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| The flybar
on an rc helicopter complements the direct control movements that are sent through the mixing levers from the swashplate. The flybar tilts
to aid in the control force transmitted to the pitch arms that feather the main blades.
The flybar also contributes to the stability of the helicopter. It does so by
allowing the body of the helicopter to tilt slightly under the moving rotor disk (as in
the event of a wind gust) without disturbing the rotor from its plane of motion. |
 At each end of the flybar is a flybar paddle. Pitch changes in the flybar paddles
tilt the flybar. The control outputs of the flybar are mixed with control outputs
from the swashplate to ultimately make pitch changes to the main blades.
A longer flybar will transmit more powerful control
forces to the main blades. Putting more weight on the outer ends of
the flybar will aid in stabilizing the helicopter, but it will also soften your control
movements. You can improve your roll and pitch rate response by getting lighter
paddles. Conversely, using heavier paddles would be more suited for
beginners and hovering only flyers. |
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| To turn the large main rotor of a helicopter you need a lot of torque.
To hold the helicopter steady so that you can apply this torque effectively most
helicopters use an anti-torque rotor, also known as the tail rotor. The tail rotor is also used to
control the yaw rate of the helicopter in flight. |
 Along with the tail
rotor, most all rc helicopter flyers will use a gyroscopic stabilizer (gyro). The gyro will take control of the
tail somewhat like an automatic pilot. It will dampen out wind gusts and changes
main rotor torque that affect the yaw attitude of the helicopter. In this respect
the gyro will relieve you of having to concentrate too much on holding the tail steady.The
amount by which the gyro tends to dampen out unwanted elements can be adjusted by
the gyro's gain control. Increasing the gain will increase the gyro's control over
the tail rotor (increased dampening of torque changes and wind gusts). Decreasing
the gain will decrease the gyro's authority over the tail rotor, hence you will have to
watch the tail more to keep it under control. |
 All
these flight commands and controls are done by way of servo
motors. These are susceptible to vibration so it is advisable that
you have a proper setup free from any unnecessary vibration that could destroy your radio
equipment and your helicopter. |
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