Heli Noobie: Shall I start on a Micro Heli or Simulator?

[GeordiePilot]

Hi guys,

I'm a Heli noob and I would like to work my way up to like group 2/3 electric helis or .30-60 i/c helis.

I was thinking of starting off on something like the Hummingbird which costs about 150. But rather than spending 150 on a basic electric Heli, am I better off getting myself a decent radio Tx&Rx kit like a Futaba FF7 or FF9 together with a simulator?

Then maybe, after Christmas, I could go and get something like the Trex 450xl or LOGO 10?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Also, I'm currently living in the Manchester area, does any one know of any Heli clubs? Any I'm thinking of getting my Heli equipment from Revolution Models down in Altrincham, anybody been there? Any good?

[Disc]

Hi
eletric are actually harder than 30s if you ask me espically
models like the hummer.

As for sims they help but are not over important.

FF7 is a good start transmitter and a good sim i'd say
the Reflex xtr is a good one.

save the 150 on eletric go for a Raptor or Shuttle or Hawk Sport
and kit it out.

[chappers]

i agree save your money and wait till you have enough for a proper heli!
however if like me you cant wait to spend, go the simulator route.
merry xmas
keith

[Ade_Law]

A sim is definitely the way to go for sure. currently reflex is the daddy although real flight g3 comes with a dummy transmitter which will save you money in the short term.

I would not recommend a micro heli to anybody unless your a masochist!

this should help you find a club in your area.

http://www.bmfa.org/clubs/clist.php

Ade

[Sao]

There are some of us that learnt to fly on Micro Helis, it isnt the easiest route thats for sure but if you can fly a Micro a 'full' size Rc heli will seem sooo easy to fly albeit more intimidating.

You have to ask yourself a few questions to make the choice between micro and starting with a decent sized glo model.

Where can you fly, how much time do you have to spend faffing with the model, how much cash do you have to spend, what do people in your area fly.

If you dont have anywhere to fly outside with a glo model then do you have sufficient space to fly a micro heli, a single car garage is not a sufficient space to learn to fly in succesfully, micro fixed pitch helis do not like ANY wind and build up their own turbulance when flown inside very quickly a small sports hall is about the minimum for hassle free learning.

Whilst I love my micro helis as well as my large electrics if I was starting out again I would probaly go buy a raptor 30 kit and learn to fly at a club or sanctioned flying field rather than struggle with micro helis and spend hideous amounts on CP Picc blades (somewhere in the region of 50 sets....) Having said that I am still quite proud i learnt on the micros they did teach me some valuable lessons and soem of the mistakes i made would have been a lot worse with a large heli.....

You're either a micro heli person or your not, bit like marmite love or hate

Edit

PS Revolution Models are a great shop! Got my 3DMP from there and have had nothing but great service. Full Marks and a gold star!

[GeordiePilot]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your advice.

I think I'm gunna go down the "get a good Radio/Simulator, then go for a good engined Heli" route rather than start off on a small RTF electric Heli. The chances are, if I got a small RTF electric Heli, I will probably crash it. So why not just, practice on a simulator first, that way, I can crash as many times as I can and attempt manouvers which I probably wouldn't try on a real Heli.

OK, now that I've established the fact that I'm going down the "get a good Radio/Simulator, then go for a good engined Heli" route, which Radio and simulator shall I get?

SIMULATOR:

Got 2 choices, Reflex Flight Simulator THE XTR version (120) or the RealFlight G3 simulator + USB Controller (150)

Probably go for the XTR as it's cheaper even though it don't come with a comtroller, but that doens't matter cos' I'll be buying one anyways.

RADIO:

I had a chat with a guy from Revolution Models on the phone (where I'm gunna get the kit from) and he recommended mainly JR Propo over Futaba, he said if anything goes wrong with JR radio's they can fix/change it there and then whereas with Futaba, they'll have to send it off etc.....I think they must be like a JR Propo dealer or something.

Anyway, I can either go for one of the following:

JR X2610 with 7 Channel R700 PPM Receiver, 5 x JR591 Servos, 4.8v 1100mah Rx Nicad, switch harness, charger
NB:- a 5th servo is supplied FOC with this set

Price: 206.95

Just Tx 120

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

JR PCM 9XII TX and nicad only
Synthesised Module

Price: 314.95

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

FUTABA FF7 Kit with servo Rx etc

Price: 209.98

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

FUTABA FF9 PCM Kit

Price: 380.00

FUT FF9 Tx & nicads

Price: 265.00

At the moment, I'm just trying to see if it's worth spending that bit more on a better radio? And is it worth getting the radio with the Servos Rx etc?

If I want to stick to a tight budget, I would probably go for thr JR X2610 TX only for around 120. But is it worth getting the Kit?

I'm tempted to go for the JR PCM 9XII TX and nicad only for 314.95.

Not too sure about the FF7 or FF9 as the guy from the shop didn't talk too much about them? I think I prefer the JRs over Futaba as I reckon I can get a better deal from them with JRs.

Am I right to think: JR PCM 9XII > FF9 > JR X2610=FF7.

Sorry for the long post, but please point me in the right direction in regards to which Radio to get.

Cheers.

[Sao]

Personaly preference here but I bought a lower end JR radio model first, soon outgrew it and had to buy a better radio.

I own both the Futaba FF9 and the JRPCM9x and I much prefer the JR over the Futaba, the sticks feel much better IMO.

I try to stick by the addage of buy cheap buy twice after my mistake with my first Tx.

[GeordiePilot]

Hi Sao,

I think I'm gunna go for a JP rather than the a Futaba.

Man, I nearly talked myself into getting the cheaper JR X2610 aswell, but after reading your post, I'm not sure if I should fork out 315 for the JR PCM 9XII???

I know for a fact that I'll want to upgrade to a better radio eventually, but if I got the JR PCM 9XII, I'll will probably be happy with that for a long time. If I got the JR X2610 I will always be thinking about the JR PCM 9XII which I'll eventually get anyway. But 315 for just the Tx is quite abit of money. I looked at the JR x3810 but for 280, I might as well go for the 9XII.

Decisions, decisions, decision.....

TBH, I don't really want to pay that much for a Tx but if the 9XII is really worth the money and that it'll save me money in the long term, then I wouldn't mind getting it. But being a beginner, the X2610 seems sufficient at the moment, but I will never know until I actually get to use it for a while!! :cry: I just don't want to get the X2610 and then 2 months down the line decide that I want to get the 9XII!!

Also, I was looking at the Futaba FF7, it has 7 Channels compared to the 6 in the X2610. Will I need that extra channel?

[phil485]

One other consideration is what the guys around you use. If you join a club and they all have jr then you are laughing as they can easily help you with the tx setup. If they all have Futaba, then it makes it that little harder.

I've been really happy with my FF6 for years, just upgrading to a FF9 this christmas, but I've always had futaba. My skills still don't really justify an upgrade, just fancied it. A lot of it depends on how quickly you think you will progress and what sort of flying you will be doing.

[GeordiePilot]

OK, I've now decided to go for the JR X2610 with the XTR Simulator to start off with and I'll take it from there.

I wan to get the JR X2610 Kit with 7 Channel R700 PPM Receiver, 5 x JR591 Servos, 4.8v 1100mah Rx Nicad, switch harness, charger
NB:- a 5th servo is supplied.

Price: 206.95

But I want a PCM Rx rather than the PPM, I'll see if I can get them to swap it for a PCM with the Kit. If not, I'll just get the Tx + Nicad and get the Rx and servos later when I get my Heli.

All this should be around 300 or less depend on whether I go for the JR kit or now. I think this is a good place to start, agreed?