First 'proper' Helicopter Advice

[Edmund Comber]

I am a returnee to RC modelling early this year after a break of some 25 years, (and my how it has changed).  I currently have a couple of aircraft (Multiplex AcroMaster and Precision Aerobatics Addiction, with a PA Extra 260 under assembly) which I have somehow managed to keep in one piece.

 

I really fancy a helicopter – and got myself an Hirobo XRB SR Lama on the advice of my local model shop and have managed to keep it pretty much in one piece for the past 6 months.  I appreciate that single rotor helicopters are a different kettle of fish, but I want something I can fly outdoors.  I have got RealFlight G3.5 R/C simulator.  R/C model flying is not my main hobby, so I cannot devote all my spare time to it.

 

It must be electric – I am all electric and don’t want noisy, oily, dirty ic engines.  I want it to be stable (not twitchy) and reliable and have high quality components, with readily available spares.  I have little choice but to self-teach, but do have access to an experienced heli-pilot who is willing help set up the model – it is just a long trek to get to him.

 

I have had advice to get a T-REX but which one will give me the best chance of success – or should it be something different altogether?  I do not have ambitions to fly 3D, just hovering, circuits, figures of 8, moving up to chandelles/wingovers, maybe loops in good time.  I want to fly in a small meadow (50m x 65m).

 

Thoughts and advice welcome – initial cost is not really an issue – but I don’t want expensive ongoing costs.

[birdy]

Not much of a heli' expert, but t-rexs have a good reputation. I personally think something like a JR super voyager e would be nicer though.

[Owen Hailey]

Hi Edmund.

I have been down this road and the change from twin rotor to single is a big one, the only way to go is fixed pitch 4 channel as a stepping stone to cushion the blow as 3d is a night mare to go strait in to, so may be something like a Falcon or a Honey bee will give you the best start, and not cost you a arm and a leg to kep in the air, hope this helps as it is a difficult stage too go through.

Good luck Owen.  

[Edmund Comber]

Interesting response to go fixed pitch as I have been advised by the model shop not to go fixed pitch....  However I will investigate all suggestions

[Granddad]

  Hi Edmund

  Don't go fixed pitch - you need collective pitch to cope with the wind  that we seem to get all the time !

[Alan B]

Hi Edmund

On the electric side I personally fly a T-Rex XL  -  all versions are very nice depending on budget.  To be honest I'm very impressed with the Mini Titan.  It flys very well and is a high quality build and is a lot tougher than the Rex's -Thinking of getting one myself!    If you do not have your own Radio Gear then as a all in package I would go for a GL - 450 (the T-Rex clone)  very well built and the parts are cheaper than the T -Rex

Al

[Edmund Comber]

Interestingly my local model shop (not heli experts they admit) have suggested the Mini Titan.  I already have Spectrum DX7 so would just add another Rx and servos for the Helicopter.  I like the sound of 'tougher' - will they be easier to learn on?  More forgiving?  Better stability?  Not really worried about saving £s on the initial purchase, quite happy to spend what it takes to get the best machine for the job.

[Alan B]

Yes I use Spekrum DX 7 gear.  the Titan is very stable and can take you from beginner through to 3 D if required.  You can buy the GL 450 prebuilt without the gear - the other thing with the GL 450 is that alot of the parts are interchangable with the T Rex and as previously stated cheaper. I would personally go for the Titan with a training carriage to get you started I dont think you will regret it.

 Al

[Edmund Comber]

Food for thought.... I had been leaning toward the T-REX 500 - bigger, more stability, and likely to be the only helicopter I will need.....    Titan looks a possibility, but so far my research on the GL450 is very much a mixed bag - with many tales of variable/poor quality and reliability issues - I don't want to go there - I don't need to save money - not at the cost of potential quality problems.

[Owen Hailey]

Hi Edmund.

The thing that I have found in my winding road from 2 to 7 channel's that how ever good or bad the Helli is, it is all ways going to hit some thing at some point, and when it dose the cost of spares and the availability of them is important as it can often be bad news, so I have taken it very slow but sure aproch to leaning this hobby but I have found that the CopterX is a good 3d Helli but as for trying to fly in wind this is a no no when you are learning as you need all your Witt's about you, leave the wind for the exsperts and thats not me.

happy hovering Owen. 

[Alan B]

   Good choice again - but bigger batteries/bigger parts - bigger bucks!  - problem is once you have had a little one - you will always want a bigger one !!  you could go for the 600 !  same rules apply and you might want a bigger flying area.  choices choices.  The thing is with Titan or a 450 Rex is that it is about the largest size allowable to fly inside at club level in a gym or hangar during those long winter nights! 

The guys I know who normally fly on average 50 size nitro's usually have a Titan or T-Rex in the boot of the car - me included.

Just as a matter of interest have you tried flying these sizes/makes of heli's on a decent Sim like the Pheonix or Reflex XTR   for example.

Al

[Edmund Comber]

Yes I did consider the T-REX 600 - but think that is getting a bit too big...  the 500 seems to be generally considered the better option looking at opinions of people who had a 450 and then moved up to a 500.  I feel if I get a Mini-Titan, that I will then move up to something a bit bigger like the T-REX 500, but if I go direct for the T-REX 500 I will have a more stable learning platform that I will keep for a long time, and the cost of the Mini-Titan will cover a fair lot of spares for the T-REX 500.

I have RealFlight G3.5 - is that any good?  I find I can hover some of the models, and others I crash a lot!

Still not decided yet......

[Alan B]

  Can't comment on the Realflight Sim.  Have a look at the downloadable demo's on the Pheonix and Reflex sites and compare them with yours. However always use a training carriage when learning heli's will save you a lot of broken under carriages/Blades and Booms.  Practice Practice Practice on your Sim till you do not crash a lot !! Also add wind if it is available on the Sim very rare to have a calm day in this country.   I can see where your coming from - I bought a 30 size nitro and later bought a 50 size nitro and then wished I'd bought the 50 first and not bothered with the 30.   So it could look like the 500 then !  Good luck in your quest Edmund 

Al

[Owen Hailey]

Hi Edmund.

I have got the fms Sim, and the thing I find is that the panoramic view you get when you fly for real is different to the view that the Sim gives you, so flying for real is not the same as the Sim, and as this duse not help you fly for real in the long term, but duse teach you stick control.

hope this is some good Owen. 

[David Martin 2]

Edmund,

My 30 size Raptor heli gets very little oil on it and the fully synthetic fuels we use today have very little smell before and after combustion, but each US gallon of fuel I burn (about 18 x 12 minute flights) is a big cost towards another Lipo battery that could be taken to the field to prolong a session of an electric model and can be carefully recharged mutiple times.

A workmate brought in an electric RTF Belt CP heli (about the size of a T-Rex) for me to test fly for him and it flew beautifully straight from the box. For the money, it was an unbelievable package. My eyes cast over the build and set up found nothing at all that needed easing or tightening and looked real quality. I would seriously concider one of those if I wanted an electric heli for outdoors. They are very reasonable money (and for the spares) and there are a great range of scale body kits available for it should your flying style be more that way inclined. They come with everything needed to fly or you could use a computer radio if you have one, but is not necessary.

Don't be fooled into thinking heli's require super fast super priced digital servos either, a decent ballraced servo is all that's needed for smooth flight and if the mechanics are free running as they should be, they will last and last. If you want to fly 3D though one day, that's different..

http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/e-sky_belt-cp_white_canopy_version_ek1h-e013a-p-2069.html

http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/index.php?cPath=21_131

What you do need to remember if you go the leccy route, is that each battery will need resting/cooling a while after each flight before recharging for at least an hour, so a decent session will probably need a different battery each flight and total 4-5 you'd need to take to the field. IC heli's are just a refuel and go all the time and a decent muffler makes them very easy on the ear now.

Both types of heli have a nice bit of weight behind them to cope with a breese and the bigger the heli, the easier they are to fly due to less twitch needing immediate correction.

Just my thoughts and advice.........good luck..........

[Edmund Comber]

Thank you, for your input.  I will also check out the Belt-CP.

IC is out not only for the iol and fuel and starting issues, but also because the flying in the small meadow (50m x 65m) is in my garden and the noise factor is a major issue here (women are funny about engine noise). 

I take on board the number of Lipos issue - I have 3 or 4 Lipos for each of my RC fixed wing planes, so that a flying session can have lots of flights, with the lipos being changed and the plances being sequenced so the motors can cool before their next flight.  So I plan to start with 3 for the helicopter to give me scope.

[Kevin Davies 2]

hi. i was told buy what you can afford to crash! seems likegood advice to me. i would also add Blade400 bit twitchy but good fun. Kevin

[David Martin 2]

I flew with a clubmate flying a T-Rex 500 carrying a 22v 2200mAh lipo tonight and it was a REAL quality piece of kit with power you wouldn't believe, but the down side was the heli was £265 with b/l motor and esc, the radio the chap was using for his 5 minutes of hard 3D was on the real quality digital side too...the whole package was over £500 plus £95 each for the lipos of which he had 3..... 

Very nice but he wasn't flying much of the 2 hour session we had. Not everyone want's that kind of flying though and I'm sure tamed down with a more reasonable count of cells, 10-15 minutes could easily be achieved like the Belt CP managed, the carbon framed T-Rex really looked the business and apparently was the easiest heli he'd ever put together.

Cheers........

[birdy]

Lipos don't have to be that expensive; you could use two 3 cell 2200mAh lipos from giant cod. Thats less then fifty pounds I think.

[Owen Hailey]

Hi all.

I keep saying try H K but this is where the savings can be made and lip's are just one exseption.

get it for less Owen.

[Edmund Comber]

I have decided to keep the focus on the Minit Titan kit, The T-REX 450 SE V2 kit or the TREX-500 kit

[Owen Hailey]

Hi Edmund.

I have used the kit route for my copterx 200, and it gives you the chance to build and under stand the workings of the heli, instead of just bying a RTF job, and you can fit the hard wear of you choice rather than the parts they parm you of with good one hope it all works out and will look for further post on your progres.

happy building Owen.

[Edmund Comber]

Hi Owen

 Yes exaclty why I am going kit - not to save money, but to understand how it goes together - and putting it together is part of the fun and learning curve, plus when disaster strikes I should have the confidence and ability to to repair it properly.

Purchase may be some time off whilst I research and diliberate....  probably my Christmas present to me? (but Santa may come early.....)

[Owen Hailey]

Hi Edmund.

I tend to work on this basis, and I had my one very early this year as when I won the Sea Fury. I came to a pact with her in doors as the Parts, motor, and tx would be my early chrimbo present to my self, as we always pick our own presents, and get each other something small on the day, just as a token to open.

happy hunting Owen.

[Edmund Comber]

Hello Owen

I know where you are coming from - my wife does not like surprises and likes to choose her own Christmas and Birthday presents......  sometimes she even chooses not to have anything (waiting until she sees something she really wants).   We have been together over 33 years and this works well.  I am lucky - she is very cheap to run and rarely wants anything - so when she does I move heaven and earth to get it ASAP.  Normally it is about plants / gardens etc..... (never jewellery... arn't I lucky???).

I on the other-hand am rather expensive to run as I also fly full size (google G-EWBC)....