Beginner

[Scottscott]

Hey all! Im new to the forums here and new to the whole helicopter thing. Over the last few months i have been experimenting with miniatures and an AH64 Apache and now i think it is time to upgrade to a better helicopter.

What im looking for is a very cheap rig (student ) which will basically just introduce me to the proper rc helicopter world.

Anyway, thanks for the help and i hope to get to know you all soon

Scott

[robgt]

Welcome to the forums

As far as cheap heli's go, you seem to own one already?
Most other stuff is going to be in the several hundred pounds arena... I would guess your next step up would be to something like a Trex450. The more you can spend on it, the better it will fly (and more enjoyable the experience will be).
It really depends on your budget to be honest...
Cheers,
Rob

[Scottscott]

Currently my budget stands at about £60-120 and as for my Apache i think its cheap/fake from eBay.

[warboysastro]

Your best bet is probably a Blade CX2... complete with 2.4GHz radio. If you shop around, you can pick them up for around the £110 mark.

It's still a coaxial rotor, but about the best of ALL the coaxial rotor heli's out there.

Once you start talking T-rex, servos, radio gear, gyro, it's going to stray well out of your budget. It's a sad fact of the hobby that good heli's aren't cheap

It also might be worth investing in Phoenix RC simulator too... well worth the money you'll save in breaking real helis whilst having fun learning, on screen.

Cheers - Rob

[Scottscott]

Right a Blade CX2 it is then! Ill start saving pronto and post back on my progress.

How large of an area do i need to fly this model and how big actually is it?
As im new to this, im hoping that this is an electric/battery helicopter?

[warboysastro]

You can fly a CX2 in your living room - ornament and size of room dependent, but any indoor area is good. You can also fly them outside, even in a very gentle breeze. There are quite a few of them in our club. It might bear a superficial resemblence to your coaxial rotor Apache, but this is a very different beast... the CX2 is definitely the best coaxial rotor beginners heli out there.

http://www.stevewebb.co.uk/index.php...1250&area=HELI

Yes, it's electric, and comes with Spektrum 2.4GHz radio gear, which is all the rage at the moment. Interference free, no problems flying with others, and no long telescopic antenna to poke people's eyes out with.

Cheers - Rob

[robgt]

the CX2 is definitely the best coaxial rotor beginners heli out there

Agreed!

Cheers,
Rob

[Scottscott]

Thanks for your help guys!

Usually in forums people just dismiss or ignore you if you dont know much about the subject, but you guys actually have helped me in this short time.

Thank you so much,

Scott

[robgt]

Friendly RC helicopter forum, this

Heh heh
Cheers,
Rob

[Scottscott]

Im thinking now that, before i get my Balde CX2 i should maybe get a new mini and practise flying so that i dont crash my CX2 on its first flight! Iv had a look at the phoenix sim, but it doesnt say anywhere that it supports the Blade CX2 so i dunno.

Any ideas which will prevent me crashing it at its first go?

[kevinh]

training undercarriage

Phoenix will help alot

what controller have/going to get with the blade?

[Scottscott]

Well i havent baught it yet, but most proabibly ill buy it off Amazon, unless i find another place which is alot cheaper,

Advanced 4-in-1 control unit including 2.4GHz DSM 6-channel receiver, main motor ESCs, mixer and gyro
[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/EFlite-Blade-CX2-Ready-Helicopter/dp/B000JL723S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/203-7337026-5912766?ie=UTF8&s=toys&qid=1187727735&sr=8-1[/ame]


Also the phoenix sim doesnt have the CX2 in its model list
http://www.phoenix-sim.com/features_models.htm

[Weetobix]

Phoenix supports the CX2 transmitter - there's even an option to select it in the setup. You'll be sim-flying in seconds

[andylinney]

don't worry

The contra rotating heli's pretty much fly themselves in the hover, just keep low and keep it to short hops and you'll soon get it into a sustained hover (I'm doing the same process with a nitro powered heli at the moment).

As for finding the exact model in any sim is unlikely. There is a contra-rotating heli available for Pheonix and as they're all much of a muchness you'll feel right at home flying the blade once you've cracked the sim. Ideally though practise with the more advanced heli's on the sim (I'm using the Raptor .50 sport just now as it's the closest to the model I'm flying) and once you're used to that the Blade should be a joy to fly. If you get the phoenix sim and can't find the contra-rotating heli drop me a message and I'll try to point you in the right direction.

A.

[Scottscott]

Later today, i should have enough money to buy my blade cx2, im really worried tho.. The cheap Ah64 apache i got off eBay broke on its first flight, and im hoping it was due to the fact the model was cheap and faulty and not my pilot skills! Anyway, im really scared of crashing it on its first flight. Any tips on how to control it properly?

Also, ill make sure i use Phoenix sim before actually flying it for real.