It sounded like he was going to try it on his own like I did.
I tried to learn by myself too. Wrecked 2 helicopters and 1 airplane in the process. Then I joined a club. When I was young I thought that I could do this by myself. After many years of "continued education" I would not recommend that to my worst enemy. Not even airplanes. Well Maybe?
This is a hobby that is half socializing, and half skill. IF you don't socialize you don't learn, and you could have all the skill in the world, but you are only halfway there.
For (me) I'm glad I only spent what I did on the cheapie because I found out that is as far as i'm going to go with helicopters.
If you had been a member of a club, you could have tried a buddy's helicopter without even going thru the expense of buying that one. It just sounds that you were not that interested in the first place.
Even as a beginner I don't think flying one of the coaxial helicopters will do any unreverseable damage to someone who may want to upgrade and continue on.
Again, your opinion is not worth much in this argument. Have you flown another type? have you used a simulator?
Irreversible damage? NO The thrill of a good flying machine? NO Flying in your livingroom when the weather outside is crappy as hell? What do you think I have a Picco Z?
They are fun to fly, but the second that the weather cooperates I am out with my big helicopters. There is a Trex in the back seat of my truck all the time. At lunch time we hit the local park often.
how many people can pick up a helicopter with no one helping them and fly it.
Witout help, VERY few. With help, all sucessful. With instructor help and simulator, the kid was flying in less then 2 weeks. Let me expand. This kid calls me and tells me that he purchased a heli, but he was being deployed to Iraq. He spent a year there, but he took a simulator with him and he used it every free minute he had. After coming back, I looked over his helicopter, I test flew and trimmed it for him, and 3 weeks later we were going to a Fun Fly together. He actually ended up flying at the same level as I was in less than 6 months.
Simulators are worth their weight in gold. You just hit the reset button and you are flying again. No need to visit your local hobby shop for spare parts. I always recommend Simulators.
Rafael