Beginners and New to Heli's ... Read this FIRST

[Bubblefish777]

Ditto. In fact it was the fact i could get a bigger electric heli and not have to engage with Nitro that convinced me to buy my 1st real heli

[Steve]

It just comes down to choice.

If you have the funds available, and the inclination, and it's what you want - then go buy a 30 nitro and join a club. If you don't have the necessary funds, or just want to dip your toe in the water, then go down the indoor route.

There are 8 (I think) heli flyers at our mixed discipline club, and not one of them has ever started with an 'indoor' heli. We have all started with a 30 size nitro, except one chap who started with a 50. I suppose the difference is, and maybe this is what Bubblefish is getting at, if you buy an indoor heli, then you can sit in your living room and simply have a go without too much damage being caused either to your heli or the cat, but if you buy a nitro or large electric heli then you really have to go and join a club. So, in that respect, we have only ever seen the nitro gang at our club, as the indoor peeps are busy having a go at home.

However, saying that going down the nitro route is simply too difficult, complicated or fraught with problems is simply wrong. If you want to learn, then come and ask. We'll teach you all you need to know.

It's horses for courses.

[robgt]

going straight into nitro machine's would become so overwellming when looking at it as a begginner and not having any knowlegde as to how a heli works, whats needed to make one fly, and how much it all costs.

While I think the article is fine as it is, I happen to disagree with the quoted comment above, only because this is exactly what I did - I bought a Raptor 30 and all the gear, joined a club, and went from there.
Yes, it's a massive learning curve, but the same can be said about anything worth doing, can't it?
Granted, it's not the way everyone should start, and that's why this article needs to be written
Write the article you intended to write (and have written).
Just my 2p
Cheers,
Rob

[robgt]

It's horses for courses.

True!
Cheers,
Rob

[Johnc61]

You're all basically right (Fence sitter!!!). I've flown fixed wing for years and battled glow and diesel engines before the thing even got off the ground. Deadstick with a plane is bad enough for a beginner but in a heli? Tears before bed. I then went into electric flight. Instant success as I could concentrate on the flying skills not the engine and cleaning skills. So now I want to try heli. Could go to my local club but given the English weather and my available time (never seems to coincide with good weather), indoor electric makes sense for me. Cost is also a factor. Rather pay £8 for blades than £80. We do need another similar item on the route in with a 'nitro' heli. Again, arguments for which machine and best spares availbility and cost is needed. (Why is it nitro? Always glow since I was a small lad!)

[Rodsport999]

I began on nitro heli's and found them nice and easy to repair and due to such heli's as the Raptors repair costs have always been quite reasonable.
The small CX2 style helis are tiny and fiddly to work on, not very stable in a hover and can move very quickly in a short distance becoming difficult to regain control easily.
I think its all about personal choice..... do you want the mither of glow engines or the little complexities of the smaller battery heli's.
I brought a little CP2 when I was learning to fly my nitro and due to its poor electronic tail mixer I spent more time crashing it and fiddling with the damn potentiometer than actually flying it!
With the new breed of electric powered heli's these problems are beginning to go away but only at cost!
Everyone's right as much as everyone's different!
I think the work gone into this initial post is excellent and not for one second am I saying its not good.
Just more info required and a couple of various routes incorperated to please all parties.
Maybe a combined effort from several people willing to write the different parts of a greater whole? (oo err!)
Keep up the good work Bubblefish, dont let anyone put you off, this is a good idea!!

[Steve]

I began on nitro heli's and found them nice and easy to repair and due to such heli's as the Raptors repair costs have always been quite reasonable.
The small CX2 style helis are tiny and fiddly to work on, not very stable in a hover and can move very quickly in a short distance becoming difficult to regain control easily.
I think its all about personal choice..... do you want the mither of glow engines or the little complexities of the smaller battery heli's.
I brought a little CP2 when I was learning to fly my nitro and due to its poor electronic tail mixer I spent more time crashing it and fiddling with the damn potentiometer than actually flying it!
With the new breed of electric powered heli's these problems are beginning to go away but only at cost!
Everyone's right as much as everyone's different!
I think the work gone into this initial post is excellent and not for one second am I saying its not good.
Just more info required and a couple of various routes incorperated to please all parties.
Maybe a combined effort from several people willing to write the different parts of a greater whole? (oo err!)
Keep up the good work Bubblefish, dont let anyone put you off, this is a good idea!!

Agreed.

[Boggy]

must aggree with manager and rodsport. i love my raptor 30. its a perfect starter heli ... its just a diiferent route to becoming an rc pilot.

your article is very well writen bubblefish, but its not the only way to learn this hobby. if you don't want the large outlay of a nitro,before you learn there are schools that hire out heli's.and as you mention costs can be the first hurdle.( however you fail to mention catch22 once you hooked the costs are inevitable!!!....new bigger heli's every week[ i wish] )

now i did go down the wrong path when i started ....minipred(difficult to keep going, twitchy) ....trex450hde..better heli (but with cheap gear a hand full for a beginer)....raptor 30... bingo up and hovering within 10 mins of starting the engine!

[SimonN]

Bubblefish77

Having taken the time to write such a comprehensive article, please don't take this the wrong way but...

When I first saw your idea for a "sticky" I was thinking what a great idea it was, what with the number of "my first heli" posts. However, I don't think the article really covers all the options. Everybody's circumstances are different so I can't help thinking that you should try to cover all the bases. I fully agree that, if you only have £100 to spend then the Blade is the only way to go, but there are plenty of people coming into this hobby with more money than that or in a slightly different position. For example, I started last year and had a budget of about £500. A Blade would certainly have not been for me, apart from anything else flying in my house is not what I wanted to do. I've got a very large garden so I bought a T-Rex 450, stuck on some training gear and learnt the basics. From there I ventured to the park and learnt some more, found a local club and bought a Sceadu (then a Knight etc etc..). My point is, you need to give people a choice, depending on their budget and circumstances. Advising somebody to by a Blade when they have a budget of £500 just isn't right. Sure, you can't type an article that covers everything but how about covering the basics first:

Budget - I think you've answered the £100 - £150 price range but what about £300 or £500?
Circumstances - Is there a club near you? Where do you want to fly? Do you want to fly in a park (in which case forget IC)? Can you afford the repair bills? Got anybody to set the heli up for you?

Having said all this, I'm not sure how long the article would be and I appreciate that you have probably spent a lot of time on your original.

I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm criticising you, I'm not, so please don't be offended by this post.

Simon

[warboysastro]

Interesting post... funnily enough, I have never crashed a heli

My old Cyclone did pile in though due to tail failure, but I didn't crash it, ie. CFIG.

Cheers - Rob

[raptor-flyer]

I think Bublefish777 has got a point,as he said "this is my opinion on getting started into helicopters",maybe the older amongst us are a little jealous that when we started ,small indoor/electric was not an option and like every other discipline no matter in what relationship/sport/hobby call it what you like.Everyone has an opinion to which they are entitled and posting such as this should be encouraged by positive replies ,if you feel the posting/postings negative then start another thread and give your voice on the hobby.
Everyone is on about the use of governors and the like,myself I don't see the need for them,you fly the model to your ability/skill.
Again My opinion. No I am not getting at anyone

[Steve]

But the whole point about Bubblefish's original sticky thread was to to post a useful document that will guide a newcomer through the choices and commonly asked questions.

The post is good, but heavily biased towards the little lecky thingys, and therefore does not meet its original design specification.

He has personally had a rough time with a larger heli, but then (in my opinion) from memory, he went about it all in the wrong way, and did it publically on this website, so I'm hardly suprised that he feels resentment towards such machines.

I think the document needs some cooperation and colaboration, with the other side of the coin thrown in too. Then, combine, moderate and convert into a pdf file for the gallery with a suitable 'beginners' sticky forum thread.

[fatmantom]

i can see all your points...and they are good ones

i think he was writing for the majority tho,

and i believe his post was written based on what the questions and answers that have been in the threads that we're brought up by the new comers!

recently all we've had is people ask what they can buy with £100 - £200 to get into the hobby. very little people come along (to this forum not in general) saying they have the £500 - £700 budget that would get them a 30/50 size heli.

if they do im sure they realise that this is'nt the only option. (maybe that could be stated in the post!? )

cheers,

[raptor-flyer]

In reply to comments by "The manager" ok I ought to have fully read up on all related posts to this .I jumped in both feet and now realise boy am I wrong. Ooooops!!!

[Bubblefish777]

Guys.....Thanks for all the terriffic input.

First SimonN .... I still think my budget point is still valid. The reason being is I bought 3 Heli's within a few weeks of each other. A T-Rex600e with the best of everything including batteries, a HoneyBee Belt CP and a CX2, I have the Phoenix sim, and have signed up with flyinFish for professional lessons at £35 a time.
I don't have any financial constraints whatsoever. I therefore think that my recommendations are valid regardless of anyone's budget. I have given away my HoneyBee Belt Cp (Twister 3d should be around this weekend for it including several £100's worth of spares I bought) because in my mind it was far more detremental to my enjoyment and enthusiasm than anything else. (This might be the larger Heli 'The Manager' is referring to.... My T-REX 600e however is a joy and that was just building it and revelling in the quality of components. I had some building snags with the 600e but they are nothing compared to the grief of the Ready-To-Crash HoneyBee. Aaaargh. (By the way it wouldn't have made any odds whether it's electric or IC....it sucks. FULL STOP)
However I still stick with my original comments. I got/get more from the CX2 and phoenix far faster and far quicker than any other route. I am familiar with the joys of IC/Nitro not in respect of a Heli admittedly but I do know the extra effort involved in this as a power source. Hence my opinion of electric Heli's. Don't get me wrong. FlyinFish teach with IC Heli's and I am already thinking about an IC T-REX 450
Like I said originally guys....this is simply an opinion and we have had a lot of "Got £200 what can I / should I buy to get started" hence the post is a simple solution.

I think someone on here should do a similar post but maybe from a Raptor 30 IC entry point. Expalin costs what's needed etc etc. I for one would be interested if for no other reason than maybe crossing over in terms of power train at some point in the future.

ONE LAST THING ... I will add what I can and incorporate a lot of your comments as soon as I get a chance but for the moment I've maxed out the thread limit on characters.