Beginners Guide – The Collective Control

To get off the ground a helicopter requires lift, it is the same for an aeroplane. The forces of gravity need to be overcome. The lift for a remote control helicopter is generated by the spinning of the rotor blades. The faster they spin the more lift is generated.

There is another factor that also affects the amount of lift generated, namely the angle of the rotor blades. The angle of the rotor blades is controlled using the collective pitch control. Not all models are fitted with a collective pitch control. The advantage been that they are easier to fly.  On the other hand precision flying is not possible.

The collective pitch control is similar to the cyclic control in that it also requires movementt of the swashplate. However in the case of the collective control the swashplate moves up and down as opposed to tilting. Equal pitch is applied to all the blades at the same time. As the pitch / Angle of attack of the blades is changed so does the amount of lift generated.

That is about all there is to collective pitch control. Mechanically is is very complex but all you need to understand is that the ascent / descent of a  helicopter is controlled using the collective control in conjunction with small movements in the amount of power. For precision flying a collective control is essential.

COLLECTIVE PITCH RC HELICOPTERS

Collective pitch models will react and behave just as a real helicopter would. The controls are exactly the same.

For those of you who have done a little research you will already know that flying a helicopter, whether real or model, is a balancing act. Keeping the helicopter in a stable and steady state is all about coordinading the cyclic, collective and yaw controls. Each of the controls will directly affect of aspect of the heli. A change to one control will have an impact on the rest.

Getting the most out of a collective pitch remote control helicopter takes practice, practice and more practice. Simulators or experience using FP models can help but there is no substitute for getting hands on experience, ideally under the watchful eye of an experienced pilot.

In later posts we will get into more detail about the specifications of individual models but I suppose the big question is, should someone new to the hobby go straight for a collective pitch model. They are more expensive and harder to fly than fixed pitch or coaxial helis but in the long run you will save money. Moving through each type of helicopter on a gradual basis can cost more and in  reality it will not take long to master a fixed pitch model.

Another advantage of opting for a collective pitch helicopter is that the settings can be altered in line with your flying ability. Once basic flight is mastered adjustments can be made that will increase performance levels.

So if you are fairly certain that you want to get serious about flying model helicopters and are not just looking for a toy to play with on a sporadic basis then serious consideration should be given to going straight for a collective pitch model.