Getting Back into R/C Helicopters

[SlowWhite]

Well been out flying my 60sized P-47 lately and talking with the guys at the club got me the itch to buy another Helicopter. And hopefully by next weekend I'll have one. Right now I still can't decided which one I want.

My 2 choices of Heli's I've found are:

1)and older model Miniature Aircraft 60sized heli, ready to fly comes with Radio, Servo's, Gyro, engine, muffler, etc. Looks just like my 1998 Graphite 60SE I used to fly. Except!!!! it's Metal Frame not Graphite. And I'm not even sure if they make parts for it anymore however I'm sure the parts I salvaged from my old heli will work with this one. Total cost is only $750 out the door. - I like this one basically because it's painted better and it's a familiar model to me so might be easier with setting up.

If I can get the pictures working it'll be the white heli with the stripes.


2) the 2nd one is basically Min Air newest stuff It's the Fury Extreme 3D This is like the cream of the crop so to speak in the type of flying I do. (extreme aerobatics) comes also ready to fly. I'm waiting on a return e-mail but pretty much just plug in my reciever and set the radio and off I go. This one is $850 out the door. And considering the kit brand new alone is $1600 this is a steal.

The Pro's for this are the best of the newest technologies, New govenor, Latest Gyro, New Min Air kit with parts readily available in case of a crash.

Con's - have no idea how to set this up and I don't really care for the paint scheme, would probably either repaint or buy a nicer looking canopy and matching tail fins.. But might be able to talk the previous owner into helping me set it up or find someone locally that can help me.


What are your opinions?

[Swifty1638]

I can say, after being in helis, that there are some other things I'd consider. look into the raptors. v2's. I had a 30v2. GREAT beginner heli outta the box. really well crafted. assembly was easy. I'd opt for the 49bb upgrade. Also, try to get the os 32 motor, rather then the TT-39h (I think that's what they call it-comes with the heli if you get it that way). the os is more user friendly, and doesn't burn up as much. also, parts for these helis are EASILY found at most stores, and are cheaper to maintain then others ive seen. the 50v2 is the same heli essentially, just with a few different parts, longer boom, main rotor blades, (I think the newer ones come with a biffer swashplate) and a bigger motor. Other then that, it's the same. I'd LOVe to go back to the heli, when I start to fly again. also, get a good, solid 1-piece muffler for the motor. those 3-pieces from TT fall apart tons, and just didn't cut the bill.

for electronics I had the airtronics 8000 radio. 8 channel. You don't need something this fancy, but i liked it's layout and got it. For a gyro though, i'd go no further then the futaba gy401. GREAT gyro, and pretty cheap! Other then these key elements I'd say, jsut practice TONS! setting the heli up by a professional would help tons too. TRy some simulators or whatnot. it's not a matter of if you crash..it's WHEN you crash..cause, you will.

-A. Swift

[SlowWhite]

I definetely want a 60 sized heli. So the Raptors won't cut it unfortunetely and I'd prefer to get something carbon fiber vs plastic and the company has to be Miniature Aircraft. I passed up a chance to be a sponsored pilot by Horobo as I was waiting to get picked up as a sponsored pilot by Min Air but decided to quit the hobby and missed it by 3 months (the year I bought my first Eclipse and couldn't afford to fly anymore due to repairs on the car)

I still have most of my gear from my old heli. Futaba 8UH radio, 501 Gyro, GV-1 govenor, OS.61SX motor with the 1 piece muffler, as well as upgraded Fins, Tail Blades, and Light weight paddles for faster menuverability.

These Heli's just happen to come with the equipment and are ready to fly which is Key for me since I've never built anything but my old Nexus .30's. when i was first learning to fly which are trivial compared to the complexity of the Graphite stuff.

Thanks for the info swifty it's good advice, I should have posted that I flew for 6yrs before getting out. And I'm sure I'll crash during the re-learning stages. But some good news is I've been using a flight simulator and so far so good. I can't believe the advance's in the technology since I got out of the hobby.

I have some video of me flying when I was first learning aerobatics on my myspace page, as well as my old roommate doing a night fly. Nash, Seth and I think Gil were there for the night fly.

[Matt D.]

Brian, after skimming your first post I wouldn't get a heli that has questionable parts availability. You KNOW something is going to break, and if a part breaks that you can't get anywhere, then what? It isn't what you entirely want, either. Do it right the first time.

[Swifty1638]

yea, you look into the raptor 60? or is a 90 too big? Man, you are making me miss this shit!

-A. Swift

[SlowWhite]

I actually saw a Raptor 60 today for the first time. - Looked like a sweet machine. Man things have changed since I last flew. Was fun actually the heli guy wanted to see if I really could fly so he took me back to his house to see his heli's, and then to play with his flight simulator. And I think I impressed him just a bit. Which I guess is good news since I really hadn't flown in 6yrs other then the 2 times I played with the simulators at the local hobby stores.

I priced out the white heli and even that one is a good deal also. I set up appointments next weekend in Georgia to see the white one and the owner of the red one mentioned that I could come down and check out a demo flight if I wanted he also lives in Georgia. So I guess we'll just see when I get down there. I could buy the white one, and part it out for more then I bought it for that's for sure.
Still waiting to hear back from the owner of the red one so still not sure what all it comes with.

[9guy9]

post up some vids when you get one. Its always fun to watch a good pilot.

I tried the elec mini helis and determined I do not have what it takes, as well as gaining great respect for the people who have it.

[JET]

I am not near as advanced as you are Brian, but the advances in the last few years in the heli's is crazy. I would get a newer one, even if you have to go smaller for the price. From what I have seen the electrics easily outperform the "gas" ones now. I know you can't get them as big, but the T-Rex's are pretty awesome and not all that spendy.

I got my dad into helicopters and he just got a FP King. Pretty cool chopper that you can still fly indoors. He is loving the unfinished basement in the new house, he loves to come visit :D

Here is a great forum for Heli's. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/index.php

[scheides]

How about one of those $50 ones they have at the mall. Play with it around the house and whatnot, and put the rest of hte $$ into getting your DSM back on the road/track!!!

[Swifty1638]

www.runryder.com. That was the site I was on before..

brian, ever think of doing a scale heli?

-A. Swift