What Heli to start with after 12 years?

[Dibbley247]

Hi Guys

I'm now 30, and want to buy a RC heli. I bought one about 12 years ago, and went for one off ebay for about £120. It was a 6ch 3D type.
as an 18 year old, I knew better, and took it straight out to a concrete carpark and smashed it to pieces when i was curious about this "3D" switch. Repaired it a few times, and parts were non existent (well it was cheap from ebay)

So my questions are (I read the sticky on beginners, but it's from 2007)

Should I go for a 6ch or 4ch
My budget will be £100 as I want to try it again.
I am alot more patient now than when i was (well a bit more)

Any links etc would be great!!!!

Thanks guys, maybe one day I can contribute

[Euclid]

I'm twice your age and started last Christmas with a mSRx, available within your budget complete with transmitter. After a few weeks and scored wall paper, scared cat and wife's orchid I could keep it in the air for a full battery and have since progressed through a Nano CPx and now to a 130x. It's not possible to do much more than an SRx RTF or Nano RTF within your budget and the next spend will have to be a programmable transmitter; two Spektrum DX6i have just been sold on eBay for around £60 each. Although the SRx is not 3D capable (and nor am I) it's been great fun and I still enjoy a few batteries a week on it. If however I'd started on the Nano I very much doubt I'd have got the hang of it before having to redecorate the living room and buy a garden centre worth of replacement orchids. So it's certainly doable within £100 but I promise you it doesn't stop there.

[gazmk2]

Blade nano ready to fly for £99! a bit harder to learn with than the MSRx as the nano is collective pitch but it bounces just as well! if you learn over grass you'll not easily break it!

[tomatwalden]

Agree with Euclid. For < £100, the mSRX RTF combo is your best bet. There is also the mSR which is more inherently stable than the mSRX, but "3D" collective pitch helis don't behave in this stable manner, so the mSRX will train you better for the next stage.

For the price - they truly are an absolute bargain too! With the money you save from your £100, buy some extra batteries so you can extend your flying time!

[Dibbley247]

Agree with Euclid. For < £100, the mSRX RTF combo is your best bet. There is also the mSR which is more inherently stable than the mSRX, but "3D" collective pitch helis don't behave in this stable manner, so the mSRX will train you better for the next stage.

For the price - they truly are an absolute bargain too! With the money you save from your £100, buy some extra batteries so you can extend your flying time!

Got any links for the mSRX? Ones I've found are £60 and that again for the transmitter plus batteries and charger.

I did poke my head in the local rc shop before reading this, and for a ready to fly package £60 is an I-heli F46. Is this cheap and nasty and be better off with the mSRX or is it.a pretty good heli?

Thanks guys!

[highlightshadow]

Its hard to know .... the reason we all recommend things like the blades is because spares are cheap and plentiful ... they're a well tried and trusted known commodity

Many 'hobby shops' get in nasty helis which will never fly properly and don't have spares ....

Things like the msrx (Howes Models, Radio control model Boats, Cars, Helicopters, Planes, Bait Boats, Model Railway, Heljan and Sound decoders | Radio Control | Radio Control Helicopters | Blade Helicopters | Blade-MSR-X-RTF for example) are really superb to learn on as they'll teach you the right way
Fly them over grass/soft carpet and be quick on the throttle-hold switch if you get in trouble and they pretty much bouce and take little/no damage

[tomatwalden]

Got any links for the mSRX? Ones I've found are £60 and that again for the transmitter plus batteries and charger.

I did poke my head in the local rc shop before reading this, and for a ready to fly package £60 is an I-heli F46. Is this cheap and nasty and be better off with the mSRX or is it.a pretty good heli?

Thanks guys!

Top tip - use Debrooker's website for finding RC heli stuff! : RCFerret : Search all your favourite RC stores in one go

Using rcferret - I found this which includes the heli, basic transmitter and battery for under £70 ..
E-Flite Blade mSRX - RTF



EDIT : Stick with Blade for beginner stuff. Almost ALL decent model heli shops stock not only the helis, but also all the spares you need. For example, check out

http://www.modelhelicopters.co.uk and
http://www.fast-lad.co.uk

... and search the i-Heli spares ... then look for the Blade (sometimes called e-flite) spares.

Then you'll understand!

[Euclid]

And I'll add to Tom's excellent reply that the mSRx also comes with a repair DVD (or at least mine did) for when you break the '£very little widget' plus there is a veritable multitude of YouTube videos on the helicopter covering all sorts of things, I doubt if you'd find that with the F-46. Last weekend I changed the mainframe of my mSRx in about 30 minutes (my eyesight is not what it used to be so took a lot longer than it ought too) and the cost... can't remember but about a fiver.

There is is one very good reason why the replies are all suggesting the mSRx...

[Dibbley247]

I think you guys have made my mind up!!! Very helpful.
The spares would be kind of handy! As the last heli I had, I had to get off ebay (from china) then it was all discontinued after a year.
As long as there's something to show how to set angles etc up (if stuff like this applies? ) then I'll be happy, but then, im sure there's tonnes on google/youtube for these more popular helis if I got stuck.

The msr x. How windy does it have to be before outside flying is not recommended.
And, also do I need to be above grass / sand until I get the hang of it?
(I ignored this last time, and went for a concrete carpark...... 40 seconds!!!!!!)

Thanks, all of this is very helpful, and the links are great too!

[George J]

The very first thing to try is a simulator IMO, will save you money in the long term. Once you can do the basics on the sim then buy a heli, it will be less frustrating this way especially if you take a bit longer to get the hang of it.