Basic RC Helicopter Specs

How long do they stay up?
There is no guarantee on how long your RC Helicopter can remain flying. Different model differ in specification. For example, a nexus has a nice sized fuel tank and can fly 15 to 20 minutes on one tank of gas.

How far do they go
They go as far as the transmitter can broadcast, which is about 2 miles. They will go very high and far out of sight before the radio looses contact, unless your batteries are low.

How fast do they go
Same as a average plane, the record top speed is under 90 mph straight and level (without diving first) I think. Most 30 sized helicopters can do around 40 mph fairly easily.

How much do they weigh
Most .30 sized helicopters weigh in around 6 lbs empty (no fuel or electronics)

How much can they lift
A entry level (30 size) helicopter can lift 1-2 lbs with a significant performance hit. A typical 60 size can lift 5-8 lbs with a significant performance hit. A specialized 60 with flat bottom blades and designed to lift can lift around 15 lbs. (Bergen Observer)

How fast are the blades moving
Most .30 sized helicopters spin their main blades near 1600 rpm for easy flying around, and for sport loops and such closer to 1900 rpm. This calculates to over 200 mph at the blade tips and near 300 lbs of force pulling on the center of the blades. The average .30 engine produces a mean one and a half horsepower.

How much do they cost
Starting the hobby from zilch materials and tools, the saying goes, $1000 US dollars, I spent a little more. You can get by with a .30 size helicopter for around $800 complete, or you could get a LMH which isn't quite a real helicopter because it doesn't have collective pitch (see glossary) for around $400 to $500.

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