Back at it possibly...

[Ivan]

Hey,

Used to fly helis back about 10 years or more ago. Was a member here for a long time.

Got rid of all my (now outdated) RC stuff and I am thinking about getting back into it.

Wow, so much has changed! No more Hirobo or Miniature Aircraft? JR radios and helis are no where to be found? Are guys like Curtis Youngblood and Mark Kiner still around? The Szabo brothers?

Well, I will be lurking for a while...learning about the way things are now.

Anyhoot, glad to see HeliFreak is still here.

[PhenixFord]

Welcome Back

Just jump right back in. The water is fine. But, as you have seen, it is deep too. Most of all - Have Fun.

[toadiscoil]

Hi and welcome!

Plenty of new choices to choose from, ranging from very inexpensive to wildly expensive and boutique. Plus of course what most fly which is something in the middle. I've been told I keep pushing this thread to people but I think it's good info and hope it helps you.

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=720316

Cheers!

[Krager]

I think it's a good time to be into model helis, so much cool stuff coming out. I'm sure you'll be happy with what you find out there. Have fun!

[Ivan]

I am not totally new. I had several helis from a Shuttle ZX to a Freya Evo with a YS 91. My favorite was the Sceadu with an OS 50 in it, which autoed like a 60 but was cheap to repair like a Raptor.

I did have a Cypher3D back in the day so I am not totally unfamiliar with eHelis

Originally Posted by toadiscoil

Hi and welcome!

Plenty of new choices to choose from, ranging from very inexpensive to wildly expensive and boutique. Plus of course what most fly which is something in the middle. I've been told I keep pushing this thread to people but I think it's good info and hope it helps you.

https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=720316

Cheers!

[Family Guy]

Originally Posted by Ivan

My favorite was the Sceadu with an OS 50 in it, which autoed like a 60

Wecome back. Now we have FBL which makes fifty's fly like sixty's.

[smittylube]

Szabo's are still around.
Got into a head to head auto rotation runoff with Alan jr a couple months ago. He has a utube channel if your interested.

Great time to be flying IMO. Excellent batteries, telemetry with fuel gauges etc. flybar less systems have improved to stellar levels.
Some brand helis just fly and fly without doing anything but charging again and again.

Full range of setup options from high rpm smack to low rpm super long flight times.

Synergy and mikado have a few versatile models that can be configured from 550-700 with the same frames . I'm sure others brands as well. While others like the protos are super easy to build and fly excellent.

Great time to be flying IMO. Did I say that already?

[yakky]

Its a great time to be in the hobby, the technology is awesome and everything is much cheaper AND better. If you want a mid size heli that won't break the bank, check out the Align 470LP, its the best bargain out there. I personally like the Ikon flybarless system for around a hundredish you get a a ton of stuff and some great software.

[Ivan]

Are VBlades still going? Those used to be the best blades out there, and made in southern Missouri if I recall correctly.

I am sad to hear of JR (heli and radio) demise. Loved both.

Is HiTech still going? It looks like they have some 2.4GHz radio stuff and some servos, but sometimes manufacturers crash and the websites still look like they are alive and well.

At anyrate, I snagged a DX8 and a Trex 450X in bind and fly condition. Should be here by monday.

Also bought an Amazon charger for $25 and a USB dongle so I can start hitting the simulator again. I used to have Phoenix, but it looks like they crashed too. RealFright seems to still be overpriced. I have heard of Accurc, HeliX, neXt, and Clearview. Which ones are good and which ones are "games"? Seems like Clearview was trying back in the day, but they were mostly just a game. Could put the heli in a hover and go take a leak and get more coffee and it would still be exactly where you left it.

Anyway...should be in the air again soon.

[toadiscoil]

I have neXt, Heli-X and AccuRC loaded into my computer hard drive.

There are really two options on my opinion if you want to keep costs down at the beginning. Heli-X and AccuRC. Why? Because they both have now "playable" demos. I have been flying AccuRC only for a while now and it has really grown on me. In my opinion they are all able to be used as actual practice sims, but neXt feels the most like a game although for sure you can tune it to feel more realistic. But out of the box, that's how it feels to me. Heli-X did a major upgrade recently and feels much better. But AccuRC tunes very similar to a real heli even being able to swap electronic components, set RPM setpoints, basically talking in the same language you would use on a real heli even if things don't translate exactly the same. But to me it feels the closest and the one I am flying exclusively now.

Originally Posted by Ivan

Are VBlades still going? Those used to be the best blades out there, and made in southern Missouri if I recall correctly.

I am sad to hear of JR (heli and radio) demise. Loved both.

Is HiTech still going? It looks like they have some 2.4GHz radio stuff and some servos, but sometimes manufacturers crash and the websites still look like they are alive and well.

At anyrate, I snagged a DX8 and a Trex 450X in bind and fly condition. Should be here by monday.

Also bought an Amazon charger for $25 and a USB dongle so I can start hitting the simulator again. I used to have Phoenix, but it looks like they crashed too. RealFright seems to still be overpriced. I have heard of Accurc, HeliX, neXt, and Clearview. Which ones are good and which ones are "games"? Seems like Clearview was trying back in the day, but they were mostly just a game. Could put the heli in a hover and go take a leak and get more coffee and it would still be exactly where you left it.

Anyway...should be in the air again soon.