Joshzilla1993

Hi!!! I'm looking at buying my 3d heli and I was wanting to jump into a nitro. My first two helis were cheap coaxel fixed pitch three channel choppers to test the waters of using rc choppers. I'm not new to the realm of rc so I do have some experience. Not with nitro though. All that I've used whether it be a car, plane, or chopper has been electric. So I was hoping to get some opinions on what would be a good chopper to get. My knowledge of helicopters is pretty basic. And with there not being a hobby shop within a a reasonable driving distance, it makes it very difficult to know where to start. But I think I would like to jump into nitro because why spend a lot of money on electric helis when I'm going to go nitro somewhere down the line? I would greatly appreciate any help/guidance on what I should do. Thanks!!!

hoskoau

I'm only new to Heli's myself but having been using land based RC for ages. I've been converting all my nitro equipment to brushless electric because you just can't beat the raw power of a BL motor. Even on my big 1/8 monster truck there is just no comparision. I'm interested what others have to say because I thought nitro was going the way of the dinosours.

Joshzilla1993

I see. Well I started thinking (witch doesn't happen very often) And I think it would probably be best to go electric due to the price and with being new, theres a good chance that I will crash. It's not a matter of if, but when is what one person told me. Electric is also much easier to maintain...so I think I'll go electric. Would the Blade 450 3D be a good heli to start with? I understand that it is a high performance chopper but, if I start out with basic maneuvers i.e. hovering and basic movement, would that matter? The way that I see it is that it can be something that I can grow with as I get more proficient with flying. What do you guys think?

Rafael23cc

My Feedback: (6)

Here are a few pointers to get you thinking.

1. Yes, electric has a lot of power, But that power comes with a big price. The batteries start loosing power the second you start the motor. So your power curve is NOT constant. Might seem constant, but it is not. Fuel power has the same constant power from the first drop to the last drop so you do not feel the power drop.
2. As the power of a battery depletes, it's weight does not. Thus leaving you to carry the same amount of weight no matter if your are on 95% charge, or 30% charge. Fuel of course gets consumed, so weight diminishes, and did I say anything about power being consistent from the first to the last drop?
3. 2 helicopters of similar size one electric and the other fuel powered. Of course, as discussed by hoskoau the electric helicopter will have a lot of power. But that power will last for only 4 to 6 minutes. I consistently fly 8 to 10 minutes on my nitro helicopters.
4. Now electrics do have an advantage, and it is flying cost. Initial cost is bout the same, if you only buy one set of batteries, and you are starting out. If you already have some of the required equipment Like high output chargers for electric, or fuel delivery and engine starting equipment for nitro then you have to run the numbers yourself. But cost per flight is where the electric shines. If you were to get say 500 cycles out of a battery pack, the cost of electric would be much more cheaper than the nitro counterpart, specially with the current nitro prices.

I do not see nitro going out of style anytime soon. People keep saying that nitro is going the way of the dinosaurs, but that statement couldn't be further from the truth. It all has it's place, people will fly both and will enjoy both for a long time to come. There is no comparison to the smell of nitro during a great flight. Burned ESCs don't smell that good.

Rafael

Joshzilla1993

What would be a good beginner nitro heli?  I know most helis can be tamed down to best suit the pilot, but I don't know what would be best.  Any recommendations?  thanks!!!

Rafael23cc

My Feedback: (6)

I refuse to answer that question directly. You might need to do your own research to arrive at your own conclusion.

Right there lies part of the answer.

What would be the best for me, might not be the best for you.

And don't confuse more popular, for the best. Why don't you start by sharing your budget ballpark to start narrowing it down? The best might be too expansive.

Rafael

Joshzilla1993

  I think I already have my answer.  I stumbled on <span class="url">www.rchelicopterfun.com a few days ago, and from what I've learned, I think I might go with the Blade 450 3D.  I believe It would best suit me both price wise, and skill wise. I figure once I get use to flying my first  single rotor collective pitch heli, I could jump up to something like a larger nitro heli.</span><span class="url"></span>

Goggles

My Feedback: (4)

IMO, a [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=801646]Raptor 50[/link] or [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=798637]T-Rex 600[/link]. Parts are very reasonable and available almost anywhere.
When you crash these [link=http://grandrc.com/p50868/HD600A-BB-600D-PRO-Carbon-Fiber-Blades-BLEMISH-%28old-H60190%29/product_info.html]Blades[/link] work well and are well priced.
Make sue you have a good set of tools. You'll need a starter extension like [link=http://www.heliproz.com/prodinfo.asp?number=804580]this[/link] as an example. Glow driver and fuel pump.

Joshzilla1993

How are those two compared to the electric Blade 450? I figure it would be best to go with the Blade due to the price, and I'm worried about buying an expensive heli only to crash it two minutes later. Would it be wise to train with the Blade, and move up to something with greater performance once I get used to flying a collective pitch heli? Just asking before I commit to buying something[img]../../punymce/plugins/emoticons/img/trans.gif[/img].

Rafael23cc

My Feedback: (6)

Lets start by saying that they are double the size of the 450. After that, we can say that they are proven designs that have been out for quite some time. Parts are abundant in the OEM side, AND on the aftermarket side. And They are two of the most popular helicopters in the 50size class out there.

The Blade 450 is a fairly recent introduction to the market, to try to compete in the already saturated 450 size class dominated for many years by the TRex 450. I'm not saying that the Blade 450 is not good, just not as popular as the Raptor or the the TRex.

Since you have not placed a number in the request for a budget, and you are looking at a 450 sized helicopter, I'm going to assume that the number is not in the upper side of what would be expected. If you want to go with a 450 size, that is your choice. I would recommend to use any additional money that you may have set aside for the helicopter and invest it in a good reliable simulator. A good one will run you anywhere from $150 to $200, and most likely will include a radio or at least a radio interface.

Last, Get yourself a flying buddy. Preferably one that has some experience flying helicopters that can coach you during the learning process.

Rafael

Joshzilla1993

  Sorry, forgot.  My budget is anywhere form $300-$1,400.  So I'm pretty flexible.  As far as the flight sim goes,  I'm looking at getting the Realflight G6 so long as it's compatible with my Mac if I run it in Windows 7.  I'm worried I'll buy it, only to find out it doesn't work.

Rafael23cc

My Feedback: (6)

See below, I hit the submit button too many times. Sorry.
Rafael

Rafael23cc

My Feedback: (6)

That is a pretty hefty budget. That should allow you to get almost anything you want. I paid somehwere in the $1200 range for my heavily upgraded 50 sized helicopter brand new including everyting to fly, except the handheld part of the radio system. (Raptor 50 Hyper circa 2004) All I had to do was assemble it. Since you do not need all the upgrades, you should be able to get all that is necessary including complete radio system, tools, and a few spare parts for around the same price. If you buy some used stuff, the price comes down significantly. A smaller helicopter may bring the price down a bit, but I would be careful of the included equipment to make sure it is compatible with the ''carreer path'' you will want to take. I explain, if you get a smaller heli that already includes a radio, make sure that the included radio is going to be sufficient to fly a larger, more complicated helicopter that you could be interested in the future. If not, then you might be buying twice.

I consider the Radio (handheld portion of the control system) an investment, and you should buy as much radio as you can afford now. You can easily grow into a complex radio. but if you have a simple radio, you might end up limiting yourself. The minimum number of channels I'd recommend for helicopter flight is 7. I would personally be looking at radios in the 8 or more channel range. Radios are not only categorized by channel number, but as the number of channels increase so does the programming features. I can add to that last statement if you need further explanation.

As far as the simulator goes, I know of some people running Realflight and Phoenix on Mac computers, but since I do not own a Mac, I never paid attention. I believe it has to do with some Windows emulator installed on the Mac computer, tricing the simulator software to believe it is actually running on a Windows platform.

Rafael

Joshzilla1993

  Luckily I already have a DX7 on hand.  All I need are some servos.   I understand.  If you get a RTF 3 channel heli, Then you decide to jump up to a more complicated chopper thats requires 7-8 channels, you have to pay even more money on another controller then you otherwise would have if you went with a better one in the first place.  Right?  Thanks for your help btw!!!

Joshzilla1993

I think I know the heli I'd like to go with. Either the thunder tiger X50 Torque-Tube nitro 3d kit from tower hobbies or the
<div class="newOrfreeItem"></div>thunder tiger titan x50b nitro 3d kit. What's the main difference between the two? whichever one I go with, I'm going to get the kit that includes both the muffler and engine. As for the gyro, http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...LXAUPX&amp;P=7. What do you guys think? Is that a good setup? Oh, and what's a torque tube tail? Will I ever stop asking questions??

Rafael23cc

My Feedback: (6)

I do not know the difference between the X50 and the X50B. But If you are learning to fly helicopters, I would delay the torque tube and start with a belt driven tail. The belt driven tail will resist better the harsh treatment that a lerner will impose on a helicopter. After you can consistently keep the tail away from the ground, then you can change the belt for a torque tube.

Rafael

Joshzilla1993

I see. Well I'm thinking about ordering the thunder tiger kit from tower hobbies here shortly, but before I do, I want your guys opinion. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&amp;P=0  Would it make for a good chopper to start with?  The rc sim I just ordered has that same chopper on it, so I have quite a bit of practice time before I fly it for real.

Joshzilla1993

Can someone explain what governors do? Thanks.