whats my best bet for a cheap cp micro heli? i really want one but money is a serious issue. is fp really that much worse than cp?

Yes, IMO FP is much worse than CP.

The bottom end CP heli I would even consider is the Blade CP ($220 RTF). You'd be better off with a T-Rex or Shogun 400 with a heading hold gyro, though. Those will run you about twice that to get everything, though...

As your skill level improves a fixed pitch machine will fall behind your demands, fixed pitch is a good way to introduce yourself to helicopters, They are more resiliant to bumps and scrapes and take less maintainance and understanding to keep in the air. PKH is right, with package deals you tend to get lesser quality electronics which are just as important as setting up the heli physically when it comes to building a reliable and predictable rig. Basically in a nutshell.. the cheaper the heli, . the " cheaper the heli " If you aspire to impress your friends with agressive hair cutting maneuvers . Then head first into a CP rig, but if your not in a hurry.. get a FP rig. everyones learning curve is different.

It's not just the cheap stuff you get with RTF, though... the Blade has a fixed pitch tail driven by a motor, the T-Rex and Shoguns have CP tails driven off of the main motor. The CP tail helis have much more responsive tails, but at the cost of higher mechanical complexity, and more $$$ for the kit.

You can get a bare bones Blade CP for $100, but you can also get a hopped-up Shogun 400 ARF at HeliHobby for $100... I'd go for the Shogun and deck it out with a BL motor, HH gyro, etc. (well, actually, I did do that )... the driven CP tail helis are a step up from the tail motor helis in performance...

lol, who wants to learn how to fly a heli without a HH gyro. i dont even think i could fly with HH mode off at my level (actually ive never tried for my heli's sake). my gy240 spoils me much.

well im a fast learner with limited funds so i think ill go for the blade. thx for the help.

if you are new to RC heli..in any fashion, Put training gear on it. On a budget, Even better idea. Nobody will laugh at you, it is the single most important thing to a new rc heli pilot. That thing will do stuff you never imagined.. but alot of the time for a new heli pilot.. its on its own. As far as a fast learner, if you dont heed this one.. sound advice.. youll be learning fast that your budget just grew.. '_;