ORIGINAL: rollo
Thanks for the encouragement and you're correct about the fast progression. With the memorial day weekend and the girlfriend out of the country I have been able to get in a lot of flights. I have had a few long hovers around 5 min keeping it in the area of a handicap spot. Even was able to do some soft landing on the symbol. Wheeeeeee Blade CP Pro
is getting to be a lot of fun.
Yeah, it is pretty discouraging at first when it seems like everytime you go out to fly you crash and break something. I got to experience that a few times the first day I had my first heli. After that it was a lot of reading, RADDS, and a simulator for a while before I decided to try things out again. If you ask me (and, again, I'm no expert), but you've done the hard and expensive part. Now if you just take your time, and practice there is a good chance you won't break too much more, and you'll progress well. I wasn't very good at taking that advice and pushed myself too hard a few times and paid for it in repairs... my poor 1st 22E ended up with more CA glue and thread on it than plastic.
For a new pilot, I believe the BEST practice for orientation is using a simulator... any one will do... that alone will save you a fortune when you go to learn side in, and nose in hovering.