mxer958 - I agree with Shane and Rotarydoc. A brand name fixed pitch is a great interim helicopter. I've had a great time with mine and with a few cheap upgrades it just gets better. The collective pitch can happen later. Why rush - enjoy your current level and look forward to the next level.

I think it's great that the fixed pitch has become a viable trainer. They are challenging for the new flier. With inexpensive upgrades ($10 motor, $8 blades etc) guys like you and me can build a bird with more ability. As they get more sophisticated, they get easier to fly and they become your own design. You really can't lose with a Esky Honey Bee Fixed Pitch like Shane mentioned. And Rotarydoc enjoys his too. I had a Collective Pitch heli and I sold it. I'm staying with a Fixed Pitch and I'm happy as a clam.

The bummer part - I always bought my helicopters as RTF sets and I accepted the radio gear that was included. Experience shows that's not a good move. You want a state of the art radio. The DX6i included with the B400 is excellent. The DX7 is a bit better. The cool thing is that you can get the Dx6i now for about $200. If you decide later to get a B400 you can get it BNF and only pay a $10 penalty for not getting the B400 RTF kit. That's cool. The bummer part is that, for as much as I like the fixed pitch helicopters, no one sells a FP that works with the Spektrum DSM2 signal. (that's the E-Flight 2.4ghz helicopters and Spektrum radios). IF you have a CX2 or CX3, those come with an AR6100 and the HBFP can be converted using those parts.

There ya go - three votes for a Honey Bee Fixed Pitch.
IF you have exceptional natural ability and IF you have money to burn and IF you have a huge amount of patience and IF you enjoy watching your newly built collective pitch helicopter do the lawn dart move - you might want to skip the fixed pitch and just go with the collective pitch. As Rotarydoc said, the B400 is a very nice piece right out of the box.