For a few years now, I have been toying with the idea of getting into competition with RC helicopters. I`m a fairly decent 3D pilot, but not on a level that would be competitive. Although I understand the skills it takes to compete in speed competition, it just doesn`t interest me.

Then.... there is F3C. Precision hovering maneuvers, along with precision aerobatic maneuvers. I think I found my little niche in the RC helicopter hobby. F3C takes skills, nerves, and dedication that I never realized or gave credit for in the past......Until I tried it.

Wow! Is it ever a hard discipline to learn, but at the same time, so much fun. Learning to fly the maneuvers is just the beginning. There are several settings that are completely opposite of how you set them up on a 3D helicopter, which are definitely a challenge to get used to.

The idle up pitch/throttle curves are the same as for 3D, but in normal mode, is where things get tricky. I won`t get too far into the settings, but they make the helicopter very docile in the hovering maneuvers.

I competed in my very first contest last weekend (March 19-21, 2021) at the 2021 AMPS Heli Smackdown in Homestead, Florida and I walked away with second place. I`m totally hooked on F3C now, and 3D is going to have to be put on the back burner for a while until I get F3C down pat.

I`ll still do 3D demo flights at events, but F3C competition is going to be my main focus.