Ace3013

Looking for a good Micro heli to learn on and progress. I fly the Sim pretty good now I want to try the real thing. Narrowed it down to a dragon fly 22D $131(last choice), Dragonfly 22a but at $260 ++?? , or a Honeybee 2 esky 3d with a 1200mah Li-ion for $176. All from hobbyjapan2000.com
Questions:
What are the common US versions of these so I will not have to order parts from Japan?
Is the elemination of the tail rotor motor on the dragon fly really that big of a deal? No burned tail motors and more powerful tail action.
The DF 22A comes with the Gyrobee and the GWS gyro, whats the story? Is this better than the built in gyro of the BH 3D ?
How long will each fly on its battery (if I dont crash it)
Should I upgrade the 22D to Li-Ion? That would make it cost within $20 of the the HB 3D, Should I step up from FP to CCP in the beginning?
Which is better HB 3D or the DF 22a
Can the individule componets in the DF be used in a plane. I understand the radio in the HB 3D has reciever ,gyro and esc together so this would be difficult.
Can the radio gear from either be moved to another heli in the future.
Thanks,

Radd

I've been spending most of my time on Ikarus and coming over here is a pretty big shock....We see all the clones but not all the massive e-bay sales stuff....I must admit from the posts around here seems like the last place I would buy a heli from is e-bay now...Obviously not the way to go from all the complaints....And to be honest alot of it appears to be clone-ish junk....But some of the trouble has to be bad advice from novice or pilots without experience...

On Micro boards, advice given before the very first flight can save large amounts of hard earned cash...

If I were starting out...

I would seek out an exclusive micro community to advise me....( some of the Nitro pilots around here ......and rightly so.....are sick of hearing about faulty clone crap...and thats not counting the fact they hate them to start with..)...

Second I would buy quality name brand time tested proven helicopters....and dont just assume your going to be one of the lucky ones that gets a perfect mail order machine....the chances are slim...

Thirdly.....we all want the hot-rod of our dreams.....but you dont give the keys to a corvette to a teenager......A micro was designed to fly inside...a good quality stock fixed pitch piccolo or hummingbird can give you a winters worth of adreniline and not hurt your wallet....( I've never flown a dragonfly and only a handful of knockoffs...)..( why would I bother with smokin rockets??)...

If your new to helicopters without local help.. a... Collective Pitch Micro machine will break your heart and your bank account.....The radio alone would make Orvile or Wilbur run away from the sand dunes....with pitch curves and throttle curves...having never seen them before....

I have to go.....more later...gotta go get my son from school he's throwing up......( oh brother )

common sense......thats all.....walk before you run.....where cheap crappy cut rate shoes and your feet will kill you.....e-bay shoes...

More Later