eletric v gas

[bandicoot]

First off thanks for all the comments, plenty of food for thought.

Antsis..Good point about insurance when flying a public areasomething that as a newbie I should look at.

I do see the upside of a nitro and in view of some of these comments and think this will be the way to head in the future, but I still like the idea of a small electric for the fun value when a trip to a club is not possible.

:?:Can you, and is it possible to take lessons but using a tutors machine? As im thinking that even if I cant get a nitro for a while it will improve my flying skills even if all I have is a small electric to practice on of my own.

[Smoothound]

Speak to Ade, he'll let you go and try to trash his if you cross his palm with silver

[Symon]

I may be wrong but learning with an electric is much harder. One of the plus points for IC is that they are locked in an easier to grasp. I will get an IC without a doubt and then probably never look back but for now my decision for my trex feels right and it's not silly hard to learn. Good advice is take your time. My first proper flight resulted in a crash because I got ahead of myself.

One arguement I couldn't agree more with is low flight times. Yesterday each of my new batteries (3 of) lasted only 5 mins! After breaking in I'll get about 10 for each. So if I want plenty of time I'll have to buy more batteries

I've got my insurance forms now and I'm off the PO to send it off. But whether it's IC or electric and whether yr a pro or newbie one thing is for sure...these helicopters are lethal, dangerous and in need of extreme concentration. I've learnt that a hard way. 26 for insurance is silly cheap

[bandicoot]

symon.. i think i will be going the same way as you...and if Ade does lessons that will help i think i may go for one of them as well..

[Ade_Law]

I am only just down the road in bournemouth.

www.flyingaid.co.uk

drop me an email or give me a ring we can sort something out.

Ade

[bandicoot]

Thanks..I think you will be hearing from me soon (got to check with the boss ops: ) i have a friend in bournmouth uni so i can kill two birds with one stone...(and one walker with a helicopter...(joke))

[antsis]

The small electrics, ie, hummingbird, sabre etc are harder to learn on. The plus side is parts are cheap. However if you can master one of these, transitioning onto a 30 size will be a breeze. I started with a hummingbird FP and 3 months later hovered my hawk for the first time. It was so easy that on the second flight, our instructor made me do the hovering test.

If you want to go to the larger electrics, cost will start to be a consideration. I'll use the Trex as it seems to one of the more common electrics. For example, the hawk sport kit is 149. The Raptor 30 kit about 209. A Trex450X kit is 129 and with a motor about 200. Look at top brand engines and the OS 32 is about 95, the TT PRO39, 82. So now you have the option of a 30 size i.c. model with engine from 250-300. On average a gallon of fuel is 16.

So you look at the R30 and TT39 at 300 and the Trex at 200. The Trex is cheaper, but you need batteries and a charger. Suitable lipos start at about 25 and a decent charger from 60. Before you know it, you've spent more on the electric than on a bigger 30 size model which will be the easier to learn on.

[Smoothound]

Yesterday each of my new batteries (3 of) lasted only 5 mins! After breaking in I'll get about 10 for each

I think you might be confused here, Lipos are not really best broken in on the Heli. I cycle new packs on the charger for about 5 cycles using slightly higher charge/discharges each cycle only then do i put them in the bird and then it's another couple of gentle hovers.

It's probably less of an issue now we have 20-30C packs available but I'm still a bit gentle with them at first.

Also when you say your packs only lasted 5 mins what do you mean? You set the Tx timer for 5 mins and stopped? Or you flew until the power sagged and the heli was struggling to stay aloft?

If it was the latter your packs are already cycled, used and destroyed 8O

[G-DAVE]

Yes -- I get 12 /15 mins out of the new FlightPower 1800 's on my Zoom.
Dave

[Symon]

Destroyed???????

They lasted longer today?!?!?!??!

If they are destroyed...all 3....then I am packing this in.

I have a battery monitor fitted and it beeps in the middle light when I should come down. So i did :|

[Sao]

You should be fine if you were using a lipo monitor

[Smoothound]

...or if they are as poor as the ones I used to use you are up poop creek without a paddle :twisted:

[thomashome]

May as well put my tuppence worth in, here's my story.

I had a mini electric heli in October and although impossible to fly for a beginner it got me into the hobby and kept me off the smokes.

Having decided to go electric I bought a Robbe Eolo spirit and with a little help from Ade I was up and hovering in no time. I reckon that electrics are far easier to start off with as they do not intimate, quieter, and I found it much easier to concentrate than I did on Ade's nitro, plus I can fly on the village green which is a bonus.

I said easier to start off with as I now have a .50 nitro as well as the Eolo and a Trex, I was fairly competent on the little electrics but as soon as I started flying the Knight I felt I was back at the beginning and it took me nearly 2 gallons of fuel to catch up with where I was on the other two.

You are going to want a .50 nitro one day for the power, no batteries to charge and a bigger heli is easier to see. If I was to start again I would still have started electric and then bought a nitro once I was ok with nose in hovering, but if I had to choose I go nitro any day.