Kit build / BNF / RTF

[Mousey]

Hey guys,

So I have been on the hunt for a heli that I can use to fly outside. I have been using a helicopter inside for the past few months and have decided that I would like to progress and move into something more advanced / something where I am not restricted by 4 walls and a bunch of furniture.

So I have been looking at a Blade 250, or possibly a Blade 400, but my question is this - do you find that building your own heli gives you more inside knowledge for when something goes wrong? Did you start with a RTF heli? Do you get more of a feeling of achievement once you have completed a build and are flying it?

My thoughts are - to buy something in kit form, so I can learn the inside and outside of a R/C heli so when the inevitable happens and I break something I can repair it, or at least have more of a chance of doing so. Obviously from there I would visit my local flying club and ask someone to check it all over to ensure it is setup for beginner use.

I am considering the phoenix flight sim, but the only thing to put me off at the moment is the cost (yes I know it will pay for itself after a couple of crashes with a proper heli, but I rarely learn by practising on a simulator, I would much rather learn from my mistakes in the real world.

So guys, first "real" heli, do I buy a kit, or buy something second hand from you lot, or buy new?

Thanks a lot

Tom

[jimmyhorns]

Lots of pretty interesting questions in there, and I guess the answer I would give probably depends on what you have been flying indoors....?

[KevDavies]

defo building and setting up your own gives you a massive insight as to how they work etc. As for the heli that is really upto your wallet, either 2nd hand or new will serve the same purpose. Phoenix is a must, you say you wont learn off a sim, I say you will more than you know.

My advice for the kit would be an Align Trex 450 just because of the parts availability, cos you will crash, so cheap parts and readily available at most shops is a must.

[Planehazza]

Building them yourself definitely helps, but it also adds more room for error if you're starting out. I would certainly recommend building one yourself - I am biased though, as I enjoy it almost as much as flying them! If you can get a club member to help you for your first time, and certainly keep coming back here to ask questions - we'll all do our best to help you out

Phoenix isn't a must IMO, but will really help settle the nerves etc. But, also remember that the bigger they are the easier to fly they are.

[jimmyhorns]

I am considering the phoenix flight sim, but the only thing to put me off at the moment is the cost (yes I know it will pay for itself after a couple of crashes with a proper heli, but I rarely learn by practising on a simulator, I would much rather learn from my mistakes in the real world.

Well this is either going to cost you a lot of money in repairs, or hold you back, unless of course you are a natural.

I can go through £1000's in repair bills on pheonix in minutes learning a new move, and getting used to the stick movements.
I can fly for hours on the sim and have zero crashes, but only improve very slowly.

My current repair bill on my 600 would pay for pheonix at least once, if not twice over.

It wont stop you crashing in real life, but it will help you to progress quickly. Remember every time you have a significant crash in real life, is probably the end of flying that day or weekend, or week, or month til payday rolls round

[Mousey]

Well the heli that I have been flying indoors is just something that came from 'Red 7' I believe (was bought as a gift) so it will be nothing special, probably 3 channel fixed pitch job.

I will consider phoenix again, possibly get a kit, then TX / RX, then consider phoenix for the first few attempts at flying.

I used to work in a model shop in featherstone (west yorkshire) and I absolutely loved the building aspect of the models, repairing them was our main source of income, so stripping cars down, rebuilding engines etc, loved every minute so I reckon a kit will suit me better.

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated. If I was to consider a kit, would you recommend a T Rex 450, or a 250 then? i am working out how deep my pockets are, and I keep reminding myself that there is radio gear ontop

[Planehazza]

I've not owned a 250 but they are very small and fiddly. Personally I would look at a 450. Either way, 250 or 450, you're going to need a radio. Depending on what you' prefer the look/feel of, the main choices are Futaba or Spektrum. Most speky pilots use DX7 or DX8. On Futaba, there's the 8FG or 14SG but Futaba is more expensive. I prefer it by far though though personally.

[franky975]

I learned on an 450 clone. I built it myself so by the end it gave me a good understand of how the things works. Also help you to understand the setup process as well. They are countess build/setup videos on most popular models and 101-s how the things works eg. gyro, blade balancing and others from the beginning.
The sim not just saves you money on crashes but teach you orientation as well. Over time you don't have to think what you have to do because your thumbs do it for you.

[jimmyhorns]

If you are looking for outdoor, then I wouldnt suggest anything smaller than a 400 or 450 to start on. They dont sound much smaller than a 600, but they are a lot lot smaller and have a lot less presence.

600 is the 'gold standard' beginners heli size for outside when it used to be nitro, and you will find a lot of people flying these (like the align 600) in either nitro or electric form, but crash costs are significantly higher than for a 450.

If you want an easy way in, then I dont think you can really go wrong with the spektrum/blade combo. no-one else offers such a good deal to get your foot in the door.

Have a look for DX6i and 400x online and you will find some good combo deals. The Dx6i is a 6 channel Tx and is all you need to run most helis. The 400x is flybarless and comes with the ar7200bx flybarless unit which costs almost as much as the whole heli if you buy it on its own. Add in 3 lipo batteries and a charger and you are good to go. It comes set up ready to go out of the box, and is pretty easy to repair, with easy parts availability.

It doesnt come much simpler than that.

There are of course a million and one ways to get into this hobby, and thats just one of them.

[Mousey]

Excellent advice from all angles here guys - I thank you very much for that! I think I have made my mind up in terms of what heli to go for, just not sure whether to trust myself to build my first ever heli, or get something that is tried and tested (there are a couple in the F/S section that I have enquired about).

Thanks for the great replies Jimmy, much appreciated mate.

[jimmyhorns]

second hand is always tricky. I often buy second hand, and have sometimes wished I hadn't.

If you buy new, and bind and fly, you should have something that works straight out of the box.

If you buy second hand you never know how much wear and tear its had, and what is already worn out. Its buyer beware, and while I dont think anyone on this forum would deliberately shaft you, if you dont know what you are looking for, its a sticky wicket from the outset....

[tomatwalden]

I would add one note of caution if you are thinking of doing your own build. You really need to have somebody nearby who knows what they're doing to check the build over once you're done. Physically, putting a heli together is one thing. Understanding the aerodynamic setup in terms of zero pitch, 8 degrees cyclic, blade tracking, balancing etc. is a lot to learn in itself. Unless you setup your heli perfectly, it may impede your learning of how to fly!

Considering you're coming from a 3-channel toy heli (which won't have mode-2 controls), you're going to have a steep learning curve as it is. A pre-built heli may be one less thing to worry about. You may want to consider a 4-channel fixed pitch as a first step.

[Mousey]

Something like that blade CPX Tom? Thanks again for the detailed reply, really appreciate it. I am still toying with the 450 you have for sale, it is a good price, and having seen it fly it only makes me want it even more!

I have a lot of thinking to do! Thanks again all.

[tomatwalden]

Something like that blade CPX Tom? Thanks again for the detailed reply, really appreciate it. I am still toying with the 450 you have for sale, it is a good price, and having seen it fly it only makes me want it even more!

I have a lot of thinking to do! Thanks again all.

No problem.. The Blade mSRX is fixed pitch, the Blade mCPX is collective pitch.

[Mousey]

Just to add an update to this thread I have just bought a spektrum dx6i, and a blade 450/x from 2 members on here. Thanks Tom (for the heli) and Paul for the radio.

Wish me luck!!