Yet another noob

[vtrnutter]

Hello all - my first post! I am now 35 years of age and have wanted an RC heli since I was about 7. I am well into RC cars and have about 8 (currently!). A casual conversation last week convinced me it was time to live my childhood ambitions.

My starting point this week was to buy a sim. So I bout a copy of RealFlight at £160. Eeek! This has been great because my goal is to own something like a Trex 450. So I downloaded this 'copter and have been spending hours practicing.

So in the last 2 days (I have never flown a 'copter before) I am getting pretty good at tail in and nose in hovers (still crap at side on hovers). I am determined to get very good on the sim before I spend a single penny on a proper helicopter.

Like all noobs, I want to be a pro the moment I take control of my real helicopter. Back in the real world though I appreciate that I have a huge learning curve to go through and (like my motorbikes) want to progress through the ranks before getting something sily.

Looking at this forum and many other places on the net, I see the CX2 is a firm favorite for beginners. My main problem here is that I understand it requires space and does not like being flown outdoors. This gives me a bit of a problem.

What "beginners" heli is suited for outdoor flying (gentle or no winds)? The missus will definitely not be too impressed with a heli buzzing around the house, and neither will the cat come to think of it.

Any help appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Steven.

[beerdeor]

Stephen i to am a relative noob Im glad to see you hve gone the right route getting a sim first however you will find a contra like the cx2 an invaluble learnig aid maybe you should consider a blade mcx much smaller and better for smaller spaces if you do dicide on a mcx get the bind and fly version and buy the spectrum dx6i transmitter seperate as this will serve you well when you upgrade to a 450 size heli of which i would recommend the beam e4
The reason i say get a contra first and im sure i will be backed up on this is simple the sim gives you a good idea how to fly but can give you a false sense of security but a contra will give you real hands on stick time and is great fo those first few nervious hops

Hope his helps a little
Merry christmas Jim

[Bugster]

Hi Steven - welcome to the addiction

I'm just like beerdeor, a relative noob, and he's given you great advice. I don't think you could go wrong if you follow it

I would just add, ask anything you want on here - no question is every too dumb - and there's always someone to help - good luck

[funfreex]

Hi Steven,
welcome to the forum.
firstly good choice to go with the sim and also to be putting so much time into it. Nose in already is a pretty good effort.
I cant comment on the cx2, but a few on here will be able to, so I will give you the option of considering a 450 size heli. This is what i started with and still fly the same one. Learning curve is steep if you do not have an instructor but this is where all that sim practice will come in handy. There are many very good 450's out there and if you decide to go down this road another post asking for opinions will give you plenty to choose from.
good luck.

[vtrnutter]

Hi Steven,
welcome to the forum.
firstly good choice to go with the sim and also to be putting so much time into it. Nose in already is a pretty good effort.
I cant comment on the cx2, but a few on here will be able to, so I will give you the option of considering a 450 size heli. This is what i started with and still fly the same one. Learning curve is steep if you do not have an instructor but this is where all that sim practice will come in handy. There are many very good 450's out there and if you decide to go down this road another post asking for opinions will give you plenty to choose from.
good luck.

Thanks. I really appreciate the comments. I definitely want a 450 heli, but for the £70 or so for the blade mcx seems like a good step. I LOVE my RC's and get some bad withdrawals when it is wet etc. So I reckon the mcx should give me some good practice and also solve my RC needs when I cant get outside with the cars / heli. Also, I travel a lot on business so I can always put the mcx into the suitcase for the hotel room! It is my birthday shortly after Christmas, so I have already asked the missus for the mcx so I can get practising. I would expect the 450 to follow shortly after when I get my bonus at the end of March. I reckon by then, I should have spent a lot of hours on the sim, plus the mcx and would be ready for some 6ch fun.

[Tripler]

Welcome to the forum

[Si Goodchild]

Fair enough if you crave indoor flying, but my gut feelingis that if you can do nose-in hovers already then the contra might not be enough to stretch you. You may want to go straight to a Blade 400 or similar, fit a training undercarriage and take it very slowly to start with whilst maintaining the sim-time.

[waveydavey]

I unlike a lot of new pilots went straight to a 30 size nitro very quickly followed by a 50. My reasoning was this, we live on an island where it's almost always windy in varying degrees and I don't think the smaller helis handle it too well apart from close in hovering (people will disagree), small uns get away from you very quickly. Secondly, after starting it in the garden and frightening the bejesus out of myself and the cat I joined the local club MKHeli. Although daunting at first it's not only the flying that's difficult but the understanding of these whirlybirds and what keeps them up is equally difficult. But with the support of my new mates I learnt to fly, using the sim (phoenix) in the interim between real flying. The wind doesn't bother me (although I respect it), we have a particularly windy site but the 1 to 1 assistance from the members gave me the confidence.

I am no 3D master but I am on my way, all because of in my opinion the club members, support and help.

Welcome to a fantastic and self rewarding hobby, good luck with whichever way you go but do think about joining a club, it's a great way of getting out in the country for a bit of mickey taking in a wet cold field with a bunch of equally daft herberts.

[Thomas]

CX2's are ok and will get you actually flying something quicker but if you stick with the SIM there is no reason why you can't go straight to the Trex 450 as long as you get it set up by someone properly (not by a boggo model shop though).

I started out with a month on RealFlight then a lesson which was very easy I then went straight onto my small electric heli.

[richieclarkie]

I totally agree with Thomas. I did a similar thing.

I suppose the contra does satisfy the need to fly something for "real" though

[Nipster]

Interestingly, a very similar story here. Started off with a HBK2 (Yes I know - it's long gone now.) Bought a co-axial for orientation training - still have it, moved on to 450's after a while, some months after flying the 450's, her that shall be obeyed decided she'd like to try, she went through RADDS School of Rotary flight step by step, she learned in 20 batteries what had taken me months and she never touched a sim. Flying has progressed to a level where she got a Trex 500 for xmas.
Patience, patience, patience would appear to be the key and not skipping steps in RADDS.

[heliTV]

Hi Steven
Welcome to the forum!
I started with a CX2 and the sim and now have a Blade 400 which I fly most days. I also got an mCX for indoor fun. I would get the mCX - it's really easy to fly which builds confidence and it's so quiet that indoors is no problem. My Mrs thinks its "sweet" but you're right, the cats are a bit suspicious!!

If you got straight for a Blade 400 or T-Rex450, take it very easy to start with - I crashed mine loads!

All the best

Graham

[vtrnutter]

I had thought about going straight in to the heli after spending lots of time on the sim. This is still a very appealing option. However, my head says fly something for real first. If I get the MCX then it is only £80 all in, and I can fly it around indoors for fun when the weather is too bad. Plus, it will give me chance to get the money together for the 450 - when I buy it I want to buy real good components and not just spend enough to get it airborne. i.e. decent radio, decent gyro etc.

[beerdeor]

I would buy the mcx bind and fly and buy a seperate spektrum dx6i you will then be able to use that tx on youre new 450 too it will save money in the long run hope this helps

jim

[tobeornottobe]

I started with a CX2 and a 450. The CX2 was a waste of money really, as soon as I had built the 450 that is all I wanted to fly. The CX2 does not really teach you much that will help with a 'true' helicopter. Save your money, don't get a contra. Phoenix sim and a Trex450V2 (or equivalent). Just my opinion.