Which model is the same as a Blade 400?

[-=JK=-]

I notice that the "Standard" & "Default" have a different gyro to the "3d".

The first two being rate, and the last heading hold.

Can anyone help with which is the most similar to a Blade out of the box?

Not a fan of the rate feel, although i'll learn to live with it if that's the closest to the real thing. Thought the 400 was a heading hold gyro, but could be wrong.

Love Phoenix by the way

[Mike W]

ya will find out the box its the heading hold one thats the closest to the real thing

[Boggy]

i agree the 3d version is nearest!

[jboweruk]

Yep, and almost as hard to fly as the real thing too.

[-=JK=-]

Thanks guys,

I like the 3d version the best. It's not easy to fly, but i've done a few hours on the sim now, and am now setting my timer for 4m 30s to fly around a bit & then land it.

Can do a bit of the loop & roll stuff too, as well as long flared landing approaches (love them!). That'll probably do me at the mo'.

Soooooo, if i get to be ok on the sim, and i'm not cratering it very much, then does that mean i can get my Blade out of the box soon?

Is the real thing VERY different, i.e. yet another steep climb from the sim?

[Rat]

JK for me, despite being ok on the sim, there was still the panic of the real life version. The heli will act slightly differently, and you need to ensure all your settings are correct before you risk it.

If you've done all the setup (finless bobs videos) or got a friend to setup and fly it, slap your training legs on and go for it!

Give yourself plenty of space though..

[heliTV]

I've been trying the Blade 400 models on Phoenix with a view to getting a real one to complement my Blade CX2 which I love. Whilst the CX2 still has lots to teach me, I thought of setting a goal of zero crashes on the sim with a particular model ... the incentive is that when this is achieved I would buy the real thing.

My problem is that if the 3D version really closest to the real thing "out of the box" (as stated in this post) my goal is a long way off! Of the 3 variants in Phoenix, Sport and Standard are SO much easier to fly than the 3D one.

I wonder what the point of the "Standard" and "Sport" versions in Phoenix is if the real thing doesn't fly like that. Makes me wonder if the manufacturers talk to Phoenix with a view to making the simulated models easier to fly, thereby increasing sales...

Comments?

[andylinney]

If you want some more practice - start turning the windspeed and turbulence settings up, at it's default, Phoenix is still air - sadly something we don't get much of here...

That'll get you working the sticks even more so that the real thing won't catch you in the same way as soon as a gust of wind comes through the blades and sends you soaring upwards...

[jboweruk]

All three models can be more or less correct for the blade 400. She comes with a computer Transmitter, which can be used to tune her for stable hover through to 3d flight. Many will tell you she's not a beginner's heli, but I too started with the CX2, and have moved on to her bigger sister as you plan to do. It takes a while on Phoenix to learn any 3d heli, they are so twitchy. If you have the DX6i already it would greatly enhance your learning curve, as you can alter many settings to tame down the heli on Phoenix, then gradually dial them out as I did until you're flying the 'real deal' as it were.

I was scared to fly my Blade until our very own Asfalloth met me at his club and tuned the tx for me. On Saturday after spending just one afternoon with him on her last week I flew my first solos, and she's still intact. If I can do it mate, you can, just a matter of learning her on the sim, she is hard on there, but use the 3d model, it's the closest.

[cjcj1949]

I haven't yet flown a single rotor heli except on Phoenix. I was happy flying a blade400 with a low sensitivity setup using lots of expo and a low pitch rate of change. My mate who flies a real twister storm couldn't fly using my sim until he'd reprogrammed it to fly like his setup.Of course I couldn't fly it then, but after some practice I was ok again. My conclusion is that there aren't any twitchy models just twitchy setups.
I will be getting a proper heli soon, but I can't see a simple way of making sure that the setup you use on a sim is the same as the one you have on the new heli. Phoenix don't advise using your tx on CCPM.

[andylinney]

cj, sorry couldn't disagree more. A T-Rex 450 and a 600 couldn't be more different in reality. The 450 is far lighter, has a higher headspeed and very quick reaction times on the controls even when it's toned down. In comparison a 600 obviously weighs more, and therefore has more inertia to overcome when changing direction - the lower headspeed can equate to slower reaction times and the extra centrifugal force created by the larger spinning mass of the head develops an increased gyroscopic stability. There are very definite differences in the way a heli flies related to it's size.

[heliTV]

Thanks for the encouragement John.

I'm just using the standard CX2 Tx on Phoenix at the moment. If I end up buying a 400, I'll end up with a DX6i anyway so will be able to use that. I guess I could get the 400 in anticipation of achieving my goal(!) but I fear the temptation would be too much to try it and I'd end up smashing it up!!

Don't really understand Tx setup yet - another thing to learn. So is it best to learn on the 3D model on Phoenix on the basis that if I can do that, the real thing should be closer... the big difference apart from the twitchiness, appears top be the HH giro - on the Standard and Sport models the tail follows the nose round which (for me) makes it easier to see what's going on!!

You were really lucky to have Asfalloth's help - seems to have moved you forward big time...

[heliTV]

If you want some more practice - start turning the windspeed and turbulence settings up, at it's default, Phoenix is still air - sadly something we don't get much of here...

I haven't messed with the wind settings yet - I guess I've still got a long way to go, but I'm only a few weeks in so there may be some hope!!

[andylinney]

heli-tv, just give the wind settings a go, it'll become second nature really quickly...

[cjcj1949]

Yes, I should have said for a given size of model. The point I was trying to make is that a 3D model can be used as a trainer if set up to be docile. I like flying the really big models on the sim and they are better behaved than a smaller model for similar control authority.