Hi Dave,
I will make the same recommendation that I make to anyone who receives an old used heli.
Put it up on a shelf and buy a new model.

My brother started out with used helis, possibly even the same model that you have. Parts are a bear to find. When you crash (and you will) there will be some pieces that may take an extended period of time to find (like the canopy). And try taking that older model to a club field and getting help.

On another note, do you realize that RC helis are among the more challenging form of the RC hobby? Have you considered purchasing a simulator? Realflight G3.5 is currently fairly affordable ($169) since there is a new version coming out. And you will spend way more than $169 in replacement parts if you try to learn without many hours on a sim.

Another benefit to getting a sim is that you do not need to decide what you are doing with the heli right away. More time for research while you are developing your thumb skills.
Vince