A year in RC helis ...

[tomatwalden]

The start of June pretty much marked the end of my first year in this hobby ... I'm sure I could be further on if I spent more time with the sim, but computer's are my job so helis are my escape from a computer screen! All in all therefore, I'm pretty happy with progress for 1-year.

I've just been looking back over some of my vids through the year. Found it interesting to compare a recent vid with one from a year ago ...

Last May, I was nervously hovering my 450-3D. Skip forward a year and the 450-3D has been replaced by a number of helis, but the most appropriate one seems to be the 550X. First, me a year ago ... followed by a recent 550X vid ..

[Snaaakeey]

Nice going! Your further along than I was at 1 year!

[ROCKET RONNIE]

A year in RC helis ...

Looking good mate, it's that tree lol I hate that tree lol

[GIXERMAN]

Fair play, I was just building up for my first loop @ 1year and could basically just fly circuits and stall turns

keep it up

[trexamanic]

well done. im still hovering a year later. just so limited time wise

[panosg]

Looks great Tom!

I am nearly on the same level as you, 2 years later....lol

[tomatwalden]

Looking good mate, it's that tree lol I hate that tree lol

It definitely focuses the mind that tree! Makes the flying a bit left/right unfortunately. However, thanks to Graham (Heathy), Rich and few others, we've now got a new club (White Horse Flying Club) which has more space than you can shake a stick at! Makes the flying much more open!

As soon as the weather closes in again though, I suspect we'll be back more at Phoenix, with its club house, electric heaters, kettle etc.!

[JWhitby]

I'll be more than happy if I can make anywhere near as much progress as you have in a year Tom, great going!

[tomatwalden]

I'll be more than happy if I can make anywhere near as much progress as you have in a year Tom, great going!

Have to say, if there is one heli that has moved me on more than anything else, it was my mCPX v2. I've replaced it now with an mCPX-BL, but when it comes to learning new stuff without the fear factor, they worked a treat for me!

[JWhitby]

Have to say, if there is one heli that has moved me on more than anything else, it was my mCPX v2. I've replaced it now with an mCPX-BL, but when it comes to learning new stuff without the fear factor, they worked a treat for me!

I've learnt a lot already with my mCPX v2 but for the last couple of weeks we've had very gusty weather (30 mph gusts again today according to the met. office) so the poor little mCPX has stayed on the shelf. As Cpl. Jones said "They don't like it up em".

[waveydavey]

Took me 18 months just to move out of the hover, don't know why as it just doesn't seem such a big deal now. It's easy to forget how hard it is when now you just pop it into the air and horse off round the field. Good for you Tom, I'm sure if I'd have just gone for it I would be much further down the line.

[highlightshadow]

A year in RC helis ...

Nice flying. I can do some of them moves but I've got nowhere near as much smooth control as you.
Really well done.

It's good to look back and smile

[tomatwalden]

Thanks for the kind words all! I do find it motivating every so often to look back on where I've come from. Sometimes I find myself thinking that I'm in a bit of a rut, skills wise. Watching what can be fairly recent vids serves to remind me that I have actually moved on. I guess that progress is so gradual that at times you barely notice it otherwise. Still finding tail-in inverted a bit of a challenge, but again, the mcpx is helping there ...

[waveydavey]

Tail in inverted was the hardest of all for me, if it hadn't been for hours on the sim in a hotel room whilst working away I would still not have cracked it. Made no sense to my thumbs whatsoever The orientation that changed my flying above all others though.

[Simon Towers]

A year in RC helis ...

Daft as it sounds - I had a real mental block on flying right way up circuits! I'd get to nose in and my thumb would just push back to fig 8! Cracked them and got a Heli I'm less worried on crashing and now I'm inverted!

Really nice flying and real credit to you in a year!!