New to Helicopters- Need some advice

[Mick Forster]

Hi guys,

On Sunday I started looking at buying an electric radio controlled helicopter after watching a ESky Honey Bee king flying around outside in this park doin loops and stuff on youtube.

So I went to hunt down a price for one of these babies, but since Sunday I have become totally hooked on researching the helis'. I have discovered that its such a diverse world out there and you can spend thousands if you wish on a nice model.

I know flying a helicopter isn't just a easy as getting it and starting it from scratch so I have bought a sim to start to learn while im looking. I have asked my girlfirend if she would get me one for Christmas but I will also have to contribute more than 65% of the price.

I would love a Trex 450 to start (i heard bigger are easier to fly) and have also looked at Eco 8's. But maybe im setting my heights too high at the start. I don't want any indoor flight - outdoor only.

Would it be better to buy a cheaper smaller model like the twister 3d or honey bee etc or would it be better to buy a trex or eco8 artf kit helicopter and build it up over a few months, adding bits and peices to it.

hopefully by that stage I will have a lot of practise and understanding having used the simulator.

Any help would be grately appreciated on ideal learning models, etc etc. I checked out if there are any flying clubs and there are none for a miles around me so that is not an option :-(

My max budget would be £350 for everything. Transmitter electrics motor helicopter batteries etc etc.

Thanks in advance

Mick.

[robgt]

If you're getting a Trex, your budget is way too low for a decent setup that won't cost you the earth over time. Cheaper stuff almost always fails, and fast. So you end up buying over and over again.

If you can accumulate the kit and other parts over time, I would suggest you do that and get the right stuff first time.
You'll get a lot more out of the hobby if you do it right!

Larger heli's are more stable than smaller ones. That said, the Trex is still a fairly small heli and can be a twitchy little bugger. You can get them very stable though - and people on here will be only too glad to help you sort all that out when the time comes.

Cheers,
Rob

[Mick Forster]

Hi Rob,

Is there any decent ones in around the £350 £400 mark. I seem to be in a price gap here. Honey bees and Raptor g2 at £200 for e.g and a trex at £450 - £600. I can't seem to find anything in between,

Mick

[Mercuriell]

Dont be tempted ..

By the Twister 3D - although its not a bad design it's a very lively little beast and takes a lot of time and repairing to get even minimally competent with it. I don't think it's a good starter at all. Electrics are really tempting due to apparent ease of use and simplicity but by the time you have accumulated a few lipo packs (and have to keep buying them), chargers, balancers you have paid enough for a decent glo heli. Rob's advice about spending cheap is good - try and look out for a 2nd hand 30/50 with radio from someone who's going ambitious 3D and get it checked by an expert first.

[robgt]

The problem here is the budget and the requirements... you have a budget that would easily accommodate an indoor heli, but your requirements are for outdoors only

The indoor stuff (Twister etc) is a bit of fun, but not really my cup of tea longer term and not what I would recommend to people looking into learning to fly helicopters as they are quite distant from their larger cousins.

It could well be worth your while looking for a second hand offering.
It just so happens that someone posted an Ark X400 (very similar to the Trex 450) on trextuning - they are in the states, but it includes everything (Tx too) that you would need to get flying.
I;m not saying it's the best stuff on that heli (it's not, as far as I can see from the photos), but you might well get some good use from that heli?

http://www.trextuning.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5437

$500 = approx £300 - add on some shipping (if the guy is willing) and you might be onto a deal!
It comes with the same Tx that I use currently, so you are all set for learning and upwards into 3D flying without worrying that your Tx can't do what you need.

Might be worth a thought?

There was also a post on here recently: http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2456

You need a Tx with that sale, but it seems like a good deal to me!
I'm not saying either of them will be perfect, but should get you started...

Cheers,
Rob

[Mick Forster]

What do think of this deal?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-ALIGN-RTF-...QQcmdZViewItem

Mick

[robgt]

Not bad for £400 I guess.
I wouldn't trust the gyro thats on it (Telebee) to last very long - and the servos will leave a bit to be desired, but outside of that, the V2 450 is a sound heli, and the FF6 Tx is fine.

Cheers,
Rob

[3dbasher]

the model and tx and motor and esc are ok, but like rob says those servo's won't last and don't reacon that gyro would be up to much all it'll do is make it hard work for you,
Deals like that are the cheapest of the cheap designed to get you hooked then you realize that the equipment you brought isn't up to much and before you know your heli hardly resembles the one you originaly purchased, because you've gone and brought this and that to make it fly correctly.
my advise is to save until you can afford the right equipment then buy once done no need for any messing about

[David Drew]

Hi Mick.

Can I chuck my bit in too?

I started in about April this year. What the guys have said is absolutely true..the basis packages leave a lot to be desired. Everything is done as basic as possible to get you in the air and hooked. Then the expense starts. (But to an extent that is the nature of many hobbies)

The basic gyros, radios, servos, motors, etc etc make it very difficult to learn how to fly. I have ended up replacing a lot of my kit to make the helis more flyable, more reliable and ultimately more fun. There is no joy in getting frustrated with inadequate kit. Think about it like this, would you rather learn to drive in a £300 secondhand car or a decent motor that's reliable.

I bought a Raptor30, which fully kitted out has cost me about £800 incl all the field kit, radios - and that's at a decent standard but not really that advanced. It flys fine for learning on but will need a bit spending to do anything more advanced. I have also built a Swift 16 Electric which is slightly smaller, but by the time you add in a couple of lipos, a decent gyro, chargers, balancers etc is also running about £800.

A pal has a Trex 450. I find it very difficult to fly & it is very twitchy. Anything above a slight breeze & flying is out of the question unless you are a good flyer. He's so frustrated he's looking for a Raptor too. As someone said above they are not cheap either.Nothing against the Trex as I have seen them flown really well...but I personally would not learn on one.

I have only experienced the three helis, and I'm sure others will advise on other models, but as a guide, you can get in the air for £450 with a Raptor (glow engine) or a Swift electric, but budget to spend another £350 min on upgrades within a year. Can't speak for the secondhand market as I've never explored it.

Whatever you do, buy a decent trainer base, use the sim & enjoy!!

David

[Ade_Law]

firstly their right.

if you want out doors your looking at 700ukp minimum. Dont waste your time on small electrics they are expensive and tricky to get setup nicely.

i would steer clear of the second hand market, most bargains are not bargains, gyros are not created equal and even as a noob you will notice the difference.

i have seen a lot of people throw lots of money at those small helis and just go backwards.

personally i would stick with indoors and get one of the smaller contra roating helis. this will cost you around 100-150ukp and they fly very nicely. I had a fly on the one from amerang yesterday. great fun and easy to fly.

Ade

[Disc]

Hum,

http://www.bmfaclassifieds.co.uk/detail.php?id=8654

there you go

[David Drew]

Ade is also right. Indoors less than £200. Outdoors £700 - £800,, unless reliable second hand.

Depends how ambitious you are going to get or bored with indoors. No chance of getting bored with outdoors, but the costs ramp up very quickly.

Unfortunately there does not appear to be any middle ground.IMHO

David