Beginner needs advice

[sacko]

A fixedpitch isn't a real heli

Can't go wrong with a Blade 400

[Darwil]

A book I read recently said always go for collective pitch with a shaft driven tail because then you only have one learning curve - is he right?

Kind regards to all

It is, but it could prove quite expensive, depends how patient you are and how quick you learn - the sim will help but unless you treat it as if you are flying your pride and joy it's a waste of time!
Anyway welcome aboard, have fun and fly safely.
D

[Mike W]

They do a blade 450 now which might be more to your liking or something along those lines ... It comes down to how much you want to spend .. The bigger ones are easier to see/fly but also alot more in money when you crash .... Collective pitch is the way to go and as for belt vs tube .. on a 50 I would go with a belt if your learning ... Anything bigger than a 50 then TT is the norm now as well ... If you can I would book a lesson and see if your going to like it and it might give you an idea of what sort of size of heli you would like to fly in the future as well .. At the end of the day if your crashing all the time it can get you down as your not getting the stick time in that you would like to ... And also go at your own pace and just enjoy it as at the end of the day its a hobby and we play with toys

The sim is good for muscle memory , but its not got the pucker factor of flying for real lol

[cjcj1949]

I reached a reasonable standard on the sim and then had real problems trying to hover. It's a dual problem. First of all it is easier flying a real heli than flying one on the sim. This because you get a much better picture of what is going on in the real world than via a computer screen. But, and this is the apparent paradox, in the real world lots of people can fly on the sim but not with a real heli. This is just about the way our brains work. We are basically scared sh..less when faced with something unknown. Our brains can't cope with it and everything goes wrong. There are many ways through this. But basically until you know you can hover a real heli, you will not be able to. Lessons and training will help. But at some point you will have to go solo. The advice you have been given isn't conflicting. There are just so many ways to go. A coax outside is a disaster. The bigger the heli, the more the fear factor, but the slower it reacts.

I also had a problem relating the sim experience and the real life flying. Now when I try something new like flying inverted, the sim seems the same, more or less, as real life. ceertainly much better than doing it for real the first time. But in the beginning you don't know about the real life experience and stress distorts all your perception. If you try to do very little with your heli I think you will start to build some experience. Just spool it up and feel it getting light on the training undercarraige. Just continue doing this until you feel happy doing it. Eventually try to do a hop. A very brief takeoff, no hover, and an immediate landing. That does not mean chopping the throttle, it must be done gently. The other thing is that helis do not hover flat. They hover to one side, usually the right. This means that the heli will drift and turn to the left until you correct this. This must be done as soon as you take off.

Good luck. I'm sure you will enjoy your first real world hover. As soon as you succeed land and then calm down a bit and try again. You'll find it gets easier and easier and you'll soon wonder what all the fuss was about.

You'll also find that low rates and expo help a lot as well as a high blade speed. It's like a bike the faster they rotate the more stable they are. There is a sticky by Boggy in the Blade 400 section about taming the blade. Extra flybar weights help as well.

There is quite a lot to learn.

[Bell47G]

Looks like you got good advice here, walk before you run, think of the expence if you break something, Eflite the way to go 'simples'

[cjcj1949]

Cheap HK450 is better for starting. Keep to plastic bits and get your rebuilds checkeed and flown if possible. Difficult to fly a heli that's not been put back together right. This is something I really know. Once you stop breaking it you can upgrade with secondhand Trex parts.

[DemonDazzler]

l took some time out to play with the Pheonix Simulator this afternoon and actually worked my way through most of the beginners machines.

Now, if the sim gives a true representation of the actual model, l found that some models were all over the place whilst others were almost rock solid.

For me the easyest/most stable were: (excluding co-axials)

1st Blade MSR
2nd Blade SR
3rd Blade MCPX

How accurate and reliable is the sim when compared to real life expectations?

Regards

[Mslater]

l took some time out to play with the Pheonix Simulator this afternoon and actually worked my way through most of the beginners machines.

Now, if the sim gives a true representation of the actual model, l found that some models were all over the place whilst others were almost rock solid.

For me the easyest/most stable were: (excluding co-axials)

1st Blade MSR
2nd Blade SR
3rd Blade MCPX

How accurate and reliable is the sim when compared to real life expectations?

Regards

Some are better than others, The T-rex 600 is not to far away in flight but its a world apart in hovering. Generally its not bad - Phoenix is great for building muscle memory and trying out new tricks.


Its also brilliant for beginners - if you can hover in phoenix you can certainly do it with the real thing.

[Airsporter1st]

l took some time out to play with the Pheonix Simulator this afternoon and actually worked my way through most of the beginners machines.

Now, if the sim gives a true representation of the actual model, l found that some models were all over the place whilst others were almost rock solid.

For me the easyest/most stable were: (excluding co-axials)

1st Blade MSR
2nd Blade SR
3rd Blade MCPX

How accurate and reliable is the sim when compared to real life expectations?

Regards

I had the MSR and as a total beginner found it very easy to hover and fly around indoors. I now have the MCPX (and I'm still a total beginner) and it is definitely harder to fly, but I think that with perseverance it will be the more rewarding.

[DanWright]

Unfortunately the SR on the sim is extremely stable compared to reality. The SR is ok if you get someone who knows what they're doing to check it over and test fly it first because it certainly isn't rtf out the box.
Here is a forum that focuses on the SR. If your really considering one of these please read the threads on there first
SR - HeliFreak
I'm not trying to put you off this heli but it will cost you more money than it's worth!
I'd advise you to buy a trex 450. You won't regret it.

[DemonDazzler]

I've now purchased an MSR and I'm flying - it has restored my confidence.

However, I noticed that the rotor on the MSR runs clockwise and the tail anti-clockwise - Is this standard?

I ask the question because my Honeybee rotor and tail both run anti-clockwise - is this correct?

Regards

[Sharpedge]

I don't have one so I can't say. Turn the main blades making sure that the leading edge is, well, leading into the direction of rotation. Now check the tail blades, if the leading edge is rotating in the right direction you are ok. But I think that if the main blades spin clockwise and the tail rotor is on the back right of the boom (looking from rear) it should spin anti clock, with the blade on the the main rotor side coming up into the main rotor wash.

[PeteStewardson]

I've now purchased an MSR and I'm flying - it has restored my confidence.

However, I noticed that the rotor on the MSR runs clockwise and the tail anti-clockwise - Is this standard?

I ask the question because my Honeybee rotor and tail both run anti-clockwise - is this correct?

Regards

Normally yes the main rotors go clockwise and the tail would go anti-clockwise. Not sure about the honeybee

[cjcj1949]

I'm not sure that having an exact simulation is that important. Every model is different and the feel will depend on the wind, the trim, the exp the throttle and pitch curves, the servos and the gyro. I think the important thing is to be in charge of the heli. Get used to being able to move it about from side to side and forwards and back. If you can only do a perfect hover you won't know what to do when something happens like a gust. I learnt to fly on just one model a long time ago. This is the easiest way to learn, but it is better if you can fly a range of models and get used to adapting.

[DemonDazzler]

I've parked the MSR temporarily and gone back to the Honeybee 2.

Having replaced the servos, the splines had been stripped in places by several crashes, I replaced the rotor blades, one had broken in the last crash, and then checked the motor connection.

To my horror I found that the motor connections in the manual are WRONG.

If you connect the main and tail motors as shown in the manual both tail and main rotors will turn anti-clockwise. It is necessary to swap the polarity on the main motor connection to the controller so that the main rotor on the Honeybee 2 so that it runs clockwise.

I've spent a fortune on repairs because the Honeybee2 manual is wrong ( or the motors is incorrectly wired)