When picking your first heli what's most important?

[Jermo]

I'm asking this question to help new folks understand the differences (remember I'm new too).

Often the new pilot ends up with a blade CP/CPP or honeybee or something in that class. The common advice I've seen given is "Bigger is better". This translates to bigger/heavier is easier to learn on/fly and see.

Frustrated post after frustrated post clearly show that some heli's are just not beginner friendly compared to other heli's (the CP/CPP comes to mind as a struggle for just about every post from a new pilot).

My personal experience was very good but I started out with a T-Rex 450. Is there anything less expensive that will give the new pilot success and low frustrations?

Experienced pilots only please answer: what's the Smallest/least expensive heli you would suggest a beginner learn on? (and a decent sim is always assumed to be part of the advice/package).
Jermo

[BarracudaHockey]

I'm going to stay away from whats "best" but I will say this.

Buy something well supported with high parts availability and yes bigger is better.

[EricW]

Hi,

I know bigger is better, And i have a place to fly something bigger (at the club).
But it is a 30 min. cardrive to get there and all the guys fly planes, I would be interfering with the space we have there if you know what i mean(typical european problem :) ).
Plus Bigger is More money, Nitro would be the only alternative to make it fun.
Today i called a local shop (just 10Km away)about the availability of the mini raptor.

And gave him my wishlist (till now):
- Mini Raptor with stock motor and ESC. (220€, Trex Se costs 420€ over here)
- Futaba RX600 dsp receiver
- Gyro 401
- 3 servo S3107
- 1 Servo FS61 bb speed digital cool

He told me all on my list will be available next week, and the spareparts also arrive next week so i can buy a crashset.

Did i make the right choices?
Or do you guys know better alternatives for the same price?

Thanks in advance
Eric

[Seeker]

When I was looking for my first real heli... (to me this excludes the Walkera types)...

I wanted something that I could fly for this and the next season... that means learn on yet be able to loop and roll and some light 3D.

I wanted local parts availability (one of the LHS needed to have some parts)...

I didnt want to spend a ton of cash every time I crashed (I knew I would crash some)...

I wanted nitro, not electric. (old nitro plank flyer here).. ok .. not *that* old... :glasses2:

I wanted a gyro and radio that I could keep for at least a few years and could use on different birds I may end up having for the next few years.

I ended up with the Raptor 50... bigger than the 30 with enough power to let me abuse the cyclic some...

Cheap parts.. many of them local and local support for help when I needed it.

I bought the Futaba 9CHP. Runs all my planes and helis now... is programmable enough for me for now... and the GY401.

I think I made the best purchases for me and what I wanted. Cost wise, I couldnt have gotten a better bird for the price with local support and parts.

[Bayou Talker]

(the CP/CPP comes to mind as a struggle for just about every post from a new pilot).


I bought one of these after I had been flying for a while and was not impressed. I knew it was a toy when I bought it but I soon got tired of repairing it and sold it. If I had tried to start flying helis with the CP, I would be in a totally different hobby today. I would have gotten frustrated and thrown it away and gone on to something else. My hat is off to anybody who can learn on one of those. They have a lot more patience than I do.

My recommendation would be a 50 size electric or nitro (your choice). If flying space is an issue then the TRex 450 would be second.

[DebianDog]

Parts availability and another experienced pilot that flies what you do!

Trex if you have to go "small"

[SinxarKnights]

The questions I asked were mainly

1. What is the most popular heli that is RTF for $250 or under?
2. What is better to learn on, CP, FP or CoAx?
3. How much are spare parts? (note that I didn't ask where to buy them, I don't have a hobby shop anywhere within casual driving distance)
4. Will the heli everyone is trying to force feed me fly inverted? - I wanted to be able to advance on the same heli as I got better.

I decided on the HoneyBee CP2.

<--------- Removed by popular demand ----------->

Sorry. I am an idiot that has no clue what I am talking about. :arggg:

Am I banned yet?

[DebianDog]

Everyone always knocks this heli and the blade because it is "twitchy". Maybe it is to you who are used to flying boulders and your thumbs are stiff from counting all your money/old age. Or maybe it is because the person is too "stupid" to even attempt to get it setup and balanced, I don't know for sure.

I do not have that much money, I am not that old, and all my other helicopters seem to fly fine. BUT I do know good from bad. The CP is crappy, twitchy, little helicopters. Have you ever flown a big good helicopter? I have flown 3 blade CPs and every single one of them was total GARBAGE in comparison to a bigger helicopter. You could not give me one of those things.

If you can fly one well... you have a lot of practice and are a good pilot :noteworthy

[Jermo]

<cut> There is no way I would spend that much just to crash it on a daily basis.

<cut> What happens when you spend that $700 then you find out you hate trying to get it to fly...

:shock: Daily? I'm a newb and don't crash that much. Some heli's seem to fly out of the box better than others. I'm not wanting to argue I started with something bigger/more expensive than the HB and never had issues with "crash it on a daily basis" OR "trying to get it to fly".

I wonder if your experience would have been different with a different heli? That's the point of this post really.
Jermo

[EricW]

Thanks guys really appreciate the feedback in this topic,

I already have a Walkera DF60 and crashed it a couple of times.
So i Had to do some rebuilds already.
All crashes were caused by things i can't realy put my finger on.
The last one had to do with windy conditions and bad blade tracking so that was partly my own fault.
Now The servo's are dying one at a time and setting up the swash and getting the blades to track is a real pain.
Also the allu frame is very weak imo, When i hold the skids i can move the head 10mm sideways, it has a lot of flex and i think controlling the heli precise and in a small area (The style i like to fly) is very hard.

So it cost me pretty much on upgrades already, costs i would rather spend on a better designed concept :)

Now that i want to get good electronics (got a good working Futaba 8USuper)
I thought it would be better to also buy a better flying heli, that's why i thought about the Miniraptor, it simply costs what i can afford.
I love the looks of the Trex but i'm afraid my wife will make sure i don't see for awhile when i get home with it...
Bigger like a Raptor 50 or a Trex 600(Dream about them) is realy out of my financial league atm, a 450se costs two miniraptors (also had to buy the SIM ;) ).
A secondhand 50 would be a option, but that leaves me with the problem of space.
Over here (welcome to tolerant holland :smokin: ) it is not allowed to fly it in a park or anywhere else with Nitro even flying Nitro on a club-field is strictly forbidden between certain hours (noise regulations).
And flying it at the club would mean i'd have to ask the other guys to watch out for me (and my heli)while they are flying landing approuch runs with a plank on a field 150 by 50 meters, with schedules that look like the Miami airport schedules :lol:

I was planning to learn the hack out of the MiniRap and then make the step to something bigger like a trex600 or even better (financially)the coming trex500.
And being able to use some of the electronics in my list like the gyro and Lipo's i have.

Are the Servo's in my list good ones for a Miniraptor (or the Trex when i overcome the fear of getting hit)?
Or are there better ones for the same price?

Eric

[WayneBrown]

Good trainer-type choppers for the budget minded:
Nitro-
Century Hawk Pro, still the best entry level $200 heli on the market.
Rappy 30/50
Hirobo Shuttle or Sceadu
Electric-
Century Swift (30 sized electric)
Trex 450
Trex 600

These are the most popular, hobby shops can either order the parts or may actually stock some.
The SINGLE MOST important thing is to get what you can get local support for, either parts support or familiarity to the other local pilots.
Many things carry through from brand to brand, but if your local 'expert' is barely flying himself he/she may not know how to work on your machine.

[TripHammer]

When picking up your first heli what's most important?

Make sure the balades have stopped....

Sorry I had to :OK

[Jermo]

:lolol I don't see where I said that but it sounds like me :)
Jermo

[Ben Hedrick]

I sure wish that I knew about Helifreak.com before I bought my CP Pro... :arggg:
Oh well. Even though I have NOW found out that my CP Pro is a POS, I have learned a lot (mostly how to buy more parts and fix it) and I REALLY like flying (crashing) helicopters. I hope to continue learning to fly with the CP Pro and I expect that my next helo will be a Trex 450SE. I don't regret buying the CP Pro and at the time I was so excited to get it, but now that I have read so much more and learned what a quality helicopter is, it's all good...
Again, I wish I had of known about this forum before... Oh well...

[DebianDog]

I think one you learn HOW to fly you can enjoy the CP a lot more. And to paraphase another:

"With another few dollars in upgrades, and a million dollars worth of talent, the Blade CP does it all!"

See link:
http://www.helifreak.com/viewtopic.php?t=32953

[Hughes500Bob]

I lurked on this and every other forum I could find for months before making a decision to purchase a Trex 450 SE V2. My choice was based on build support (Helifreaks), parts availability, and the fact that I was choosing a proven design that was one of the most popular helis to fly. I am making a commitment .... not a rash decision based on some guy at a LHS who I do not know from Adam!

I also learned how to fly real helicopters from the best instructors I could find:
USAF Lieutenant Colonel Francis "Blacky" Carney, :noteworthy whose career is amazing! and Flight Safety, Vero Beach FL.

[TripHammer]

Hay Jermo, you diden't I edited the quote for comdy purposes, as thats how I read it that night after a beer or 3 :twisted:

[Jermo]

:hug:

[Buzzkill]

Well I'll probably get flamed but, I have to chime in on the bad rap the CPP is getting. I'll agree that its not a beginer helicopter (even tho I havent flown anything else) based on the overwhelming number of post to that fact.

That being said. The CPP is a great learning tool. Dozens of people have stated "if you can fly a CPP you can fly anytjing". Yes it has its problems but dont they all some way or the other? If your serious about RC helicopters the blade will teach you how to fly just about anything along with the basic mechanical issues you'll encounter. Ever tried setting up a CNC head on a CPP? Yes I wish I ha a better helicopter. Yes just about anything bigger and more exspensive is better than a CPP. IF you have the determination and patience you'll be rewarded for you efforts with the CPP. I'd wager after you master the CPP and move up you'll be outflying the guys that started with a "better" bird. Flame off :mrgreen:

[Seeker]

Well I'll probably get flamed but, I have to chime in on the bad rap the CPP is getting. I'll agree that its not a beginer helicopter (even tho I havent flown anything else) based on the overwhelming number of post to that fact.

That being said. The CPP is a great learning tool. Dozens of people have stated "if you can fly a CPP you can fly anytjing". Yes it has its problems but dont they all some way or the other? If your serious about RC helicopters the blade will teach you how to fly just about anything along with the basic mechanical issues you'll encounter. Ever tried setting up a CNC head on a CPP? Yes I wish I ha a better helicopter. Yes just about anything bigger and more exspensive is better than a CPP. IF you have the determination and patience you'll be rewarded for you efforts with the CPP. I'd wager after you master the CPP and move up you'll be outflying the guys that started with a "better" bird. Flame off :mrgreen:

No flame here but I'll add....

One of the reasons I normally dont recommend a CP is it's too hard... the new person often would just get frustrated and quit before they ever had a chance to fly a real machine. Thus.. we lost another possible hobbiest :)

[slikrx]

No flame here but I'll add....

One of the reasons I normally dont recommend a CP is it's too hard... the new person often would just get frustrated and quit before they ever had a chance to fly a real machine. Thus.. we lost another possible hobbiest :)
On the other side of that fence: how many people are scared off the hobby because the "price of entry" is so high? At $250, a CP/CPP may be the only thing that will be affordable enough to "waste".

Perhaps a CX or another coax would actually be the best "initiation by toy", but then again, they don't really teach a whole lot about flying a CCPM heli, let alone the fear, rebuild skills... :dontknow

The biggest issue/problem/concern/whatever for me getting into the hobby wasn't really the frustration factor: it was the cost.

I *suspected* I would enjoy it, but I wasn't willing to drop $800-$1,000 plus 5-50 hours assembling something, THEN only to learn I really don't enjoy it.

It's unfortunate that the most readily available (price wise) CCPM heli is also one of the most difficult to fly.

I guess what's needed is lower cost heli that can at least approximate the "ease" of flying a Trex 450 with a cost under $500 (for everything)

So, how much is the cheapest CCPM radio & heli we could cobble together? with batteries & charger? Maybe there's a niche here that could be filled?

[SinxarKnights]

I agree slikrx. I have always wanted to get into rc helis but I just recently found the HoneyBee CP2. I do not regret buying it but I would have went with something bigger if I could afford it. There is a pretty big price gap there. I was messing around with combos and such for various 300 - 450 size helis and The cheapest I have came up with is around $600. That was for a T-rex kit with a super cheap radio. Super cheap gyro and very crappy motor and esc. I wouldn't want to fly it but I guess it is possible to "go cheap" with a bigger heli.

[DebianDog]

I buy most all my helis "used". an easy 50% off

[slikrx]

I buy most all my helis "used". an easy 50% off
I'm just too paranoid... :(

Also, prior to having my CPP, I wasn't involved with any RC groups, so I would have had to try my luck on ebay. And wouldn't have had a clue what to get. I hadn't even HEARD of Align or a TREx prior to poking around HF.

Though, I have to admit, there are several people here on HF that I would be willing to buy from... now that I've been hanging around here for a couple months.

[Bayou Talker]

One of the reasons I normally dont recommend a CP is it's too hard... the new person often would just get frustrated and quit before they ever had a chance to fly a real machine. Thus.. we lost another possible hobbiest


In my case at least, that is exactly what would have happened. I bought one after flying helis for a while and got tired of paying for the repairs and upgrades. Of course I knew what it was when I bought it.....a toy. With the total cost I had in this thing, I could have easily bought a good used machine that I liked to fly.


Also, prior to having my CPP, I wasn't involved with any RC groups, so I would have had to try my luck on ebay


I would be very wary of EBay unless someone recommended a particular merchant. Anytime a person is considering spending a fairly large amount of money on anything, they should always research before buying. I know it takes a little time, but with the internet and Google, it is not really hard to find information on almost anything.