Preflight Checklist

I don't know how many times I've seen a crash that could have been prevented with a quick pre flight look over and using a preflight checklist is a great way to make sure nothing's left out.


rc helicopter are complicated pieces of machinery and parts wear out, pieces break on hard landings, batteries go bad, glue dries out and so on - and if nothing's done about it, it will inevitably lead to a crash… or worse.


You've heard of Murphy's Law, "If anything can go wrong it will." and with rc helicopters, nothing holds truer.


A pre flight check can not only help prevent a crash, but it can also prevent bodily injury or even death in rare cases to the pilot or spectators. There's a reason full size heli pilots have one and are required by law to use it.


While the following preflight checklist is specific to rc helicopters, it can be easily adapted for radio controlled airplanes as well.


1. Check all mission critical nuts and bolts to make sure they're on tight. Excessive vibration can cause them to back off or come loose, even if you've used thread lock.


2. Check the ball links for looseness or slop. They'll wear out over time and if they're not on tight, they can pop off during flight and cause a crash.


3. Inspect the wiring. Visually check the wiring for damage and ensure that there are no breaks or cuts and that the servo plugs are securely plugged into the receiver. If you have any servo wire extensions, make sure the connections are solid.


4. Test your radio / functions. If it's your first flight of the day do a range check and make sure there's no interference nearby and that the throttle / throttle hold functions are working properly. It would also be a good idea to quickly check your trims to be sure you haven't bumped one out of position.


5. Check that everything's working properly and moving as it should. Check the throw direction for all pushrods and servos and make sure the swashplate is moving as it should. It's very easy forget to change a radio setting back to normal when bench testing.