Is this hobby really for me?

[J3DI]

Good luck Jake!
For me, my priorities changed with the start of my family, although i have been percevering these last couple of years. I have enjoyed flying helis the last 5.5 years and got a lot out of it. Now, my money seems better spent elsewhere (helis = moneypit!). Apart from the risks of crashing your pride and joy, lets not get into upgrades!
Like has already been said - if you have to question what you do then that is common sence talking and time to listen.

[simon1]

Maybe a raptor 30 is too expensive to fly for you jake? I remember you said you had a clone 450? that wouldn't be too expensive to repair from minor crashes. That is why my raptor 30 is in the loft, and im using my 450 at the min. I would say £40 for a 30 size heli crash isn't bad really, so if you think thats bad then maybe that size is too expensive for you.
Downscaling maybe the way to go if you decide to stick with heli's?

[Planehazza]

Sorry to hear this Jake. I was about your age when I first started the hobby, flying a Multiplex Twinstar. It's difficult, as you can really only fund it off of pocket money/paper round which isn't the biggest income. Furthermore you can't have a car at that age so you have to rely on others to go to the field etc or fly locally.

I think you've done the right thing. I've only just recently been able to get back into it, so don't worry, like you say, you'll come back to the hobby - you have no choice really, you are a fellow addict afterall!

Enjoy flying eitherway mate

[tiddler]

Well their is no doubt fixed wing models are way cheaper than anything heli related and tbh their just as much fun to fly
So if money is a problem, and lets face it. It is Even for those that are somewhat better off. Then its time to put the helis on hold for now and make the most of what you can afford
Get back to some basics. Build your own, Even out of scrap parts if necessary, and go enjoy yourself.

[p4ddy]

I'd say sell the Raptor, get a sim, practice practice practice, use some of the rappy funds to get some training gear & buy some 450 spares. Keep the leftover funds in a pot for emergencys. Stick with your planes like you say but take your time with your 450. This hobby does not have to be expensive & it isn't if you take it steady.

[unwind-protect]

If you can't make it to the field regularly, then a sim will help immensely at keeping your hand in and progressing. If you don't have a sim---get one! It will pay for itself in about 10 minutes: not just because of the money saved in spare parts, but from the time and frustration of having a downed heli. You can use them to practice fixed wing, too, so you won't lose anything if you decide helis aren't really for you.

Second hand kit you have to be very careful with unless you are sure of its history. Mechanical stuff you can check over carefully, but who knows what state servos and electronics are in?

[Streetluge Chris]

I had the same problem i think half my problem is i dont wont to stuff the raptor so the wife got me copterx 450 now these are cheap and so are the spares maybe every other month i will order a few spares tail booms etc.
I now have big stock so when i stuff it I have the bits.
Buy spare copterx at £36 its worth it for the spares.
Only wish I could fly.
I been having more fun with my Savage truck than the helis.

We all have bad days and in my case months.

[Si Goodchild]

If you quit helis for a while then fix the raptor before you sell it: you're bound to add more value that the cost of the spares.

It's just a damned shame that you have experienced the lows of nitro heli flying without any of the highs. But, if you can't afford a £40 crash then nitro helis ain't for you.

[Simon Harbrow]

Jake,
I will buy the Raptor back off you - no problem, text me.

all the best

Simon

[cupracing]

I would agree with others, sell the raptor and keep the 450. For me stepping up to 600 nitro has made things become very serious, and after a couple of expensive mechanical failures on it I'm now worried about flying it. I tend to fly my pro without caution as it's cheap to fix and as yet in a year never had any failures. This has brought on my flying skills as I have confidence in it. I will give the 600 another chance but if it proves unreliable it will be sold, just too expensive to repair.

[GravityKills]

A 450 clone such as CopterX is probably among the cheapest ways to fly heli (I learned on a 450 myself, and an even cheaper 200). That said, I'd think twice before committing myself to helis if I'm not sure that I can afford it. If you count the costs vs the actual flying time, it is an extremely expensive hobby for a beginner. Even without crashing, the cost for me for one hour of flying time, skids off the ground, is probably £50 to £100.
That sounds insane, until you start summing up all the costs - the heli, fuel, dumb thumb moments and equipment failure, consumable parts such as engine bearings and piston rings, the Tx, LiPo chargers, ...

[bigbas]

to cap on what others are telling you this hobby will never be cheap but no hobby with any rush is imho unless you want to become a 3d pro take youre time half the fun is also the people u meet and become friends with it is not all about what jimmy can do standing next to you BUT THE FUN YOU HAVE YOUR SELF I HAVE HAD MY SHARE OF TERRA FIRMA BELIEVE ME BUT TAKE TIME TO WORK OUT WHY IT WENT WRONG AND LEARN !!!!!!!!!

[nightstalker]

Some great info from these guys, me well i got my first heli when i was 16 im now 33, well i lost this heli 4 months later and yes i mean lost it, it flew away as the batts went flat in flight never to be seen again in them days no fail safes or lipos nout.

Now i couldnt afford in them days to get back in to it so i played with planks had loads of fun and started to buy bit at a time to build another one. took some time but the planks kept me smiling.

So def go have fun with planks there good fun and cheap and always loads for sale on bmfa helis will always be there but money to back them up is a MUST!!!!

[Biggles]

Has anyone not seen the coincidence?????

Hang on a mo....This has all come AFTER the girl came on the scene!!! LOL

[nightstalker]

Hang on a mo....This has all come AFTER the girl came on the scene!!! LOL

Good bloody point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!