Newbie starting off.

[Sir Squishy]

Hello Everyone,

I've spent a lot of time searching/reading the posts at HeliFreak and I'm very impressed with the amount of info available and the quality of the advice.

After many hours of research and reading my head is about to explode with information overload.

I'm leaning towards buying a CoAxial 4ch heli so I can fly it at home, indoors through the winter. I also plan on buying the G2 or G3 simulator and logging a lot of hours on it before purchasing a collective pitch heli in the spring (I'll worry about CP make/model later).

What I need advice on now is: What CoAxial heli would everyone recommend to purchase.

I'm looking for something high quality, easy to find/order parts, in a price range between $150 - $300.

I've looked at the following models so far:

Megatech 'Housefly'
Esky 'Co-Co Lama'
Hirobo 'XRB SR'
Walkera '5-4'.....I've heard walkera has bad electronics.
EFlight Blade CX

I know there's probably others....If I overlooked a better option please let me know.

Which heli would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[ShawnK]

I'm looking for something high quality, easy to find/order parts, in a price range between $150 - $300.



I hate to say it, but "high quality" and "$150-300" don't really go in the same sentence. Then again, it could just be a matter of how you define "high quality".

Anyway, of the choices you listed, I would recommend either the Hirobo or the EFlight items.

To extend the idea a little further, I would recommend a slightly different course of action than the one you're looking at, but the choice is up to you. If you'd like to continue the discussion, PM me and I'd be happy to give you my recommendations.

[Seeker]

I would recommend the Blade CX. Cheap parts.. widely available.

I would follow that up (or purchase before hand) a sim. G3 or reflex. I can recommend the G3 but have never seen the reflex.

[bluemooone]

Yep , the cx is ok , and comes with a lipo battery! Love your handel `Sir Squishy` is that a RPG name?

[ClayK]

Save the money, just get a sim. G3 is a safe bet. Plug and play and it comes with a radio interface. Reflex XTR requires a radio.

[bluemooone]

All in all I gota agree , then a trex in the spring!

[Seeker]

If I was going to buy a first ship... it would not be a trex...

Oh, don't get me wrong, I have one and love to fly it but it's very hard to fly compared to a 50 sized nitro ship, and you can get one of those for about the same price as a flight ready trex.

[Sir Squishy]

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I probably will purchase a 50 sized nitro in the spring. The CoAxial heli is more for indoor (my house) fun to kill time during the winter months.....not so much to learn how to fly.

BuddyKitchen: "I hate to say it, but "high quality" and "$150-300" don't really go in the same sentence.".......... Is there a high quality CoAxial? Could you point me in the right direction? I want something that will last, even though its just to mess around with.

[ClayK]

Blade CX? maybe... The Blade CX just seems like a waste of $200 though :dontknow

[woodturner]

I'd recomend you initial investment all go toward a good SIM (I use G-3) it's an essential tool & cheap to crash. You'll need to ensure your PC (especially the video card) can handle it.

Once you have that running, then if your heart really wants one, look into the CoAxial bird.

I vote for the Hirobo or Blade CX. Then again for this choice look at parts availability.

The choice of a 50 sixe machine is perfect, they much more stable (easier to learn on) than the smaller birds.

Happy flyin'

Frank

[BAyres]

Well not to beat a dead horse...I am glad to see that I am not the only new person on here.
I have been going to the North Las Vegas (McCool Airfield) site for a couple months...hoping to see some helicopters because I am amazed by them and live two minutes away. No luck, the predominant thing there is airplanes (not predominant...in two months I have seen "2" helis).
I have been traveling to Henderson (Bennett Field about 30 minutes away) to watch the helis. WOW!!!!!! There are some impressive heli's there, and some excellent pilots. I understand the Szabo's fly out there, but I haven't seen them yet. Can't wait.
I am currently getting my budget together to jump into helis. I (well my wife) bought Realflight 3 because I was spending most of my time flying with a keyboard on the demo version or standing at demos in the local hobby shops to try and fly.
I am really having a hard time on deciding which heli to start with....please help!
My choices are: TREX450 (XL or SE...which way to go), or TREX 600 or Raptor 50. I love the larger sizes of the 600 and 50. Wow...glad the stores aren't charging me for drooling!
I like the 450 or 600 because I could fly beside work at night on the ball field during lunch. But, think I could get more flying time with a Raptor 50 instead of charging batteries every 15 minutes, but definitely not on the ball field.
Simple...if you all had to start over...clean slate...which would you do and why?
I am kinda set on the GY401 and JR7202...but the helis I need help with!

[woodturner]

My choices are: TREX450 (XL or SE...which way to go), or TREX 600 or Raptor 50. I love the larger sizes of the 600 and 50. Wow...glad the stores aren't charging me for drooling!


Raptor 50


Simple...if you all had to start over...clean slate...which would you do and why?


I started with a Hirobo Lama coaxial, then moved onto a TREX. My nex tbird was a Raptor 50. If I had to to do all over again I would have started with the Raptor 50. It is the most the most stable to fly & relativly cheap to repair, and a whole bunck of folks know the Raptor.

That being stated, I would highly suggest you locate a someone near by who knows R/C Helis. Flyin them is only half the learning curve, getting them properly set up is KEY. If you have a bad setup your learning curve will be a steep one.

You may even locate someone who has a 50 size bird, ready to fly and is looking to move up to a 90 size machine or just whats something different.

Getting someone elses machine puts you up and running sooner.

Build your own and you know how it goes together, makes repairs easier, plus you know all the parts are good to go.

Fun flys are another good source of information.

October 6-8: (Sacramento, CA)
SVRW/MASM flying site @ Mather Regional Park
Coords: 38 31' 53.88", -121 15' 37.96"

The Fabulous Las Vegas Heli Fun Fly
Scheduled for Feb 9, 10, 11 2007.

Ahh, shoices, choices.

Happy flyin

Frank

[BAyres]

Frank,
Thanks for the advice. My biggest factors have been: I love the Raptor 50 size and refuel and go. I live a mile from a flying field, but no helicopter interest there to speak of. I have spoken to one gentleman a couple weeks ago who was very helpful and volunteered to help me. The closest field with heli interest is 30 minutes away, so I didn't want to have a couple flights because of batteries with the drive.
The other hand was electrics, especially the TREX450, I could fly close by in city baseball fields to practice while I am learning. The 600 would be fine for hovering or small stuff on the fields, but I have heard the battery life on a 600 is only about 5-7 minutes each.
My hopes is to see some more heli flyers come to the field close by, just gotta get the airplane guys to show them some interest and friendship so they will feel comfortable flying there.

[Sir Squishy]

Thanks all. After much thought and reading PM's I've decided to go the G3 route first follwoed by building a 50 size in the winter/spring. This is a great site.....thanks for all the response!

Everyone probably saved me a ton of money. :D

[Seeker]

Everyone probably saved me a ton of money. :D

probably :)

[BAyres]

Squishy...I know what you mean. I have G3 and love it. I bought the expansion disk with the raptor 30 and 60 so I could fly those. I pretty much fly the 30 with the 50 paint scheme...does anybody know if that is suppose to replicate the flying of the 50 also???
I am seriously considering going the same route. I met someone with the 50 about a month ago at the field by my house and he really had great things to say about it.

Good luck! Let me know when you finally get yours and we can compare notes as we learn. Like maybe, today I went to the LHS and only had to get a new set of main props instead of...boy the LHS loves my visa!