sound like your in a hurry? Don't be.

If you don't know how to start it, or shut it down, get help. DO NOT TRY TO START IT YOURSELF! Take it from a guy who started helis when he was a kid, and was in a hurry, and did it without help, and has a short finger to show why you need help. The trip to the hosp isn't worth it. Get help!!!

Oooo nasty.... I havnt started mine yet but im confident to do so when, and not before its all ready...

DarkStaR6

Don't take it for more than it was meant. If someone is asking how to start and shut a heli off, should they really try by themselves? Think about it.

Completly agree.... If I hadnt had nitro rc trucks & planes not to mention completly rebuilding an Yam R6 (hence the name) & a GSXR750 I too would prob be a little nervous about it too... These things may be little but I bet they can still kick your arse!

I never started my Raptor yet either...

When I do, I will have professional help.

To much can go wrong and people can get injured.

Get some professional help. Someone at the field that can show how it is done properly.

If you are getting into this hobby and need help starting or tuning I could help you out, I'm in Kutztown and I fly at Tri-County Wing Snappers and at home. Like I said I can help with starting,tuning,setup, and operation but don't ask me to help you fly because I'm still hovering myself.
Let me know I'll be glad to help.

he dosn't want to hear all your excuses, he wants to know how to start a heli. Just tell to guy.

You just don't get it do you?

Excuse me?, I know what is asking, and if he does start the helicopter on his own and he messes up resulting in a loss finger then that would be his own fault, injury comes with the experence, I just about lost my finger to a .60 "Somthing Extra" yet I still fly it, If you are too afriad to get hurt then you shouldn't be flying. I would tell you but I don't fly helis yet my self. If no one here tells you then just go over and try the nice people at www.scalerchelis.com they will tell you, they know that if you get hurt then it is only from your own stupidity or fault no matter what the AMA says.

,Drew

Okay ladies lets not get our panties in a bunch!

First time I fire mine up, I'm probably going to do so w/o the main blades installed to be sure I have my throttle setup properly. After it looks OK, I'll put the main blades on to provide the proper loading for engine break-in. Don't plan to run it long w/o the blades, just idle it a little and increase RPM enough to see when the clutch kicks in. After the blades are on, I've thought about tying a string to the carb fuel line so I can yank it if something goes haywire...

PKH, tie it down, bolt it to a bench or what ever. Leave the blades on it. Don't take a chance on damaging the gears.

Drew, when you grow up a little, you will understand why we tell people to get help. I too was impatient when I was a kid and took a finger off in my first heli, but that was a very different heli than the have now days. Funny part of that was, the old fart that yelled at me the most for it, took one finger all the way off the next week, and a couple months later ran one into his leg and had to have some major fixing done on his leg. Never thought I would be telling someone to think safety, but I have seen too many kids and adults alike get cut up by these things. It doesn't need to happen and help is easy to get.

Smart people learn from their mistakes.
Wise people learn from the mistakes of others.

Fritz

How will I damage the gears with the blades removed? I thought that the only thing to worry about was getting RPMs too high (with very little loading) and damaging the engine. I just want to be sure my "idle" is fast enough to start it and keep it running, but slow enough to keep the clutch from kicking in. I'd probably do this for all of 30 seconds or so to make sure my idle setting is OK, then kill it, put blades on and start breaking it in.

Thanks!

Do what you like. I just wouldn't run the engine up to speed with no blades on it. Seen it done, don't suggest it. Maybe that isn't what you had in mind.

It will not hurt anything if you do what you are saying, just make sure you are at idle and not full open, and don't forget to watch out for the flybar.

Thanks for the input, guys.

If you catch my other post in the beginner's section, I fired it up for the first time this weekend and did just that. I started it w/o blades, and the idle was low enough to not engage the clutch. I slowly increased throttle until I saw the head start to rotate slowly, and then killed it. I bumped my idle level up a little based on that (original setting was too low and would stall out) and put the blades on.

After I fired it up with the blades on, I realized that as long as I had a firm grip on the blade grip, I had nothing to worry about (it would just stall out if the clutch kicked in).

Got her trimmed out after 2-3 tanks of gas, and hovered for another 4 tanks this past weekend! Man, is this fun! Hard to believe that I built it from bags of parts, and it actually flies! Couldn't have done it without the G2 sim or the advice I got from you guys here in the forum!

cool, where do you fly ?

Just in my backyard, right now! Just changed my avatar to show a photo of me hovering there.

I'm looking into West End Wings flying club about 45 mins north of me, they have several heli guys there...

Where do you fly? I don't think Kutztown is far from Emmaus... maybe your club is closer...

I definitely want to join a club and have a field to fly at... too many trees for me to drift into in my backyard!

My club is in Lenhartsville (Hamburg adress) for you it's about 20 to 25 miles west on I-78. http://www.tcws.org/
or you can check out 222 flying club, they are out by Moslem Springs. about 25 miles 222 (Hamilton St) west.

Fun to get it in the air isn't it. Gotta love the feeling of lifting the new one the first time.