Blade MSRX upgrade

[Willzs]

So I've have my MSRX for a while now and am definitely catching the heli bug and learning a lot. I'm now at the point of looking for my next heli and wanted to know what people would suggest? I've only really looked at the Blade 200 SRX so far.

[Pj1969]

I'd probably go for a 450, my little boy who's 3 flys an MSR and he's got a trex 450 which he is flying (still learning stage), but he loves it. If it makes you feel more confident, just add some expo r tame it down a little, you could even try some training gear on the skids. The first time is always daunting, but once you have flown it a couple of times, you will love it I'm sure.

[DaveJones]

So I've have my MSRX for a while now and am definitely catching the heli bug and learning a lot. I'm now at the point of looking for my next heli and wanted to know what people would suggest? I've only really looked at the Blade 200 SRX so far.

Bigger heli's are generally easier to fly simply because they are easier to see and are much more stable, especially in the wind, they are much easier to work on, and will last you longer (if you buy small you will later want a bigger one)
The downside to bigger heli's is the cost (to buy, to crash, and to feed with batteries) and the intimidation factor (both because of its ability to remove limbs and the cost of a crash)

My recommendation would be look at a trex 500. They are not huge but are sufficiently bigger than a 450 to be much more visible and stable. Cost wise not much more that a 450 and certainly worth the extra in my opinion.

I started with one several years ago and despite having moved onto much bigger heli's I still come back to my trusty 500 to learn new moves, it gets as much airtime as the big ones.

If you can fly the MCPX (hover in all upright orientations, basic lazy eights) I would skip any of the newer bigger blade models, you would out grown them very quickly.

[Willzs]

So it looks like I'm looking for a 450 or 500 sized heli then

[Willzs]

Any recommendations on the best place to find one?

[Willzs]

Oh I meant to add that I have a DX6i TX already

[Willzs]

Why I think of it as well what is the battery life like on the 450s/500s? I'm fed up of 5min runs with mine

[MartinW]

It's about the same for most hell's and 450 / 500's won't be any different. When first starting out you will get a bit longer because you'll likely just be doing a lot of mild stuff like practising hovering. Am I right in thinking that the MSRX is fixed pitch like the old MSR used to be? If so, 5 minutes on a full collective pitch model will be more than enough

[Willzs]

It's about the same for most hell's and 450 / 500's won't be any different. When first starting out you will get a bit longer because you'll likely just be doing a lot of mild stuff like practising hovering. Am I right in thinking that the MSRX is fixed pitch like the old MSR used to be? If so, 5 minutes on a full collective pitch model will be more than enough

I was hoping for at least 10 minutes from the bigger helis? Yes the MSRX is fixed pitch.

I've been looking at the blade 270 as well now as I think it'll bind to my TX without much trouble. It's just confusing when looking at the Trex with all the different options?!

[MartinW]

If you want 10 minute plus times then you probably need to look at much bigger heli's and go with a Nitro engine.

I've been through a similar progression:

Blade mSR
Blade SR (that was junk)
Trex 450 Sport
Blade mCPX and a couple of other small 1-cell models
Trex 250DFC

I think the most I've had out of any of them would be around 7 minutes of light hovering / circuits. Manufacturers seem to target 4 or 5 minute run times per battery. The bigger the model, the bigger the battery but they can only go so big due to weight, size and cost.

I don't know anything about the Blade 270, I'd just echo what the others have said really. If you can somewhere, try something 500 sized. It will be very intimidating after the MSRX but the bigger heli will be a lot more stable.

I think the biggest help for me was the MCPX. I'd buy another as they're a lot of fun, full pitch and are fairly resilient (I have destroyed 2 of them though) but I don't think they sell anything like it any more.

[Willzs]

If you want 10 minute plus times then you probably need to look at much bigger heli's and go with a Nitro engine.

I've been through a similar progression:

Blade mSR
Blade SR (that was junk)
Trex 450 Sport
Blade mCPX and a couple of other small 1-cell models
Trex 250DFC

I think the most I've had out of any of them would be around 7 minutes of light hovering / circuits. Manufacturers seem to target 4 or 5 minute run times per battery. The bigger the model, the bigger the battery but they can only go so big due to weight, size and cost.

I don't know anything about the Blade 270, I'd just echo what the others have said really. If you can somewhere, try something 500 sized. It will be very intimidating after the MSRX but the bigger heli will be a lot more stable.

I think the biggest help for me was the MCPX. I'd buy another as they're a lot of fun, full pitch and are fairly resilient (I have destroyed 2 of them though) but I don't think they sell anything like it any more.

That's interesting to know about the batteries.

I know they do the nano which is a cp heli or the 130. I was just looking 270 as i should still be able to fly it in the garden. The biggest problem I've found with the MSRX is the wind when outside hence trying to go bigger

[myxiplx]

The mSRX is a fixed pitch heli, so I'd recommend learning to fly CP (collective pitch) before stepping up to the 360/450 size.

It may be a quad, but the nQX from Blade is a good choice, the beginner mode flies like a fixed pitch heli, but you can work up to advanced mode which handles more like a CP heli. It's small enough to fly indoors, and tough enough that crashes are dirt cheap (usually no damage, but occasionally you'll have to pop a prop off and throw a new one on). With a full CP heli each crash will be £20-£100, plus a couple of weeks repairing it as you work out what's broken and wait for parts.

If you want a larger outdoor model, look at the Blade 230S, it has safe mode which again makes it fly like a fixed pitch while you're learning, but allows you to gradually increase the difficulty until flying a full CP heli. It also has a rescue feature, and while that won't always save the model, if you're high enough it will get you back upright and is likely to save you a lot of crashes.

You'll find most folks also recommend a simulator, it seems like a lot of money but it really does more than pay for itself if you want to fly CP helicopters.

[Willzs]

I did look at the 230s but can only seem to find it in RTF so that put me off?

Simulator wise I use Heli-X at the moment as I'm a mac user, is that good enough?

[Peteski]

The mSRX is a fixed pitch heli, so I'd recommend learning to fly CP (collective pitch) before stepping up to the 360/450 size.

It may be a quad, but the nQX from Blade is a good choice, the beginner mode flies like a fixed pitch heli, but you can work up to advanced mode which handles more like a CP heli. It's small enough to fly indoors, and tough enough that crashes are dirt cheap (usually no damage, but occasionally you'll have to pop a prop off and throw a new one on). With a full CP heli each crash will be £20-£100, plus a couple of weeks repairing it as you work out what's broken and wait for parts.

If you want a larger outdoor model, look at the Blade 230S, it has safe mode which again makes it fly like a fixed pitch while you're learning, but allows you to gradually increase the difficulty until flying a full CP heli. It also has a rescue feature, and while that won't always save the model, if you're high enough it will get you back upright and is likely to save you a lot of crashes.

You'll find most folks also recommend a simulator, it seems like a lot of money but it really does more than pay for itself if you want to fly CP helicopters.

+1 on this advice.

At least one person above has confused your fixed pitch MSRX with the more advanced collective pitch MCPX. You could of course still move straight to a larger CP heli, but it will be a much steeper (and potentially expensive) learning curve. I learned with the nQX quad and can confirm that it certainly gives you the necessary skills to move onto pretty much any CP heli. It's a great little indoor trainer and virtually indestructible. The Blade 230S is the obvious next step, but you could go to something like an OXY 2 or 3 if you want something that will really go the distance. The OXY 3 was my first build project 2 years ago and I'm still flying it today as my main 3D practice heli. I guarantee that you will never outgrow its capability regardless if you move on to much larger helis.

[Willzs]

Best add reading about the OXY range to my list now then. There's too much choice!