Nervous Upgrader

[garrym]

Hi to all HelliFever members.

Today is my first visit to your Heli Forums.

As I am very new to the world of R/C heli's, I was looking for some information in regard to upgrading my R/C heli. I currently have a Twister Bell Medevac (counter rotating blades-good starter heli) that I purchased around Christmas 2006 (my very first R/C flying craft). I have had a lot of fun and frustration with the small heli.

I find it flys well, reasonably stable and inexpensive to repair (one crash needing new shafts and rotor blades). My two frustrations are my limited indoor flying space and the heli's inability to handle any outside flying (does not like any breeze).

I have spoken to my local R/C shop and they have advised I look at a intermediate upgrade step and have suggested a something like a Thunder Tiger Mini Titan E325 (I would still like electric at this stage).

They are preparing a quote for me at this stage for heli, servos, gyro, receiver, etc and transmitter.

Reading the posts early today there seems to be a lot gained from simulators before actual flying.

I have two questions. The first is, is the jump from a Bell Medevac to the Mini Titan too big too soon and the second is should I make sure that the radio gear can be used with a simulator and get the radio gear and a simulator before I get the new heli?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[nellster]

Hi Garrym, glad you joined the forum. You can ask and learn so much here. I will give you the same advice I was given. Get yourself a good sim. I started with an indoor heli, but you will learn so much from a simulator. Also crashing on a sim doesn't cost a penny.

Some sims come with their own controller, which is a good option because it'll give you time to save money (sim helis don't break) and learn more about what you want from a radio.
Hope this helps Neil...

[hawkman]

Definately get a simulator....it will pay for itself quickly...helis are tricky to fly but once you master the idea its no big deal....one silly mistake and your heli will get broken.

The better sims have photorealism graphics....I have used a sim called Reflex XTR which is very good...I now use one called Phoenix which is just as good....the models can be altered to give different performance...but quite honestly they fly well enough to help you learn....the smaller electric helis are really tricky!!!! great fun though....I fly a large petrol powered heli....it easier to fly than the little helis....but the dangers are magnified too

I think Phoenix comes with it own controller now....Realflight G3 does...as far as I know.

Welcome to the forum...its a good one...I have never regretted joining it.

Rob

[HeliSmelly]

Hi Garry,
I just got a RealFlight G.3 simulator last week. I've already put several hours on it and I think it is going to really help me out.
One thing to be sure of is if your computer can handle the minimum requirements. I was planning to use mine on my laptop so to be sure it would work, I went to the Realflight website and downloaded a small free trial version. It worked fine so I was comfortable buying the program. It cost me about $200. I guess I've probably saved a couple hundred thousand in crashes so far
Tim

[hawkman]

You will save money....I reckon as a rule that if you have a fairly minor crash then you can expect to pay about one third the cost of a new helicopter kit...minus engine, gyro etc...as its rare to bust these items.

Rob

[garrym]

Thankyou to all that have replied.

I see the advice is do (get a sim) or die .. a horrible & expensive death.

I have down loaded the demo of RealFlight G3 today and found this to run fine on my PC.

As I use a Bell Medevac and its transmitter is a Mode 1 unit, I would likely purchase a RealFlight G3 sim in Mode 1. Is there any reason to go a different mode of controller or is Mode 1 fine - now would be the time to change if I needed to?

thanks

garrym

[VermillionX]

I cannot stress the sim enough. I have made a jump from a Blade CX to the CP model. I would be having alot more trouble if it was not for the sim.