Overwhelmed and panicing!

[LittleSister]

Hi guys. I'd never even heard of RC helicopters until last week, when I found this:

Our Indestructible Helicopter is 100% crash-test resistant | Menkind

I know my brother (27) would LOVE one so I decided to find out more about them before ordering. I'm so completely confused with all the information!

What I *think* I'm after:

1. 4 channels
2. Virtually indestructible
3. Outdoor and indoor flight
4. As long a flying and short a charging time as possible
5. Under £50, £55 at the absolute top!

Does such a thing actually exist? I really don't want one that will break straight away, and it's got to fly outside, otherwise it'll smash into the furniture! Please, please help me - I'm ready to cry!

[Delarado]

Tricky one this!

You've come to the website of the real hobbyists, the people that spend £3-4000 on a helicopter So you will get a lot of responses poo-pooing anything that cheap.

The positives of buying the cheap ones is that they are cheap...and good fun, and easy. The negatives is that they tend not to fly all that great, and the spares availability is next to non existant.

That one you've posted a link to looks to fit the bill of what you want. What I will say is that fixed pitch type helicopters (like that one) will only fly outside on a calm, non windy day - otherwise they tend to get blown about a bit like a kite. They are certainly good enough to learn on though! The only way to get around this is to get a collective pitch helicopter, but these are so much more difficult to fly than fixed pitch, that people often return them thinking that they are broken because they simply cannot fly them! collective pitch is NOT for the beginner, but if you want to go outdoors with any degree of control over the helicopter, you need it really.

You've realistically got two options... I'm assuming he has never flown anything like this before?

1. Buy something like you linked. The larger the more stable it will be outside, but the more damage it will do inside. These helis generally come with their own transmitter, spares are tricky to get hold of, but they are actaully quite tough and are easy to fly

2. Buy something a little more expensive that will have good spares availability and may well be more difficult to fly. Something like the following:

Blade: mCX2 RTF - will come ready to fly with own transmitter. Easy to fly, good spares availability and manufacturer support if it breaks. May be a little more fragile than the ebay types, but doesn't go in the bin if it does break. Will be rubbish outside, great inside (its very small and light)

Blade: 120 SR RTF - more expensive, more capable and larger than the first one. Will also be harder to fly; But better for outdoors... Still subjectively rubbish though, as I mention, you need collective pitch for outdoors...

It works like this on a scale...

Better to fly outdoors....
helicopters with 1 rotor, collective pitch and no sticky out bits
Helicopters with 1 rotor, collective pitch and sticky out bits
helicopters with 1 rotor on the top, and sticky out bits on the blades (like the one you linked without a second rotor)
helicopters with 2 rotors on the top, and sticky out bits as well as the blades (Like the one you linked)
Easy to fly...

Just found this on ebay, might interest you Eflite Blade MCX RTF | eBay

Basically, you can buy the ones off ebay that are cheap, but fly cheap. When they break, you chuck them in the bin, because you cant get spares.

Or you spend a bit more money and buy one from a proper helicopter manufacturer that will fly well and have good spares availability; but you do pay a small premium.

Depends how much you think he will like it? I started when I was 27 with one of these:

RED 2 CHANNEL TRI-BAND INFRARED REMOTE CONTROL MINI HELICOPTER WITH LED LIGHT | eBay

Within about 6 months I had 6 of the things, including one that is longer than my girlfriend is tall!

It grabs different people in different ways, but I think whatever you get him he will be happy with

[SaneAdam]

Tricky one this!

You've come to the website of the real hobbyists, the people that spend £3-4000 on a helicopter So you will get a lot of responses poo-pooing anything that cheap.

The positives of buying the cheap ones is that they are cheap...and good fun, and easy. The negatives is that they tend not to fly all that great, and the spares availability is next to non existant.

That one you've posted a link to looks to fit the bill of what you want. What I will say is that fixed pitch type helicopters (like that one) will only fly outside on a calm, non windy day - otherwise they tend to get blown about a bit like a kite. They are certainly good enough to learn on though! The only way to get around this is to get a collective pitch helicopter, but these are so much more difficult to fly than fixed pitch, that people often return them thinking that they are broken because they simply cannot fly them! collective pitch is NOT for the beginner, but if you want to go outdoors with any degree of control over the helicopter, you need it really.

You've realistically got two options... I'm assuming he has never flown anything like this before?

1. Buy something like you linked. The larger the more stable it will be outside, but the more damage it will do inside. These helis generally come with their own transmitter, spares are tricky to get hold of, but they are actaully quite tough and are easy to fly

2. Buy something a little more expensive that will have good spares availability and may well be more difficult to fly. Something like the following:

Blade: mCX2 RTF - will come ready to fly with own transmitter. Easy to fly, good spares availability and manufacturer support if it breaks. May be a little more fragile than the ebay types, but doesn't go in the bin if it does break. Will be rubbish outside, great inside (its very small and light)

Blade: 120 SR RTF - more expensive, more capable and larger than the first one. Will also be harder to fly; But better for outdoors... Still subjectively rubbish though, as I mention, you need collective pitch for outdoors...

It works like this on a scale...

Better to fly outdoors....
helicopters with 1 rotor, collective pitch and no sticky out bits
Helicopters with 1 rotor, collective pitch and sticky out bits
helicopters with 1 rotor on the top, and sticky out bits on the blades (like the one you linked without a second rotor)
helicopters with 2 rotors on the top, and sticky out bits as well as the blades (Like the one you linked)
Easy to fly...

Just found this on ebay, might interest you Eflite Blade MCX RTF | eBay

Basically, you can buy the ones off ebay that are cheap, but fly cheap. When they break, you chuck them in the bin, because you cant get spares.

Or you spend a bit more money and buy one from a proper helicopter manufacturer that will fly well and have good spares availability; but you do pay a small premium.

Depends how much you think he will like it? I started when I was 27 with one of these:

RED 2 CHANNEL TRI-BAND INFRARED REMOTE CONTROL MINI HELICOPTER WITH LED LIGHT | eBay

Within about 6 months I had 6 of the things, including one that is longer than my girlfriend is tall!

It grabs different people in different ways, but I think whatever you get him he will be happy with

Very lucid informative post that.

Plus 1

That should be made a sticky somewhere for beginners to reference when asking a similar question. IMO

[Delarado]

Just to add as well, often when it comes to helicopters "more difficult to fly" translates to "more capable"

Its a bit like a vauxhall corsa and a ferrari. The corsa will be easier to drive, but nowhere near as capable or impressive.

To illustrate, here is a fixed pitch helicopter:

And here is a collective pitch (Flown by a very skilled pilot, better than me and I've been flying for two years now)

[tomatwalden]

Hi guys. I'd never even heard of RC helicopters until last week, when I found this:

Our Indestructible Helicopter is 100% crash-test resistant | Menkind

I know my brother (27) would LOVE one so I decided to find out more about them before ordering. I'm so completely confused with all the information!

What I *think* I'm after:

1. 4 channels
2. Vitally indestructible
3. Outdoor and indoor flight
4. As long a flying and short a charging time as possible
5. Under £50, £55 at the absolute top!

Does such a thing actually exist? I really don't want one that will break straight away, and it's got to fly outside, otherwise it'll smash into the furniture! Please, please help me - I'm ready to cry!

Delarado's reply is sound advice. I would add the following thoughts.

Virtually indestructable is a myth. Accidents happen, and spares WILL be needed. Spares for these cheap helis are pretty much impossible to find, and even if you do, the heli isn't designed to be easily fixed I'm afraid. Expect one of these cheap helis to last 1-2 months on average. 6 months tops I'd say.

Other than that - you needs aren't too far wrong. For "4-channel", I'd expand with "mode 2" as 90% of people use Mode 2 controllers these days. Mode 1 or 2 is basically which controls do what on the transmitter - see : Mode 1 vs 2 Radios. What's the Difference? - YouTube

As for your budget - that's tight!

Have you considered a quad-copter? A very good one, well within your budget is the Hubsan X4 v2 (H107L | Hubsan X4 Mini Quadcopter LED w/4Ch 2.4ghz LCD Tx)

[Delarado]

I was actually going to mention the X4 that Tom has just mentioned.

Its not a helicopter, but its a "flying thing"

Its also very cheap, very easy to fly and stable, and spares a readily available. You might have a winner there!

[tomatwalden]

Also, take a look at this site : Radio Controlled Helicopters - Getting Started

It gets linked to alot when people ask these questions (often by me ) - but it really is a brilliant site for cutting through the fog of information for people trying to find their way in this hobby!

[highlightshadow]

The bottom line is .... do you want something to give your brother that he can have a few hours fun with .... blat around, not worry about wreaking after a few days and thats that...
Or do you want to get him started on a new hobby?

If the former, then a flying thing like a cheap high-street type 'helicopter' or quad (hubsan x4) would be great fun ... i had one way back and they are what they are ... a cheap flying toy that you can have a bit of a laugh with ... no harm no foul.

A proper even beginner hobby-grade heli are fundamentally a little more tricky to fly as they behave better (more accurately - not much but more ) but are repairable, and you can learn on.

[tomatwalden]

Another thought or two ..

Avoid "menkind". They spring up shops everywhere around xmas, then close them down again soon after. You'll get no after sales service at all. In contrast, Midland Helicopters (the site I mention above selling the X4) is a specialist helicopter shop which provides excellent after sales service.

Also, with the money you save on your budget with the X4, you can buy some spare batteries! The X4's battery is removable, so you can charge up a stack of them before you go flying, and swap them as you fly.

(in fact, most "proper" helis have removable batteries - it's only the toy helis that generally have fixed batteries - and therefore short flight times)

[Nick B]

Get him one of these

e-flite Blade MCX2 MCX 2 Co axial Heli HELICOPTER ONLY | eBay

One of the best beginner heli's there is....i would much rather have this as a first heli over the X4

[kroozing]

^^ +1

[tomatwalden]

Get him one of these

e-flite Blade MCX2 MCX 2 Co axial Heli HELICOPTER ONLY | eBay

One of the best beginner heli's there is....i would much rather have this as a first heli over the X4

Bear in mind that's the heli only without a transmitter.

[kroozing]

How about this E-Flite Blade MSR X RTF Combo BLH3200 £60 all in

[tomatwalden]

How about this E-Flite Blade MSR X RTF Combo BLH3200 £60 all in

Sound choice too!

[Bhujang]

It's Christmas not April first!