My New Heli and a few questions.

First off, I stumbled accross this site from google.com and I think it is great. From the tutorials on how to fly to the discussion board, all you need is right here!

Well, I bought myself a brand new Micro Electric through. It is the OEM concept version from which the Century Hummingbird is based (Looking at the schematics of both, they are virtaully identical, century just relabels some parts and adds some extras, while removing others), which I imported direct from Japan for a total cost of $200 including a 6 channel radio, training gear, and international express shipping. It is also a RTF model.

So I have been using it for the past week or so along with my old realflight controller which I was able to configure with FMS simulation software. All in all I hope to be up in the air real soon.

I am allready thinking about getting a beginner gas model, as the micro electric gets taken by the wind easily, and I dont really want to use it indoors untill I have some experiance.

I was thinking about the Hawk series from century. I remember the Hawk 30 from a couple years back, which I beleive has been replaced now with a newer version. What do you people think of that model?

Lastly, are the gas strut training stands really a good purchase, or are they a waste of money? I have heard both good and bad things about them, about 50/50?

Well, thank you all for taking the time to read this. Any responses will be greatly apreciated.

Billy (aka Goanna)

Edit: My model differs slightly in appearance from the image below.

With the gas strut training stands you will not get the feal for the heli as you will with training gear.
I have not used the training stand but I can see the down side
of it.You can make a home made version of the roto-pod that will
serve you just a well if not better for less $$$$.

What gas heli to get? that depends on how much you whant to
spend. How much are replacement parts and how hard will thay
be to get. The Raptor is real popular for its low cost and parts
can be found easly.