I would like to buy and learn to fly a heli similar to that in the picture at the top of this page(just to the right of the yellow car and the rcuniverse.com planet logo) As I can imagine this will be a relatively difficult to heli to start off on. Does anybody have any tips on what would be a good heli to start out on and also where I can buy one of the fancy ones like that on in the picture. Thanks for your help




Derek Lee

You need to collect more information on the hobby so that you can make informed decisions.
Do you want to go with Nitro powered helis that you fly at a club flying field (or in your back yard if you live far enough out in the country)
Do you want a micro electric heli that you cna fly in your livingroom?
Do you want a larger electric heli that you can fly in your back yard?

Typically, larger helis are easier to fly and smaller helis are less expensive to repair when they crash.

I would like to buy a nitro...I know they cost alot more but I recently took a higher paying job so I have more money to toy around with...Also I don't think the price you save is worth the lack of power...I'm thinking something in the 30 size...I've been doing some research and I need to make sure I buy a good heli to train on but also want to upgrade the canopy later on to a scale model(holy crap thos canopies get EXPENSIVE) I've been flying nitro plans for several years now and can't wait to upgrade to the heli side of r/c. Thanks for your help


Derek Lee

If your stuck on scale get a Hirobo Shuttle Plus and stick an OS37 in it. The kits only 200 bucks but you'll need a few metal upgrades in the head and some decent glass blades as well.

If your going to learn how to fly and get into aerobatics, get a Raptor.

You can buy that heli as a kit or arf, even as an airwolf . From centuryheli.com you can get it in many paint shemes as well. It comes in .30 and 60-90 size (nitro) starting at $279.00 for a complete kit with retracts(less engine and elec. equipment) I think I might get one this fall for a winter project. Anyway good luck and hope this helps. century also has scale micro electrics as well.
Jay

I will definetly be going nitro...also I'd like to buy a kit but Tower Hobbies no longer sells heli kits...at least I don't think...I've ALWAYS ordered from tower hobbies...I raced R/C trucks for about 3 years before I got into flying planes...but never could quite talk daddy into helpin me out for the finances of a heli...but I think I've finally got the funds available...95 % of the enjoyment I get from building the model from a bunch of bags of parts then seeing what I've built actually run...I'm thinkin I'll prolly buy a sim first before I invest in the heli since I don't really know anybody around that flies them...there is a club like 30 miles from where I live and I'm thinkin bout goin there some day to see if anybody flies helis...but does anybody know if the Great Planes G3 is a good simulator to practice on??? I've heard alot of good things and since I don't have a computer radio yet I'll prolly just get one with the transmitter in it. Thanks for your help...ANY other advice would be greatly appreciated...



Derek Lee

G3 is GREAT to work with.
And going Nitro is not really all that expensive. I know a lot of guys who have dumped more into their micro electrics than would have taken to get started with Nitro. Now crash repair costs - Nitro is expensive to repair when you ditch the heli compared tothe micro electrics.
Do go to the club field and talk to the members there. Call their officers and ask if they have periodic club meetings. Typically there are more members at the monthly meeting than there is at the field on any particular day.

hey guys...I'm about to purchase the g3 flight sim...hopefully I'll learn to fly real good on there(so I can crash a million times and not spend a dime) and then I'll save money so I can afford to buy all my stuff at once instead of one peice at a time like I had planned(kit, radio, gyro, engine, etc...) then I can head to the club and hopefully be flying for real by next spring...does that seem like a realistic goal or should I set it a lil longer??? Thanks for all your input...you all have been a really big help...it's guys like this that make these forums so usefull to the beginner pilot[8D]


Derek Lee

My brother spent 40 hours playing with Realflight G2. After that, he hovered his micro electric on his first attempt.
So, if you spend enough time on the sim, and get your ehli looked over and trimmed by someone at the club that has heli experience, I think you will have very good chances of success.

IMO Nitro is the only wat to go. Nitros DO NOT cost a lot more. By the time you are finished with the electric heli ready to fly.
After lipos, brushless motor, esc , charger etc the cost will be the same as a Nitro 30 or 50 heli
You should consider a 50 size heli. The price between a 30 and a 50 is very small.

Fred..

just got word that my g3 sim should be on its way...can't wait to get it...now I just need to clean up my computer desk so I have a lil more room when it gets here...hehe...thanks guys...I'll be sure to come back to the heli forum before I purchase an actuall helicopter



Derek Lee

Be sure to check out the tutorial in your RF> It's a big help!!!!!!!

hey...got my sim this weekend and I LOVE it...it's AMAZINGLY realistic!!! the only problem I've found is that there are no "virtual flight instructor" recordings for basic helicopter manuevers such as hovering and slow forward flight, etc. Am I just missing something???



Derek Lee

Learn how to hover first in every possible direction and angle. It is tempting just to fly around and thrash it, but control is the most important thing even on a sim.

Derek Lee,
If you are having difficulty, maybe this diagram will help.

seems like your getting started on the right foot with a sim, I would not buy a Bell 222, or airwolf just yet. With the kit or the arf you still have to do some modifications on the retracts and so on. I would get a Hirobo Shuttle Plus or you can go with a hawk pro, fly it around in pod and boom form and buy either a longranger or jetranger to ease into scale. These helicopters fit nice in a scale fuse and go with a O.S. 37 or Toki 40. good luck and you will enjoy scale if you go into that area. mike

could somebody help me learn to hover on this sim??? know what each stick does and all that but help for instance like with the switches...which position should all the switches be in when I first start off?? I'm using the radio that comes with the Real Flight G3 simulator. There are no tutorials on this and I've kinda gotten it figured out...but just want to make sure I am right so I'm not learning the wrong way which would create complications further down the road...Thanks


Derek Lee