Looking to get in to flying - Would you recommend this?

[sam cooper s]

Hi and welcome Dan !

I am also a newbie at this hobby. I bought the Phoenix sim and the Blade MSR a couple of weeks ago, and I absolutely love it. As a novice, I cannot recommend the MSR highly enough. When I first got mine I was crashing it into the walls, the TV, the Wife etc and I was dreadful (although to be fair it turned out to be a duff one and I had it replaced). However now, after some practice, I am getting used to tail and nose in hovers, slow figure 8's, landing on small boxes etc. I have found it has been a great help in learning the orientation side of things, and training my brain how to control the heli while it is nose and side in and the controls are reversed.

I am also enjoying Phoenix, although haven't used it a great deal, but again I can see it will be invaluable for learning the basics of heli control, and you can pick it up and do 10 - 15 mins when it suits.

I got the DX6i TX with the MSR bundle like this one below, planning to use the TX with my next heli. I am sure you would get a good percentage of your money back if you decided to sell an MSR, providing you keep everything in good condition.

E-Flite Blade MSR - DX6i Radio Combo - E-Flite - Kings Lynn Model Shop Stocking all things Radio Controlled

Also, you can get replacement parts cheap for the MSR, and they are extremely resilient.

I also found this beginer's guide very useful...

Newbies Helicopter Guide - EFlightWiki

Whatever you choose, have fun !

cheers Sam

[rapidgaz]

My first Heli was a Trex 450 which is what I learned to fly with, did not get a sim until about a year later. Learnt on my own in front garden with about 6 crashes in 1 year. Only about 3 days to take of training gear. Sims are great, but u can't beat real stick time


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[Sqwidge]

Go slow

This isn't a hobby that you just jump into overnight. Even though it may take you a couple weeks to decide on which helicopter to buy, believe it or not that's the easiest part! Learning to fly it is a whole different story. You can expect to have the helicopter for 1-2 weeks before you will even be able to hover it.
Don't get down on yourself

Everyone learns at a different pace. Some people are able to hover within a few hours of trying to fly their first helicopter. Others may take several weeks to get their first successful hover. Take the hover practice at your own pace, and don't get rushed. You'll probably be bored, and you'll probably think "I wish I could just fly this thing!", but try to take learning to hover slowly.
On that note - You're going to crash. There's no ifs ands or buts about it. It's going to happen sooner or later. It happens to everyone, even the professionals. Just don't let crashing ruin the hobby for you - crashing is part of the learning experience. You'll be frustrated, sure, but pick yourself up, fix the helicopter, and get back out there.
These aren't "Toys"

While anything that you own purely for fun is a 'toy', they shouldn't be taken lightly. For example, the tips of the rotor blades can exceed 200MPH - that's plenty of speed to seriously injure yourself or a bystander. These helicopters should always be flown with safety in mind.
Get a simulator!

It will pay itself off a thousand times. So don't be afraid to spend the money on a good one. Here are a couple links to good simulators (in no particular order):

• Reflex
• Phoenix
• RealFlight
• ClearView
• FMS - it's free!
• HeliSim-RC Also free! Better physics than FMS but only does helis (and has no sound)

Do your research before buying a simulator. Some come with their own controller (RealFlight, for example), while others require adapter cords and run off your regular helicopter transmitter.
Meet the helicopter pilots at your local field

There is no better resource than a local experienced pilot. A local mentor will help you get your helicopter setup the right way and also be able to give you flying lessons. Also see if they can recommend a good first helicopter or a local pilot may be selling a helicopter for a good price.
If you have no local contacts dig into the internet and research, research, research!

On a personal note I tried to do what you want to do and failed miserably costing me a total of 2 helicopters and quite a few £££, the second, a Blade 400, I still have and was purchased after much research into the best route for me into 6 channel CP heli's, but before I flew it I had an experienced RC pilot show me how to strip it down and set up ready for flight as this is by far THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you will ever learn in this hobby, then I did what the above suggests and pretty much in that order and now I can fly and in many different ways too and on different types of aircraft thanks to my sim's, (I have Realflight, Aerofly and Clearview as each has their own pro's and con's and although Phoenix is very good and is most popular it doesn't mean its the best so shop around as you may get one just as good cheaper hence why I have 3 alternatives), and through this learning and listening I have great friends that share the same passion as me, its up to you at the end of the day and its an individual very steep learning curve but its also up to you wether you wish to spend a fortune or wether you wish to keep on spending a fortune?

EDIT: Yes, for you beady eyed ppl I stole this from the newbie guide that Sam posted but figured it was important enough to post just incase anyone reading this thread decided not to follow the link.

[alex]

Hiya

There are 2 ways of looking at it- if you have bottomless pockets and stacks of cash then ignore getting a sim- if not- get a sim- they are worth every penny and seriously add to enjoyment and progression without the tears.

Based on my observations of others, people who do not use the sim and do not have the cash for repairs stay so far within their comfort zone that they never progress and some spend years getting frustrated and getting nowhere. I treat the sim as a tool, but quite a fun one- it starts forging those brain circuits that gradually allow heli moves to become second nature- trust me, trying a new move on a 90 size heli is scary even if you have done it over and over on the sim. I have been at this nearly a year now and have had my fair share of crashes and that is with copious sim use, but the sim allows me to push my ability and enjoyment more.

You could do it without the sim but will probably die of boredom.

That is just my opinion.

As far as a heli goes, I think the Blade MSR is superb for learning over winter without much cost- it is also very robust, is great indoors and will teach you loads. It is also quite good fun- I got mine out again this week and it made me smile.

I don't think you can go wrong with a DX6i ( DX7/ DSX9 if you have the cash and worth every penny as you will buy one within a few months if you get the bug) , an MSR and a flight sim, then progress onto a larger CP heli when you get the bug and can fly the MSR well- the MSR will take you a remarkably long way and is not a mssive investment- it's also still quite tricky to master initially if you have not flown anything before.

I think your original link is good value, but possibly a false economy.

Just my opinion and we all have one

[xiztrn]

May order myself an MSR and dx6i then, play with that for a bit then maybe buy myself a sim in the new year

[tiddler]

May order myself an MSR and dx6i then, play with that for a bit then maybe buy myself a sim in the new year

Sounds like a plan to me A reasonably good one at that

[Eddie.Fletch]

Welcome Dan
I would agree with the MSR and sim route. That’s roughly what I did myself when I started twelve months ago, just at the start of winter, when outdoor flying is a rarity anyway. Getting a decent transmitter is even better as you will use it with both with the MSR and the simulator and so get used to its feel when you use it to control something bigger.
Some would say a sim is all you need but there’s nothing like getting a bird into the air for the first time (even if it’s only 5 inches long and the flight time is only ten seconds) to give you some sense of achievement .
I found that after a winter of flying the MSR and crashing the simulated T-Rex 450 that when I took the real 450 up for the first time I found it easier than the sim! (The knees still shook though and I felt a bit after).
Which ever way you go, HAPPY FLYING!!!

[jammie]

get a sim you will never look back saves a mint in crashes

[CiaranMal1]

Welcome,

Im new to the hobby also dan, and i had a belt cp v2 to learn worse heli ever to buy, so i then bought a pheonix sim, great job and a dx6i tx, needed and then i sold the belt cp v2 heli as i cudn get of the ground and still manage to crash it after crash. Anyway the best move i ever done was bought a thunder tiger mini titan e325 heli and joined a club, and i only started ever to fly any heli for the first time four weeks ago, well i can hover the titan high and low go backwards and forwards and sides all in four weeks without a crash, hope i dont jinix that.lol

So what i learnt was never buy cheap brand helis, as they will cost you more than a gud brand one, invest in a gud tx best one to start is dx6i and invest in a gud sim and yea ano i hated the tot of the idea of a sim as im an architect and im on computers alday but the sim helped me greatly. Personnally if i were you i would go the same route as i, get a mini titan or trex 450, mini titan e325 very stable heli, as for the blade 400, guys at the club are learning on them, and they still cant hover as yet and they (seem to me) to be a hard heli to learn on.

You do that and join a club get expert advice and help with the heli setup and checks and you wont be sorry because im not, Im glad i ditched the belt and bought a titan etc, love learning to fly it.

Shit luk at the length of this post.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Vic.P]

Welcome Dan.
Ahhhh..choices, choices.....the usual dilema

Ok, you're on the right track with your MSR and DX61........ although maybe a DX7 would be a better bet for future proofing yourself a bit...........and maybe a bigger, more stable heli with trainer undercarriage........

If you're not going to use a sim then be prepared for the inevitable repair bills that come with the territory......... But, there is an option....... you could get yourself a buddy lead for your transmitter and join a local club where hopefully a kind and experienced member will help you by checking the helis set up and try it out for you before you have a go and then you can plug in your buddy lead and get into the air a lot safer and a lot cheaper

Best of luck and happy landings

[Russ The Chippy]

Hello i was in the same boat as you and went for the blade 400 a big mistake owned it for a year now its been in the air for about 5 minuits of that time, now about £500 down and lost intrest in it and if your learning by yourself it is almost impossible, crash and you have to rebuild it on your own and hopefully get it right, also went down the pheonix sim route before flying the blade and did not help me either. I can tell you one thing if you are on your own it is much much trickier that people make it look. hope this helps. cheers

[helipilot]

hello

Hello i was in the same boat as you and went for the blade 400 a big mistake owned it for a year now its been in the air for about 5 minuits of that time, now about £500 down and lost intrest in it and if your learning by yourself it is almost impossible, crash and you have to rebuild it on your own and hopefully get it right, also went down the pheonix sim route before flying the blade and did not help me either. I can tell you one thing if you are on your own it is much much trickier that people make it look. hope this helps. cheers

Plus 1 on that mate... i did the same and very nearly jacked the whole thing in...very frustrating!!!

My saving grace was the Blade 120sr... i too have not got a sim ( laptop wont run it..sxxt graphics card or something) I fly my 120sr with the dx6i and love it.!!! i too learn better "hands on" and ive improved more with this heli than i ever did with the blade 400.

It has been said already that everyone will have their own route into this hobby but you need to find the best way for you... i would stay away from cp helis for now as they are not beginner friendly... either an MSR or the slightly bigger 120sr would be my advice... dont go for a coax it will not challenge you at all... both the MSR and 120SR are fixed pitch and can be set up for advanced flyin once you have mastered the basics.

Lastly, go at your own pace... dont try and rush.. it is after all a hobby and can with the right heli be heeps of fun...!!!!!

i hope this helps mate... and best of luck with it all...!!!!

[Sqwidge]

Hello i was in the same boat as you and went for the blade 400 a big mistake owned it for a year now its been in the air for about 5 minuits of that time, now about £500 down and lost intrest in it and if your learning by yourself it is almost impossible, crash and you have to rebuild it on your own and hopefully get it right, also went down the pheonix sim route before flying the blade and did not help me either. I can tell you one thing if you are on your own it is much much trickier that people make it look. hope this helps. cheers

What you doin with your Blade? always looking for a spare

[scallybert]

[...] the MSR [...] can be set up for advanced flyin once you have mastered the basics.

I'd question that.

I found it quite limited (and I'm not 'advanced'). That's not to say it doesn't have its plus points (easy to fly & Spektrum BNF.)

[helipilot]

blade 400

What you doin with your Blade? always looking for a spare

Hi mate.., my 400 is off to Midlands helis tomorrow as they are going to sell it for me ( minus a commission..??? )

If your interested mate, send me a PM and i ll give you a call.
Its a full rtf package just less the DX6i. All stock except a savox servo on the tail. Align blades, cf tail boom, align c/f fin set and 450pro cano. plus all the stock parts....never crashed ( couldnt get it off the ground long enough??!!)

Just a thought...?

Simon