WHich way should I go?

[The Fugitive]

OK, off topic, silly thread. I got Air Hogs for Christmas. Was kind of half joke type present, half real thing. These things are a blast !!! My sons and I have been just chewing through batteries plating with these things... chasing the cat ain't half bad either 

I've been looking at some other helicopters and know I'd like to move up to at least a 3 channel set up, but I havn't found any "battling" types like the air hogs are. So for you other heli RC guys out there.... can I had as much fun with the battle stuff? Are there any battle type ones out there in a 3 channel setup? Basically, which way should I go ??  I can only chase the cat for so long !

[humble]

I've got both "regular"{tail rotor} and the 2 blade type. The 2 blades ones are a hoot. A good one is in the $180 range or so but they are a hoot to fly {the other is fun but takes a lot of time (and parts) to learn}. I've seen a bunch of em smaller but the bigger ones allow a bit of range. After all chasing your horse around with one (inverted 2 feet of the dirt) its important to be able to see it 100 ft away...also fun landing it on neighbors chimney etc or on car at stop sign

[Chalenge]

I refuse to answer on the grounds that you may kill someone too important to lose. 

[texastc316]

I'm just getting into the rc planes, but I've see a small heli in the shops that looks a lot of fun and I almost bought it. e-flite Blade mcx $130 RTF.

[CAP1]

OK, off topic, silly thread. I got Air Hogs for Christmas. Was kind of half joke type present, half real thing. These things are a blast !!! My sons and I have been just chewing through batteries plating with these things... chasing the cat ain't half bad either 

I've been looking at some other helicopters and know I'd like to move up to at least a 3 channel set up, but I havn't found any "battling" types like the air hogs are. So for you other heli RC guys out there.... can I had as much fun with the battle stuff? Are there any battle type ones out there in a 3 channel setup? Basically, which way should I go ??  I can only chase the cat for so long !

you looking to stay indoors, or go to an outdoors one?

thundertiger makes the raptor series, and they are friggin awsome helis.........

i fly a raptor 50, and a hirobo shuttle 30. i put a jetranger fuselage on the shuttle, after the crash repairs.
 on that note, raptors relativley cheap to fix.......shuttles not so cheap.

 the MOST IMPORTANT  thing if you get a gas chopper........DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLY IT BY YOURSELF RIGHT AWAY. GET A TRAINER TO HELP YOU.

 they are dangerous, and the 50 size can FUBAR you, or someone else pretty badly.

we had a guy in our club...flew his 30 size raptor in his back yard...no room, nio experience.....he lost control of it, panicked, dropped the radio, and ran for his house....the chopper caught him, and whipped the poo out of him. luckily it was only a 30....a 50 or bigger would've broken parts of him too.

 helicopters are a BLAST to fly though.

good luck

[texastc316]

also there are rc flight sims out there that are tru to life. hanger 9 makes the FS-ONE sim  with a 5 cnl control for $100. has planes and helis so you can wreck A LOT of planes and helis for practice.

[thndregg]

I'm just getting into the rc planes, but I've see a small heli in the shops that looks a lot of fun and I almost bought it. e-flite Blade mcx $130 RTF.

Just getting back into the RC plane thing as well. Got the ol' Tiger (beater) Trainer out of my shop, put a Thunder Tiger GP .40 on it with some 4 channel Futaba gear. Been thinking of the micro-helis for my boys.

[Sol75]

depends where you want to go... I would recommend one of the coaxial rotor birds as a first "hobby grade" heli... something like a blade CX2... once you have MASTERED that, move up to something like a blade 400.  I own both of these birds, a Blade MCX, and a Raptor 90.  I actually find myself flying the electrics more often, sice it is much easier to jsut plug the batteries in, do a quick inspection for loose nuts and bolts, and off you go!

The Blade MCX is a blast to flya orund indoors... think similar to your air hogs heli, but full control on all axis's.  A lot of fun to pla with.. I like flying mine during commercials when the wife and I are watching TV.. also a blast to toture the cats with it lol.

As for flight sims, I HIGHLY recommend getting one.  Even with 20+ years of RC experience, I still find myself getting out the sim to practice new maneuvers, especially in the Helis.. (Helis are MUCH more unforgiving than fixed wing)....

Other than Helis, I fly Giant Scale aerobats, and Turbines... dabble a little in warbirds, and they are neat, but my fav is the aerobats... can make those things dance in the sky!


I am an instructor for my club, and have access to many resources for learning.. I will be glad to offer any help I can, but as CAP said...

NOTHING can substitute for a hands on instructor on a buddy box!
Join the AMA, Join a club, and get an instructor... AMA is roughly 60/yr and includes a great magazine subscription.. most clubs run 50-100/yr, and have great facilities, many with paved runways... not to mention the comradarie, and wealth of knowledge of the other club members.

Enjoy the newfound addidction.. I hate to say it but I think RC may be more addicting than aces high!

Sol

PS forgive my spelling, I have broken ribs, and am on perccets right now...

[CAP1]

depends where you want to go... I would recommend one of the coaxial rotor birds as a first "hobby grade" heli... something like a blade CX2... once you have MASTERED that, move up to something like a blade 400.  I own both of these birds, a Blade MCX, and a Raptor 90.  I actually find myself flying the electrics more often, sice it is much easier to jsut plug the batteries in, do a quick inspection for loose nuts and bolts, and off you go!

The Blade MCX is a blast to flya orund indoors... think similar to your air hogs heli, but full control on all axis's.  A lot of fun to pla with.. I like flying mine during commercials when the wife and I are watching TV.. also a blast to toture the cats with it lol.

As for flight sims, I HIGHLY recommend getting one.  Even with 20+ years of RC experience, I still find myself getting out the sim to practice new maneuvers, especially in the Helis.. (Helis are MUCH more unforgiving than fixed wing)....

Other than Helis, I fly Giant Scale aerobats, and Turbines... dabble a little in warbirds, and they are neat, but my fav is the aerobats... can make those things dance in the sky!


I am an instructor for my club, and have access to many resources for learning.. I will be glad to offer any help I can, but as CAP said...

NOTHING can substitute for a hands on instructor on a buddy box!
Join the AMA, Join a club, and get an instructor... AMA is roughly 60/yr and includes a great magazine subscription.. most clubs run 50-100/yr, and have great facilities, many with paved runways... not to mention the comradarie, and wealth of knowledge of the other club members.

Enjoy the newfound addidction.. I hate to say it but I think RC may be more addicting than aces high!

Sol

PS forgive my spelling, I have broken ribs, and am on perccets right now...

glad you mentioned the buddybox......i forgot to mention that.

 when i fly fixed wing at our field, i tend to like my hangar 9 t-34 the best.....cheap to run, and with an os 50 in her, she fly's sorta scale.......next i like my 80" p51, then my world models 1.2 size extra 300. mine has a 91FX in her, and it's overpowered. 
 i tend more towards making one maneuver flow smoothly into the next..sort of aerobatics, but not really, as i don't really "wring" these planes out. 
 my beater is my world models t34......that is a monster....fast, will do anything i want it to, and lands soooo friggin slow. i actually tend to recommend that as a first plane, rather than a 40 sized trainer, since you can never get tired of a plane like that.

 we've had the kids from my CAP squadron come over, and 3 or 4 of us would hook up buddy boxes, and let the kids fly em. THAT is fun to do. they're always so amazed that they can do that.

[Sol75]

We also host our local CAP squadron every year.. they come out, spend a day having aerospace lectures, camp out, and we get them up on sunday and get them flying... then sunday evening they police our field, and the road around our field (kind of a community service thing)  They also do the parking for our yearly RC airshow at the local airport.

As for what I fly, mainly been flying my Hangar 9 46% Ultimate biplane... got a DA150 on her nose...
Also have a 33% Midwest extra-300 that is a ton of fun with a DA50 on her....
I sometimes get out my Yellow aircraft F/A-18 with a jetcat turbine... but its so fast and complex, it doesnt get flown that often.. but ya cant beat a 235mph level speed!

Also been finding myself flying a lot of electrics lately, especially Electric Ducted Fans... tons of fun.

As for Helis, I keep my blade 400 in my car, and pretty much pul it out for a flying fix anytime I want...I love the blade, full 3d capable, and cheap to fix... Tend to use it to learn a new  maneuver, beforei try it on the raptor 90.

Sol

[texastc316]

been flyin on fsone sim for over a month. got a parkzone corsair last weekend. maidened today. too windy but hell with it had to do it. was different than the sim a bit. flew a little fast and with the wind was pretty unstable but I made it and landed fine. will wait for less wind next time.

[The Fugitive]

you looking to stay indoors, or go to an outdoors one?

thundertiger makes the raptor series, and they are friggin awsome helis.........

i fly a raptor 50, and a hirobo shuttle 30. i put a jetranger fuselage on the shuttle, after the crash repairs.
 on that note, raptors relativley cheap to fix.......shuttles not so cheap.

 the MOST IMPORTANT  thing if you get a gas chopper........DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLY IT BY YOURSELF RIGHT AWAY. GET A TRAINER TO HELP YOU.

 they are dangerous, and the 50 size can FUBAR you, or someone else pretty badly.

we had a guy in our club...flew his 30 size raptor in his back yard...no room, nio experience.....he lost control of it, panicked, dropped the radio, and ran for his house....the chopper caught him, and whipped the poo out of him. luckily it was only a 30....a 50 or bigger would've broken parts of him too.

 helicopters are a BLAST to fly though.

good luck

Yes I'm looking to stay inside with it. I think making the jump to outside would be too expensive as well as too dangerous too 

I have an American Flyer electric plane that I fly in the back yard on calm days already, as well as two gas trucks and 1 electric. We use to have a good size dirt track out back too, was great fun with the trucks!

Gas is getting to be too much trouble tweaking all the time, then the rebuilds on the engines, I'd rather spend my time playing, not working on it.

 

depends where you want to go... I would recommend one of the coaxial rotor birds as a first "hobby grade" heli... something like a blade CX2... once you have MASTERED that, move up to something like a blade 400.  I own both of these birds, a Blade MCX, and a Raptor 90.  I actually find myself flying the electrics more often, sice it is much easier to jsut plug the batteries in, do a quick inspection for loose nuts and bolts, and off you go!

The Blade MCX is a blast to flya orund indoors... think similar to your air hogs heli, but full control on all axis's.  A lot of fun to pla with.. I like flying mine during commercials when the wife and I are watching TV.. also a blast to toture the cats with it lol.

As for flight sims, I HIGHLY recommend getting one.  Even with 20+ years of RC experience, I still find myself getting out the sim to practice new maneuvers, especially in the Helis.. (Helis are MUCH more unforgiving than fixed wing)....

Other than Helis, I fly Giant Scale aerobats, and Turbines... dabble a little in warbirds, and they are neat, but my fav is the aerobats... can make those things dance in the sky!


I am an instructor for my club, and have access to many resources for learning.. I will be glad to offer any help I can, but as CAP said...

NOTHING can substitute for a hands on instructor on a buddy box!
Join the AMA, Join a club, and get an instructor... AMA is roughly 60/yr and includes a great magazine subscription.. most clubs run 50-100/yr, and have great facilities, many with paved runways... not to mention the comradarie, and wealth of knowledge of the other club members.

Enjoy the newfound addidction.. I hate to say it but I think RC may be more addicting than aces high!

Sol

PS forgive my spelling, I have broken ribs, and am on perccets right now...

Thanks for all the tips, I'll check out the ones you all suggested and see what I can con the wife....errr.... fit into the budget      

[mbailey]

Hey there Fugitive, heres one for ya the next time the cat really gets out of line 

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/wicked-looking-huey-cobra-gunship-out-at-the-rc-field/3806975380

[The Fugitive]

Well, I'm leaning toward the Blade MCX. Looks like its not too tough to learn, but its still small enough to buzz around the house with out too much trouble.

The only other option I've been thinking about is a 3 channel unit like This One. They have a third motor on the tail to pitch the nose up and down. They are a bit cheaper, but I haven't found a video that shows the forward movement much so I don't know how well they fly. Any comments on these?

[mbailey]

Well, I'm leaning toward the Blade MCX. Looks like its not too tough to learn, but its still small enough to buzz around the house with out too much trouble.

The only other option I've been thinking about is a 3 channel unit like This One. They have a third motor on the tail to pitch the nose up and down. They are a bit cheaper, but I haven't found a video that shows the forward movement much so I don't know how well they fly. Any comments on these?

If you find one that you like, please let me know. My little one loves flying his Air Hogs, and Havoc Helis. But i believe its time to up grade him as well. THe one in the link you put up seems to be the direction we may go as well. Just have to wait and save some pennies for it.

Thanks