Hi Guys:

I'm an experienced aircraft modeler and have a JR Venture that I've hovered with moderate success. Trying to get everything just right on the nitro helis is a trying experience and there's a big investment. It's been hanging in the garage for two years now.

I bought the Blade because it was a good deal all up. I made my own training gear out of two long "pixie dust" straws from my kids. I ran the stock setup, ate the blades up in the grass, moved to the street. I was able to hover a foot or so off the ground after about 5 batteries. It is a little unstable, but not bad, and not near as bad as a Picollo I tried once. I killed a tail motor and finally ordered the "upgrade kit" and some new blades and a new tail motor.

Today I put a "real" set of training gear on, the upgraded motor and a 900mah 11.1 Lipo from ThunderPower, and put a new tail motor on. It flies real sweet with the flat blades and the lipo setup. Tail motor is still a little funky at times, but I'm learning to fly the tail better then I did with the Venture and the head lock gyro. The real training gear are worth the costs. I actually got a set for a "shogun" because they did not have the Blade specific kit. Works real good.

As for your heli drifting, you have to fly the thing! MAKE it come back and stay where you want it. I found that with the Flybar weights way out on the end, I was constantly "chasing" the controls. I moved them weights all the way inboard and find it much easier to control. I'm getting up the nerve to fly more then or two off the ground, and can pretty much move it in the general area I want it to go, and keep the tail pointed where I want it. Overall, I've gotten WAY more practice out of this in a couple of weeks, then I got out of my Venture in an entire summer two years ago. I think you can learn on this heli with a little help and patience, especially if you get some practice on a simulator first.

I would highly recommend the upgrade kit with a set of flat blades, even for the beginner. Even with the cost of a couple of lipos, it's a relative bargain. I'm learning alot, and hopefully, I can get the Venture off the ceiling by the end of the season or maybe next year. Just like the foamies, these little electrics are opeing a hole new area. I can get lots more flying time in, then before the advent of all these electric goodies and I can do it at a very reasonable costs. How can one complain.

I do hope they come up with a complete brushless upgrade to this little bird. It would be truly sweet then, and maybe I would give up my stock of tail motors.

Hey, HOW DO YOU REMOVE THE WRATCHET from the throttle again? I know it's in the post somewhere, but this sucker is LOOONGG.

Thanks,
Lee