new to rc heli's - need some advice please on what heli to get.

[Ben.]

I'm new to heli's and some time ago I had decided on the honey bee V2 as the most suitable starting point. It appeared to the best - simple, not co-axial, RTF , electric, 4ch and it seemed to be designed in mind for easy repairs following the enevitable crashes. I want something basic to learn on before progressing onto fuel, 6ch etc.

Now I've come to order it there seems to be confusion on the forums as to whether it's still in production and it looks likely it's been discontinued. It's out of stock everywhere and in any case parts seem to be in very short supply. I'm hesitant to buy it even if I could find it in stock because even though it wouldn't bother me if I didn't have the 'latest model', I do want access to replacement parts as and when I need them.

I'm back to the drawing board and I need some advice on what suitable alternatives are out there to the Honey Bee. I don't want to spend much more than £200 for the whole kit including some spares and accessories like blades and the bars and pingpongs to aid landing.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[astra 8vt]

mcpx ? good little heli to learn on (well i did learning nose in and not have to worrie about big crash bills ) but i started with a 450 and raptor 30

and dont forgot sim as well best money you can spend no repair bills and you can crash till your hearts content

[paulsouthport]

MCPX and DX6i radio get my vote, bypass the Esky stuff and get a really good heli to learn with. You'll never outgrow it!

[adieuk]

Hi Ben
and welcome to the hobby and the forum where you will get all the info you will need i agree with the above posts and pheonix is a must to get
good luck and have some fun

[Lynx.1677]

I would say before you get a heli get yourself a DX6i transmitter and Phoenix sim, get some hover practice in and then go get yourself something like an MCPx. Great little heli, more robust than the Honeybee (i learnt on a bee) and cheaper too. Will also grow with your abilities as the MCPx can be used to do 3d flight manoeuvres which is something the Honeybee CP even struggled to do.

[MarkG_R1]

Agreed

A dx6i and Phoenix will come in under 200 quid and the crashes are free

I bought a secondhand blade cpp2 and a new dx6i then spent a couple batteries messing around with it on the patio and couldn't do a thing with it

Then bought Phoenix V3 and spent a couple of weeks of every evening having an hour or two session, when I went back to the real heli I had much more idea what I was supposed to be doing and I was hovering tail in in no time

[Ben.]

Thanks for all the good advice guys.much appreciated.