Advice for a Newbie please

[vjr7653]

Hi folks;

New to the hobby and new to the boards. I just recently purchased RealFlight 4 and a Trex450 se v2. I have been flying the sim almost every day and I think I'm getting a great deal of help and confidence from it. In the meantime I have just finished putting together my heli and sent it back to my LHS for setup (they offered to help me with it). My questions in no particular order are as follows....

Should I have gone with a different bird other than the Trex 450 to start with, or will I be ok with my choice? I used flybar weights and the 12 pinion to keep it more tame. I also realize I need more time on the sim, but that will bring me to a later question.

Is there a model on RF4 that most closely approximates the action of the Trex? I only have the basic sim and no expansion packs, just what was on the disks in the box.

Should I have allowed my LHS to do my setup or should I have done it myself using the great info from these boards and have them just check it over? They are a reputable dealer and I'm sure everything will be done correctly, but I feel that I would have learned so much more trying to attempt setup myself. Seems risky though, and I have already processed a ton of information on the hobby and Heli's in a short amount of time, I needed a break.

Finally, the later question I alluded to earlier, will I get over the incredible urge to fly my heli when it gets back from the shop and be sensible by spending more time on the sim? Someone please help me here!

Thanks,

VJR

[vera]

I don't have one of those so I have no info about it but lots of people have them so must be ok. Anyway, you have it so now you want to keep it in one piece. So I suggest using training gear and keep it low to the ground (like about a foot) and practice nose-out hover till you can do that comfortably while staying within a foot radius. I would't fret much about getting a match on the sim.

Regarding the setup, you can check everything yourself even though you didn't do the original setup. Check to see if it is the way you would have set it.

[Pinecone]

If you go to the Trex 450 section or the Real Flight section and look around or search, I think there is a Trex model available for Real Flight. I fly Phoenix and a Trex 450 and 600 E and N come with it.

The Trex 450 is a fine heli.

I highly recommend, if you are doing it on your own, to go to:

http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html

And follow his program. Long and boring, but it works.

[vjr7653]

Thanks, I just downloaded and imported the 450. What a difference between the trainer heli supplied in the program and the 450. It took me a while to keep it under control at tail in. The only problem I have is that it will not hover at eye level. Either it hovers in ground effect at about 6in. or when I give it 1 notch of throttle it is about 10 ft in the air. Is it my flying or is there a way to adjust the model in RF4?

VJR

[Skiddz]

Pop open the Interlink controller and slip a piece of fuel tubing over the "ratchet" on the throttle axis. This will make the throttle stick move smoothly and you'll a better control over the throttle without the notchiness.

[zagiman]

It's okay that you had your LHS set it up. Learn to fly as you will learn to build after you crash. It would have helped you to repair crash damage faster because you would know right off the bat where everything goes. Is the LHS going to show you how they set things up? It may help clear up the questions you may have from reading. Nothing like seeing someone do it versus reading about it.

[istandalone]

can i do this with a futaba 6ex series 72mhz ? that ratchet sucks.

[Skiddz]

Yep. Pretty much any Tx you can remove the ratchet. Most heli radios come with it removed already. Dunno why my DX7 didn't tho.