Radio Controlled Model Helicopters

This page is dedicated to US Army Major Rhonda Cornum. Major Cornum is a helicopter driver and army flight surgeon. During the Gulf War, she was shot down over enemy territory and was captured. Her inspiring story is contained in the book, She Went To War (Presido Press, ISBN 0-89141-507-6). For more information about Rhonda Cornum, visit these links...

Flying a helicopter has been described as being similar to patting you head and rubbing your belly at the same time (try it!). There is very little that is intuitive about the task. It is just something that must be practiced over and over and over. Flying a radio controlled helicoper is probably even more difficult since you are not inside the helicopter. But WOW, is it ever thrilling. To be able to make these little beasts hover and go where you want them brings a very deep sense of accomplishment. It is no a sport to enter if you give up easily...

I fly mostly X-Cell brand helicopters. They are very well designed and made by a company of hardcore RC Helicopter entusiasts. Their products have repeatedly won the world championships.

The sport really has two aspects. Flying and building. To fly model helicopters you must become an expert helicopter mechanic. There is really no way around this. These little helicopters need constant maintenace - and then there is crash repair. There are very, very few RC Helicopter Pilots that have not experienced severe crashes. "If you ain't crashin' you aint tryin'!"

Pictured above is one of my X-Cell 60s with a custom body. No, I do not fly it very often. I have put too much work into the body. But it is pretty!