Son learning to fly...

[Dedcalm]

Last Christmas I bought my son (7) a co-axial 'toy' helicopter to play with. He has shown interest since then and can control it well avoiding furniture and maintaining height (not just full throttle to ceiling!) but a couple of weeks back on leaving a party at a local sports centre he popped in on an indoor flying session and was warmly welcomed and offered a chance to fly one of the member's coaxial helicopter. He flew it well and again tonight on re-visiting with me in tow.
So do I look at buying some co-ax type for him to use with a real Tx or would a 130x which I have been considering for a while for me be a good next step? From what I have seen at SCMHC the 130x bounce very well in comparison to my 450Pro.
Dont really want to spend £50+ on a co-ax that he can already fly and will become bored of quickly when a CP heli might suit his progress better.

Comments? Advice?

Rob

[Steve]

My boy is 8 and is a whizz on the simulator, but he's never had a go for real with anything more than one of those polystyrene £20 things that were about a few years ago.

I'm all for him getting into it, but............. I think he's too young. I worry that kids can show amazing skills hen they are very young, but they have little appreciation of the costs or the danger that can be involved, and I think that these attributes come later in life, maybe 10 or 12 years old?

He does occasionally suggest that he wants to try it for real, and so far I've just made excuses, but I am starting to sway towards the idea of getting him a foamy plane to start with - maybe a Wot-4 or something, and see how it goes from there. But, it won't be this year.

Dunno what to suggest really. As a dad, you have to do what you think is best, but I do have a similar kind of dilemma.

[AcidDrink]

Hey Rob,
If you want, I can bring my 130x and nano to the field and you can get your son on buddy box with these with my dx8 (I've got a a cable I think). Even without buddy box I don't really mind .

I'd recommend nano for start, 130x is quite powerful and can get away very quick, also bit dangerous for solo fly for a 7 years old I think.

[Dedcalm]

The nano is an interesting idea, as I dont have a 130x and not flown one I am not familiar with its capability other than bouncing well Its tricky as Steve and Michal have both mentioned, he is young and wont appreciate the costs, he does have more of a clue about risks but again I do need to prevent risk where possible. I dont want to stifle what is a great hobby that he is starting to show interest in, and it means I would also get to fly more often (not being selfish of course).
I will look at the nano, from a brief youtube search it seems a very capable little heli and if some expo and dual rates can be applied then it might just be the ticket

Thanks for the offer of a buddy on the 130x Michal, I wonder whether Dave would be up for buddying with it as his skills far outshine mine!

I am looking forward to trying out my Futaba Spektrum module xygas supplied me with

Rob

[MarkG_R1]

Son learning to fly...

I'd say an mcpx v2 would be the best collective pitch starting point, teach him to hit the throttle hold nice and early if it gets out of shape and it'll take a whack well flying over grass

[debrooker]

I would recommend an MCPX, just because its not intimidating can be used in gardens, even small ones and as everyone knows bounces well.

I'm doing the same with my youngest:

http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/main-d...ml#post1033675

[highlightshadow]

I've been trying (gently) to get my little lad (5) interested in flying .... he likes my larger helis .... he will try the sim but gets uninterested quickly alas ... same kinda reasons ... I'm keeping at it very occasionally and not pushing at all... hopefully he might take to it ....

There is a lad at our club whos 10 (i think) and is now flying basic 3D ... granted he has little fear and probably doesn't quite get the potential for crashes (he crashed 130x a fair amount but does fly a 600 also) but he's learning at a blistering pace

[pgkevet]

The real questions to ask yourself are 'does he really want to learn to fly or is it you hoping he does' If he really wants to lfy then ask him what he wants to fly...show him a few sane options like your 130 or a 450 or a 500. My experience is that if kids aren;t happy and excited with the toy they have then they won't bother playign with it. Any danger aspect is down to parental supervision +/- dual control

[bpgoa]

Son learning to fly...

Lol. My 4 year old daughter got bought a hubsan x4 quad for Xmas which she loved until in hit her ( no damage to the quad) . Now she won't touch it.

Shame as she could fly 8 with directions

[wadders248]

I've been using my DX8 to teach my kids. I have it set so that the buddy TX can only control aileron and elevator, so that I can maintain height and tail.

My daughter who's ten is too gentle on the controls, but my six year old son is just a 'stick-banger'. For both of them I've turned down the DR and added plenty of expo, which gives them plenty of time to react. I've also been buddying a new guy and it's a much cheaper way to learn how the controls behave.

I think the best heli for the job is something that is stable and can be seen even with a bit of crash saving altitude, so I've been using my 450. If they were flying solo I'd go for an mCPx, over nice long grass!