You eagerly check the weather reports all week, mostly to see what the weatherman has to say about the wind. You see, you didn’t have to read very much about the RC helicopter hobby to learn that wind and helicopters are a bad mix. The best way to crash your favorite RC helicopter is to ignore that weatherman and go flying on a windy day.
Of course, if you have a mini RC helicopter, you can always try your flying indoors on a windy day. The problem with that is too many broken lamps will result in having your living room declared restricted airspace by your wife!
Many hobbyists consider crashing as just part of your learning curve. But those who take their time and learn RC helicopter flight basics give themselves a much better shot at learning to fly without damaging potentially expensive equipment. The pilot who insists on learning from his mistakes rather than take his time studying is doing it the hard, and expensive way.
Flying a RC helicopter is very different than flying an RC plane. The biggest difference is in the landing. Landing a RC helicopter takes much more control than a plane, so a new pilot is advised to get plenty of practice hovering, and to stay low while getting that practice. Do this enough and you will find your landing learning curve is much less steep that if you start off hovering from any altitude and lose control.
When you purchase your first RC helicopter it will probably include some decent flight instructions. If it does not, do yourself a favor and research your model online and you are sure to find flight instructions specific to your helicopter. Practice each technique over and over until you have a comfort level with them that gives you confidence that you will not crash and burn your first time out. This hobby is much more fun when you can go fly for an extended time rather than have to come home early with your helicopter in pieces. The best option by far when learning to fly RC helicopters is to find an experienced pilot who will show you the ropes and stand by to get you out of trouble your first few times out. This is a great way to learn and you will enjoy the experience a lot more if you are not grasping blindly while trying to learn.
Check to see if your area has a flying club. If so, join it and become an active member and you are sure to find a lot of help with your flight instruction. There are also some pretty realistic flight simulators available. These allow you to practice at home on your computer. they can be a lot of fun and more importantly give you a chance to learn without wrecking any real RC helicopters.
As your flight skills improve, you will be able to continue to challenge yourself with more complex RC helicopters and more complicated flying techniques. Start in this hobby slowly and take your time learning. You will enjoy it more and your bank account will thank you!