BarF1

Eflite MsR ...
stay away from cheap ones, and collective pitch needs mixing.

And start with Coaxial ... McX are great ...

ACC-HE

回復 21# BarF1

yup! I'm thinking of MCX2..   Local hobby shops don't seem to carry Walkara's.  Nine Eagles are cheap but ugly...

saotome

Intro to heli flying:

Please note that learning to fly a helicopter is a staging process, you need to go thru the following basics:
- Hover (tail facing yourself)
- Hover (sides facing yourself)
- Hover (nose-in)
- Forward flight
- Backward flight

It can be a very lengthy process so take your time, and you WILL crash a lot. It's best to do it in a simulator. Some people (like me) will find it too boring to complete the training only in simulator, so it's okay to pick a stable, durable heli to practice.

For complete newbie, I agree with BarF1 that they should start with coaxial heli. Coaxial helis have the natural ability to stabilize themselves when you don't give any input, which makes it perfect for inexperienced pilot.

to be continued

ACC-HE

what skills shall one learn with Coaxial, in order to 'graduate' to flying FP?

saotome

Almost virtually all coaxials in the market are fixed pitched and they are not designed to fly outdoor or in any environment with air current. Some wouldn't even handle the slightest breeze.

Eflight MCX is a nice little coaxial with precise controls and feel. It's operating with 2.4Ghz radio makes it very tolerant with interference. On the other hand it leaves a big bite in your wallet, while I think it's an overkill to have 2.4Ghz as the heli is mostly flying within 10' radius around the pilot in the living room.

IMHO, any real 4 channel (Elevator, Aileron, throttle and rudder) heli will do the job, regardless of the frequency it's operating in (IR, RF or 2.4Ghz digital). sub-Micro heli is preferrable because it's very light and it does not cause much damage when you crash.

to be continued

ACC-HE

I had an IR one, kindda sucks 'cause sometimes when it goes behind something, line of sight is gone, and it'll drop or fly into things with blades spinning non-stop.

At first I was looking at G.T. 5888, but I like MCX2 much better.



The cheapest I can find is $119 + tax locally.  I can't believe they don't include an AC/DC adapter at that price though...

saotome

Once you are able to do the basic maneuvers; allow me to repeat again:
- Hover (tail facing yourself)
- Hover (sides facing yourself)
- Hover (nose-in)
- Forward flight
- Backward flight

You can then upgrade to a single rotor heli once you can do the above with ease. Be warned, I know you pilot-wannabes want to get cocky and go for those flashy sub-micro single rotor, fixed pitch heli such as the Walkera 4#3, and my advice to you is: DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. They are in fact experts' toy and not for the faint of heart. They are super twitchy, super fast and you will end up with a super repair bill.

Single rotor heli does not "stabilize itself" as much, comparing to coaxial, when you give no input, thus you must be on top of it at almost all time. Bigger helis are more stable and easier to fly than smaller ones, and you should be looking at models with simpler structure, fewer moving parts such as the Walkera #4 or Compy FP. Walkera CB100 is good too but it has some metal parts and they tend to bend instead of breaking in crashes, which affect flying performance.

I strongly suggest to get yourself a good set of simulator before moving on. Again you should practice the above drills with your simulator or your newly acquired single rotor heli and make sure you can perform them comfortably.

to be continued

saotome

ACC-HE: Yes the MCX is the best choice if money is no object.

Let's backtrack a little; as I stated earlier, IR is okay for sub-micro coaxial that flies in the living room. Remember the idea of having a sub-micro heli is to train your reflex and finger muscle, while minimizing the cost of repair.

To get your started, I would suggest to get a cheapo IR heli with true 4 channel. and a battery charger like this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12618

You want a dedicated, good charger because the one that comes with the remote (transmitter) tend to put too much current on the battery. And a good charger will continue serving you well as you move on from heli to heli.

I can talk about simulator and transmitter later if you just want to get airborn at this moment.

ACC-HE

I was thinking to myself, why waste the $20-60 when I know I'm going to get the ~$100 anyway?  if I go straight to ~$100, then it is like having $20-60 off.   Still coaxial, but I think I'll enjoy it more.  And with the controller, I can buy BNF models later cheaper.

Digital Balance Charger and Discharger?  what do they do?  Really needed?  MCX2 come with a charger with AC/DC port, just no AC/DC adapter.

saotome

ACC-HE: I know exactly how you feel, because I was once in your shoes.

Of course you can blow all your budget on the MCX. However, please understand that heli flying is *NOT* a one-off thing but more like a staging process. The MCX is a good heli but you will grow out of it in very short time. So you should conserve your resources and get something cheap yet functional to start with, and something you will be using for a long time (e.g. good charger) regardless of the heli you will be switching to.