Blade 180 CFX - do I need another heli?

[Peteski]

Now I've taken the plunge and bought an OXY 3 as my flagship, I'm wondering if I should buy another beater to practice on in preparation for the big step up to the OXY. I already have a standard mCPX, which is great for the garden but a bit small for the field which is often quite windy. I also have a 130X Red Bull, which although a lot of fun to fly, isn't really a suitable beater with its fragile scale body. I have the Red Bull apart at the moment just to change a stripped tail gear, which reminded me what a pain it is to work on. There are 20+ tiny little screws just holding the canopy and tail on. I rounded the heads on a few of them and it became a nightmare to get apart. This is definitely a heli to fly occasionally for fun and not something to thrash and crash on a daily basis. It's power/weight ratio is also pretty low and not really up to 3D flying at all.

So that got me thinking that I have a big hole in my "micro" fleet. My first thought was to buy a standard 130X to use for regular field practice, but then I thought I may as well just buy a 180CFX, which seems better in every respect, except perhaps more difficult to fly. I'm just worried about going straight from mCPX to OXY 3 without something a bit more expendable in the middle to practice with. I can pick up the 180CFX for around £160, while I've got £600 in the OXY 3 without any batteries, so don't really want to be smashing it up due to lack of talent!

Is this a good plan do you think? Or will the OXY 3 just make the 180CFX totally redundant? £160 should cover a fair few crashes on the OXY, but then I'd rather be smashing up a 180CFX while learning new moves. I know the OXY 2 is coming out in the not too distant future, but I expect that will be a lot more expensive than the 180CFX.

[myxiplx]

I wouldn't worry about picking up a 180CFX. By all accounts the Oxy3 crashes fairly well, and if you can fly the mCPX you've already got the skills you need to fly the Oxy. The nature of larger helicopters means they are a little more stable, and less fidgety, and the size and presence in the air also means you'll probably be a bit more careful flying it anyway. I don't think you've got anything to worry about.

The more helicopters you have in the fleet, the more time you need to devote to keeping them all maintained, rather than spending time flying.

I would stick with what you have now, keep up the practice, and enjoy the Oxy3 build once it arrives. My bet is that once you've flown that you'll be learning new moves on the sim, and maybe trying them on the mCPX, but will by flying the Oxy3 every chance you can get.

[craigjell]

Personally - I think micros can be a false economy if you crash them regularly enough. They may be good value RTF compared to a kit but the price of spares will get you. I think it could actually be cheaper to crash the Oxy 3 than the 180CFX. Doing a parts comparison of the usual crash items and using the aluminium parts for the 180CFX (like for like):

Oxy 3
Main shaft:£7.99 x2
Feathering shaft:£3.89 x2
Tail boom:£8.99 x2
Tail shaft:£5.99
Main grips:£22.49
Tail grips:£18.49
Main gear:£8.49 x2
Blades:£19.99 (Zeal CF 255mm)
Swashplate:£17.49
Canopy:£24.99
Skids:£7.59 x2


180CFX
Main shaft:£12.49 x2
Feathering shaft:£7.49 x2
Tail boom:£9.99 x2
Tail shaft:£10.89 x2
Main grips: £21.99 (CNC)
Tail grips:£21.99
Main gear:£6.69 x2
Blades:£17.99 (Blade CF)
Swashplate:£25.99
Canopy:£21.99
Skids:£5.49 x2
Plus TT components not needed for the Oxy 3:
Pinion gear and shaft:£5.89 x2
Bevel gear set: £4.99 x4
Torque Tube Gear: £4.99 x4
TT set: £6.69 x2

Of course the 180CFX is less likely to break say, the main blades in a crash but that may be cancelled out by the fact that the servo gears/ cases and TT gears probably will break! The Oxy 3 will be no doubt be easier to work on and fly better etc...

[Peteski]

I'm just a bit worried that I'll be too cautious flying the OXY 3 and perhaps hold back my progress. For example I fly the mCPX better than I fly the Red Bull just because I know the Red Bull is a PITA to repair. I was really throwing the mCPX around in the wind yesterday, while I was certainly being over cautious with the Red Bull even though it was easier to fly in the wind. I guess the OXY 3 will be easier (and probably cheaper) to repair, but I'm sure I'll be very cautious while it's all shiny and new. If I went for the 180CFX I wouldn't be so protective of it - or am I just talking myself into buying another heli

If I was looking to progress onto larger helis in the near future I certainly wouldn't bother with another micro at this stage, but as I'm sticking with small helis I would get plenty of use out of it - probably as a warm-up flyer for the OXY 3 and test pilot for learning new moves. The mCPX will always see service in the garden until it becomes uneconomical to repair. I think the Red Bull will become an occasional novelty scale fun flyer.

[PeteStewardson]

I'm looking at getting an Oxy3 at the moment as I'm wanting to move everything over to my vControl rather than having two TX's. I'll be selling my 180cfx and using the Oxy3 as my small heli.

My reasoning is, when I'm at the field I tend to want to fly the big helis, I don't bother with the 180cfx at this point. I do have a field I can use during the week which I can fly a bigger heli so tend to use my Goblin there. The 180cfx was something for me to fly in the garden or at another space that is too small for a 450. But I'm finding I don't use it in the garden as the kids are out there all the time, the small space I can use I could fly an Oxy, and it's on a different TX so I have to adjust for a flight to fly it.

The 180cfx is a great little heli, but I bought it only to find it didn't fit my needs.

For you with the Oxy3 as your biggest heli, it might make sense, then again it might not but I guess the only way you'll know is by having one.

Despite the horror stories about damage in crashes, I've only striped servo gears once since doing the servo saver mod, and only replaced one TT.

[Peteski]

Very good point on crash costs craig and thanks for the detailed comparison.

So there's not going to be much in it on crash costs, but I think psychologically I'd be less inclined to fly out of my comfort zone with the OXY 3. I can imagine feeling better coming back from the field with a broken 180CFX and intact OXY 3, even though the repair bill would be about the same. I suppose it comes down to how much I want/need a secondary beater capable of more advanced moves than my mCPX.

[PeteStewardson]

Parts prices are only half the story though. Blade parts might look expensive, but they're light-ish and so less damage generally. Although having said that the Oxy3 is supposed to be pretty tough.

One thing though, if the Oxy3 is your biggest heli, it'll be quite intimidating for a while, or maybe even until you get a bigger heli. I have a 550 and a 700. The 700 I just tootle around in gentle circuits most of the time, the 550 I hoon about the sky trying tic-tocs and stuff. I wouldn't dream of doing it on the 700, not because of spares costs as I have nearly 3 complete helis right now so 2 crashes would be 'free', it's just a lot more intimidating as it's bigger. I was the same when I bought a 600 and I'd only had a 400 up to that point. The 600 was very intimidating until I got a 700 and then I was more comfortable with the 600.

[Peteski]

I'm looking at getting an Oxy3 at the moment as I'm wanting to move everything over to my vControl rather than having two TX's. I'll be selling my 180cfx and using the Oxy3 as my small heli.

The 180cfx is a great little heli, but I bought it only to find it didn't fit my needs.

I can see your reasoning, makes perfect sense. For me it's a bit different as I'm using a DX8 and only flying small helis. I will have plenty of room to fly the OXY 3 (or any size actually) so a second cheaper heli would be used as a beater to learn on.

[Peteski]

One thing though, if the Oxy3 is your biggest heli, it'll be quite intimidating for a while, or maybe even until you get a bigger heli. I have a 550 and a 700. The 700 I just tootle around in gentle circuits most of the time, the 550 I hoon about the sky trying tic-tocs and stuff. I wouldn't dream of doing it on the 700, not because of spares costs as I have nearly 3 complete helis right now so 2 crashes would be 'free', it's just a lot more intimidating as it's bigger. I was the same when I bought a 600 and I'd only had a 400 up to that point. The 600 was very intimidating until I got a 700 and then I was more comfortable with the 600.

That was exactly my thought, the size and power is going to be pretty intimidating compared to the mCPX and 130X. I thought the 180CFX might lie somewhere in the middle and boost my confidence before picking up the OXY 3. Plus I will have spent ages building the OXY 3 and won't be too pleased if I trash it on its maiden!

[PeteStewardson]

I can see your reasoning, makes perfect sense. For me it's a bit different as I'm using a DX8 and only flying small helis. I will have plenty of room to fly the OXY 3 (or any size actually) so a second cheaper heli would be used as a beater to learn on.

Yeah it does sound like it fits more for your use. The 180cfx does fly well, far better than the MCPX.

[PeteStewardson]

That was exactly my thought, the size and power is going to be pretty intimidating compared to the mCPX and 130X. I thought the 180CFX might lie somewhere in the middle and boost my confidence before picking up the OXY 3. Plus I will have spent ages building the OXY 3 and won't be too pleased if I trash it on its maiden!

I've had that happen a couple of times before leaving the ground :lol:

[hedge]

Hey Pete, the false economy of micros is that you look back over the year and think to yourself, you could have got a nice 550. The difference in flight characteristics at this size is night and day. Sounds like your hooked, why not find a club and get the bigger bird - £600 on an Oxy meh you'd be set up with a nice second hand Trex, a few batteries and a charger for that. Buy from a club buddy though not ebay. You wont regret it and your flying will improve dramatically.

[myxiplx]

I tell you what I would do, save your money and wait until you get the Oxy3. Then if you find you like the Oxy3, and it's a good size for you to practice on, pick up a second. I'm saving for my second Gaui X3 now. Once you have two of a model those crash nerves disappear as you've got spares on hand.

But also, you might want something bigger and pick up that X3 anyway. And once you have that, the Oxy3 will feel that bit smaller, and I pretty much guarantee any nerves you have about practising on that will disappear. I wouldn't buy anything more now though until you have that Oxy maidened. Once you have that under your belt you can make an informed decision on what you want to do. After you fly it there are several ways you might want to go:

- You might decide it's ideal as the biggest model you have, and go for the 180CFX anyway as practice
- You might like it so much you buy a second and use them as your training model
- It might feel a bit too small, and you buy an X3

[PeteStewardson]

Hey Pete, the false economy of micros is that you look back over the year and think to yourself, you could have got a nice 550. The difference in flight characteristics at this size is night and day. Sounds like your hooked, why not find a club and get the bigger bird - £600 on an Oxy meh you'd be set up with a nice second hand Trex, a few batteries and a charger for that. Buy from a club buddy though not ebay. You wont regret it and your flying will improve dramatically.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer, everyone has different views.

I'm tending towards bigger helis myself slowly, and just picked up a Logo 480 which I'm planning will be my main heli for practice. I'm also selling everything smaller than my Goblin 380 as I find I just don't fly it. I'm actually thinking of getting rid of my 700 sized stuff for now and have the biggest as my 550sx though, because I fly that more than the 700. This gets me in a sweet spot of helis that I'll fly a lot and progress.

Had I been writing this a year ago though, I'd have been saying I fly my Trex 500 when I can, but spend most of my time on micros as they're cheap to keep in the air and mostly bounce.

There's a lot of different sizes of helis in this hobby for exactly that reason, everyone has a different view on what they want to fly

[Peteski]

Hey Pete, the false economy of micros is that you look back over the year and think to yourself, you could have got a nice 550. The difference in flight characteristics at this size is night and day. Sounds like your hooked, why not find a club and get the bigger bird - £600 on an Oxy meh you'd be set up with a nice second hand Trex, a few batteries and a charger for that. Buy from a club buddy though not ebay. You wont regret it and your flying will improve dramatically.

Great advice, but joining a club is not an option for me in the next couple of years due to family commitments. So anything larger than a 450 would never get flown at all, which is definitely not good value. Hence why I'm all over the micros now, which I can fly daily with the kids in tow. I will get a larger heli eventually and hopefully my experience with micros will stand me in good stead. Cost is not really a big issue for me, but time certainly is.