i currently have a (stock) heli max axe cp and have the hang of it. i was thinking of getting a lithuim battery, plastic blades, gyro, ect.. for it so that it can be flown easier and with greater precision. but after i calculated the cost of these things it comes to like $250 (more than i payed for the heli itself!). so my question is what is a better choice: to buy these upgrades for this small electric heli and pay total about ( incuding heli)$450. or should i go out and buy a .50 glow heli for $700-$800? Any opinons/ideas will be appreciated.
P.S.- (experience is not an issue- can hover heli max and 150+ hours on real flight helis doing extreme 3D)

First the sim does not equal much real stick time. Second what do you want to do, do you want to step up to a larger helo? If so would you prefer to stay alectric but go up to a 500 or a 600? There's a lot of choices and you should move towards where you want to end. If you want to end up with a bigger electric move that way and start buying chargers and batteries. If you see yourself doing glow start buying starters and fuel...

When yo umake the choice which direction we can recommend a brand or model helo....

or do it all like some of us CRAZYS

you need to look at were you want to fly ,,,, how much you want to spend ,,, how much time will you do it
every one ends up with different helis bec of the above

Its all down to personal choice when you want to decide on small electric or or larger glow. Like many poeple have I have both and enjoy both for different reasons I like my Trex because its easy to take with me and I can fly almost anywhere I like my Raptor 50 because of the size and sound of the engine and it is a little more stable than my Trex.

BIGGER IS BETTER. There is a reason why this is the slogan of the IMAA, the Intrnational Miniature Aircraft Association. Although a plank association, the slogan is correct for helicopters too.

So, if you want to spend money on a mini, is up to you. If you are tired of the mini and want to graduate into a larger heli, go ahead and give it a try. You will never look back, (unless you are a masochist like some of us that still mess with TRex 450 and similar helis)

I own a Trex 450XL, A Raptor 50, a Raptor 90, and a Bergen Gasser. Guess which one flies the most? Actually that was a trick question as there are two that I fly more than the other two.

Rafael

I think the same I started with a 30 raptor then went 50, 50 hyper. 90r, and now have had two 90se and the 90se is out all the time but I do fly the 600n that one of my students has, and that is great to fly.

I agree that bigger is better - to a point, when you are a newbie, as 90 size and Gassers fly the best of the lot, they are very expensive to get in the air and to repair after the inevitable newbie type mishap. And of these, the 90 size nitro costs an arm and a leg in fuel cost per flight.

I admit to being a heli junkie, over the past 20 plus years, having accumulated a fleet, that now consists of micros (like your Axe CP), mini's (450 size like the T-Rex 450), larger 30 nitro size type of electrics (e.g. Swift 16 and 550) and nitros (30/50/90) and some gassers. I like them all for various reasons.

That being said, I have logged over 700 flights in the last two years (since getting my larger 30 size Swift electrics) and on any days when the weather will permit any type of flight, I must admit that my electric Swifts, Hawk Pro 30 and Raven 50 are the ones that get flown the most.

All because they fly much better then any of the micro or mini electrics, (the Swift 16 actually cost me less to get into the air then the mini T-Rex SE). And the Hawk Pro is a great inexpensive 3D test platform for trying new stuff and the Raven flies like a 90 without the high fuel and crash costs. All three being easy to set up for mild training or hot 3D right out of the box.

So I would suggest that you take a serious look in electric at something at least the size of the Swift 16, and in nitro, at least like the Hawk Pro.

Leave the large 90 and Gasser for much later.

It depends on what you liike to do. I have owned lots of helis and nitro or electric I loved to fly them. The advantage of electric is that I could pull into the driveway do a pre flight check and be flying a t-rex or raptor e in my front yard or back anytime wind permitting.

On those less that favorable days I always found myself at the club watching the plane guys sitting around talking while I comfortably flew my 90 & 50 machines. No traffic no problems. There really is no real answer because they all fly and bring a level of enjoyment that allows you to do what you like. Personally I like flying the big machines and pushing them many times into the ground, but for my limited shcedule I spent more time with the electrics at least 3 eves or mornings a week a pack or two, and time limited me to once or twice a month to go to the field. My opinion is fly be safe and have fun.

AT