Alright, I have made up my mind to purchase a Trex after learning to fly on my Blade CP. Here is what I am looking to get. I want to see what everyone thinks before I drop this much coin....

Trex 450XL (CDE) w/ eCCPM
Align Brushless Motor 430L 3550KV
Align 35A ESC
Thunder Power 2100mAh 3C LiPo
Futaba 7ch radio with 4 S3151 servos
Futaba GY240 gyro
Futaba S9650 tail servo

I am not planning on doing any 3D, at least not for a long time. I just want something I can fly like a real helicopter and enjoy. Will I be OK with this set up? Any suggestions or recommendations? What else will I need?

You aren't going to be able to use 3151 servos on that bird so either plan on using them somewhere else or get the radio transmitter only, with a Futaba 146ip reciever and 3 hs56 servos.

yep...need different servos for the cyclic...

and you can't use a 9650 with the 240...the 240 doesn't play nice with digitals...
spend the extra few dollars and get the GY401... well worth it,.

Is there a quick and easy setup using the Gy401 and the 14mz. I have gone through the gyro instructions but without studying them (I know I should but some of the stuff just doesn't make sense to me). I would like to get a basic setup using the 3 modes and also an explanation of the reason for switching from AVCS to NORMAL between modes.

The 401 isn't nearly as complicated as the instructions make it.

The only reason to fly in normal is to trim the gyro.

Picture the gyro gain on a 401 as being on a transmitter knob. Full left on the knob is 100 percent gain in avcs and full right on the knob is 100 percent gain in normal (rate) mode.

As you start to turn the knob from full left the gain goes down until you reach the half way point from left to right, at this point your at 0 gain, the gyro is esentially off. As you continue to the right you are now in normal mode and increasing the gain until you reach the right when you are at 100 percent gain in normal. When the knob is half way between centered and full right, your in normal mode at 50 percent gain, when the knob is half way between full right and center then your in AVCS mode with 50 percent gain.

Know instead of a knob picture a toggle switch, usually the gear switch. Where you set its right end point is your gain in AVCS and where you set your left end point is where your gain ends up in normal.

Now some of the fancy radios let you tie the gyro gain to flight mode, though there's really no good reason to do so. Its nothing more than a mix that says when I flip to flight mode idle up one, then I'm going to set my gear channel at x and when I flip it to flight mode idle 2 then its going to set it to y. x and y being some value for gyro gain but its nothing more than what you can set on a toggle switch.

The gyro menu is the same deal, its a mix that sends the channel 5 position to a predetermined value that tells the gyro what gain to run. In this case you just leave the end points at 100 and let the gyro menu set the throw. The gyro menu just breaks down each side of that knob into a value from 0 to 100 instead of the atvs where you are working with numbers between 50 (neautral) and 100.

http://www.futaba-rc.com/team/team-tip-002.html

Thanks, set it up last night after checking the Futaba website and makes a whole lot more sense. Hovered in my back yard at 11pm under the lights, some tailwagging so reduced the gain a bit. Seems fine for now.

OK...using the advice above, here is what I have pieced together now.....tell me what you think:

Trex 450XL CDE eCCPM
Align Brushless 430L
Align 35A ESC
Thunder Power 2100mAh 3C
Futaba 7ch w/ Rx
3x Hitec 56HB servos
Futaba GY401 w/ S9254

Looks like I can piece this together under $800

I found I can purchase the radio Tx with Rx and no servos on Servocity.com. My question is, does the receiver require a seperate battery, or does it run off the LiPo's? If it does require a seperate battery, does it come with the receiver, or do I need to purchase seperate? If so, what battery do I need?

I didn't think this would get so complicated, but I am definitely learning a lot on these forums.

The receiver will get it's power from the Speed Controller. The ESC has a Battery Elimination Circuit (BEC) that provides a regulated 5v to the receiver, and through that to the gyro and servos.

If your budget allows it, consider the Futaba 9CHS transmitter over the 7CH. There is about a $100 difference, and this is a fantastic transmitter. Planes and helis will come and go. Your transmitter will stay with you for a long time.

the 9254 is for larger nitro heli's...

waay too big for the tRex... try and get a 9650 if you want digital (and you can find one) or get a Hitec HS-81 for now......

other than that you are in the ball park...

I like the Quark ESC, but the Align is ok too

Set up looks good, definitely do the 9650 and probably an external BEC like the Medusa 2.0a 6V. Works great with the Align 35A esc. Gives great servo performance at no expense. Checkit out at www.MedusaProducts.com .

You get the Align esc with a 6V bec now...RCE BL 35X I believe it's called.