[cncadmin]

Here is a site for you if you love R/C helicopter's http://rcuniverse.com

[Rekd]

Kewl site. Easy to navigate too.. like I've been doing it all my life!

'Rekd

[Bloy2004]

I'm in...Although I'll probably be a "wanna be lurker"...grounded for the safety of the people!

[HomeCNC]

So Paul,

Are the Heli_admin?

[cncadmin]

Yes that is me.

[JFettig]

haha cool, Ill direct my friend over there, he flys heli,
Josh Moen lives in the same town as I I have seen him and his buddy fly a few months ago.


Jon

[Halfnutz]

Any tips for a first RC Helicopter ? Something I could eventually build parts for with a CNC mill?

[debogus]

Any tips for a first RC Helicopter ? Something I could eventually build parts for with a CNC mill?

IMO your first chopper should be, Real flight ,till you can nose in hover.(perhaps the other sims, but I'm partial to real flight) Makes learning alot cheaper

Dave

[Halfnutz]

Maybee if I could find a simulator cheap, but real flight costs more than a cheap RC, right? So after that what? What heli's are most people flying? Whats the best "platform" to work from? Most of the cheap entry level helicopters I've been looking at have free flight simulators with them.

[debogus]

200 bucks, yeah more than a cheap electric.
They tend to take alot more tinkering to get to work well. Also they are sensitive to wind .
Century's Hawk sport is a good value for a 30 sized heli.
Best bet is to find a local R/c heli club. Get what they fly. They can help with the setup and advise on training.
This will save you a boat load of money ,frustration , and disapointment.

Lurk here run ryder for tons of info.


Best of luck

Dave

[Halfnutz]

Good idea, thanks.

[CNCRob]

Great site, Thanks

[Halfnutz]

Neat site! I had no idea how many different types of R/C helicopters are available! I think joining a club, like you said, would be the way to start. There is one not far from where I live, in San Diego. Thanks!

[itsme]

Hi there,

I've got a Raptor 30 V2. I haven't flown it yet, because I like it when it's all in one piece... I would recommend it though. The build quality is very good and it seems like a decent machine (it has been setup and test flown by the guys at the shop where I bought it).

I decided not to go the simulator route. I tried it, but found it ever so dull. It's just not the same crashing on the computer. Instead I bought a cheap (£90) electric Piccolo rip-off. The thinking behind this, was that if I could at least get that off the ground and hover, then the Raptor should be a lot easier to learn on. I can now just about hover the little electric chopper and as you can imagine, I've also had my fair share of 'contact' with the garden fence. I think I'll still get some proper instruction on the Raptor though.

I'm still deciding if I prefer CNC machines, choppers or IC engine building. I guess I'll just do them all...

Regards
Warren

[BEER_BellyToo]

Hi there Try this out search for FMS ( Flying-Model-Simulator ) it is free to down load have fun and good luck

BEER

Maybee if I could find a simulator cheap, but real flight costs more than a cheap RC, right? So after that what? What heli's are most people flying? Whats the best "platform" to work from? Most of the cheap entry level helicopters I've been looking at have free flight simulators with them.

[50062040]

Also look up pre-flight simulator, last time i checked it was still freeware.

[moyesboy2]

Latest alpha release of FMS seems to have greatly improved simulation for wind. You can set wind direction, speed, and severity of gusts. also check out the FMS forum to download a variety of models and landscapes, the photreal landscapes there are quite interesting!
The wind gusts not only blow the heli sideways but cause it to lift or sink - previously I heard that FMS was unrealistic from this point of view.
Anyone care to comment on how realistic FMS is?
Stil playing with this before getting my first heli. Loads of fixed wing experience (from 20 years ago). - several thousand hours on hang gliders!

[WarrenW]

I ordered an Eco 8 electric heli last week which should be here tomorrow. Can't wait to try again after having a Caliber 30 a few years ago and crashed it twice and gave up! This time I'm gonna spend about a month just hovering no more that 4-6 inches off the ground. I think I'll download FMS myself. I have a transmitter cable for it somewhere so I can use my transmitter with it.

Warren

[KSI]

If your still a newb to helis, dont buy an Eco 8. I would recommend a micro FP helis like a hummingbird or piccolo. They are more difficult the fly but they are also extrememly durable and parts are dirt cheap. It will also teach you the basics and most importantly, patience. Thats something that most heli pilots out there dont have.

[WarrenW]

I bought one of those micro helis and they are VERY difficult to fly (atleast for me). The Eco 8 is only $149 although you need the motor, electronics, etc. as well but the worse is buying just the heli again and using the parts from the old one. I feel pretty confident that I can train on this one. The larger size will make it a little more stable along with the training gear added to the skids. I may be eating my words here but we'll find out!

Warren