Please Help!! Need Advice For Newbie!!

[CRASH2518]

Hello everyone. I'm new to this heli thing and I need some help. I've been doing a ton of research over the last two weeks, and my head feels like it will explode at any moment. OK, which is better to learn on, fixed or collective pitch? I would prefer to start with a true machine, not something like a Blade. I thought about a Walkera model, then I found several posts that said the Walkera electronics were less than ideal. Any thoughts on that? Is a Blade really that much better to start with? I looked at the TRex, but found several comments saying it is too complicated for a rookie. I would like to get a sim, but I don't know which one. I do know that my computer won't run Realflight G3. I would rather just start off on the real thing. Which brings me to my next question, which is better for beginners, nitro or electric? I'm looking at electric for now because I live in a quiet neighborhood. OK, two to go. Is there a website that is better than the rest for my purchase. I'm concerned about my delicate new heli surviving the trip. ( I work in shipping ) Finally, what is a nose-in hover? If anyone lives near Dayton, OH e-mail me. I would love to get my hands dirty. Thanks to anyone who reads & answers back.

[Aztek1701]

Hi Crash

Welcome to the forums.

Wow a lot of questions, I'll try to help out a bit.

Choosing between fixed pitch and collective depends very much on who you talk to. In real terms, a fixed pitch heli are not as good outside because they are more affected by wind (the rotors need to slow down for the heli to descend and speed up to climb) if you plan to learn inside, then fixed pitch doesnt really matter. If you intend to fly outside, then Collective is the way to go.

Walkerea models are cheaper clones of other helis, and your right there are quite a lot of people have had problems with the electronics. You might get lucky and it'll be fine but you might also get one that needs rebuilt before it'll fly. In my opinion is that you have enough to contend with without the electronics being a problem as well.

The T-Rex isnt any more complicated to fly than a blade what makes it less suitable is that they are faster. MUCH faster, they are also more twitchy. Both of these problems can be gotten around. Also, the T-rex is a more complicated machine to set up.

If you want to learn on the real thing, fine, just remember that a sim costs nothing when you crash (and you will crash) a heli will cost you in spares + you will need to repair it then set it up again before flying again. If you cant run G3, what about G2, FMS or one of the alternatives? I would really recommend getting a taste for the hobby on a sim before touching the real thing, it will save you money.

The question of nitro or electric is a hard one. In general, the bigger the heli, the easier it is to fly. Therefore, nitros, being bigger than electrics are better to learn on BUT they are also more costly to buy fix and run, they need a LOT of space and they are noisy. Also, because they are bigger and more powerful, they are more dangerous (for dangerous, read can kill). I wouldnt get one unless you join a club or get somebody experienced to help teach you.

On the where to get a heli, I cannot really help much seeing as I live in the UK, you could try my local heli shop http://www.modelhelicopters.co.uk who will ship internationally, but the shipping will cost a fortune. As far as survivng the trip goes, it would make sense to get a kit as they are less easily damaged AND you learn the heli from the ground up.

Nose in hover is when the heli is hovering and the nose of it is pointing at you. You start to learn with the tail pointing at you because that way the controls operate in the same direction i.e, left is left. "Nose in" 3 of them are reversed. i.e left becomes right (its still left but the heli is turned). Its quite difficult to get your mind round at first and helis dont have a habit of waiting around in the same spot while you figure it out in yout mind.

If you have never flown before then my recommendation would be get a sim then move on to the real thing once you can hover in the sim. This way you have a rough idea what to expect when you fly for the first time. They dont just rise of the ground and wait on you tellking them what to do like they have been winched up, they need continous, tiny inputs and you need to learn to anticipate what its going to do and correct for it BEFORE it happens.
It sounds difficult because it is BUT when you manage to make the thing hover for the first time you will get one huge buzz.

Good luck with it.... Azzy

[CRASH2518]

Thanks Azzy!! You really gave me some great advice. After thinking it over, I will start on a sim. Good call. I've also thought about building a kit. I might build one while I practice on my new sim!! Speaking of sims, are the expensive ones really any better than the under $100 ones I found?
Once again, many thanks for answering my huge post and all my questions.

crash

Hi Crash, Hi Aztek,

I too am new to helis! I bought a walkera 22e and quite frankly I think it was a bit of a mistake. Haven't had it more then 4-5 inches off the ground yet, and I can't control it properly. It's too light I think, I need really CALM conditions to try and fly it. The wind just takes it all over the place. Just when I think I'm getting somewhere, the battery dies on me and I'm back to square one

As for the sims: I currently use FMS (it's free). Not very real on the hovering, but it does help with orientation etc. I have Pre-Flight on order. Not great reviews on the forums, but it's all I want to pay at this stage. I've read that Real Flight G3 is very good, as is G2 and Reflex XTR I may get XTR next if I continue with the hobby. But that will be when I'm ready to get a Rapter 50

You could TRY FMS Crash, the actual flying isn't what I'd call easy. It would give you an idea of what it's like to crash as I often do

Good luck finding what you want, it's a fantastic hobby if you have the nerve and patience for it

[CRASH2518]

Thanks for the reply Tigerclaw. I checked out the link to Pre-Flight, but it's a little more than I want to spend on a sim. I thinking about one called ClearView http://rcflightsim.com Who knows? At least if it stinks, I won't be out a lot, and I can upgrade to a better one.

[Aztek1701]

Hi again crash,

I just took a look at that, and it seems fine. Like you said, if it stinks you can get a better one later, it wont be THAT unlike the real thing even if it does. In my opinion the best sim on the market at the moment is reflex BUT it costs a lot AND you need to buy a TX to run it as well, which if you are just starting means that you are going to be investing anything up to $500 which in my mind is too much to get a taste of it.

To answer your question though, the more expensive sims generally look better, shoot, with Reflex you would think you were watching a video but whats important is the flight dynamics and they dont really change that much (as far as I know).

You are making the right choice going for a sim first, it will make your learning curve so much easier when you move onto the real thing. Oh, and I would say, consider the T-Rex 450XL or the X-400 for your kit.

Welcome to the hobby, lock up your wallet now, this is one addictive sport, lol

Take care... Azzy.

[Aztek1701]

Hey Tigerclaw,

Keep working at your flying, you WILL get it. Trust me I thought it was really damn hard too, but then isnt everything that you are learning hard at first?
Be patient and dont try to run before you can walk. (this always results in disaster lol). Also, your not back to square one when the battery dies, because youve gotten more experience and it doesnt go away with the battery.

I think the best learning tool in heli flying is boredom lol. That is you keep doing something until your bored with it. When that time comes you move on to the next bit. Take a look at RADDs school of rotory flight ... http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html While its designed for an ECO 8 it will work just as well for a 22e.

Also, it might be worth trying to seek out an indoor flyin near to where you are, they happen in sports halls usually about once a month and they are good because you get to talk to other people.

Trust me you'll be ready for that raptor sooner than you think.

Take care... Azzy

Just downloaded the demo version, and using it with a Saitek control pad. Looks pretty good Dunno if it's realistic, but it feels better than FMS anyway. Might consider it myself if I can configue it with a tx.

Nice find me thinks


Thanks for that Aztek I will keep trying trust me, these bones are too old to carry on riding my bike much longer. I need a new hobby for my old age lol.

Edit* Just set up that sim to run with my E-sky tx controller, it works fine. I'm gonna wait until my Pre-Flight sim arrives, try that, an if I don't like it I'll use this one. I think it's pretty good for a beginner, the heli acts just like mine does in real life, goes sideways and backwards when it leaves the ground lol