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