ORIGINAL: ChopperMike
If at all possible seek the help of an experienced pilot even if it means driving some distance to spend an afternoon or more with them. You have no idea how much aggrivation this will save! I went it alone some 20 years ago and back then there simply weren't too many people flying heli's. My learning curve was much longer than it should have been. Even when you get back home, it'll be so much easier to learn to hover it once it's set properly.
Good luck
Mike
WOW, I never realized you did it that way Mike. I did the same thing. Flew helis since the old Heliboy came out. Never used a gyro till a few years ago. My boss got into it and I flew his. What a difference. Just working with him and learning new stuff made it interesting again and got me going. I hadn't flown them in a while because I got bored with them. Now I am doing all kinds of stuff with them that a heli just shouldn't do. Getting friends into it that have never flown them and said they never would. So much nicer when you have guys in it that can help.