ORIGINAL: ehernan3

Definitely Align 450 Sport. That was my first heli this March, and I have not flown my planes since. The parts are plentiful, and I find it easy to repair. The belt is the way to go for beginners because the shaft drive is more delicate(everyone crashes, some more often than others, and the belt is pretty robust; even if you have to replace it, I've never had to replace the gears driven by the belt).

Most of the videos online are of people doing hardcore 3D, but you can easily adjust the heli to make it pretty tame as you learn. HeliFreaks has lots of newbie info and tips and videos.

GET A PITCH GAGE. You will need it to set it up properly, and adjust then tame the pitch range to taste, and you will definitely need it for crash repair. GET A GOOD RADIO. The better ones are more friendly for heli use(more features, mixes, adjustments)

The simulator helps, but there is nothing like real stick time.

Yes, it's an addiction.

Good luck!
Ed
T-REX 450 Sport Super Combo
Futaba 7C