Ya - no doubt - I don't intend to bash anyone. I've too found in challenging to get flight time. I'm a single dad, so it's been especially challenging to find that time. The $$$ for repairs also has kept me from doing more - I spent 4 months with no flying at all during the past 9 due to a lack of funds. Beleive it or not, I haven't crashed my raptor 50 due to any dumb thumbs, however I've had 2 crashes due to misc. problems. One my battery failed from a bad cell, and two by blade failed due to excessive head speed - That was the major one that grounded me for 4 months. (See pic below) I just got a sim a couple weeks ago - the free FMS sim. It ain't that great, but it will teach you orientations if nothing else.

I forgot to say Congrats on your hovering! I'll never forget the feeling I got when I finally hovered my CP Pro for a whole battery the first time - It took 4 days, and it felt like forever. (During that 4 days though I flew, day and night, from one batttery charge to the next.) I ended upspending $400 in parts of a period of 2 weeks. Don't forget to enjoy it, and if you see our heli shaking in the air, check your thumbs first, they might me shaking.