Speed Control Questions

How do I know which speed control to use? You will need to know approximately how much amperage the motor will pull. You will also need to select a speed control that can handle the voltage you plan to run the motor with. Check the manufacturer’s specs for amp draw and voltages, or contact Tech Support for more information.

What’s the difference between an "Opto" and a "BEC" controller. "Opto" stands for Optically Coupled. Opto controllers do not have an internal BEC and can handle higher voltages than BEC controllers. An external BEC unit or separate 4.8 volt receiver pack must be used with Opto controllers. BEC controllers generally handle less voltage but have an internal power supply that powers the receiver and servos by using power from the main flight battery.

What’s the difference between "Brushed" speed controls and motors and "Brushless" speed controls and motors? Brushed speed controls and motors refer to motors powered by Direct Current (DC). Brushless speed controls and motors operate on a form of Alternating Current (AC), similar to house current. Brushed motors use brushes to transfer power to the spinning electromagnet armature that operates in a permanent magnet field. Brushless motors do not have an electromagnet armature, rather the windings stay stationary (stator) and induce their power to move the permanent magnets. In a brushless motor nothing touches except the drive shaft riding on ball bearings, and the efficiency and power are typically much better.

Helicopter Questions

All the servos work, but the rotor head will not turn and the light stays red. The throttle trim and throttle stick must be pulled all the way toward you and the transmitter must be ON before the control board will initialize.

The light on the helicopter flashes red and green and nothing works. Check to make sure the transmitter has good batteries and that it is turned ON. If that does not work, make sure that the radio crystals are plugged in as well.

I turned my transmitter off and the helicopter goes crazy. Why? The transmitter must remain ON at all times when a remote controlled aircraft is in operation. If you turn it off, you will no longer have control of the aircraft. Follow this rule: the transmitter always gets turned ON first, and gets turned OFF last.

The tail spins wildly on my helicopter when I try to take off, what do I do? You have one of two problems: either the gyro is defective and needs to be replaced, or the reversing function on the gyro needs to be switched to the other position.

Airplane Questions.

What does CG or Center of Gravity mean, and how do I find it? Every airplane has a particular center of gravity. This is the balancing point on the main wing where the airplane will balance level. The CG is very important. Shifting the CG fore and aft will change the flying characteristics of an airplane. Every airplane has a CG that is proper for stable flight. Get it wrong and the airplane may not even fly, or will have undesirable flight characteristics. Look for the CG recommendations in the airplane’s instruction manual. It will generally give you a location measured from the leading edge of the wing at the root near the fuselage. Mark this spot on each side and then pick the plane up with your fingertips directly at this location. The airplane needs to balance level. If the tail drops, shift weight forward by moving heavier components like the battery. If the nose drops, shift weight to the rear of the airplane.

General

List of common RC Hobby terms and their meanings:

ARF - Almost Ready to Fly

RTF - Ready to Fly

CG - Center of Gravity

mAh - Milliamp hour

EDF - Electric Ducted Fan

15C, 20C, 30C, etc. - Discharge rating of LiPoly batteries. 15, 20, and 30 are multipliers and "C" means capacity in Amp hours. To calculate maximum amp load, divide the battery’s capacity (mAh) by 1000, then multiply by the multiplier. Example: a 1500 mAh battery with a 20C rating will give you 30 Amps max.

Fixed Pitch - A fixed pitch helicopter cannot change the pitch of it's main rotor blades in-flight. Lift is increased or decreased by changing the speed of the main rotor.

CCPM - Cyclic and Collective Pitch Mixing

RPM - Revolutions Per Minute

BEC - Battery Eliminator Circuit

Kv - Stands for RPM per Volt

Amps - Measure of Current

Volts - Measure of Current’s Strength

Watts - Measure of Power

Inrunner - A brushless motor who’s permanent magnets spin inside the electromagnetic stator’s field, they look a lot like conventional brushed motors.

Outrunner - A brushless motor who’s permanent magnets spin around an electromagnetic stator.

Shipping and Billing Questions

Is my part backordered? If you received a confirmation that shows you have a part ordered, but the amount shipped is less than what you ordered or zero, then you have a part that is on backorder.

How much does overseas shipping cost? Each package is different; most shippers will use dimensional weight to calculate the price. It is best to verify your shipping cost with the Shipping department.

I see my item in stock online, why hasn’t it shipped yet? Our website updates many times daily, and will immediately update when an out of stock item is received. Your package will be sent out in the order that it was received. In some cases it takes a little while to get them all out.

All of my items said they were in stock, but I just got a confirmation email that says "0" were shipped. What happened? There was most likely a stocking error. When the shipping department tried to fill the order, none were found on the shelf. The item will be backordered and shipped once we get it.

You were listing one ETA for a particular item, then I noticed it changed. What happened and when will you really get the item? The dates listed on the website for out of stock items are estimates and are subject to change if the shipment is delayed for any reason.

I didn’t get a tracking number, or don’t have an email address for it to be sent to. How do I get my tracking number? Not all packages have tracking numbers. However, if you fail to receive the email it may have been stopped by a spam filter. Check this first. If you still did not get it, let us know and we will be more than happy to get the tracking number for you (contact Shipping) and give you a status report.

I ordered some small parts online but haven’t seen them in a week. Is my package lost? The package is most likely not lost. Give it just a little more time. When ordering small parts with our HongKong Post Office, it can sometimes take a little longer than a regular ground shipment.