Plane Crazy Helicopter Tutorial: Step-by-Step Coaxial Build Guide

Building a functional helicopter in Plane Crazy requires counteracting rotor torque to prevent uncontrollable spinning. In this physics sandbox created by Plane Crazy Developers on Roblox, the most reliable beginner-friendly method is a coaxial rotor system, where two stacked motors spin rotor blades in opposite directions. Following this step-by-step walkthrough, you will construct a balanced chassis, wire dual counter-rotating motors, and set up directional stabilizers for smooth flight.

Core Helicopter Components and Motor Settings

A stable helicopter relies on precise speed ratios and inverted propeller angles between the upper and lower rotor heads. The top motor runs at double the speed of the bottom motor to balance rotational resistance in the game's physics engine.

Step 1: Chassis and Lower Fuselage Assembly

The foundation must keep the center of mass balanced directly beneath the rotor mast.

1. Place three Half Blocks in a forward row, rotated so their upper side faces up.
2. Snap a Half Wedge Down 1x2 in front of the row facing forward (arrow pointing backward), and another Half Wedge Down at the rear facing backward (arrow pointing forward).
3. Mount a Ballast Block at the very front of the assembly. Open the Configure tool, select the ballast block, and increase its density to 10.
4. Place a Half Wedge directly in front of the ballast block with the thick side forward and arrow pointing backward.
5. Add the Main Pilot Seat two blocks behind the ballast block so it aligns with the center of mass.
6. Mount a Wedge 1x2 on top of the blocks behind the seat.
7. Place three Jet Engines behind the pilot seat: orient one facing downward to help ground downforce, and mount two on their sides pointing directly forward. Configure all three jet engines with On/Off Mode enabled.

A helpful building tip is to use the paint tool to color placed blocks (such as a 50, 50, 50 dark gray) to easily distinguish internal framing from outer panels.

Step 2: Tail Boom, Stabilizers, and Yaw Thrusters

The tail boom provides horizontal pitch stability and houses the small propellers used for turning (yaw).

1. Mount an upside-down Wedge 1x2 facing backward onto the rear jet engine, and place a standard block on top of it.
2. Attach a row of five Cylinders extending straight out from the back of that block to form the tail boom.
3. Place a Helium Block at the end of the cylinder boom for rear buoyancy.
4. Place a Round Wedge Out at the rear of the helium block with the curved surface facing back. Stack a second Round Wedge Out above it rotated in the opposite orientation, followed by a standard block on top.
5. Mount a Delta Wing 1x1 on the top block facing forward.
6. Attach a Control Surface 1x2 on the rear vertical face and configure its keybinds to "0" and "0" so it acts as a fixed vertical fin that will not deflect during normal steering.
7. Attach a Delta Wing 1x2 extending horizontally off each side of the lower curved wedge.
8. Mount a Control Surface 1x1 on the outer edge of each horizontal delta wing. Configure the controls so Raise Surface is bound to W and Lower Surface is bound to S.
9. Attach a Small Propeller Engine to each side of the tail boom facing sideways. Configure the left propeller with D (Increase) and A (Decrease) in On/Off mode, and set the right propeller to the inverted setting (A Increase, D Decrease) so they actively steer the craft left and right.

Step 3: Cabin Framing and Enclosure

Enclosing the fuselage provides structural anchor points for the overhead rotor assembly.

1. Return to the front cabin area and place a Wedge 1x2 facing forward on top of the front jet engine.
2. Lay a line of three standard blocks behind the wedge, ending with a Wedge 1x2 facing backward to create a smooth upper cabin roofline.
3. Use Triangle Wedges, Wedge Beams, and 1x2 Wedge pieces along the side flanks of the cabin to enclose the pilot seat and engines.
4. Smooth the underside edges using Half Wedge 2 pieces and upside-down Half Wedges attached along the base frame to build a clean cockpit silhouette.
5. If transparent cabin sections are desired, builders can paint the forward panels black (50, 50, 50) or apply Glass Material through the materials menu.

Step 4: Coaxial Rotor Head and Blade Alignment

The rotor head requires standard Motor blocks. Do not use Motor 2 blocks, as free-turning motor variants will fail to transmit adequate lift torque.

1. Locate the three center roof blocks directly above the pilot compartment.
2. Select the standard Motor block and place it on the center block. Stack a second Motor directly on top of the first.
3. Configure the lower motor: Set keybinds to Q (backward) and E (forward), speed to 10, keep torque at default, and toggle Toggle Mode to ON.
4. Configure the upper motor: Set keybinds to E (backward) and Q (forward), speed to 20, keep torque at default, and toggle Toggle Mode to ON.
5. Attach Propeller Blades to the lower motor: Place three Propeller Blades extending outward from each of the motor's four faces (12 blades total). Ensure each blade is angled downward to the left.
6. Attach Propeller Blades to the upper motor: Place three Propeller Blades on all four sides of the top motor (12 blades total). Rotate these blades so they angle in the opposite direction, slanting downward to the right.

Flight Controls and Piloting Techniques

Once spawned, the coaxial helicopter handles differently from fixed-wing aircraft and relies on gentle control taps:

• Lift Off (E): Tap E to toggle the rotors on. The counter-rotating blades will spin up (the lower motor spinning counterclockwise and the upper spinning clockwise) and the aircraft will climb vertically.
• Forward Flight (W): Hold W to tilt forward and gain horizontal momentum. The nose may dip momentarily before leveling out.
• Turning (A / D): Tap A to turn left and D to turn right. Sharp, continuous turns cause the helicopter to bleed lift and drop altitude, so make gradual turns or gain altitude before turning.
• Descent and Landing: Do not press Q while airborne, as reversing the motors forces a violent nose-dive. To descend smoothly, tap E to turn the rotors off, allow the helicopter to glide downward, and tap E again briefly before touchdown to soften the landing.

Troubleshooting Common Helicopter Issues

Why does the helicopter spin uncontrollably upon takeoff?

Uncontrolled yaw spin happens when torque is not properly balanced. Verify that the bottom motor speed is set to 10 and the top motor speed is set to 20. Ensure the keybinds are reversed between the two motors (Q/E on the bottom, E/Q on the top) and that the propeller blades on the top rotor are angled opposite to those on the bottom rotor.

Can Motor 2 be used instead of standard Motors?

No. Motor 2 is designed for mouse-guided turrets and free hinges. Building a rotor head with Motor 2 prevents the blades from maintaining the constant driven torque needed to generate vertical lift.

Why does the helicopter lose altitude when making turns?

The tail yaw mechanism uses side-facing small propeller engines. Heavy rudder inputs pull energy away from horizontal stability, causing the frame to bank sharply and lose vertical lift. Use light taps on the A and D keys to preserve climb rate.