Raptor or Caliber

Hi everybody. Greetings from Spain.

I'm just newbie on model helis and I'm going to buy a model to start. I have a couple of questions, if anyone can help me.

I have been advised to buy Raptor 30 v2 (Thunder Tiger) or Caliber 30 (Kyosho). ?Which one do you think is the best option?. ?Any other options?. Every suggestion will be welcomed.

I have the idea of buying a KIT not a ARF version becaus I'd like to buil the model by my own. ?Do you think it will be difficult as a starting point?

Thank you in advance for your help.

[colin]

I have been advised to buy Raptor 30 v2 (Thunder Tiger) or Caliber 30 (Kyosho). ?Which one do you think is the best option?. ?Any other options?. Every suggestion will be welcomed.

Hi! Get a Shuttle? )

Okay seriously, there's not much diff in the moderm heli's today. Both the Raptor and Kyosho are good beginner's heli, and they will bring you quite far into even aerobatics. it becomes a personal choice and taste on your part.

But here are some common advice.

1) If you're learning with people, buy what most people are flying with. This will give you a chance to compare setups and flight characteristics.

2) Buy the brand that you can easily find spare parts with. You will get a crash one day, and waiting for spares that are hard to get will put you off the hobby quick.

3) KIT or ARF? How PATIENT are you? A heli will only fly if every part is working perfectly. Also, safety is extremely important as you have two grass cutters that would cut off just about anything it comes in contact with. A loose nut will end your day very quickly.

So, if you like taking the time to carefully assemble, check and recheck things, and enjoy the assembly, then get a KIT. You will learn a lot more about your heli this way as well.

But, if you're like me, and like to get it up in the air fast(er), then a ARF kit is better. Usually, I'll recommend beginners to get ARF, as they can then spend more time learning about flying than trying to figure out where this part goes.

What do the rest of you people thing?

Cheers

Can't agree more with all of your points.

I learned by myself with little instruction from the hobby shop where I got my Nexus 30 (Kyosho). The one thing that I am very very very glad I did was to get the kit.

AFter my first wreck- as in most cases - many things needed to be replaced. I don't know how it is on other models, but the main rotor shaft *always* gets bent if the rotors get torn up. On a Nexus, the whole air frame has to come apart to get at this thing. Had I not gone through the build from scratch in the beginning I'd have never been able to replace it.

Also- getting in the air is important, but like in the real world- the pilots experience is only as good as his mechanic. If you can't maintain and set the thing up, flight will never be as easy as you'd like.

I've had lazy days for setup and spent most of my flight scratching my head as to why something doesn't work right...

Thank you very much for your help.

I think I will get the Raptor 'cause it's easier for me here in my hometown.

And I'll dare with the kit version. Wish me luck!! .

Bye

[colin]

Originally posted by Vicente
Thank you very much for your help.

I think I will get the Raptor 'cause it's easier for me here in my hometown.

And I'll dare with the kit version. Wish me luck!! .

Bye

Yo, don't forget to come back here often and let us know how you're getting on with the raptor!

We'll help you get going as much as we can.

Hi Vicente!!!

Glad to hear that at the end you have own dicision. Don't worry any brand or type heli that you will have you can refer to this page http://www.helifever.com/ get use all tips inside. But do remember its not the same heli but similar to.. I learn a lot of from RC Helifever Tips and guide when get my Raptor 30 & 50.

Anything don't forget to come back we can share your experience.

wish you luck & Happy Fly ever after

[darren_uk]

What does "ARF" stand for - All Ready to Fly ?

Anyway, I bought a kit. This is my story briefly:

I was living in Germany, and finally had the money at the age of 30 to buy something I'd wanted since I was an early teenager.

I got on the internet and found a UK model helicopter shop (Ashton Model) and they were very good: put together a kit for me.

Hirobo Shuttle Z-TS, JR XP642 radio, JR NES-517 servos, power panel, and couple more bit and bobs except fuel and battery (illegal to ship).

I painstakingly, but joyfully, put it together - took me about a week. However, I found I was lacking certain significant tools: blade balancer, pitch setting (the cardboard one was not easy to get accurate).

Anyway, finally it was set up.

FIRST FLIGHT: never managed to get it into the hover. Refused to lift off. Took it home - three of the four engine mounting bolts had shaken loose and were lost, the fourth was hanging out.
LESSON: Use something to seal the bolts in with !!

SECOND FLIGHT: after messing around with the blade pitch, managed to get it into flight but it refused to stay in one place. Eventually it crashed with a boom strike.

Midland Helicopters fixed it for me - so effectively I had an ARF kit.

It's flown nicely ever since (apart from the wobble in the yaw plane it developed recently).

So, my advice? Maybe this:
Build it yourself, but then get it checked over and set up correctly by an expert who will point out the error of your ways.

ARF stands for "Almost" Ready To Fly or "Some Assembly Required"

The wobble is probably gyro related. Did you post about that before?