450 size heli most suitable for beginner? HELP?

[matty-boy]

+1 on the Trex 500. I love mine!

[dani_r]

Bag yourself a 500! Best all round heli around!

[James A]

I have a 450 and 500, the only thing I'd add is give serious thought where you can fly it. Whilst the 500 does have a lot more presence in the sky it will also really get your nerves going if you try to fly it in smaller areas (like your garden perhaps). What I found is the club isn't always open on those days you want to fly or those evenings when you get back from work and simply fancy flying a couple of packs. If that's the case with you then I'd say 450 is a better size as mentally it feels really small next to the 500. I also use the 450 as more of my test heli for new moves because if it goes in (Trex 450) an average repair is only £25 (new blades £13, bargain) , I have already spent more than £100 on a basic spares holding for my 500 (Blades £35), hopefully I won't have to use them. Total cost of ownership on a 500 is far more (batteries for 450 £15, for 500 £45).

As you're learning most of your early flying will be aimed at keeping the heli in one place and under control, ie not letting it get away from you, so I don't think the 500 presence is required although other comment are right when they say the bigger the heli the more stable it is. Get a 450, build it and take it down to your club so someone can look it over and show you how to tame it down so that it also becomes more stable.

It's also worth noting, I'd fly a 450 down at the park if I was really getting withdrawal symptoms and the club was closed, I'm not sure I'd do a 500 simply for safety reasons and attention.

Hope this helps, whatever you decide to do have fun.