I rececently wasted my money on a Blade SR. I was lead to believe it was ready to fly out of the box. I found on the first flight it was WAY out of trim I couldn’t trim enough left pitch in and ended up doing about $50 damage. No big deal. Ordered new parts and fixed and adjusted. Flew two more times and could not get the tail to stabilize. Played with the motor controller adjustment to the tail motor and the gyro sensitivity and was able to get it better but never good. On the next flight the tail motor failed and took out the motor controller too. What a piece of $%#$#@$%! New controller and motor, about $50 and will fail again or about $100+ for a tail belt conversion that will last. Now, is it worth it? Does it really fly all that well? I don’t know yet. Or take my losses and get a better helli? I wish I had got the CPMX now.

Skyhawk940

I suggest watching the videos/buying the program www.rchelicopterfun.com by John Salt, and a simulator.
It's trim was likely just fine. If a new guy is JUST starting in collective pitch helis they really can't tell what's in or out of trim because they are looking for something that can be adjusted via trim to just hover without any input on the sticks at all, and that isn't going to happen. It takes moving both sticks constantly,minutely, but constantly.
Salt recommends new flyers start out with a 400/450 with training gear, actually a Blade 400/450 becuse they are cheap to fix, have a very good radio suitable for future projects,and if set-up properly they are amazingly stable, the same being the case for any name brand 450 is set up as he suggests.
I learned to hover erratically on an SR, after reading Salts stuff I set up a MiniTitan as he suggests (he has specific pitch and throttle curves too) the progress really began.
After being able to fly the MiniTitan in circuits the SR then became a lot of fun.[&:]
Check out his learning videos on YouTube, they're free and very well done.Watch them all, I promise you light bulbs will go off .
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6B25DA11D81CE3D1
Belt drive or not the SR isn't junk but it is not an ideal choice for a first collective pitch helicopter.
There's lots of opinions on the subject, this happens to be what worked with me. If I can be taught without utterly smashing a helicopter rest assured you sure can ! Doug

I was able to hover 8 to 10 inches off the deck for 5 to 6 minutes at a time, keeping it in a 4 foot square area. I know it will fly better higher, but taking one step at a time. I guess I’m really disappointed in the life of the tail motor and it taking out the speed controller. Yes it did smoke! The main rotor still runs. I hope it didn’t take out the gyro too. I’ve been flying planes 40+ years. I can fly a coaxial heli just fine. I'm not a complete newbe.

If it was new, you could call HorizonHobby. They would likely send you the replacement parts for free. They did for my CP Pro 2...

That is really good. I've been flying airplanes for way over 20 years but man, do these collective pitch helis throw up a challenge [X(]
I'd call E-Flite. They know those motors are a problem and I wouldnt be surprised if they didn't take care of you,seriously, especially with the ESC being eaten.
Here's the whackiest part of the whole helicopter experience :
So you were keeping an erratic SR with a goin' south tail rotor motor in a 4 ft square ? Then I could give you the controls to my nitro Raptor 30 V2 or my JR Vibe 500 and you'd keep either in a 3 foot square until they ran out of fuel/battery.
It's a shame the expense is what it is because the 'bigger is better" applies in helis and in spades.
For a guy with lots of airplane and nitro motor experience like you have to me the heli to own above all others and not being particularly close is the Raptor 30 V2 ARF. It is perfectly trimmed, with begineer settings its amazingly gentle and predictable,and you get 15 minute flights to learn on...not 5 minutes then land for batteries.
It can be had for just over 300 bucks with motor and pipe and blades,and to me it's a flat classic heli that can take you from brand new to just about whatever you want,and it's amazingly rugged.
Unlike a lot of guys nowadays the nitro motor couldn't be less of a 'hassle' to you, and those 15 minute flights are invaluable for learning. Doug

It really depends where you live. I certainly couldn't fly Nitro anywhere close. I can fly electric almost anywhere whitout disturbing my neighbors. Even at the club, which is a few miles out of town, we recently had a complaint from a distant neighbor who complained of the noise and that we fly too close to his house 'all day'. And with a heli, flying hard, 5 minutes is long enough for me. My brain needs a break :

Had time to Email Horizon today. Will let you know the results. Stay tuned...

Hey Doug47,

Where do you fly in the Ashland area? I fly south of Bellevue.

Skyhawk940

I've flown the SR asume the larger version as now fly the smaller SR120 as also enjoy inside flight, my larger SR flew but was tail buzzy to me, not quite super stable but not bad either. Last my larger SR was damaged, yet to repair. Now caught in these mini series, can tell you the 120 nodel is close to rock solid, but perhaps too small for some with 12 inch main rotor. Still the 120 will take some outside breeze fairly well.

Here is a clip on the smaller SR120 maiden outside, some light breeze, but flew well, I'm far from the best pilot.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnAiIwK7BJI

Good luck