thundr69

Hi all,

I found your forum and am so glad that I did. I'm interested in buying a RC heli for my husband and would like some suggestions on what to buy for a beginner. He's had zero experience flying but did have a gas RC car which crashed pretty promptly so I'm thinking something that could withstand a beginners learning curve. I'm not sure if it matters at all in a recommendation but in case it does,we are middle aged. Since I knownothing about this I'm not sure of price range but will consider up to $150. I have no ideaif thats within an apropriate rangebut since its for a begginer I at least want it to be a "good" brand/design.

My husband is hard to shop for and this is the first time in a long while that I could be truly excited about a gift for him because I know he'd love it.

Thanks so much for any input.

ATVAlliance

Blade mSR or mSR X  or even the SR 120.

That should fit all of your criteria and be something that could train him to fly larger, more complex helis if he sees that he likes flying one of the above.

Also...helis WILL break parts...I always suggest the small Blade helis just because they can be found at almost any Local Hobby Shop and they usually stock all parts that routinely break...and they are inexpensive (to a point).

Others may chime in with other options...just be wary of buying something of a lesser brand.  Not because they may be bad helicopters...but moreso of the trouble of finding somewhere to buy replacement parts when they break.  And the heli WILL break eventually.

cstoutr

Those are great recommendations but also consider the coaxial micros for good indoor fun. The blade mcx is a perfect starter heli. It teaches the basics and is stable enough to hover hands off. He will find out quick if he is going to like helis or not with one of these choices. Good luck and if you need anymore assistance just let us know.

Pack of Q Tips

for a first timer with no heli experience i would recommend a $30 dollar coaxial,
my local hobby shop sells the syma brand and they can take a beating.
they are pretty much indoor only helis, any breeze outside will just take it away

Stonelore

I started with the MSR and loved it easy to fly and durable

cyclingg

I recently got my first heli; no, my second. My first was a cheap 3 channel thing which I would not recommend. My second heli is the Blade MCX2 for indoors and I love it. It is a coaxial heli; it has two blades instead of one. I plan to get a single blade heli by the end of the summer. I am leaning towards the MCPX 2 (I think that is the model). I too am middle aged; but, young at heart. You might need to decide if you want him to fly indoors or outdoors. The MCX2 probably is not good for outdoors. Good luck.

Chucksolo69

A good coaxial like the Blade mCX2 is a great starter heli. It will teach orientation and has actual aileron function. A fixed pitch heli like the 120 SR or mSRX would be a good second heli.

thundr69

I can't thank you all enough for your advice. I'm probably more confused than ever. I'm going to try to sort it out and when I'm done I may have more questions. I just wanted to let you all know that I didn't just ask a question and disappear.

Part of me thinks he should start out indoors but strictly from the wife's perspective I'm just imagining this heli zooming and crashing into things in my dining room lol; but I won't be selfish since I want him to enjoy it and really just want to get him the one that will help him get into it; he works so hard that he sometimes forgets that he needs to have some fun.

ATVAlliance

If you even remotely think that he will like to fly RChelis...skip the coaxial one all together and get the Blade mSR or mSRX. Its not super easy to fly like a coaxial one...but the fun wont run out as quickly either. The mCPXwill be too much for a brand new beginner to learn on their ownunless you get him a SIMand he practices on it for a few months to learn how to fly it. The mSR could be learned to be flown without a SIM but expect to replace some parts in the early stages. This wont be a big deal if there is a local hobby shop closeby that carrys Blade helis/parts. Plus, it comes with a few spares anyway.

If you think he will play with it for a few days/weeks and lose interest....xHeli has a ton of cheapie toy 3 or 4 channel coaxials that can be bought for well under 50 dollars RTF (ready to fly). If this will be more like him...go this route as you wont be wasting that much money.

Stonelore

dont worry about crashing into things the little ones dont do much damage

thundr69

So I went with the, drumroll please.... The MSRx. My real luck is that there is a hobby shop directly across the street from my work. I never even noticed this place before but, thanks to you all, the shop owner said that I'm the only one who's came in knowing what they were looking for so, thanks again!

I'm going to refer my hubby to this site so he can learn from you all and I'm really hoping that this is something he wil enjoy. Thanks so very, very much. I actually feel confident that I got the right thing and your input was invaluable.

ATVAlliance

You made a good choice in the mSRX. Especially since you have a shop so closeby.

Tell him to take it slow and be SURE to shut off the throttle stick if he feels he is going to crash. It wont be long before he hovers.

He should learn to lift off...hover around...and then land before he starts trying to fly it around. This is a tough heli, but can and will break...why I recommend the eflight Blade helicopters, because the parts are everywhere.

Things that he can expect to replace at some point will be main blades...tail rotor blade...and after some hours used expect to replace the main motor and tail motor. The motors used are brushed and dont last forever.

All of the parts for this helicopter are VERY reasonable and most likely will be stocked at the store across the street.

Goodluck to him...and he should sign up here so he can ask all the questions first hand and in no time he will be addicted, and you might be sorry that you created a monster!

I just got into this hobby 3 short years ago(actually more like 2.5) and I am already up to 16 airplanes, 9 helicopters, 2 boats and a 4x4 truck! You have been warned! LOL

madmorgan

My Feedback: (2)

watch the cats n dogs (if you have any) i had my mcpx down to my parents one day and their mini schnauzer  grabbed it out of the air lol

thundr69

ATV; wow, that's quite a lot but I sort of hope he does get really into it. I have a feeling it would be something he'd love but it's sometimes hard to be sure. He often works sixteen hours a day at a very stressful job so something that he can unwind with that he really likes to dowould be great. The hobby store across the street is a real stroke of luck. Maybe I'll have all his gifts lined up for the next few yearswith this new hobby? LOL. I'd finally be able to get him something other than tech gadgets and cigars!

Madmorgan, good point about the pets, I do have a dog but she's a teeny tiny teacup yorkie so she won't be able to reach it but she might be driven mad with frustration though. All I can say at this point is that I'm looking kindof forward to ducking! Lets see if I feel the same in a week or two .

You're all a really great group; maybe I should get into flying.

thundr69

Oh, for the record, the shopactually had all the models that were recommended in this thread. The guy at the shop was steering me towards the MCX2; even though it was less than two hours ago, I don't remember what his reasoning was, I think it was that he felt the MSRX was a "step up" from the MCX2.I think I chose the MSR because it was indoor and outdoor and I thought more of you mentioned that one? He actually said they no longer make one of the two and that the (X or 2) model was the replacement but I can't remember which one he said that about.

I feel so good becausethe guy at the shop was pretty impressed that I had any sort of clue and he thought that the info you all gave me was spot on. He said often people come in not knowing what they want and when he tries to explain what would work for them they feel like he's doing a hard sell. He also brought up the point about replacement parts and he said he carries everything for those models at his shop. I told him hopefully I'll be a regular (for new purchases, not replacements for crashes, LOL). The more I'm thinking about this I feel a little excited thinking about the fun potential and you all are so enthusiastic. It even makes me want to try it myself. But, then again, hubby may want this to be his "thing" ya know?

ATVAlliance

Sounds like your husband married a good one!  My wife is too...just doesnt have any desire to join me in the hobby, but supports my enthusiasm for it just the same.

The guy at the shop was probably talking about the mSR being discontinued.  The mSRX being the replacement and the only real difference is that the new one (X) has the new 3 -n- 1 board that allows it not to need a flybar.  Ive not flown one...but everything I have heard about the (X) version has been positive and an improvement over the older mSR.

Its funny that you mention that you hope your husband uses this as a stress relief tool.  Not that I have to ever work many 16 hour days...I still have a high stress job in IT and next to fishing...RC flying is a great escape of my regular workday stress.  It requires most all of my concentration and I can just get "lost" in flying.  I am a member of 2 RC clubs and fly airplanes mostly, but do enjoy the helicopters as well.  I can see at some point my interest in helis over taking airplanes though as they are definitely much more of a challenge.

As far as you joining him...I say go for it.  RC isnt "gender specific", its just women are a minority in the hobby because they usually arent into these types of things...but RC is definitely something that you can do no matter what the gender and excel at.  Just be sure not to get too much better than him at flying!  Else that may cause a rift! LOL

Also..just wanted to add that the guy at the RC shop probably offered a CX to start with because its a coaxial heli and is almost impossible to crash.  Not impossible to fly it into things...but coaxial helis will hover hands off and are MUCH MUCH easier to fly.  So easy in fact, that most people get bored with them in a very short time and want something more challenging.  This is why I personally never suggest them.  I made that mistake and was bored after the 2nd day of owning one...money wasted for me.

The mSR X will not be boring and will be challenging to get lifted off and hovering.  It can be flown outside, but NO wind and an open area free of trees and such will be optimal conditions.  The wind will carry it away, as will it do the same with just about any small micro fixed pitch helicopters like the mSR(X).  So, tell him to learn inside and clear off the coffee table and practice taking off...hovering...then landing back till he can almost do it blindfolded.  Then move on to flying it around side to side and just progress as his confidence builds.  It shouldnt take too long before he gets good enough to try it outside.  Just wait for no wind to do so.

Hope the both of you enjoy this new hobby.  Its really been good to me so far and I look forward to many more years of enjoying it myself.

Goggles

My Feedback: (4)

Lol, are you sure about this, because when you're really into it you're talking thousands of $$$ just in heli's, parts and tools.

You sound like my wife, if I'm happy, she's happy.

Enjoy.

thundr69

Goggles, Ha! I will probably live to regret it, LOL. I don't want to sound like a martyr or anything but the truth is he does everything for me and the kids and honestly, he does almost nothing for himself. One of my biggest issues with him is that he doesn't seem to know how to have fun. We are getting close to that half-century mark and I'm feeling like if you're ever going to have fun, now is the time.

Trust me, I'm used to the thousands spent but that's almost always been on electronics and gadgets. The only thing he's ever really done for himself is get a Kawasaki racing bike which someone actually stole about two weeks ago. This is the second time someone took one of his bikes, I tried to console him by saying it was just too darn pretty. The truth is that I'm scared for him to be off riding motorcycles, they can be dangerous and I've had friends get seriously hurt but since it was his only real indulgence, what could I say? He's getting another bike and now that I'm actually thinking about this, maybe I'll get lucky and he'll want to spend more time flying helis and less time with the bike (LOL). I'm starting to think I'm some sort of subconciously evil genius .

ATVAlliance

LOL...must be a mid life thing...I'll turn 42 in a couple weeks. And I too traded in the motorcycle for RC hobby. Well not entirely true...I sold my bike when my wife was preggo with our son about 6 or so years ago. Just couldnt see myself taking those types of risks any more with having to be a responsible parent.

I can say this...the adrenaline rush of riding motorcycles is real close to flying a large CP helicopter. At least at the skill level I am currently at in the hobby. So, Im sure once he gets his "wings" and is able to fly that little mSR. He will move onto CP and then the real fun will begin for him in this hobby! When that time comes, have the guy at the hobby shop show him a Blade mCPX. That should be the next heli in line for him once he masters the mSR. Then after that...the sky is the limit. No pun intended!

thundr69

The verdict is in. It's a hit! When I told him one of the major concerns was if he'd remain interested the response was "not going to happen." Yay!! Thank you all soooo much!

ATVAlliance

Good.  Gotta love a happy ending!

70x7

I can't say enough about the Syma s107g. It is less than $20 on Amazon. Super stable, easy to fly. He can get the hang of it in one day. They are virtually indestructable (with normal use). And it will give him the opportunity to decide if he wants to go further (but believe me, he will).