Best indoor/outdoor for first Collective Pitch Heli?

[Gyro]

Hi everyone, new member here.
I'd like advice on what to get next please. I'm in the ealy stages of flying a JABO 2 (excellent micro heli) and am thinking I'd like to go collective pitch and progress (eventually) to some 3D.
I want to fly indoors at home and outdoors in light breeze.
The Twister CP seems a little basic and a bit light for much outdoor flying and a Zoom 400 seems a bit large for 'house' flying and more of a suitable 3rd purchase.
My Jabo came with a basic TX (which was great to learn on and I easily swapped it to Mode 2 as I used to fly IC planes with left stick throttle) but I'd like to get a new TX which will see me through for the next few years.
I would spend up to about 500 for the right complete set up, Heli, Transmitter, micro servos, good giro etc.

Finally, does anyone know if there is a 'list' out there of the 'stages of learning to fly' i.e. an order of what you should learn before moving on to the next bit?

Thanks and happy flying!

[Stuart]

The problem you find as you've said trying to get the best of both worlds.

The Hornett II is smaller than the Zoom and i've yet to really give mine a full fly its had two flights one in the back garden and one in the road out front to fine tune it.

I reckon I'm nearly there with it now.

For 500.00 you'd get a new one complete just about, but no tx....I'd recommend trying to find a good second had used one, on ebay.com the US version, before buying new I did bid on a used one in the US that eventually sold for 200.00 RTF.

Alternatively, buy a .30 size now and get in the air and next spring get a good second hand micro CP heli.

[Gyro]

Hornet II

Thanks for your reply.

You're right, I'm am after best of both worlds, I'm not what you'd call a serious flyer but quality is paramount for me.

I used to fly planks and don't want to go back to the sticky, smelly mess of IC. Flying my little fixed pitch micro has brought back all the buzz of being in the air and the concentration, patience and huge sence of achievement without the mess is fantastic! I can see I'm hooked again and can't see me giving up helis now, so I may as well get some good kit!

The Hornet II looks like the the best micro on the market at the moment! The quality looks really good, how did you find yours for quality of parts etc?

Had a look on the Skyline website, they have a range of deals from a basic kit at about 160 inc VAT up to a Pro Kit at about 520 with all the top bits including electrics etc. so I should find what I'm after there.

Any advice on a suitable Tx? I have an old 8ch FUTABA FP-T8A-P from the plane days but there's no way I'm risking using that - it's 20 yrs old! I'd like to get a 'Heli' transmitter but don't know how many channels to go for (what would you use more than 5 for on a micro heli?)

Thanks again for opening my eyes to the Hornet.

[Stuart]

You need a Tx with atleast 6 channels..

1. Aileron
2. Elevator
3. Throttle
4. Rudder
5. Gyro
6. Pitch

A good second hand one is the Futaba Field Force 8, quite a few second these day's since the 9C came out and I suspect more will surface with the 7C just coming out.

Alternatively if you can afford it go new with either a 9C or JR9X (which is my favoured), check out the spec's by going to Futaba or JR's homepage via the navigation bar at the top of the page : Home : Interesting Sites :

Micro heli's today are very much a .30 size just smaller everyone wants the collective pitch version to get the full feel and the ability to fully expand your flying skills.

[antsis]

You could also consider the century hummingbird CP. Unfortunately with all micro heli's, outdoor flying is dictated by the wind. As Stuart suggested, it might pay you to look into .30 size for the future.

The raptor 30 and the hawk sport are both good beginners' heli's and are economical on fuel, (I could get 20 mins out of my hawk), and in some cases are just as cheap to repair as some electric models.

Radio preference is your choice, but again I would go with Stuart and look at the FF8, 9C or JR.

Ant

[wazzer]

Hi Gyro

i have done extensive research on buying the best kit i can for as little money as possible.

If you are willing to buy abroad you can save huge amounts

I have recently priced up a Raptor 50 V2 with JR PCM 9X radio kit plus a Futaba GY401 (which seems to be the favoured Gyro of choice on this site)(it can be switched between heading hold and standard so i am told he he he!!)

All for about 50% less than in the UK

The best place i have found so far is a model shop in Singapore called

www.rotor.com.sg there you will find some great deals

The xchange rate is roughy 3 sing dollars to the pound but check out the site www.xe.com for a great currency converter
(to give you a rough idea just divide the prices shown by 3)

I dont think they have the Hornet in stock but they do have the Humble Bee which is exactly the same as the century Humming bird

I have been advised by many regarding the TX is to buy the best you can afford and then it will stay with you for a long time and you should never outgrow it.

The only thing is you have to be careful about which frequency and mode you order
Luckily they seem to have any frequency you want available

Anyway

I hope i have been some help

I too keep finding out about things i didnt know i needed to know!!

eg Delta Off sets and swahplate phasing

Can any body outhere shed some light on this and how inportant it is for a beginner to understand these things???

Many Thanks


Wazzer

[Gyro]

You and I have been doing similar searches and it would seem finding the same results:

Rotor.com - FUTABA FF9 about 270 with all the bits. (they don't do Tx only) Similar price to Midland for Tx only and excluding the VAT. Out of stock at Rotor at the moment.

I figure buy one from them and Auction off the electrics?

I think I'm dead set on the Hornet II. The others just seem a little low quality. Dee Tee Enterprises look to have the best package deal that I can find (http://www.deeteeenterprises.com/NS....o.ordering.php).

I think this is what I'm going for:

Hornet II Base Kit #MS-700
Berg 6 Channel Rcvr $ Crystal
Speed 300 Brushed Motor & Pixie 20 ESC
MS-044 Heading Hold Gyro
E075e Metal Rotor Head Block
Ball In Swashplate
Free C/F Servo Mount Plate

Apogee 3 Cell Li Poly Batt Pack
3 ea HS-55 Servos For Cyclic
1 ea HS-50 Servo For Tail
2 Packages Deans Connectors
1 ea E032a

$679.99

I figure that buying the above complete package from them would mean that it's well tried and tested. I also figured that I won't be needing the extra power from a brushless motor just yet. Oh yes, and I definitely want a kit so I know where all the bits go when the inevitable happens!

That lot along with the FF9 should see me right for a while!

I've heard that the Berg Rx is available as 72Mh only, does that mean it will not work with a 35Mhz FF9? or am I showing my beginner status again!

Happy hovering.

[wazzer]

Hi Gyro

I am pretty sure that you will not be able to use the 75Mhz reciever with the 35Mhz transmiter you will need to be carefull about that

Good luck

and Keep us all posted

Ben

[Gyro]

...and 35Mhz is the only legal UK frequency, right?

[antsis]

Correct.

Ant

[lamurada]

Re: Best indoor/outdoor for first Collective Pitch Heli?

Hi everyone, new member here.
I'd like advice on what to get next please. I'm in the ealy stages of flying a JABO 2 (excellent micro heli) and am thinking I'd like to go collective pitch and progress (eventually) to some 3D.
I want to fly indoors at home and outdoors in light breeze.
The Twister CP seems a little basic and a bit light for much outdoor flying and a Zoom 400 seems a bit large for 'house' flying and more of a suitable 3rd purchase.
My Jabo came with a basic TX (which was great to learn on and I easily swapped it to Mode 2 as I used to fly IC planes with left stick throttle) but I'd like to get a new TX which will see me through for the next few years.
I would spend up to about 500 for the right complete set up, Heli, Transmitter, micro servos, good giro etc.

Finally, does anyone know if there is a 'list' out there of the 'stages of learning to fly' i.e. an order of what you should learn before moving on to the next bit?

Thanks and happy flying!

Excuse me for hijacking this thread but i have just purchased a Jabo II and i noticed you stated you converted radio to mode 2 (left throttle). Can you tell me how this is done please?
Would also be interested in any advice you could give me re the Jabo II flying ?

Many thanks

Martin

[Ade_Law]

you can fly on 27am too but you will find it impossible to get one with more than 2 channels these days!

Ade

[XH558]

Re: Best indoor/outdoor for first Collective Pitch Heli?

Excuse me for hijacking this thread but i have just purchased a Jabo II and i noticed you stated you converted radio to mode 2 (left throttle). Can you tell me how this is done please?
Martin

Piece of cake mate - the only reason that the throttle stick doesn't spring back is because it hasn't got a spring attached inside the TX - but has a friction ratchet assembly instead. Normally all it is is a piece of sprung metal screwed down with one screw that pushes on to a toothed half moon piece of moulded plastic which will be available on both sides of the TX.

Everything inside the TX is normally mirrored and reversible - so take the back off the TX - unscrew the ratchet off the throttle stick - take the spring off the Up/down stick on the other side (noting how it was attached !) and swop it to what was the throttle - reattach the ratchet to the other stick you just took the spring off (looking for the same screw hole assembly that was on the other side but mirrored) - and you are done in the TX - replace the back.
Now all you have to do is replug the RX to match the new TX controls.
Bingo - switched modes :lol:

[lamurada]

Re: Best indoor/outdoor for first Collective Pitch Heli?

Excuse me for hijacking this thread but i have just purchased a Jabo II and i noticed you stated you converted radio to mode 2 (left throttle). Can you tell me how this is done please?
Martin

Piece of cake mate - the only reason that the throttle stick doesn't spring back is because it hasn't got a spring attached inside the TX - but has a friction ratchet assembly instead. Normally all it is is a piece of sprung metal screwed down with one screw that pushes on to a toothed half moon piece of moulded plastic which will be available on both sides of the TX.

Everything inside the TX is normally mirrored and reversible - so take the back off the TX - unscrew the ratchet off the throttle stick - take the spring off the Up/down stick on the other side (noting how it was attached !) and swop it to what was the throttle - reattach the ratchet to the other stick you just took the spring off (looking for the same screw hole assembly that was on the other side but mirrored) - and you are done in the TX - replace the back.
Now all you have to do is replug the RX to match the new TX controls.
Bingo - switched modes :lol:

Fantastic , will do that when arrives tomorrow,
Can you also tell me if the std radio Tx (that comes with JABO II) has a buddy socket so i can plug into FMS Simulator aa? and if so what socket type it is?

Thanks again

Martin

[XH558]

If only I knew what a Jaba 11 was I might know about sockets - so sorry can't answer that one :lol: :lol: