My god this is tough.....

[Reality Bites]

I don't think I ever imagined just how tough learning to fly a heli was going to be. Only ever played with the basic toy before so took advice and bought Phoenix first. Plenty of reading and watching videos before I even started and it's really hard.

Getting your head around controlling a 6ch heli is mind boggling, just hope it comes eventually. I have to quit after 45mins or so sim time as i find myself getting frustrated.

How long was it till you 'mastered' basic flight?

[JoeBailey]

4 years and still working on the 'mastered' bit.

[Rich23]

Hey

The key is practise practise and more practise. I use Phoenix for 30 mins at a time otherwise I get very board and just mess about. I find the blade MCPx a great sim for learning on. This is just my experience it might be different for you but it will fall into place eventually.

Rich

[nick36]

IMO you only get out what you put in..............the early days are also the most fun
its a great hobby stick with it

[asomaro]

Its a hell of a learning curve punctuated by great and memorable moments like hovering for the first time - all of us have been through this and it is one of the most addictive things I've ever done. The journey is part of the enjoyment, there are lots of times that you will want to give up but then you manage one of the special things that make it all worth while.

Keep at it mate - it just gets better and better!

Cheers,

[Sheldrake]

Hi and belated welcome to the forum. I have been trying for about 5 months now and it is hard BUT when you hold a hover even for seconds, wow its mind blowing and when it looks as if you've lost it and you still manage to put her down with everything intact Whoop Whoop!
I find a max of 20 minutes on phoenix at a time and then a short flight on the Blade 120 to calm down is helping but it is a long road.
I keep my sanity by checking this forum every day and reading others trials and tribulations!
We all learn at different speeds AND in different ways! you will find in lots of threads different approaches by virtually everyone. Do not be put off find what combinations work best for you and most of all have fun and remember it is a hobby a very addictive hobby and no one is judging you but everyone on here will want you to succeed! Sorry to go just my 2p worth!!

[Cagey]

If you're asking about actual heli flying as opposed to Phoenix basics, then I doubt there's a single soul who's got the brass enough to say they've "mastered" any of the skills necessary to fly a heli competently. Some folks I've asked have taken from a few flights, say ten or so, to learn to hover tail in and be comfortable with that, others and me included have taken nigh on a bloody year By comfortable I mean, doing it automatically without thinking what it is you're doing. It's person specific innit. Gets easier, but doesn't pay to be complacent tho', as you say it IS difficult.But when it works, oh man oh man, what a buzz.

[Reality Bites]

I guess I'm going to hit the point where I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get a model to fly for real. I find I've been fine until I lose control. I know what sounds obvious but what I mean is I panic and snatch the controls as my brain can't react quick enough yet. I'm hoping it will click though.

The sim is great, but I struggle with the perspective sometimes. If the model goes above the ground, you lose a sense of angle and direction.

[Stanley Speel]

I hate the similar and haven't used it for ages - after about 5 mins I get bored.

Get a spektrum DX7s and a blade mcpx. The mcpx is great as of you panick and lose orientation you can just hit throttle hold (kill the motor) and it will fall to the ground with no damage

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[Simon Towers]

It's also really worth searching for tips on YouTube. I learned loads to apply on a real heli (with training legs) and the sim. It will take you from tail in hover to tail on figure 8's to using the tail in lazy 8's.

Another really worthwhile tip is find other people doing the same. I was really lucky that I found a group all roughly the same standard as me - it could be disheartening to find a club full of full on 3d pilots but no beginners.

Keep up and persist - you'll get there!!

[GIR8]

Well I have never used a sim for practising at all I have tried one and hated it as its just not the same I cannot really relate the 2 so there is no point. I learnt by crashing heli's a lot whcih to me cost about the same as a sim would anyway as the Kyosho Nexus was cheap to repair.

No idea how long it took me to master the basics even though I've been flying them on and off for over 10 years I learn something new everythime I take one up.

[Mike W]

Some learn faster than others and also its not really the time in the hobby , but the amount of stick time you want to put in. It is also what do you want to do in the hobby as everyone has different goals/flying styles. I just say enjoy it and go at your own pace. It is after all a hobby and these are just toys

[Reality Bites]

I hate the similar and haven't used it for ages - after about 5 mins I get bored.

Get a spektrum DX7s and a blade mcpx. The mcpx is great as of you panick and lose orientation you can just hit throttle hold (kill the motor) and it will fall to the ground with no damage

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

I bought a dx7s with the sim :-)

My worry with the mxcp is that it wouldnt be any good for me indoors. I was considering an Msrx for now.

[Rich23]

I find the sim unrealistic and over sensitive but find the MCPx and 450 pro a lot easier to fly in real life. If you can hold a half decent hover in the sim i think you will be able to do better with a heli. I would recommend the MCPx from personnel experience. Its like stanley says you fly it and panic then hit throttle hold pick it up straighten it out go again. But that only works over grass or soft ground!

Rich

[RotorBlade]

It's like driving a car. In the early days, you have to think of every thing you do and that's when mistakes happen.
As others have already said - it's all down to stick time and how you want to play it, but at a point in time, you will automatically switch from reacting to what the heli does so you stop it crashing, to anticipating what it will do and then you are flying it.
That moment feels wonderful. Remember, if you think about how you drive now, you don't think about every action, you just make the car an extension of yourself. Helis are the same.
Keep going - the only people that don't make it are the ones that give up.

Keith