Description

Accepting orders for Final Rules compliant kits which will begin shipping September 7!

Tornado is a high performance helicopter which complies with the draft Science Olympiad Helicopter rules for the 2025 season. It builds to a rotor diameter of up to 13.5 inches and is light enough to use a small amount of ballast for tuning while still easily staying right at the 4.0g minimum weight. Includes parts for 2 complete helicopters, Tan Supersport rubber, and a set of rotor pitch gages. In a typical living room this model can fly for about 80 seconds. Currently, our Division C 2024 check-in box meets the specs for the draft rules.

Tornado 2025 Draft Rules Build Manual V1.0

For instructions for the previous 2021 Tornado kit, please go to its page.

Tools/materials required: rubber lubricant, winder, CA glue (or Duco/Ambroid/Sigment), 3M-77 spray adhesive, vaseline, razor blades, sandpaper, ruler, scissors. Don’t forget a Check in Box!

Optional: Torque meter, turns counter (volareproducts.com), scale, forceps. 

Recommended replacement rubber is 1/8″ rubber strip.

Basic flying notes: Don’t expect much of a climb until you’ve hit 300-400 turns. Full power is around 800-1000 turns typically. Make sure the rubber is well lubricated with silicone oil and that you are stretching the rubber 4-5 times relaxed length, winding in half of the turns before working your way in.

J&H Aerospace is not affiliated with Science Olympiad; this product listing does not constitute an endorsement by S.O.