| One of the world's most successful and useful light turbine
helicopters, the Hughes/McDonnell Douglas/MD Helicopters 500 series began
life in response to a US Army requirement for a light observation
helicopter. Hughes won the US Army observation helicopter contest against
competition from Bell and Hiller. Based on the actual Hughes 500, this
Newest 4CH Colco Hughes 500 is a beginner-friendly micro rc helicopter
enjoyed by inexperienced/experienced flyers. Its unique design makes it easy
to configure, control, and more fun to fly. It is designed to both train
pilots and entertain them by delivering a stable flying platform capable of
controlled indoor and outdoor flight.
The Hughes 500 has two sets of main rotors and a freewheeling tail rotor
that does not affect flight. The counter-rotating main rotors eliminate the
need for tail rotor compensation because they move in opposite directions,
canceling each other’s rotational torque . In addition, the blade sets give
it an added bit of gyroscopic stability, which allows mere mortals to hover
it with prowess.
The lower rotor provides cyclic control for the heli. To yaw the
helicopter (left and right), one of the main rotors either slows down or
speeds up to create an imbalance in torque. This results in the Hughes 500
turning in the direction opposite to the rotation of the faster moving
rotor. Since the Hughes 500 is fixed pitch, collective control is governed
exclusively by throttle.
On the Hughes 500, the roll cyclic is a bit more responsive than its
pitch cyclic (fore/aft control). This is because the very small range of
cyclic control can more easily roll the heli than it can pitch it along the
length of the body. This attribute actually helps make the Hughes 500
stable. For a heli of this size, the responsiveness on both axes is
appropriate.
For beginners, flying the Hughes 500 out of ground effect (first few
inches off the ground) is not difficult either. Unlike other micros, the
Hughes 500 tends to rise evenly rather than skate across the floor
laterally. If you punch the throttle, it has no hesitation in climb either.
Optional Li- poly battery will help to achieve better performance and longer
flight time. |
