Anyone Into RC Helicopters?

mark · #1 12-15-2011, 04:45 AM

I've been wondering about the ones at Future Shop. Look nice in the box though no idea the quality or ease to fly but might be a cheaper option the learn on.

MarkoD · #2 12-15-2011, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark

I've been wondering about the ones at Future Shop. Look nice in the box though no idea the quality or ease to fly but might be a cheaper option the learn on.

Those coaxial. They're easy to fly.

The biggest thing is parts. How easily can you get replacemt parts when you crash and need to repair it.

The hobby stores carry all the parts for the heli's they carry. Future shop doesn't carry any parts

fishytime · #3 12-15-2011, 05:02 AM

I used to be into the big gas ones......and the cars too......alot of fun until you crash them.........again and again and again.......almost as expensive as keeping a reef

Triggz · #4 12-15-2011, 05:52 AM

I bought a cheap litehawk last year for like $50-$60 I think? It's great for just sitting on the couch and flying it around the house. I was going to spend a lot more and get fancy one but a random customer told me to put it back and pick the litehawk if it was my first one. Glad he did because I smashed the crap out of it a good dozen times! Thing can take a mean crash. I think I finally took a chunk out of the wing and just haven't spent the $5 to pick up a new one. Def worth the $50 though.

lastlight · #5 12-15-2011, 05:57 AM

I've got a cheap $30 one. Must have a built-in gyro as I could fly it pretty well within minutes. Like Tony mentioned a heat current can send it sideways lol.

I'm not sure where I've been the last 10 years or whatever but I had no idea until very recently that flight had become so cheap?! The little tiny motors (look like watch batteries!) blow my mind with their power.

Battery life is crap though. 8 min of fun is torture.

JMes · #6 12-15-2011, 07:18 AM

I've had my eye on this Apache.
http://indyhelis.com/

Heres a video of it in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC_MA...feature=fvwrel

Nano · #7 12-15-2011, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMes

I've had my eye on this Apache.
http://indyhelis.com/

Heres a video of it in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC_MA...feature=fvwrel

That's a lot of toy! I like it Haha

jostafew · #8 12-15-2011, 04:38 PM

Hey, finally another topic I have some experience with! I've been flying CP helis for about three years now, currently have a Trex 450V2 clone and Trex 500 TT clone. Also fly fixed wing but that's just kiddie stuff

If you're starting out and want to try a FP heli have a look at the Blade SR120 http://www.horizonhobby.com/products...sr-rtf-BLH3100

It's big enough that it can be flown outdoors, and since it's a single rotor heli it'll behave more like the CP stuff when this one gets easy. Of course as mentioned before the coaxial stuff is easier to start with but I think you'll get tired of it pretty quick (greasing the landing is only fun so many times!) Being an E-flite product you'll be able to get parts locally which is important. This one will take a rough landing and fly again unlike its more complex CP big brothers, but eventually something will break when you bounce it off a tree or a brick wall hahaha. I have a co-worker in Calgary with this model and he's been quite happy with it. It takes a beating and keeps flying, just has to replace the occasional main blade or the like. I find the smaller MSR to be kinda twitchy and gets blown around a little too much outside so I'm not sure I'd recommend that as a starter.

If you find that the price tag on the 120SR is a little steep (compared to reefing equipment it's pennies hahah) you can get cheaper stuff at the mall for $30 but know that it's not gonna fly super well, the transmitter layout's probably gonna be whack and won't translate to a real Tx well, and once it breaks a part it's basicly junk (no support).

If you do end up getting one of those E-flite helis, save yourself some $$$ and go here for extra batteries: www.hobbyking.com Straight from China and dirt cheap!

MarkoD · #9 12-15-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jostafew

Hey, finally another topic I have some experience with! I've been flying CP helis for about three years now, currently have a Trex 450V2 clone and Trex 500 TT clone. Also fly fixed wing but that's just kiddie stuff

If you're starting out and want to try a FP heli have a look at the Blade SR120 http://www.horizonhobby.com/products...sr-rtf-BLH3100

It's big enough that it can be flown outdoors, and since it's a single rotor heli it'll behave more like the CP stuff when this one gets easy. Of course as mentioned before the coaxial stuff is easier to start with but I think you'll get tired of it pretty quick (greasing the landing is only fun so many times!) Being an E-flite product you'll be able to get parts locally which is important. This one will take a rough landing and fly again unlike its more complex CP big brothers, but eventually something will break when you bounce it off a tree or a brick wall hahaha. I have a co-worker in Calgary with this model and he's been quite happy with it. It takes a beating and keeps flying, just has to replace the occasional main blade or the like. I find the smaller MSR to be kinda twitchy and gets blown around a little too much outside so I'm not sure I'd recommend that as a starter.

If you find that the price tag on the 120SR is a little steep (compared to reefing equipment it's pennies hahah) you can get cheaper stuff at the mall for $30 but know that it's not gonna fly super well, the transmitter layout's probably gonna be whack and won't translate to a real Tx well, and once it breaks a part it's basicly junk (no support). U

If you do end up getting one of those E-flite helis, save yourself some $$$ and go here for extra batteries: www.hobbyking.com Straight from China and dirt cheap!

That's the exact one I was looking at. It's on for 159 right now with the radio.

But I was hoping to find a FP heli that's a bit bigger.

jostafew · #10 12-15-2011, 06:20 PM

A little bigger huh... well there's the Esky Honey Bee FP, it's closer to 400 size. You'll most likely be shopping for parts online but they are available. I don't have any personal experience with it but from what I've read it's another good one, you may wanna do some quick googling to see if it's more up your alley.

http://helidirect.com/esky-hb-fixed-...py-p-14271.hdx

On a somewhat related note, I'd highly recomend looking into an innexpensive flight sim program like Clearview for example. It'll use your existing Tx with a USB adapter (purchased seperatly, about $20) as the input device and will help you to practice the basic orientation skills, and take a crack at the more advanced models to see if you're ready. Real Flight is well known and comes with it's own Tx input device but it's spendy.