I'm nosey and curious about training sticks

[helijohn]

How many beginners use training sticks to learn on these days. How many use them again later, say for learning nose in? I get the impression that they aren't "cool" these days and so they are overlooked. Obviously if you start with a sim it might be different. Also with a coaxial. Plus the foam helis. Can't speak for micro helis but I confess with a new build small job like a 450 I will throw on the trainers until I know it is going to go the right way. I learned the hard way years ago with a good few tipovers even though I can (laughingly) fly - the most annoying being a Futura. But then there were no micro helis. You just bought a 30 size and learned on that.

I started on trainers; I am self taught from books (no internet to speak of then). My first or second outing as I remember though, I didn't have them and just took off whoopee but couldn't land it and ended up crunching it in to a tree.

[dani_r]

I highly recommend training gear for anyone new. Yeah, it might not look the best and it's clear to everyone that you're learning, but it's a lot less annoying than having your model smashed it to a hundred bits

I actually put mine back on to learn backwards flying and nose-in. Helped immensely with the confidence.

[xygax]

They are ok but are prone to causing loads of vibration. If you have managed without then stick with it

Steve

[helijohn]

I highly recommend training gear for anyone new. Yeah, it might not look the best and it's clear to everyone that you're learning, but it's a lot less annoying than having your model smashed it to a hundred bits

I actually put mine back on to learn backwards flying and nose-in. Helped immensely with the confidence.

That's a relief, I thought I was in the minority or out of date!

[Keith b]

I use them as am still new to the hobby I have mine on raptor 50 wouldn't be with out them for learning many a time heli has drifted to tip over but thank god legs were on saved my blades and money so until I feel really confident they wil be staing on

[dani_r]

They are ok but are prone to causing loads of vibration. If you have managed without then stick with it

Steve

I've seen that a couple of times. But as long as there's not too much flex in the sticks it's fine. The flimsy fibreglass ones are no good in my experience.

[scallybert]

They can massively help with orientation. You can also cut them down, so they're not much wider than the skids.

I've got a pair of fluoro balls (ie just two, not four) on a T-Rex 450 Pro, at the rear of the skids, just wider than the skids. Aside from keeping the tail (more) clear of the ground, the main thing is how much more visible the heli is. They don't seem to make much difference to how it flies (FFF figure of eights, stall turns, etc), but look like you've got a pair of stub wings.

I kind of feel I should take them off at some stage; but, having just hovered inverted for the first time, and finding them helpful, I might leave them on.

I'm certainly not going to remove them because someone else thinks they're naff.

[helijohn]

They can massively help with orientation. You can also cut them down, so they're not much wider than the skids.

I actually made a set as you say not much wider than the skids from scratch using some hollow blackberry beads in red for the smaller helis.!!

It would be nice if they made wider higher landing gear - I keep coming back to this.

[helimadness]

I think they are a must. Saved me a heap learning. Need to ditch them as soon as you start forward flight. Should keep them on until at least you can hover in all orientations including nose in. Once you have that sorted time for forward flight and to get rid of them

[Gymbal]

I used them last year to learn hovering on a 450. Must have saved myself hundreds of quid in tipovers. As said though, I got rid of them asap as they really make a heli handle like a brick

[trexamanic]

i use them on my 600 and im not embarrassed one little bit.
they wont be coming off until im doing nose in hovers and i cant say im near that yet

[Storrm]

A different tactic is to buy an mcpx and learn with that. I've never used training gear but I know I would never have had the confidence if it hadn't been for that little machine. I honestly think an mcpx should part of everyone's fleet :-)

[rcthrasher]

Where did you guys get you ones to fit a 600, I just bought one again after not flying for 7 months and fancy putting them back on again. I used to use a childs hoop but it just kept bending and not doing a lot else?

Thanks

[Dan22]

I started off with the sticks and balls but found they were off putting, if there was a slight vibration on the heli the training gear would shake like mad.
So i then bought a hoola hoop and strapped some wooden dowels to it with cable ties making a cradle for heli to sit on.
This was for me, by far the best option as it gives you a nice wide, even landing area without the bounce and the heli is only an inch or so off the ground, so when you finally remove it you it doesn't feel a whole lot different!

Photo of me with my Raptor 30 when i was learning

[trexamanic]

A different tactic is to buy an mcpx and learn with that. I've never used training gear but I know I would never have had the confidence if it hadn't been for that little machine. I honestly think an mcpx should part of everyone's fleet :-)

it is part of my collection.
what im trying to nose in with