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| Issue 39 (September 2009) |
Words: Brandon Updike |
There is something about a clean helicopter that draws a different, distinct type of aura, making it attractive to passers-by. A clean helicopter just flat out looks good. It is also a good indicator of how well the owner takes care of their stuff. It's only natural; we are a judgmental society. What's going to attract more attention? An old, nasty, dirty helicopter that looks worn out? Or a spotless, fresh-looking helicopter with a nice paint job? I know for some (or maybe most), looks means absolutely nothing. However, a good number of benefits arise from cleaning your helicopter that has nothing to do with looking good. In this article, we will explore the benefits of having a clean helicopter and proper techniques when cleaning your helicopter.
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What's the Point?
I know there are people out there who probably have never cleaned their helicopter once and find themselves asking, what's the point? The first and perhaps most important reason to clean your helicopter is to give it a good look-over while cleaning it. This gives you a good opportunity to check all your components and to make sure they work properly. It is also important to keep your electronics clean to prevent failure due to excessive gunk buildup. This is especially important if you're running a tail boom mounted tail servo. Cleaning the dirt off your helicopter is very important when it comes to the smoothness of motion along your tail output and main shafts. If dirt gets caught on there, it can create a rough motion, resulting in control issues and possible damage. It is also important to have a clean helicopter in the house to prevent stains on your carpet or other areas where you may store it. Of course, then you'll receive compliments for the clean well-maintained helicopter that you possess.
Proper materials
The first and most important thing you'll need is a rag, paper towel, or shop towels. You can always wipe down your helicopter between flights. To complement your rags, you'll want to use a liquid cleaner product to rid your helicopter of all the buildup almost completely. Perhaps the most widely used liquid aid is Denatured Alcohol, because it completely evaporates and contains no water. What this means is you can spray it essentially all over your helicopter and not worry about it ruining your electronics or other components. Glass cleaners and Simple Green are also popular choices to use to clean your helicopter. However, you don't want to spray these anywhere near your electronics because they can cause damage to them. Many glass cleaners contain ammonia, which is not good for some plastics. These are more widely used for hard surface areas of your helicopter such as the blades, landing gears, or tail booms. You can also use materials such as paintbrushes and air compressors to help you get rid of the excess dirt buildup.
The quick and easy way
If you want to clean your helicopter quickly without wasting a large amount of your time, you can easily wipe it down with a rag. Wiping it down will remove a lot of the noticeable dirt and buildup, but will most likely just smear the oil everywhere so you'll still be able to feel it on your frames. Before wiping it down, you can drench the helicopter in denatured alcohol and watch all the oil wash down. All you have to do then is wipe off the excess. It's a quick and simple process that will get your helicopter relatively clean.
Going All Out
The first thing I clean is usually the frames. The frames generally get really dirty, so you'll want to drench it with denatured alcohol while brushing it with your trusty paintbrush. You'll quickly see how this is a deadly combination as most of the dirt and oil will be brushed and washed away. Try to get all the crevices and clean in between the frames the best you can. Spray down the sides of the engine, as there will most likely be a large amount of buildup all around the case. For the most part, the canopy can usually keep electronics clean so you won't have to spray them unless it's absolutely necessary. You can usually just wipe the dirt off of them using your rag. After you have sprayed and brushed your frames, begin wiping it down with your rag to clean up any leftover dirt and oil. When cleaning the frames, check all your linkages and servos to make sure everything is free and running smoothly. Check bolts to make sure everything is still tight and in good condition.
I then begin to move down to the landing gear where I once again spray it down and rub it with the brush. There is usually a large amount of oil buildup under the helicopter on the landing gear and the bottom of the engine. You want to make sure you spray this area very well and wipe it down. Clean the inside of the back plate and wipe the bottom of the struts well enough to the point where you don't feel any oil on your fingertips.
The next step is to clean the tail area. I prefer to use either glass cleaner or Simple Green on the tail boom and wipe all the dirt off. You want to make sure you get all the oil off your boom, in between the tail linkage and the tail boom. The best way to do this is to get your rag flat and run it in between the linkage and the tail boom. Use denatured alcohol to clean out the tail gearbox, but spray it on your rag rather than directly onto the tail so you won't dissolve the lube. The boom support is usually very dirty as well, so wipe it down with your cloth. If you have a tail boom mounted tail servo, make sure you keep it nice and clean to prevent future failure.
Clear Out Your Head
Moving onto the head. You can use any cleaner you desire on the head, but like the tail gearbox, I recommend just spraying the rag before wiping it down. If you spray alcohol on the head, you can dissolve the lube on the main shaft, making it rough. I usually use glass cleaner on the blades, as it gives it a nice shine and makes wiping away the oil a little easier. There is almost always oil buildup on the flybar, so wipe it down with your rag and clean your paddles as well. Check all the links in your head to make sure they're still in working order and make sure all the bolts in the head block are still holding on tight.
Canopy Anyone?
When it comes to cleaning your canopy, never use alcohol! Alcohol can eat up your clear coat and ruin your fancy paint job. I have always had good luck with glass cleaner after giving it a good spray and wiping it down. A regular glass cleaner such as Windex usually gives my canopy a nice shine and makes it look new after a day of flying.
For the More Tedious Workers
Some people use cotton swabs to get to hard-to-reach places. Cotton swabs are handy when your fingers can't quite reach a certain location. Others have used an air compressor to blow away dirt where they can't reach. Every six months, take your helicopter apart and give it a good cleaning while looking over all different parts. Replace any parts that you suspect may be prone to failure.
Conclusion
Even though cleaning your helicopter isn't required, it proves to be very important to help you stay on top of everything on your helicopter. When cleaning your helicopter, you can really get in-depth knowledge of everything on your helicopter and make the necessary repairs. Not to mention the fact that your helicopter will flat out look good, and you might receive much-deserved compliments for all your hard work.
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