jez33

it just doesnt work as good as the piezo version..in fact atleast on mine its almost infective so i have to fly and input rudder myself to counter act the torque which constantly changes during flight but after a few minutes flying i get used to it..

so this is why i would recommend an effective gyro so that you dont have to constantly concentrate on keeping the tail in one direction..

paulhenley

hi MT RC/all

i don't know how many of the above posts fly both heli and fixed wing (plane) but i do.
my View is if you have access to a field and can get sombody to train you then get a fixed wing trainer ( the best set up is a Irvine tutor with a o.s 46 la). i say this because it was last month (ish) that i started to fly heli, i self tought, with three flights i had the training undercarrage and then within 15 flights i pulled a loop with it ( more complicated than with a plane). think that if you get a plane you will spend less as fixed wing don't need any regular sevicing except a glance over at the end of the day. and a bit like BarracudaHockey said, can you do a blender with a heli ?
if you can't get an instructor for heli get a raptor 30 or 50, you don't need to spen anywhere near $600 to get a good one, i just spent £300 on a raptor 50 with a os 50, csm 520 gyro and very good serov's and carbon blades which if all bought new would have cost me arount £900. look around for a good second hand heli if you can't get a plane.

just my view and hope it was of help

Henley

p.s you can hover a plane inverted as yuo can now buy 4d props

heli_Rod

My flying buddy bought one of those to learn on a few years ago. He didn't have much luck with it. It has a small engine that made it underpowered and prone to over heating. It is a fixed pitch heli. Collective pitch is a lot easier to learn. The tail rotor system was also a pain! The plastic drive gear would get hot and expand causing it to slip on the shaft, losing tail rotor control. The mechanical gyro wasn't very dependable.

You are going to have a lot of disappointments with it. He doesn't recommend it.

There are several .30 size on the market and those are going to be your best bet to get into a nitro heli at a reasonable price. The sad thing about learning to fly helis, you have to have reasonably good equipment. There are some items that you just can't "get by" with. A good motor (O.S.32) is imperative, good supply of parts easily obtainable and a good gyro is important. The Futaba GY240 Gyro is an excellent starter gyro. Radios prices depend on what features you want. Here are some intor radios: JR 6102 FM $264.99, --- Futaba 7CHP PCM 7ch w/(4) 3151 FUTJ74 $299.99 ---Airtronics RD8000 w/(5) 322 FM Heli set, 1000pk $289.99 ---Hitec may have one and the new Spektrum is just coming out.

Rod

jez33

hi rod..
ive not experienced the same trouble with the main cog coming loose by its self..the newer engines on these are meant to be much more user friendly ..or so im told. plus in the last couple of years they have put a bigger engine in it now.. totally agree with you on the tail gyro..its rubbish and doesnt really work as a gyro..

for the amount of money though he wishes to spend then i can only see this as an option ,well atleast if he wants it only to be nitro ..
im not sure but im sort of guessing that there is a conversion kit to make the heli from fixed to collective .. there is atleast on the electric version i think ..mind you even with this improvement it will never be a raptor..lol

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

Ok guys, thanks for all the information! I just found this amazing deal on a raptor 30, but it comes with no electronics. I will need 5 servos, a gyro, and a controller. Someone point me to some good ones that are not too much money!!

ross001

you don't need really good servos apart from on the tail..get the GY401 and 9254 combo for a gyro/tail combo and maybe think about using a Futaba or Hitec radio.

Futaba have the 7CHP which is a 7 channel heli radio, they also have the 9CHP(A really good radio) and theres also some JR radios but I don't know much about them. I used to have a Hitec Eclipse 7 and just got a 9CHP. The Hitec was a good radio but nothing like the Futaba.

The cheapest radio for a heli will be a 6 channel but then you won't have many features. Get the best radio you can afford.

Ross

WarMace

If you get the Raptor, the GY401 w/digital servo is your best bet. Not the cheapest, but it will hold the tail solid and make learning much easier. For the radio, either buy a cheaper six channel like the Hitec or a nice 7 to 9 channel. JR and Futaba are both good, it's really personal preference. If you buy a six channel, you will outgrow it pretty fast. A 7/9 channel will last a lot longer. The four servos that come with you radio package should be fine for learning. Check out the new Specktrum DX7. The new Spread Spectrum is a new technology but no glitch problems is sure enticing.

If you decided to go electric, I would get the TRex. Not only does it fly more like a nitro than the smaller electrics, it is set up more like the nitros. The skills you learn setting up and flying a TRex will translate easily to a nitro. The Trex would also be easier to build under your $700-800 budget. Helihobby has a lot of TRex packages. Check them out.

How big is your yard? Mine has about 60ftx60ft of good flying space and ran out of things to do with my 30 nitro in that space in about three months(lots of good hovering practice though). I then bought a Blade CP which couldn't handle the wind. Then got a TRex and it has been great. Still can't do any FFF in the backyard but hovering from all directions and figure-eights work well. Just make sure to leave yourself enough room to recover. I probably could learn nose-in hover with the nitro but a small space leaves no room for error and error translate into repair money that could be spent on your next helicopter.

My advice would be to get a Raptor if you can afford it and have the space to fly it. If not get the TRex, it's cheaper and won't annoy the neighbors quite so much. Regardless, both are well supported by vendors and the online community. You won't be disappointed either way.

Oh, BTW, helicopters are way more fun than airplanes.

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I was thinking, and I still just cannot be completly convinced to helicopters. I am just so afraid I will be bad at it, and do nothing but figure 8s and get bored. I will look into the TRex!

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

Ok guys, turns out a nitro will not be happening. So I decided on an electric. I would really like one that can handle a little wind so I can take it outside, but I want it to be cheap enough so that I can get a cheap electric plane also. Probably around $400 max for them BOTH. I know that it will not get me far for both a hali and a plane.

But if there is an electric heli that I can get for close to $400, anc can handle some wind... then I will just get a heli alone. Thanks guys!

Raylon

Blade CP

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

I was looking at the Blade .30 kits. Is there any way I could buy everything seperate for under $600?

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

I guess I will just have to get a used one...

evan-RCU

List what you are looking at with prices, everything from readio to kit to motor, servos and a gyro. lrt us see what yo are thinking about, there might me some wiggle room to save a few bucks. Also what support equipment do yo already have, pump, glo driver, starter, etc.

Jeremy300

My Feedback: (6)

Forget about the micro helis like the blade CP or Esky's. Difficult to learn on for a newbie and not very stable in any type of wind. Nitro's are out of the question because you state you do not have the money for them. You will need at least $1000 for that because not only do you need the heli, motor, a decent radio and gyro but you also need the field support equipment.

So that pretty much leaves the 400 size electrics as your option.

This is about the cheapest you will get with decent equipment and it includes everything you need. If you try to go cheap, you will spend more money in the long run upgrading to decent equipment. Bite the bullet and spend the extra bucks if you really want to get into helis.

http://www4.mailordercentral.com/hel...mber=335017COM

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

Wow! That deal is amazing!!! How long does the Trex run on a full charge? I just hate the fact that electric run for like 5 mins and then you have to charge for 2 hours. LMK, really looking into that combo you showed me!!

Jeremy300

My Feedback: (6)

Battery run time depends on the type of flying you are doing. You should get upwards of about 7-8 mins hovering on a 2100 pack. Get a couple of extra packs that way you can be charging while flying. You will get more battery time once you get into forward flight because the blades are more efficient (transitional lift) and the motor does not have to work as hard to maintain flight.

The biggest and most important lesson when it comes to helis is to have an experienced pilot help you setup the chopper and to help you through your first initial hops. DO NOT OMIT THIS STEP. You will pretty much guarantee failure if you do not heed this warning. There are very few pilots who have managed to figure it out on their own. Find an experienced pilot to help no matter how far you have to drive.

Good luck!

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

Ok I will try to find one now, maybe I can then see him fly around a little so I can get a better idea about helis.

MT RC

My Feedback: (1)

Ok guys, well the heli will be more than the P51 Mustang PTS, and it is electric. So would it be fine if I bought a used Raptor 30 off of eBay, or is that now a good idea? Man, I am just still so stuck... I hate this!!! haha

asf

I'd recommend heli, a heli pilot gets very aclimated with the rudder, and from what i hear that makes great plane pilots for later on , im not quite sure what heli to reccomend because im a semi newb myself, but im having a blast on my blade cp pro

dubya_o

My Feedback: (1)

This is from an experienced plane pilot and a newbie heli pilot. My advice is to get a good simulator first, or at least try one at the lhs. You're on a limited budget and will run out of money fast with any heli because of repairs. You will get a better idea of whether you want a plane or heli by flying the sim for a while. I love my planes and it was pretty easy to go from beginner to doing lots of cool stuff with the planes. Learning the helis takes a LOT more patience and time but I can already tell it's going to be just as much or more fun than the planes when I get good at it.

The newest version of the Realflight sim has some nice heli training features.

Wally

from my beginners perspective:

Blade CP Pro.... #@%$^&^%#@
MX400 Pro.... That's better!
Century Hawk Pro....Yeah, that's what I'm talkin bout.

paulhenley

hi m8

youv't seen my veiw on either plane or heli.
if you go for a heli, i would go straight in to a raptor 30v2/50v2
$1000 is only if you buy the best of the best brand new...

i said in other postst my fist heli was a raptor 50v2 with os 50, goood sevos and an expensive gyro. i paid £300 pounds for mine and the model is imacculate (there was a £90 reciever in it that was taken out as well.)
the raptor is great fun and relativly easy to fly too ( i spent time on a sim and took my training gear off after 3 flights.)

from my experience with electrics i would stay away. i don't mean to pic an argument but my view is that if your gonna learn to fly propper heli's you might as well start with one of a fair size, easy maintained and not have the hastle of charging for every flight. (remember the bigger the heli the easier it will be to fly) - within reason




henley