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**Mslater** · 07-12-2010, 01:52 AM

Hi Dale, welcome to our insane world.

My first heli was the Honeybee King 3, what I will say is don't let the model put you off, they are difficult to fly but they are a cheap entry into the hobby and many people have a lot of fun with them. They are a little fragile I found so go easy.

Its nearly christmas so I would recommend you get Phoenix Simulator and have a try flying the bigger models and see how you go. I don't think the Esky transmitter has a trainer port on it though so possibly get yourself a 2nd hand transmitter to go with it. If you ask on the forum I'm sure there are plenty of people who will have bits from when they started and you should be able to pick up what you need for not to much cash.

OR you can just accept the fact that you've got a heli, you joined the forum so save yourself lots of hassle and spend the £500, if you don't like it you should be able to re-sell and not loose very much. er unless you total it.

Lastly, find a local flying club and have a chat with the fellas there, don't forget your insurance either

Have fun

**challis349** · 07-12-2010, 06:37 AM

Welcome to the forum dale, same as marks advice mate, look at getting a simulator for the winter, not much flying in the winter, I read through radds, and it is exceptionally difficult to stick to, I got bored after 3 batteries, doesn't if say a cp heli us better for it though?

**Gaza07** · 07-12-2010, 07:13 AM

Welcome to the forum as above I would recommend the simulator to only have a small twitchy heli to practice with is going to be at time be very frustrating, and may even make you want to quit, the members on here have years of experience under there belts and have already gone through the whole learning process and are more than willing to give advise

**ipitombi** · 07-12-2010, 07:25 AM

Originally posted by Mslater View Post

Hi Dale, welcome to our insane world.

My first heli was the Honeybee King 3, what I will say is don't let the model put you off, they are difficult to fly but they are a cheap entry into the hobby and many people have a lot of fun with them. They are a little fragile I found so go easy.

Its nearly christmas so I would recommend you get Phoenix Simulator and have a try flying the bigger models and see how you go. I don't think the Esky transmitter has a trainer port on it though so possibly get yourself a 2nd hand transmitter to go with it. If you ask on the forum I'm sure there are plenty of people who will have bits from when they started and you should be able to pick up what you need for not to much cash.

OR you can just accept the fact that you've got a heli, you joined the forum so save yourself lots of hassle and spend the £500, if you don't like it you should be able to re-sell and not loose very much. er unless you total it.

Lastly, find a local flying club and have a chat with the fellas there, don't forget your insurance either

Have fun

Welcome to the forum Dale:
Have to agree with Mark, If you got the internet and the sim: with Phoenix you can fly with someone at the same time and he can show you how to do things,,,

Regards,

**stumpe** · 07-12-2010, 07:26 AM

Welcome to the madhouse

Defo get yourself a sim and practice on this when u can't fly for real, it will save u loads if money in the long run, sometimes the sim can be a bit boring so make sure u have a set of moves to follow such as hovering for 6 mins (whole battery) at a time, but do have a blat around just to let of a bit of steam as I found the sim quite boring after 15-20 mins

Lee

**coptermanic** · 07-12-2010, 07:41 AM

Hi Dale, and welcome to our great forum.

Firstly, I'd agree with all about getting a sim, and Phoenix seems to be the one of choice on here mainly. Will save you a lot of money.
Secondly, I learnt with Esky helis - a coax lama4, HBFP and BeltCP - but could not recommend that course. If you have not flown a heli before, then either get a coax for starters, like the Blade mcx, or go for the single rotor Blade mSR. I have the latter, and fly it indoors every day. It can be set up to be controlled from your main TX, and is a great learning tool for basic heli control. You could buy the "complete package" including heli, transmitter etc. Not a huge outlay, and the mSR is very robust for such a small machine.
Thirdly, if you want a bigger outdoor machine, then a Blade 400 or Blade 120 would be better then the Esky stuff.

Whatever you do, keep us informed, and we can help you get the settings etc sorted. Hope you enjoy!!!!!!!

**spunkmyer** · 07-12-2010, 11:19 AM

The sim is a must as it will help you with your stick time. Practice hovering tail in then sides left&right followed by nose in last. It will take time and at times you will feel you are going round in circles but keep at it!!.

Ok I going to say it no offense , I started of with a Honeybee FP and spent two months trying to hover it but spent more time fixing it as it was just not any good to learn on. In the end I binned it and got a Blade 400 with a DX6I tx, I was advised on here not to get the Honeybee but I got it anyway, I should have listerned as it was a bitter pill to swallow but with the blade I was hovering tail in with in two weeks.

**Balders** · 07-12-2010, 11:45 AM

Welcome aboard! The advice above is all perfectly sound. I won't pass comment on it, but instead will tell you what I did.

I bought a Trex 450 pretty much on a whim. Absolutely loved it and tried my hardest to stick with Radd's school teachings. They did certainly help, although I didn't stick with them for too long. Result was I spanked a set of blades and slightly bent the main shaft. I also had Phoenix sim at this point.

I got a bit disheartened and put in the box and forgot about it for nearly a year. Then for no particular reason, i decided to pick things up again. I spent a couple of weeks every night on the Sim, whilst I slowly put the 450 back together and probably set it up better than it was when I got it. If you have not seen any of Finless Bob's videos on setup, they will teach you an immense amount, both theory and practical stuff. All of a sudden, things start to click.

After so much sim time, first time I got the 450 back in the air, I hovered a whole battery, whilst not the steadiest, I was absolutely stoked. I've got a youtube video up of my first two batteries on the 450. Do a youtube search for "baldric450" if you want to see what nerves look like

I've now recently bought a Trex 600 electric off a member of this forum and it's absolutely immense, both in terms of presence and to fly.

Anyway, just thought I'd tell my story to getting in to things, maybe you'll have some similar experiences, maybe not, but either way, I hope it's been useful.

**Mart61** · 07-12-2010, 11:59 AM

Welcome aboard!

**daleyboy** · 07-12-2010, 11:19 PM

Thank you chaps for your advice, i read all your responses carefully. Time will tell if i picked the right first heli, its twitchy i know but i do like a challenge ! I have the patience i believe to see this through, at best im going to learn a lot with this heli, at worst im going to bin it and get a proper one, either way im determined to learn and know it'll be a long and painfully frustrating but ultimatly satisfying experience. It doesnt phase me though, in the last year i have learnt a new job, and how to put a car back together once i took it apart so i think i have the right attitude to learn.

I thought i was going to get a bit more stick for what i had planned, but your supportive which is great and tells me this is a good place i have found. For your info the stock esky transmitter does have a port for a sim and will certainly look into the pheonix sim, i know it'll take a couple of months to get a reasonable hover so my expectations i think are accurate. I dont think there is a right or wrong way to learn you just have to do what you think is right on based on the advise given.

All i thought was spend £100-£200 on a heli and if i like it then do it properly, and thats what im going to do but i think im going to love it..........

**Mslater** · 07-12-2010, 11:34 PM

Best of luck Dale, let us know how you go on.

**ipitombi** · 08-12-2010, 07:09 AM

The good thing when you fly one of the cheap heli's!! when you buy a good one it seams so much easier..

I had the King 3 and had a hard time hovering it,,
And then got the trex 450 and then I came along in leap's and bounds,

Wish you all the best..
Cheers,

**daleyboy** · 08-12-2010, 01:10 PM

Thank you for all your comments, it gives me a good idea what im up against at least. So if in a couple of months i can get a decent hover then i think i'll be on track. As for flying in the winter i work in a warehouse office so i reckon i could get through maybe a couple of packs a day at work in my breaks, its the size of two football pitches.

The heli is a christmas present from my girlfriend, and as it only costs about £100 i wont be too scared of crashing, i think if i had one worth £500 with the experience i have (none) i would be too scared to fly it. Maybe one way of looking at it is any heli that gets you into this hobby is the right one, learning from your mistakes from the flying and buying the right equipment point of view.

I may of course eat all my words and agree totally with all your opinions (quite likely), but the point for me is if im enjoying it then all is good....

**Davy Crockett** · 08-12-2010, 03:19 PM

Hi Dale
I havent been flying that long and have had nothing but good advice from this forum

I had a Blade Msr & a bit like balders, got a Trex 450 spur of moment!

Following advice (very similar to what to guys above have said) I got phoenix and it really does help with your progression (and your wallet!!).

Anyway, patience, practice & best of luck

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