What do you guys think about a training stand? Have you ever seen one work? It seems like it would save you a lot of money on crash damage.......?

spend the money on a decent simulator instead....

Not worth the money, a sim is the way to go!

I used a simulator and training skids, they come stock with the Hirobo Challenge. They saved my heli from a couple brain freezes that I would have surely crashed with. I did however manage to break the right rear mounting bolt on the heli frame with the skids, I think because of the leverage from the training skid on that side hitting a little hard on a botched landing. Sucked replacing the main frame, but I think the training gear has overall saved me some greenbacks and rebuild time overall.

I had one of the "aluminum gas strut stands" when I first
started out and it was more trouble than it was worth.
It seems like a great idea to the uninitiated but clamping the heli
down and starting it let alone trying to hover on the stand which was possible,was a royal pain in the axx.
You stand more of a chance damaging a heli too if it sets up an
oscillation or vibration on the stand also, happened to me.
I also recommend a G2 sim and the proper training gear to attach
to the skids.
Learn from my mistake, "Forget the stand", and try to get some
help from local flyers.

I agree, simulator first, training gear second...

LOL I guess we call this "total agreement"