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Academy of Model Aeronautics Museum - Airplanes and Rockets
Academy of Model Aeronautics Museum - Airplanes and Rockets

About Airplanes & Rockets

Kirt Blattenberger, Webmaster - Airplanes and Rockets

Kirt Blattenberger

BSEE - KB3UON

My Engineering Web: RF Cafe

Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!)

Even during the busiest times of my life I have endeavored to maintain some form of model building activity. This site has been created to help me chronicle my journey through a lifelong involvement in model aviation, which all began in Mayo, MD ...

Airplanes And Rockets Copyright 1996 - 2026

All trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other rights of ownership to images and text used on the Airplanes and Rockets website are hereby acknowledged.

My Main Modeling Websites

Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) - Airplanes and RocketsAcademy of Model Aeronautics

Tower Hobbies logo - Airplanes and Rockets

Tower Hobbies

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Horizon Hobby

Sig Manufacturing - Airplanes and Rockets

Sig Mfg

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Model Aviation Magazine, AMA - Airplanes and Rockets

World's First Remotely Controlled Helicopter Video
World's First Remotely Controlled Helicopter Video - Airplanes and RocketsAccording to the opening screen, this is possibly the world's first remotely controlled (RC) helicopter. When you read the comments left by viewers, some ignorantly criticize the "RC" part of the title by pointing out that "RC" stands for "radio controlled," but in fact it also means "remotely controlled," which is what this model is; there are wires attached. The inventor was Arthur M. Young. His rotor head is very similar to the first commercially available radio controlled (R/C) helicopters with a fixed pitch and flybar controlled by a swash plate. The clips shown are clips from the BBC's "Century of Flight."

After Mr. Young's model comes one of the first human-sized helicopter prototypes. The test pilot is in an open cockpit, apparently without a seat belt, and the craft is tethered to limit its motion. A violent PIO (pilot-induced oscillation) sets in and eventually ejects the pilot, who gets struck by a rotor blade. I decided at that point not to post the video since I hate seeing people get hurt, but a few seconds later the guy gets up and walks away with the help of others, so I assume he was OK. A few more steps in helicopter evolution complete the 2:29-minute film.

World's First Remotely Controlled Helicopter

 

 

Posted March 11, 2012
Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) Plans Service - Airplanes and Rockets