i agree with pkh on the steep learning curve. i have flown airplanes for a while but recently picked up a micro heli. i didn't like it at all. i hear that learning to fly on a bigger heli is better. my GWS micro heli was twitchy yet with its plastic control linkages, it was dull to inputs so made for very unstable hovers. i could hover for about a 10 seconds then all hell would break loose. i all but gave up.

but then there is the hirobo lama XRB. i bought the one with the cord (not radio control) and i could hover that endlessly and do all the practice things i needed to do. i have G2 but feel that flying that hirobo was so much more fun! i would recommend that to anyone wanting to learn. i flew it in my living room that is about 10ft by 12ft (in my small hong kong flat). i've flown the radio control version at the hobby store and it's equally, if not more, stable.

futhermore, with foam blades that are reasonably cheap to replace, the XRB didn't break anything in my house! the GWS version had chewed up a few of my table legs.

i'm sure the newer helis, the shoguns and of the align heli's are pretty good, too. but i'm still positive that the XRB is the best introduction to helis. that being said, i'm still contemplating moving up to a 30-50 size heli.