Cost verses value

[zoombolt]

A wise man once said “it’s a fool who knows the cost of everything, but the value of nothing”.

Yesterday I crashed my Twister storm for the first time after a few months of desperately trying not to.

I’m a newbie just coming out of the tail in hover stage, got a bit confident & wallop, also found the only metal drainage cover in the whole field. Mainly my fault, but I’m also going to blame the gust of wind that slapped the heli in a direction I didn’t plan for. Think yesterday may have caught a few of us out looking at the other thread
http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10831

Bust the blades, undercarriage, X1 servo & dinked the boom so got off lightly I suppose.

While stripping the heli down last night, with no prior knowledge & some trepidation, it occurred to me that the first crash actually, is of great value. It’s probably after this point you either put the pieces in a box & take up a new hobby or feel the need to repair it & fly again as soon as.

No need to ask the direction I’m taking, I even stripped the servo to repair that rather than just buy a new one. I’ve no mechanical experience or callings in that direction so this was a big step for me & I’m not tight, just willing to discover & learn

Then it dawned on me…. Repairing/building the helicopter is just as much a part of the heli flying hobby as flying it is. It makes the ‘thing’ yours.
It’s not actually something to be afraid of; it simply is part of the helicopter flying experience. So much so, I even (after selection advice from this forum) put on order a Trex 600 nitro kit. I’ve been quite afraid to commit to that until yesterday….

So in essence, the first crash does have its cost implication, but it is also of great value.

[Sneeks]

I hope I feel the same after my first crash with my still to be bought Raptor 30

[Dougie]

well it looks like you have got the bug as bad as i have. i am also a newbie and i have been a little faster than you in the crashing stage

i also didnt have a clue how to repair one but i soon found out fast

i have also got a 600 now just as your about to get. i have not had it out flying yet but this weekend mite be its first flight.

good luck with your hobby and enjoy it

[Sneeks]

The knowledge that I will crash is exactly why I've opted to buy a Raptor kit for my first heli rather than the ARTF version. I'd rather know how it was put together before it's lying in bits in a field

[Dougie]

The knowledge that I will crash is exactly why I've opted to buy a Raptor kit for my first heli rather than the ARTF version. I'd rather know how it was put together before it's lying in bits in a field

or another way of looking at is what bits are still all over the field when you do crash. i had to go back to my manual to see what bits were missing.

now i know what bits are stuck in the ground soon as i pick the bits of heli up

[Sesame]

Crashing is never nice, but if you can pull something good from it it help. I mustn't try that manouver so low, I mustn't try that manouver. I should really range check my heli before flying it for the first time, I wish I had used all the bits in the box or my personal favorite, bugger I knew I should have put it into idleup before going inverted

[zoombolt]

I was also torn between build or ARTF for my first model. Decided on the 'lets get flying' side of it. I think it's swings & roundabouts, depends on your nature etc.

Obviously I'm now forced onto the next stage, but at least I can now hover whatever I build.

[SRH990]

With planes we seem to live in an era of 'Ready To Fly' being the only option buyers want and some helis are sold in this way but luckily most are still sold in kit form. By building a heli you get to know and understand more about it which makes repairs and servicing easier plus with some ARTF's you need to take them apart to make sure loctite has been used!

Over the years I've built many helis and get as much pleasure out of building as I do flying, in fact I've now got quite a few helis as I get withdrawl symptoms if I don't build one for a few months

I'm glad you've enjoyed getting your hands dirty, as it were, and I'm sure you'll get on great with the 600N, it's a nice heli to build with good instructions and should go together without problems.

[Sesame]

Ive found when you do get a heli which is parcially build, like the head or the tail gearbox, I tend to strip it down and rebuild it anyway, as Idon't trust someone elses building .

[Tim Procter]

i have also got a 600 now just as your about to get. i have not had it out flying yet but this weekend mite be its first flight.

[moyesboy]

You are not truely part of the hobby until you cannot rebuild the heli after a crash without adding an upgrade of some sort.
Taking a heli that flies perfectly well apart to add something new just seems wrong...
Crashes are handy opportunities to add more bling

[Buccaneer]

I judge the cost of repair dependant on the size of bag required for the bits................

[robgt]

Smaller bag = bigger cost??
LOL
Cheers,
Rob

[Tim Procter]

You are not truely part of the hobby until you cannot rebuild the heli after a crash without adding an upgrade of some sort.
Taking a heli that flies perfectly well apart to add something new just seems wrong...
Crashes are handy opportunities to add more bling

Excellent quote Gordon.

I had quite a biggy with one of my T-Rex 500's a month or two back so went to Fastlads to get the parts needed.

After 15 minutes talking to Jamie in the shop I decided to get the current upgrades that were available for it instead of the standard parts and then went home for the re-build.

It now fly's better than ever.

[funfreex]

Excellent quote Gordon.

I had quite a biggy with one of my T-Rex 500's a month or two back so went to Fastlads to get the parts needed.

After 15 minutes talking to Jamie in the shop I decided to get the current upgrades that were available for it instead of the standard parts and then went home for the re-build.

It now fly's better than ever.

I think my Mini Titan is running close to £1000 with the repairs and upgrades it has had due to crashes, but it sure looks good at the moment!!!