First post newbie to RC HELOs

[lmuldowney]

I have been into and building RC cars and trucks since for almost 20 years and I have always been interested in RC helicopters. I think that a Micro would be the best for me to start out with. But which one to get. the article on the Blade CP was good but has anyone had one and would you reccommend it?

Thanks for the help,
Larry

[BIG J]

Hey there Larry, I'm facing the exact same dilemma, which micro is best??? From what i have read the BLADE CP seems to sound like one of the best straight from the box!! There is also the HORNET X-3D MS COMPOSIT which looks like a hot little bastard and sounds fairly HI-PO. People keep saying start with a fixed pitch but that sounds TOO sensible!!!

[lmuldowney]

Yeah I have seen the hornet also. I have visited helihobby.com alot over the last month looking at the different micro's. I have read that the micros because of there size are not as stable. I figure if I can manage with one of those then getting a bigger bird will be a breeze. Plus id you crash it and totally bust it you are not out of that much cash :)
Larry

[BIG J]

I reckon that while I am still deciding which heli, I will buy a good simulator and get in a few hours/days/weeks of practice on that. They cost a bit but i think it will save on tons of repair bills and lost time waiting for parts to fix mangled up wrecks! :)

[MikeV]

When learning to fly a lot can be said for "bigger is better." I've been learning to fly on a Raptor 50. I tried the Blade CP and still a little too sensitive for my skills at this point. Before you make a decision on which size or which helicopter to buy invest in a good simulator and log some hours/days on there before taking to the sky.

[lmuldowney]

Yeah I agree. Thanks
Larry

[Bugg77]

I'm also a heli-noob and I'm going straight for the T-REX 450XL. However, I'm taking my time building it and spending lots of time practicing on the Realflight G3 simulator. They have an Impala Trainer on there and I can fly that pretty well, hovering, turns, etc... but when I downloaded the T-REX model it is much harder to control, much less stable.

I'll get in a good 30 hours of practice on the sim before I even try hovering my T-REX.

[Fasrc]

Just from personal experience, once you have had you fare share of the time on the sim, go for a larger nitro heli. It’s much easier to learn on and on the contrary to what people think is cheaper than an electric heli. My recommendation is to go bigger and go nitro if possible as the little electrics are a bit twitchy for the beginner. :)

[lmuldowney]

How is nitro for helo's? I have a T-maxx and the engine is very tempermetal when it comes to humidity. I spend just as much time adjusting the carb as I do playing it. I like electric I love my B$ with a brushless motor. Is the nitro helos that much better then the electric?

[BIG J]

My Tmaxx is the same, but Ive been told the heli motors are a lot less temperamental. Once you get them right they take a lot less messing around to stay that way. Some people say that they hardly ever touch them!

[lmuldowney]

That is definitely encouraging to hear. I like the sound of nitro but always hate messing with the carb. I am glad I am not the only one who is having to mess around with the t-maxx

[Colin Bell]

Short read version:

A micro helicopter is less stable than a larger heli, such as a Raptor 30. Everything also tends to happen much faster on a micro, not to mention they are heavy for their disk/rotor size. A micro heli is a good thing to have if in the winter you like to mess around and get some flying done indoors every once and a while. However they will not teach you much in my opinion. It’s harder to fly a micro than a larger heli because they require faster reflexes, this can become discouraging for a beginner.

Long read version:

2 years ago I got a fully loaded Hornet-II micro heli… brushless motor, heading hold gyro, li-poly battery(s) and a few 3D up-grades. I was extremely excited to get it built and flying. After the frame was assembled I began to setup the eCCPM which was new to me. I enjoyed this part, however upon the first hover I was extremely disappointed. I figured that it was not setup right at first- in videos it looks so good! Eventually I came to realize what makes the micros look great in the videos, the pilot! I learned how to fly it through some 3D but after about a month, the more I flew it the more I disliked it. Eventually I sold the whole setup because it was just not enjoyable for me when I had a 50 size heli to fly. The hornet was not nearly as stable, it seemed to be a magnet to the ground because of it’s rotor span to weight ratio. Everything happened much quicker and required too much work to fly. In the end my whole micro setup was worth the same as a ready-to-fly Raptor 50 V.2.

A micro is cool if you just want to try to get a feel for the hobby or have already been in the hobby for a few years. As a beginner please don’t base your opinion of r/c helicopters on a micro…a nitro 30 size + is much nicer to fly! They’re more stable, more predictable, easier to see, and actually feel like they want to fly instead of being forced in the air.

With the above said the Blade CP out of the box would be my first choice because it comes setup and ready to fly. If you are absolutely set on a small electric heli I’d suggest the Blade.

Hope this helps,

Colin

[Fasrc]

How is nitro for helo's? I have a T-maxx and the engine is very tempermetal when it comes to humidity. I spend just as much time adjusting the carb as I do playing it. I like electric I love my B$ with a brushless motor. Is the nitro helos that much better then the electric?


Well it all depends on the motor. I use an OS 50 in my 50 size heli. As stated earlier, I set it and forget about it...very rarely do I change settings. I check the engine temp after every flight and make adjustments as needed but that is rare. ;)

[Motions]

I have and learned on a Blade CP and if your going the route of micro heli, this is the best bird you can buy. True, it's harder than a nitro but it's also a lot cheaper. If you can learn the skills on the BCP the nitros are a walk in the park.

The BCP is one of the most rugged helis I have run accross. I crashed mine more time than I can count and the only thing I have replaced are the main blades. While it's not extremely easy for a newbie, it is very forgiving on spare parts.

[tdswan]

I see a lot of people trying to start out with a mico heli in my area, and lots of people getting frustrated and throwing it to the side. I hate to break it to you, but a 30-50 size nitro is the way to go for a first heli. I started on a Raptor 50v2. What an amazing stable machine to start with. You'll never outgrow it with all of the mods available for it. I recently added a T-Rex to the fleet and all I can say is "Man! What a handfull!" Save yourself the headache and grief. If you're going to get into heli's, take the plunge and get a good one right off the bat. I'm not saying the T-Rex isn't a good heli, It's just that micros are not as stable and will frustrate more than educate. The micros will come easier once you get the hang of a big one. Yes, they're more money, yes they're more expensive to fix, but just keep it in the air and it'll be the best investment you'll make into RC Heli's. Don't fly outside yourself to start with. Learn the basics, then progress. Pay your dues in fuel, not parts. *Knock on wood* I haven't crashed the Raptor... Yet - that includes 3 engine out landings/autorotations. I've only been into heli's for less than a year, but I put hours and hours on my Raptor, so 3 engine-outs are still good odds. You'll also progress into the sport/3D aspects faster. I'm already doing basic 3D with the raptor and still afraid to even loop the T-Rex. Good luck on your heli choice, I hope I helped.

[Motions]

That seems to show you have cornered yourself into the nitros. I learned on the BCP and I have gotten very proficient at flying. I did hover a friends Raptor 50 last week and it was almost boring...Almost!!! I'm working on getting my Raptor now.

It's true the micros are harder and more frustrating, but if you go slow and have the aptitude, it helps you in the long run.

Final opinion...if you have the money, get a 30-50 nitro bird. If your broke like me or just want to fly around the house, get the BCP.

[darkfa8]

this is from one of my other posts, but likewise applies.

the proverbial "what's the best first heli" question...

I have a few points and the rest will be up to you.

1. If you're considering purchasing a micro heli and can find some people local to you who have one, after you get some sim time, if you can buddy box with them. I'd hedge to bet you get turned down or, if perchance the "buddy" is brave, he'll let you take a stab and maybe you won't crash, but more then likely you will.

The micro electrics are no where near as stable as a 30-size heli, while parts are cheap you'll likely break them often, they cannot handle much of any wind so flying outside is more limited then what a larger machine can handle. With a 90-size, when you're ready, a experienced pilot can keep it under control in 25-30mph winds whereas a micro would fly off and splat into the ground.

When it comes to starting out it's simple, size does matter and the micros are best left for a fun toy for when you have more real flight time under your belt. Since you're a experience fixed wing pilot you'll likely know the answer to whether or not a micro airplane flies more stable then a 40-size fixed wing. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just giving you advice to burn your money up and your nerves.

2. All modern RC helis use the same principals of physics to fly. There are two types of linkage setups that are most common in this segment, mechanical mixing and electronic mixing. Don't let yourself be pressured into buying Brand A because everyone else flys Brand A. You can either be a sheep or be a wolf. Try something new or different, you might just start a trend. If you goto a local field or heli-equipped hobby shop, the person you want to help you is the guy that can work on any heli and get it to fly for you.

My sentiment on the Raptor is that it is essentially a 7 year old design. A lot has happend in the heli industry in the last 7 years pertaining to rc heli manufacturing and design and there are other models to consider that are products of the 21st-century. They're worth a fair shake.

3. Since you already fly planes you know the value in quality tools. You'll need some specialized tools for setting up and maintaing your heli. A blade balancer (KSJ), pitch gauge (Mavvrick (Miniature Aircraft copy), dial indicator/base and vise for checking run out if you get a heli that has a clutch hub setup (Century Hawk/Raven/Falcon do not require this), duckbill style ball link pliers (Century), fly bar lock, quality 6mm one-way starter extension (Robbe), quality allen drivers (Hudy, MIP/Thorpe, Team Losi) for starters....

4. You'll surely run into the digital vs. analog servo debate. The digitals win hands down across the board and are worth saving your pennies for. They have superior centering and are more precise. The digitals do require a bit more battery juice since they are active all the time to hold their position. So, I always recommend a 2000mAH receiver pack at minimum (NiCD is a robust and proven technology). Li-Ion/Li-Po batterys require a voltage regulator a charger that can handle their specific chemistry and are more expensive then the NiCD counterparts. The NiMH batteries are also good, but beware of smaller-then sub-c cells because they have a high internal resistence = higher self-discharge rate. Just food for thought on that.

5. Most popular transmitters are the JR 9303 and the Futaba 9CHP. The Airtronics are also used, but I personally found their computer menu navigation a lot less intuitive then the JR or Futaba competitors. I have used the 9303 and it feels great in your hands, very ergo friendly. I do own the 9CHP and love it. I've grown up with Futaba since my days of rc cars back in the early '90s. A upgraded transmitter battery will also be a worthwhile investment since the factory provided battery is rather lame. A 1800mAH+ battery will keep you in the air longer between recharges or until you're tired

6. more to come when I can think of it

PS: this is just my opinion based on reading through tons of posts, real life flying and being in the rc hobby for a long time.

PSS: This should be a sticky!

[lmuldowney]

Looking at the micro vs the nitro irds to me comes down to money. Like I said I've been doing RC cars since the mid 80's and I want to try the RC helicopters. If I like flying then I will progress to a bigger bird. I have talked to a couple of guys in teh local flying club but because of the temps out side there is not much flying going on until the spring. I was told that a few of the helo pilots have a micro to keep up there skills indoors during the winter months.

I am looking forward to getting the Blade Cp and trying it out. I understand that the micros are more frustrating then the bigger ones but that should make it more interesting. I plan on taking my time when starting off and look forward joining the ranks of RC helo pilots.

Larry

[hellian]

just my opinion...I too am a newbie when it comes to rc helicopters. I've had numerous nitro rc trucks the past couple of years, but recently I've gotten the eflite blade as my first heli. I only have a mac, so I don't have a sim, but I wish I did.

I've found the blade difficult to hover, so alot of patience and practice is needed to fly it. I'v had many crashes, but lhs parts support is good. So far I've replaced the rotor blades twice, and upgraded to the carbon fiber ones.

Overall I think the blade is a good helicopter to test whether or not you want to get more into the hobby. I only wish there was a larger size rtf budget heli (under 300?) to begin with. I think there really would be a big market for it. I think initially the profit margins on such model would be low, but would more than make up for it on replacement parts :)

[lmuldowney]

Yippeeee,
lol I got a Blade CP for Christmas. I am a little nervous I do not want to crash it.
Wish me luck
Larry

[darkfa8]

good luck larry...

reality is, you will crash, it's just a matter of when

i see you're in mays landing, the atlantic skyblazer club has their fields there.

[lmuldowney]

Thanks,
I talked to one of there members and he said they will probably start flying again in the spring.

My PC went down hard on me so I can not get a simulator because I have not been able to find one that runs on a mac.
Happy new Years

[lmuldowney]

lol well I crashed it and broke the landing skid about 10 minutes ago. lol

Well good news is that I bought a crask kit and the training gear for it. They should be here by the weekend. I wish I had a PC so I could get a flight sim. Unfortunately the only flight sim for mac has only one RC helicopter in it. I talked to a couple of tech reps from the other sims and non support MAC. So I will start stocking up on crach kits.

Good news is I was able to keep it hovering for the first time.
Have a good night,
Larry