NEWB WARNING: what flyer should i get?

[frankyg]

I am very new to RC Helicopters (having only had a mini-indoor one.)

I have seen larger oudoor heli's and i want to get one.

What would be the best outdoor flyer (i guess a 4ch) for around $100+ -

...something that would be easy for a beginner, yet something that will give me freedom once i learn how to fly.

i'm thinking electric, i dont really know the pro's and cons of electricity or nitro

please give me some guidance on this issue :wow2:

[shaggybirdman]

for $100 all you can hope for is toy grade. nothing will move to your next heli. i'd recommend getting a blade cx2. it's $185, but well worth the extra $85. granted nothing will go to your next heli, but it's hobby grade not toy grade.

ok you ask "what's toy, and hobby grade". simple. toy grade is either replacement parts are non existent, or take a month to receive. hobby grade is something that a good hobby shop stocks, or can get in by the next week.

to me toy grade is just a waste of money. a cx2 is about bottom of the hobby grade scale, but i'll never sell mine. plus now that i can hover nose , and tail in i'm not breaking anything, so it's cheep fun, and i'm loving it :YeaBaby: a cx2 will teach you the stick movement you will need to fly a single rotor heli. yes you will have to relearn how to fly, but you will understand better hoy to archive a stable hover.

just my 2 cents worth.

[wannaflyguy]

Hi frankyg,

I agree with shaggybridman... you will have a difficult time finding an outdoor 4 channel heli for $100. In fact, most of the helis that are in the $200 and lower range are built mainly for indoor flight. The Walkera Fixed Pitch 4 channnel RTF ($104) & Blade CX coaxial ($169) will be the closest to your price range and will give you excellent training. Some other good 4 channel choices may be the Bumble Bee Submicro ($199) fixed pitch or the EP Caliber M24 Micro ($285) fixed pitch.


The micro electric helis require patience and diligence in setting them up, but you can learn how to fly these and when you do, you will be able to fly any size heli.

Good luck!

[frankyg]

thanks guys, i need all the advice i can get.

i believe i may just get another indoor one, since i don't have a job at the moment :smokin:

but i will look into the choppers yall listed and see if i like what i see, even though i'm running blind at the moment.

[istandalone]

your not going to get a hobby grade heli for that kind of $, just toys. for $100, get the lama v4 coax. i don't really consider this a serious heli, but i've got one for these rainy indoor days and it's fun. the cheapest good ccpm heli is probably the blade 400, but it's also about 5X your budget. if you've never flown a collective pitch heli, then maybe you'd be best to invest in a sim, and while practicing for a few months save for something well built.

[heliflyerII]

I agree, a B400 for the money this is a good solid heli. I have a Trex 450 but plan to use the B400 to broaden my flying skills since the parts for the B400 are very cheap, (so I can take chances) and when trimmed out carefully the B400 is a very stable heli. Repair on the B400 is also easy.

Trex 450, B-400, BCP, Parkmite, Gaui 100ep, Superfly, Flying Dutchman, Predator, Violator

[shaggybirdman]

Hi frankyg,

I agree with shaggybridman... you will have a difficult time finding an outdoor 4 channel heli for $100. In fact, most of the helis that are in the $200 and lower range are built mainly for indoor flight. The Walkera Fixed Pitch 4 channnel RTF ($104) & Blade CX coaxial ($169) will be the closest to your price range and will give you excellent training. Some other good 4 channel choices may be the Bumble Bee Submicro ($199) fixed pitch or the EP Caliber M24 Micro ($285) fixed pitch.


The micro electric helis require patience and diligence in setting them up, but you can learn how to fly these and when you do, you will be able to fly any size heli.

Good luck!

i agree. i'm looking forward to actually flying my nitro horobo shuttle this coming season. i'm bound and determined to be able to fly a single rotor heli this season.

[stvjeep]

This is the path I followed. Not even close to ready for a large heli yet. Be prepared for frustration. You must have patience and money in this hobby.

Buy a used Blade CX2 or Lama V4. I've seen CX2's used go for $150, lamas for less. That is the lowest you could possibly spend. Both are lots of fun and are a great way to learn. They are very stable and great for learning stick orientation. Can not fly these outside as any breeze will make you crash.

The next step, I just went to, is the Honey Bee FP as a "trainer". Lot's of people will trash the HBFP but it is cheap ($80), parts are everywhere (internet only usually), and parts are cheap. Not easy to hover, you will crash and break it. It can survive small crashes, and is easy to fix. There is a HUGE following on the Forums (RC Groups), with tons of help. You can fly it inside or out with very little breeze. However, when you do master a hover with it, you will be able to hover any larger heli, as the HBFP needs constant input to hover.

To sum it all up, this hobby will EAT up your money. But the best path is CX2 / Lama V4 ($80 to $200), then Honey Bee FP ($80), Simulator ($200), then larger heli's (Blade 400 being the best value at $400, if you look for low-price retailers), after that spending over $1000 on larger heli's is very common.

I've done 4 months of flying and research, the above is my personal opinion which I believe is the best way to learn.

[frankyg]

i'll look into these, i have seen the honey bee everywhere, but the others i havent really heard of, more research to be done

[shaggybirdman]

your lhs doesn't have blade cx2's on the shelf?! wow that's a shock. every shop here has them. my main shop only sells the cx2 in the coaxial helis.

[frankyg]

i was refering to websites. I am still trying to find hobby shops in huntsville Al.
I just got back from hobby lobby (i saw promo's on the web for their rc helis) and they didn't have anything.

i am still trying to find a real RC hobby store ( i just moved here)

[stvjeep]

http://www.xheli.com/bles4colav4r.html

Here is the Lama V4 from xheli. I orderd my HBFP from them, no problems. Use CJFREE2 where you can enter a promo code when ordering for free shipping. So it would be $88 to your door. The bottom line from them for free shipping is $50 I believe.

If you order get extra blades (upper and lower) $5 ea. for three pairs of each. and a pair of skids $4. But do your homework first on this heli, as for what is the most common thing to break. Keep in mind that most local hobby stores will not stock parts for this Heli. However ordering parts through the net is cheaper, if you spend $50 (the free shipping point for some stores.

Also look for the CX2 used. The transmitter rocks, and I have only had broken blades and one skid in 20+ flights. Avoid the super skids and tail. Makes it heavy and lowers flight times. Make sure to get the "new" version with the metal head and 3 in 1 with AR6100e.

For used: Runryder, Rcgroups, Rcuniverse. You're guaranteed to find a CX2 on either one of those sites in the $150 range used.

[frankyg]

i just bought a blade cx2 :) thanks guys. The guy at HOBBYTOWN USA was very helpful, and he explained it was a great beginner heli, and indoors is the place to start.

thanks for all yalls advice, and i guess this thread is really over unless yall want to keep on advising me lol :lol:

[shaggybirdman]

well weight -is ok on a cx2. i have both heads in aluminum as well as swash plate, inner bearing, and fly bar weights. it added only 9.5 grams extra. i got the super skids, and tail from boomtown hobbies, and a unbreakable battery holder from evil bay. i still get almost 10 min of flight with a 850 mha 15C battery. it flys super stable now. it lifts off ever so gently now as well. no more popping it up to get out of the rotor wash. best $70 i spent on her. this bird will never get sold unless theres a better version of her. oh ya keep a spair flybar around. if she starts to toilet bowl real bad just change out the flybar.

i added some pics of my cx2. total weight less battery is 177.2 grams. forgot about the cool canopy. still gotta paint it, but i love how it ended up looking :thumbup:

[tfoutch]

I bought the Honey Bee FP for my first helicotper. Had to work out of town while waiting for parts, so I went to the LHS and bought a CX2 to fly in the hotel room. I have just bought a Thunder Tiger Mini Titan E325, and have two packs of hover time.

Now for the advice:

If you have never flown anything, you can't go wrong with the CX2. It will help you to learn orientation, and is fun to fly indoors. It will not, however, translate into your being able to hover any larger helicopter because it functions differently.

As for the HBFP - If you are looking for a challenge, buy one. You will crash early and often. Parts are cheap and easy to find on the internet, and I will agree - if you can hover one, you can hover anything. With all of that having been said, after flying the MT, I can see why so many people get discouraged with this hobby and quit.

They start with a cheap helicopter knowing they will break it. The cheap helicopters are SO MUCH MORE difficult to fly than the larger, better made ones. I cannot believe the difference in stability with the MT. I did crash it after the first day (too much wind for my skill level), but even then, the repairs amounted to about $25.00.

My advice to my friends now - CX2 to start, then save your money and go with the best helicopter you can afford. Get the best radio you can afford, and it will go with you as you grow. I enjoyed the challenge of the HBFP, but wish I had all of the money I spent on it and the parts, and had applied it to something better. I think I'm going to love the MT, and plan to begin building a TRex 600 sometime this summer, and just take my time.

Good luck.