1st Heli what should I get?????

[Nitrohuffer]

get a used R50. Easy to fly and easy to set up( www.raptortechnique,com ), repair and upgrade. If you are just starting out and flying with woodies, a crash kit is only about $60 us. That includes the most common things to get destroyed in a crash. Blades, main shaft, flybar spindle, tail boom, tail boom support.

[Toro]

Have to agree.... Nitro.... I have both, and personally the TREX (while it flies great) isnt a great beginning ship. Everything happens much faster. Plus you'll need to learn to auto after you learn Fast Forward Flight, and auto'ing a TREX is like trying to catch a fly with chopstix. Timing has to be right on Mr. Miyagi... (dont ask me how I know) but I did it...... once. You'll sink as much into a TREX as you would a nitro bird to get it set up reliable.

[notorious_benny]

Hey thanks Trent!! You fly at the Hexam club dont you???? I have heard your name before. I fly over at the Maitland field and just recently I have joined the central coast field at Lake Munmorah.

Thanks to everyone else for their advice as well. I will be keeping my eye out for a nitro machine by the looks of it. ANd only the other month I sold 15 litres of Nitro I had lying around as well as 3 gallons of cool power cause I barely ever flick over my glow engines anymore!!!

[excelpoint]

Benny go with a Raptor 50. Keep it standard for now but chuck the red head dampners in for an extra couple of bucks. I was flying one until recently and they are a blast. I upgraded to carbon main and tail blades after I decked it and it made a huge difference. You will want to stick with the wood blades until you are ready to start doing flips etc. At 130+ carbon blades are a bit expensive to keep replacing. It is the cheapest heli to fix by a mile and everyone has one, so setup tips etc wont be a problem. Ask Towball how he likes em he still flys one.

[notorious_benny]

Thanks Matt, sounds like these Raptors are the shiz!! I will check em out. WHo do you get yours through and parts???

[excelpoint]

Mate you wont be dissapointed. I got mine from powergrunt hobbies in Bendigo, good service and prices.

[notorious_benny]

Yep, I have heard of those guys. Will be looking into it, looks like unreal fun and is a good way to still be able to hover even when the wind is up!!

[excelpoint]

yeah when it got too windy to fly planes thats when the heli's came out. They love the wind.

[rcdart]

Ben, just sent the map you wanted

[rcdart]

Ben, is this new club your in, would it be rebels by any chance????

[notorious_benny]

Thanks Mick!!!

No its not the rebels club, I have been out and had a look at it but its not suitable for my needs.

Its central coast aeromodeler in Lake Munmorah

[notorious_benny]

Well I priced a Raptor 50 today and I must say I am impressed, $620 with a TT 50 motor, I have all the servos I need to finish the job but the gyros!!! Well arent they pricey little buggers!!!

Any way, when I finish y current build I think I will be getting my hands on one of these beasts. Is the TT50 an alright motor for learning or am I better off going with the OS hyper from the beginning???

[Judge]

Also, check out these dedicated helicopter sites:

http://www.runryder.com/

http://www.helifreak.com/

http://www.rotory.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?Cat=

http://www.littlerotors.com/

They are all great sources of helicopter info from a world wide group of pilots.

[notorious_benny]

Thanks, I will kill hours looking through all those sites.

I want to know if there is anything inherently wrong with the TT .50 motor, and will it do for learning with, or are the choppers like the big fixed wings??? Should I just go straight for the best motor I can afford??

PS I have always liked OS engines in fixed wings so I am guessing they will be pretty decent in the helis as well.

[excelpoint]

The OS is a better motor, no doubt. But the TT is also plenty good enough to learn on. It has enough power for everything you will need to start off with. Flips,loops, rolls etc no probs on the TT. Just make sure what ever engine you get you dont overheat it. If you have the extra cash then go for the O.S