ORIGINAL: Torquestar

I just don't get why Trex owners and others go out of their way to come into an E-flite subforum and tell people to avoid buying the Blade 400. I've seen videos of the stock unit flying and it looks fine to me! Is it perfect? No. Is it adequate for someone new getting into the hobby? I think so. I spent a fair amount of time on a CX and it got pretty boring. I was about to get a CP Pro when I was told to hold off and wait for the B400. I'm glad I was given that advice.

I just started out, and I decided that the Blade 400 was a good choice because as an RTF, I'd see exactly how one was put together, and learn about it (my background is mechanical and electrical engineering, and an electric RC heli is a fascinating machine). I would have been lost buying a Trex and having to figure out how to put it together.

What you say in theory, though, is partially true if you take it to an extreme. But some people are forgetting that the Blade 400 flies ok for what it is, and requires no additional cost. Several people (mostly Trex owners I think) seem to skip to the end, where B400 owners have flown them and want to start making it better. However, that's the thing... They don't HAVE to buy better servos right away, as the gears for the servos cost $3 bucks. They don't HAVE to buy better blades, as the stock ones are "ok". You can get a Spektrum DSP75 digital servo for the tail for 20 bucks, and apparently that works just fine. And the DX6i seems like an ok radio for a beginner/intermediate user.

I'll admit, the "upgrade" bug has me... But I can spend money at my own pace to upgrade, and still be able to fly it immedately. I'm not laying out over $1000.00 dollar number that people seem to love to throw around to prove their point. I spend half that, and can fly right now.

I have no doubt that once I get better at this, that I'll wind up getting a Trex, since I like the idea of having a solid base to work with... but for now, I got in at a good price and it added another person to the pool of RC heli guys in this hobby. The more people spending money on mainstream products, the more 3rd party support there is. So people should be welcoming the new blood instead of potentially scaring them off, telling them they'd be better off spending twice as much immediately.