Of course I have a few questions.

[Jeff0r3]

OK. First off I've read this site for about 3 hours now. You guys have already answered a few questions. I've been on a few boards and this one is very nice with suggestions and giving new users advice. So here goes, I am going to get a helicopter. I'm leaning towards the Raptor V2. Going with a 401 gyro and the OS motor. I was considering the Blade CP or CP pro, but i've read alot of stuff about them actually not being good for first time copters. And i feel as if i would be bored quickly with the Blade CX. As I've played with it a little in my Local Hobby Store. The only advantage with going with the Blade CP/Pro is the price of them to be repaired (I know they would be cheaper to fix than the raptor). And money is definitely an issue. My next concern is I have flown airplanes for about 2 years. I have gotten bored with it in the last 5 months and have pretty much put all my stuff up. Got to talking about helis and went and bought the flight Simulater g3.5. And I'm addicted. Here's my questions. I know most heli pilots fly with the 9cap Futaba at my local club. I have never questioned why as I am labeled a plane guy. But I have the 7CAP/7CHP Futaba and i'm wondering if I should get a 9CAP. And what the disadvantage of having a 7CAP vs the 9CAP. I am not a real technical guy, When i got the 7CAP i programmed it for my planes and have a few switches I use high rates and low rates and such. Other than that, I'll have to dig the Manual out when I get the heli. Man this has turned out to be a book, didn't mean to get all crazy. Dont wanna read all that? Heres question. FUTABA 7CAP vs 9CAP. Beginner level: is 7CAP OK for Helis? Why should I consider getting 9CAP?

[Aztek1701]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum.

I use a Futaba T7CP (which I think is the same as 7CHP) There wont be any problem using your TX for a Heli, provided you can select a heli mode on the TX. (dig the manual out and check) otherwise you can still do it but its a lot more hit and miss (especially with the gyro side of things.) The reason people tend to go with 9 Channel txs in helis is because they chew up channels real fast. You need 5 just to get a CP heli airborne, and 6 if you have a head hold gyro, add a governer into the mix and your up to 7. If its a scaler with retracts and all of the above thats 8... Well you see what I mean lol .

To review your choices, you cant get much better than a 401, OS is the engine of choice for a heli and the raptor is a well supported machine (I prefer the Sceadu myself).

Hope this helps..... Azzy

[hawkman]

The futaba 7 cap is a fine radio....I have one and its been very very good so far.

For the extra cash the 9 channel would be a real advantage....but only if yo uare going into scale modelling....

Rob

[uneverno]

Hey Jeff,
there may be an issue here: It's my understanding that the cAp is an airplane radio. While it's a very good radio, I don't believe that it has helicopter related features such as User Adjustable CCPM (can be set to match the Cyclic/Pitch control servo set up depending on the angle the three main rotor servos are set at - 90° or 120° - among other things), Throttle/Pitch curve adjustments and Gyro functions. These will all be necessary with any but the most basic of helicopters. Number of channels at that point is irrelevant.
I could be wrong, however, that happens frequently and often, and I don't own a Futaba for air, I went to the dark side with JR
If, like the JR equivalent, it also has helicopter functions, then nevermind, I've wasted your time posting this

Lemme know, 'cuz I'm curious now...

Regs,
Emil

[Jeff0r3]

Uneverno, I dug the manual out, which I should have done initially, however I'm super lazy and the simulator is soo much more fun. I have the 7CAP 7CHP, also upon reading it, i also found that there are 21 pages on setting up heli functions. http://www.futaba-rc.com/radios/futj69.html

Throttle curve (5 points, Idle up 1 & 2)
Pitch curve (5 points, Idle up 1 & 2)
Revo mixing
Gyro
Hovering throttle
Hovering pitch
Throttle hold
Offset
3 Programmable mixes


Also a easier route i could have taken rather than finding the dang manual, (I've moved since i had it last and it was a real SOB to find. However, you guys really rock, this is the first forum I've ever posted in and I will be glad to say its been a great experience. Thanks again guys and I will let you guys know how it goes. So I guess really the 9c is just for Scale models with retracts and such things as that? Is there any other things that someone would purchace the 9c over the 7c? Or is it just a status thing. If I can fly the raptor with the 7c, thats what i'll learn with, but I just wonder why do people at my club fly helis and all have the 9CAP/CHP and yet they don't fly scale models. Is it a status thing? Thanks again guys..Did i mention you guys kick ***?

Jeff

[hawkman]

The 9 channel is recommended by those that have been in the hobby for some time....and fly some serious rc helis.

Its a case of buying the best you can afford at the time....I stretched my budget in getting the 7 channel futaba...but sure glad I did....others I know are messing about with airplane radios that dont have typical heli features..so they dont have the flexibility of ,say, collective/throttle mixing which is crucial enough on its own....then there are different swash plate settings as mentioned before.....the Futaba 7 channel CAP CHP will do all this no problem. I have messed about with JR radios and they are just as capable....I just find the futaba easier to navigate around when setting a model up.

Rob

[uneverno]

Hi again Jeff,
your radio will be fine until you get so bitten by the bug that you need to upgrade I fly micro-electric just fine with my 6 channel. Like Hawk, a matter of budget. Couldn't afford 7 channel and PCM, and flying in the city, PCM was more important to me than add'l channel. For what I want to do in general, it serves the purpose.

[chaos]

Hello Jeff. I'm not sure about this but I think the only difference between the heli version and the airplane version is that the airplane version defaults to airplane instead of heli and the switches are located a little differently. I'm pretty sure your radio will work just fine.