Is there a simple way to learn which button is which in controlling the heli? I get into a close spot and move the leaver the wrong way and new blades needed.Any pointers would help.Newbie here.Thanks Ron

Keep the tail pointed at you at all times.
As long as the tail is pointed at you all movements with the right stick are in the same direction you want the heli to go.
PS: use the left stick for altitude and to keep the tail pointed at you (remember you steer the nose of the heli, so left on the left stick will turn the nose left)

I am fairly new as well. I have to start always looking at the tail. I still fly most of the time looking at the tail. I am just now starting to fly with nose in. On the left stick up and down are up and down. On the left stick left and right will turn the heli left and right. The big trick is the right stick. Forward is up and backwards is down. Bank left and Bank right.

I also had a few hours on Real Flight G 3 simulator and I know it helped allot. Good luck and rem small small movements = big results. Slow and low is what the guy told me at the store. Power down hard if you have to mine bounces of the carpet better than walls. Oh I also used the training grear. This will let you figure out controls as well. You can slide it around the room like a remote control car.


Cheers,

Josh

I guess we are all doing the same thing, staying low, being carefull and trying to learn faster than we can. I guess it takes time! Sometimes the hair on my neck sticks up when I get toooo close! Wow, what a rush, I'm exhausted. Ron

Darticus... that's the difference between a new pilot and one with lots of experience and expertise: The one with experience knows which way to move the stick to make the helicopter go the way they want. . As mentioned above, learning tail-in, then tail-out is logical, excellent advice. It limits the things you have to think about, and lets you learn one thing at a time. The bottom line is "practice, practice, practice."

I've gotten a 'bit too close' more than a few times, and I have a very limited space to learn in. I actually keep a little jar of touch-up paint in the room, to paint over the "whack marks" on the walls. Hang in there!

Darticus
You're getting lots of good feedback on this one! Those of us who have been around a while have this instinct to bring the newbies along with minimal 'conflicts'. Conflicts - that's what you have when there's a wall or chair in your airspace. That stuff is really hard on blades.
TIP- DON'T start out trying to fly through doorways and down hall ways. These helis stick to walls, doors, chairs and such and they have no fear of ceiling fans. Ceiling fans - that's another conflict.
So right now, will the heli hover solid with no input or do you have to fly it to sit still? You should be able to power-up and get to a stable hover with almost no input at all. And the heli should hang in the air until the breeze that the heli creates starts to move it around. You will learn faster when the heli it trimmed.
If you need advice, you're in the right place.
If you are breaking blades, you're learning! I've gone through bags of them. The body on my heli is as much packing tape as it is yellow plastic. I read somewhere here today that you should fly on the good days, when you feel like you are in control. On days when you are always behind and can't seem to keep up, put the heli on the shelf. You'll just break it and perhaps break your spirit. Most of my severe damage happened on bad days when I was determined to win no matter what. I seldom won on those days.
My two cents worth.
Best of luck and hang in there. You are in good company!

Here's something that I did and it seemed to help a little. Of course the best thing is to fly a lot, but this trick is a freebee.
Just before you go to sleep, picture yourself flying the heli and work the controls with your eyes closed. No distractions, no errors. In your mind you know what to do, but in real flight there are errors which lead to emergencies, and that leads to crashes and frustration.
"See" the heli and work the controls - move your thumbs - and "see" the results. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It burns it into your memory. When it comes natural, turn the heli in your mind so it's nose in and practice. It's surprising that, in your mind, you will hesitate and frequently make the mistakes you make in real flight.