After another micro, opinions please.

[uiron]

Ditch blade and copter x, get Warp - best micro ever. I literally stopped crashing with this one. This is comming from a long time mcpx advocate, had V1 and V2, both modded heavily with XP12 and HP06v2 and brushless tails (back then was a big thing) - but the twitchiness, tail issues on harder maneuvres, etc etc. Not worth it, just blocks skill progress by a lot. If you're looking away from mcpx, advance into at least 450 class, prefereably with a proper heli - that's comming from a very biased Warp 360 owner

[tomatwalden]

Ditch blade and copter x, get Warp - best micro ever...

Based on that argument, just get a 700 - best "450" ever ;-)

[uiron]

well, all jokes aside, you can't compare 450 and 700 costs (both initial and running), but "upgrading" Blades and dealing with inevitable crashes and constant repairs, tweaks, vibration fights, looking for more power, stability, etc, buying a virtually no-maintence quality 450 is a really comparable budget, at least from my personal experience.

[tomatwalden]

Hmm. I see your point, but then I would say if you move to a 450, then of course all the little problems caused by incredibly tiny parts doing several thousand RPM go away. And that's not a "Blade" issue, but a "micro" issue. There isn't a true micro out there that comes without a bunch of problems caused by its size. They are finicky, and a PITA to work on. But parts (if you resist hop-ups!) are ridiculously cheap and 9 times out of 10 a crash will result in no damage. The same can't be said of a 450. I've NEVER crashed a 450 without a parts bill below £30. Whereas, elsewhere in micro land ....

[uiron]

yep, I know what you mean - after a crash it's nice to sometimes just pop a gear back and up again, but... as I started going into some tail-harder maneuvres, e.g. half-piros, aileron tick-tocks, I crashed few times a week on a micro, the tail was just too unpredictable, especially in higher wind, or in harder positive-to-negative pitch load moments. Had to keep a constant supply of parts as it was just an inevitable part of flying with a micro, even me being a very careful pilot and never doing anything I don't on a sim. Same skill level, just on a 450 - crashes are very rare for me (knocking on the wood three times here). I can confidently say I saved money by not flying micros anymore.

[tomatwalden]

Yeah - agreed. Beyond a certain skill level, the micros just don't have the size to pull off certain moves. The experts can make a micro do tick-tocks etc. but I seriously doubt they learned those moves on a micro. But for many, the micros still have a role - they are very good for learning orientations for example. Anyway, just for a laugh, here's somebody who *can* fly a micro to within an inch of its life!

[biker]

hi
well i have 2 130x and i must admit when i fly it and its working ok its fine but trying to set it up after a bump what nightmare
i have just rebuilt the back end of mine new tail gear and tail servo so i hope this does it.
if you want a heli that you can fly crash fly crash with very little repairs is has to be the BLADE NANO CPX i have mcpx and the bl version the nano is for me value for money ebay £50 approx awesome brother.
regards roger

[SGD]

The experts can make a micro do tick-tocks etc. but I seriously doubt they learned those moves on a micro.

Tom, I think you have stated a very important but generally over looked point regarding the position in the learning curve that micros occupy. I think a lot of beginners see the videos of the pros flying them and assume that the model is capable of taking them to the same level of flying skills. When if reality the experts are using the skills they acquired and honed flying much larger, slower and more precise helis to the micros.

[Shep0479]

Tom, I think you have stated a very important but generally over looked point regarding the position in the learning curve that micros occupy. I think a lot of beginners see the videos of the pros flying them and assume that the model is capable of taking them to the same level of flying skills. When if reality the experts are using the skills they acquired and honed flying much larger, slower and more precise helis to the micros.

I've learned this. I can't do what I can do on a 500 and 450. Only a beginner but doing most of the sport moves and some inverted. A lot harder for me on a nano.

[tomatwalden]

I would add one thing I've noticed - and this may be very specific to me But there are some moves I simply do better on a 130x *because* it's so quick and I just do the moves on pure reaction. Sometimes with the larger helis, I find myself thinking too much rather than just letting muscle memory do its job - and consequently end up screwing it up!

[biker]

hi all
i hope i have not got misunderstood i have my nano with me all the time its in the car i take outside in the office all over i people are telling me that it is so much easier to fly the bigger heli yes it proberley is.
but for learning to hover and learning which way you flying in a small space this has help me so much going from the nano to the 130 is like flying big hell for me lol
good luck
roger

[Shep0479]

hi all
i hope i have not got misunderstood i have my nano with me all the time its in the car i take outside in the office all over i people are telling me that it is so much easier to fly the bigger heli yes it proberley is.
but for learning to hover and learning which way you flying in a small space this has help me so much going from the nano to the 130 is like flying big hell for me lol
good luck
roger

I totally agree, once I could take off and get control I loved my nano, it's what I started on. It's perfect for orientation skills, and once I've sent my main board back to HH for repair/replacement (won't bind to dx6i) I'll be back on it, trying to put the new skills I've learned into the nano. I never had a chance to try inverted or and flips as I didn't have the skill. My dad has a nano, he struggles at the moment with a 450 because it's quite intimidating, but he flies his nano great for hovering and learning nose in. Now he has a 130x to practise in more space outside.

[Shep0479]

I would add one thing I've noticed - and this may be very specific to me But there are some moves I simply do better on a 130x *because* it's so quick and I just do the moves on pure reaction. Sometimes with the larger helis, I find myself thinking too much rather than just letting muscle memory do its job - and consequently end up screwing it up!

I have a nano, 4503D and 500x. Do you see any point for a 130x for me? I want to practise flips and inverted hover etc but in a smaller place. 130 big enough to see properly?

[biker]

hi
well i will stay with what i have till i get my skill level up i have a few small helis i think for me at the moment ill keep plodding on with the 130x as my big hell for now lol
roger

[tomatwalden]

I have a nano, 4503D and 500x. Do you see any point for a 130x for me? I want to practise flips and inverted hover etc but in a smaller place. 130 big enough to see properly?

Yeah, a 130x is a good machine to practice flips and inverted hover. The real Achille's heal of the 130x is its torque tube tail drive. I'm not saying that's its only problem, but that's the main one. However, so long as you keep the tail clear of obstacles, it's generally pretty good. Only "must do" mod I think is the metal "A" gear. Everything else is fairly optional. You WILL however go through the tail C and/or D gears. These can be replaced with metal alternatives, but the plastic ones are about £2.50 a packet so they're not a big issue. If you fly in a field with long grass (like my vid above in post #19), crashes will probably result in no damage. Just take off and land when the tail rotor is free from being impeded (again, you notice I use my case as a take off and landing pad!).

My eyesight isn't as good as it used to be, but I've never had a problem with visibility with mine.

The mcpx BL is more resilient, but I find the 130X flies nicer - certainly more relaxed.