Newb looking at CP or CP Pro

[zx5go]

Ok, I've never flown a helicopter before and I'm looking at the CP or CP Pro as my starting point. I just wanted to get some feedback from actual users/owners on using these as a starting point.

[Funky]

I think the Pro is a great starting point. I started with a Trex, but it was a huge investment and a lot of setup to get it right. The pro is very reasonably priced and flies quite well in my opinion. For a beginner, I don't think there are any better options that come this cheap and are such a complete package. Since buying my Pro, it gets more flight time than any of my other helis just because it is small, has long flight times, I can fly it anywhere and I am not as scared to wreck it because it's light weight makes it very crash friendly. Most crashes don't break anything at all and wrecks that do break things are relatively inexpensive.

[zx5go]

FUNKY, Thanks! That's exactly the information I was looking for (hoping for) and coming from someone who has flown the CP Pro and others.

[Funky]

No problem. I really like the Pro. Do yourself a favor and pick up the G90 gyro and an extra battery with it. The G90 gyro is a little pricey but really helps it fly well, especially for someone using it to learn hovering. The tail is a bit hard to keep under control for a new pilot, but the G90 takes care of that for you and makes it hold a direction much better. You could probably save a few bucks with a Telebee or HDX gyro from Helidirect.com, but I haven't tried those so I can't really reccomend them. Beyond the gyro I wouldn't modify it too much, just save the extra money for spare parts or to start a Trex fund. If you have the money, The Rex is king of the small helis, but like I said, for the price and the complete package (battery, charger, remote, motor, etc) the Blade Pro can't be beat. Plus its set up right out of the box so getting up in the air is pretty quick. Good luck, you'll be hooked on these things once you start :D

[Pinecone]

Whatever you get, get a sim also. A good sim.

For beginner, a bigger heli is easier to fly, but you will have a much larger investment in it. Trex 450 will run $1000 by the time you get done, a Trex 600 $2000 or more. Blade is MUCH cheaper. But Trex parts in many cases are actually cheaper than Blade parts.

A CX type heli is the easiest to fly, but people tend to outgrow them quickly.

Fixed Pitch helis can be had cheaply and are a bit easier to fly, less parts to break, and better indoors.

And people have started with all of these choices.

[zx5go]

I've been looking at SIMS. Will any of the current SIMS work with the controller that comes with the Blade CP or CP Pro?

The Blade models are basically going to be used to test the waters. If I like flying helicopters as much as I think I will then I have no issues spending the $$ to get what is required to be successful. Since most of my RC background is nitro cars my end goal would be a nitro heli and to use the electrics for indoors or for buzzing around work at lunch time.

Thanks for all of the great info and comments...I don't know how people made it before forums!

[Pinecone]

Sounds like the way I am going.

There are some threads about using the Blade Txs with sims, but most sims prefer a basic straight setup for th e4 main channels. Blade Tx is only CCPM mixing.

You can get a cheap Tx on eBay, or G3, XTR and FS One are available with their own controller. Phoenix requires you to have a Tx.

[steve28]

ok just thought Id add my 2 cents on this issue , what to start with when you have never flown a heli b4 . My advice is , if you have a good computer , get a SIM first before you buy a model and TX . Test the waters with the Sim . alot of fun can be had and the Sim really is the most valueble tool in the RC heli pilots bag . With it you'll learn the basics of flight , and can advance to full on 3D without spending a dime on repairs .

DOnt but a Blade CP and expect to learn to fly on it , its a twitchy little bastard of a heli and may turn you off RC helis altogether . I have a BCP and a T-REX . And I use realflight Deluxe Simulator . The T-REX is what you will want after testing the waters, it is the best flying mini on the market hands down , period .

SO spend your Blade CP money on a good SIM . figure everything out on it and then buy a T-REX . RC helis are expensive and an RTF kit is really not the best way to go. Its a bit like an all in one printer copier scanner , it really doesnt do any task well scans are shit copies are blurry ect .. RC helis are state of the art machines and to have a great flying machine you need good parts , that is a good transmitter , good servos , electronics , ect .. , the transmitter you get with the BCP is cheap , and so are the electronics that it comes with , all cheap ,and needs to be replaced to get somthing that flys descent . Example , my BCP has extensive mods including Brushless main motor cF blades metal swash Spektrum RX new speed control new gyro , and even with all these mods my T-REX still flys circles around it .

[Funky]

Of course the Trex flies circles around it. I had around 1200.00 in my Rex/batteries/charger/power supply before it ever left the ground compared to a Pro which can be had for 250.00 or less. They are 2 totally difference machines. I stand by my vote for the pro. Yes the electronics/radio etc are cheap, that is what makes it so much fun. You aren't going to take parts from it to transfer to another heli, it is just fun for what it is. It is stilll far more stable than everyone makes it out to be. If anyone thinks it doesn't fly well for basic hovering or forward flight you probably need more stick time. I also have extensive mods on my Blade Pro now, Brushless/Computer radio/direct drive tail/Gyro/carbon blades, etc... but it flew just fine before all of these mods too. The basic Pro with a gyro was a blast to fly and super cheap. It will teach you many of the basics you will need for future helis. Like I said, if you have the money, of course get the Rex. Just be prepared for a lot of set up/adjusting before you even have your first flight. Then be prepared to be overly cautious because of all of that money/time you have into it. The Pro just can't be beat for ease of start up. I don't mean to sound like I am against the Rex... far from it. I love the Rex and it is the best small heli you can buy. It is just a lot of time/money/adjusting to get it set up correctly that first time with no previous heli experience. Sims are definately a good idea, but a sim without a heli at all isn't much fun. It will just make you want a heli that much more. I have XTR and love it, but it wouldn't be much fun if I couldn't transfer those skills to an actual heli.

[steve28]

my friend john is taking my advice , hes a nitro truck guy that wants to get into helis but doesnt want to buy junk , hes seen my t-rex and my modded Blade CP in his eyes and mine the Blade is unimpressive and is junk compared to the T-REX . He wants T-REX but cant afford one . SO hes doing the SMART thing, rather than blow money on the Blade CP and have shit after and have to learn how to fly on shit , hes getting G3 hes going to learn how to fly all winter while saving for a properly outfitted T-REX , then when he gets his money together he can uy a quality kit that he can be pround of and also have alot of skills already developed on the sim to transfer over tho the REX and hopfully have some very successful first flights .

All Im saying is for the same money , that is the price of the REX + the price of the BCP or a good SIM , roughly 1200 - 1300 bucks together you can get either of 2 different outcomes

1. 2 helis in your hanger ( BCP + T-REX ) and no developed skills to fly either one very good .

2. 1 heli in your hanger ( the T-REX ) and skills devolped on the SIM to fly it real good without crashing as often .

you decide this is the best advice your gonna find take it .

[zx5go]

I think I'll take option 3. I purchased a Blade CP and a Blade CP Pro, I'm investigating which SIM I will purchase, then I'll most likely start building a T-REX, and start researching which nitro heli I'll purchase first. My motto is "if you're going to do it, then over do it!"

[jediwannabe]

LOL this thread is right on time... I was just in this same situation about 6 weeks ago. The funny thing, ALL the advice is right! :dontknow I bought a BCCP 2 weeks ago and i'm having a blast(I've never flown a Rexxy or seen one LIVE). I don't argue that the TREX is a superior heli; i'm not even defending the BCCP. With no other personal experience, its all I know and I have enjoyed it.
Yes its twitchy
Yes the tail moves around(I do not have a HH gyro)
Yes, I will get aTREX eventually and the $500($200 GP3sim $260 BCCP $40 misc parts) and whatever else I "waste" on the bird would have gotten me there quicker.
Yes I needed to change my shorts after the first few flights,BUT
I have fun with it.
I have looped it, rolled it, inverted hovers( and yes sometimes I use up half a soccer field to "get it back")
I'm still in the same situation I was when I bought it...should I keep upgrading? Brushless? HH gyro? DD tail? or start the TREX savings fund?
I will not be able to advise someone on weather or not you should go the BCCP route until my journey to the TREX is complete.
My only advice, get a simulator! I bought the GPRF3 simulator 6 weeks ago and have used it 3+ hours a day. It made all the difference in the world( I even downloaded a "bladelike" heli for the SIM from this forum.
It took a while to get a feel for the "real" bird.

Good luck, let me know how you like yours.

[Guttboy]

I just got a Blade CP Pro the other day!!!! I got it because my friend has one (along with several other helis) and he loves it. Is it easy to fly....well I am pretty sure it is not if you are a newbie at RC heli's. At least that is what I have heard.

I purchased Realflight G3.5 the other day as well after attempting to make cables for the eflight transmitter to work with FSM. Needless to say my little endeavor did not work.

I am VERY happy with G3.5...I have dl'd a bladelike heli on there as well...does the CP PRo fly like that???? I will not take the Blade CP Pro out of the box until I have a lot of sim time and can hover in place nicely. Call me cautious....

The Sim is invaluable!!!! I know the Blade CP Pro flies nicely in the right hands as my LHS flew it when I bought it to make sure it was trimmed tracking and all good to go.

I am excited and hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will fly her!

[jediwannabe]

Maybe my experience will help you Guttboy, I bought a BCCP 2 months ago.
I used the sim for a month, a few hours a day when I could. I can hover in all angles and practiced hundreds of figure 8's and perform some 3D stuff on the sim.

My mistakes with the real heli:
1)I was timid trying to hover 1-2 ft off the ground in the front yard.
2)I would panic and drop it down when it would start to drift(rather quickly compaired to the sim).
I was actually losing confidence and I chipped up my first set of blades doing this.

What I did right:
1)I put on the training gear.
2)I went to an open field to fly over foot tall grass/weeds.(Best advice I read for a beginner with a micro)
3)Went for it! After I spooled it up I took it up to say...8-10 ft. She started to slide, tail rotated, I lost my hover, I just rolled with it and pushed the stick forward right into forward flight. Started flying figure 8's and some circles(this is where my sim time paid off). Tried several hovers, when I would get mentally tired of trying to maintain these hovers(it was actually pretty windy) I would fly it out again.
I have not damaged the heli over the tall grass and I dropped it in good once, when the tail rotor disengaged! Good luck, and go for it with confidence!

[Funky]

hes a nitro truck guy that wants to get into helis but doesnt want to buy junk

in his eyes and mine the Blade is unimpressive and is junk compared to the T-REX

SO hes doing the SMART thing, rather than blow money on the Blade CP and have shit after and have to learn how to fly on shit , hes getting G3 hes going to learn how to fly all winter while saving for a properly outfitted T-REX

2 different outcomes

1. 2 helis in your hanger ( BCP + T-REX ) and no developed skills to fly either one very good .

2. 1 heli in your hanger ( the T-REX ) and skills devolped on the SIM to fly it real good without crashing as often .

you decide this is the best advice your gonna find take it .

I never really knew there was only one way to get into this hobby which is the "right/smart/best advice" way and every other approach is just dumb or a waste of money. I would never be so quick to say one way is right and every other way is just wrong/dumb. This is a hobby. It is supposed to be fun. There are many ways different people enjoy it and even more ways people get started. Out of all of the people I know who fly, they all started in different ways.... and none of them used your "right" method of a sim first and a trex later. I didnt buy a sim until months after I learned to hover. I only wrecked one time, on my first day out because my blades were too loose so I had a boom strike with the dreaded Align fiber blades (better known as boom killers). A sim would not have saved me there... only a few more turns on the blade bolts :D I have a friend who can do VERY impressive 3d and has never even owned a sim. He said he just kept the heli high enough in the air when trying new things that he always had time to save it. I admit, a sim is a great tool and can really help someone develop a lot of skills quickly... but it is not the ONLY way, and definately not the most fun way to get into this hobby.

Please do not be so quick to think your way is the only "right/smart/best" way. There are so many different approaches/opinions and none of them are wrong. Some work better for some people, and others work better for other people. I am not saying my approach is better or worse than yours... just different. Anything that gets you in the door of remote helis is a good start :D

Its funny how well some of us fly these "junk" helis, and how much some people love them.... almost like they aren't all that bad :wink:

[BigMike]

I know that I've had my Blade CP for about 6 months now and am having a blast with it. Usually just fly in my front yard since it's quite a ways to a school or whatever. I've probably busted 10 sets of E-Flight flat bottom blades but so what. I am having a TON of fun with it. I've blown out two tail motors so I put on a CNC twin tail motor setup. I'm still running stock batteries and motor.
You are very right, Funky, different people get into this for different reasons and in different ways. I got a G3 sim after my first two flights, (two sets of blades). I've probably spent about $600.00 on this thing all told and do have aspirations for a T-Rex 450 some day and maybe even nitro if I'm still enjoying myself then. I don't have unlimited funds so I will be taking my time.
Bottom line, after going out and hovering arounnd the front yard, doing 8's and low flyby's, I get a HUGE smile and sense of some accomplishment.
I'm having FUN.
Thanks all for all the invaluable help I've picked up on these pages.
P.S. My 13 year old son messed with my sim for 1/2 hour and was hovering immediately and doing inverted flybys by the time he was done. Went out front with me and started hovering. I hate these punks. heeheehee !!!

[Guttboy]

Jedi,

Thanks for the advice!!!! I am still in the Hover stage and have to learn the nose in/nose out orientations....I do fairly well on the sim in forward flight but the hovers get me when I am nose in.

I like the idea of a field with grass on it....I will look for one!

Regards,

mike