CX2... Now What?

[Alpha-77]

Soooooooooooooo..... I bought a Blade CX2, and today I used my sixth battery charge. Wow, this thing is way easier than I would have thought. I was flying in a 100x100x30 (roughly) room with nothing on the ground or walls. CW/CCW tail spins, forward flight, backwards flight, circles, boxes, spot landing, I've managed to do just about everything I could think of with it.... Now what?
To be honest, I'm kind of disappointed right now. I have more fun with my Airhogs F18 (which is a very small fraction of the price)... :(

Is there anything else I should try doing with it? Should I sell it and buy something like a Honey Bee King 2 that can do 3D flight and outdoors? Should I give up on Helis and go to Planes or Drift Cars instead?

I would greatly appreciate any advice you guys have.... Anything to help me feel not so stranded...
TIA,
Alpha-77 out.

[Vaffel]

Well, thats the huge downside by flying coaxial, it can be too easy. Its VERY stable and easy flying, witch also limits its abilities.

Whatever you do, dont buy the King2 :) Its a crazy little monkey - and you need to setup it juuuuust right to get it to fly decent. It also require a few upgrades. A new gyro for starters, but also a brushless kit is mandatory. The stock brushed motor lasts from 1 minute to 2 hours, and it gets burning hot.

Id save money for a 400/450 heli. Like a t-rex clone or a blade400 or something. You dont need the mid-step of a king2.

If you want something more challenging, while not upping to the price and size of a 400-450, you can take a look at the HoneyBee Fixed Pitch (HBFP)

EDIT: By flying a CP-heli, you get all the challenge you want in the world! :cool:

[Balr14]

With an area that size, buy an HBFP.

[39mikek]

With an area that size, buy an HBFP.
Does anyone know how to stop the cx2 from swirling while hovering.

[Alpha-77]

Thanks everyone.

39Mikek: Did you try using the trim adjustment below the left stick?

The HBFP looks decent, plus it also looks like it could fly outdoors?
I'm not sure though, I have feeling I would get bored of it fast too... Seems to me like it does the same thing as the Coaxial, just with the constant fighting of the tail... :(

*sigh* I guess maybe I'll just sell it and save my money for something bigger and better (such as a real car)...

Haha, atleast I didn't buy the aluminum upgrades.
Alpha-77 Out.

[Blade_Killer]

Does anyone know how to stop the cx2 from swirling while hovering.

adjust the proportional pot on the 4 in 1

[Blade_Killer]

Thanks everyone.

39Mikek: Did you try using the trim adjustment below the left stick?

The HBFP looks decent, plus it also looks like it could fly outdoors?
I'm not sure though, I have feeling I would get bored of it fast too... Seems to me like it does the same thing as the Coaxial, just with the constant fighting of the tail... :(

*sigh* I guess maybe I'll just sell it and save my money for something bigger and better (such as a real car)...

Haha, atleast I didn't buy the aluminum upgrades.
Alpha-77 Out.

the HBFP is every bit as hard to fly as a CP but it's good for the beginner because it's tough, doesnt usually break when you crash starting out and if it does it's cheap to fix, it's easy to set up and will teach you all the basic skills you need to fly a CP.
Unless you're a savant, the HBFP will keep you challenged for many months.
You can fly the HBFP out side, a skilled pilot could fly it in 10mph breezes, a skilled pilot with a few mods could fly it in 15mph breezes, but a beginner will not want ANY wind at all....

[Alpha-77]

Thanks Blade_Killer. Nice Avatar by the way.

I would just think that the HBFP would not be able to do flips and stuff, and I thought that is what would probably keep me interested. As appose to just hovering? :confused: Would the Esky Belt CP be a better choice? Or is it a pain also?

And another newb-like-question... Any challenges or interesting things to do with helicopters that would be fun/challenging?

TIA!
Alpha-77 Out.

[Balr14]

You have to walk before you can run. If you want to start with a 3D capable CP heli, that's your choice, but it's an expensive choice. An HBFP will take a lot of abuse and not cost a fortune to fix when you crash. I think just learning to fly one decently will keep you challenged for awhile. It's absolutely nothing like flying a coax heli.

[Alpha-77]

...I think just learning to fly one decently will keep you challenged for awhile. It's absolutely nothing like flying a coax heli.

Alright... Thanks.
I'm definitely gonna give it some thought... I was doing some research and I came across this young woman (http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44023) that supposedly took a Trex 600E and used it for her first heli... :eek:
But then again, I am only a teen with little to no income, so thats not for me... So I will consider the HBFP for sure. At this point I'm thinking I'll get that, or just sell it and save some money for awhile and see what I become interested in...

Thanks again!
Alpha-77 Out.

[Balr14]

Yup, a few months on a $100+ sim and a very large, stable heli will do the trick. Of course, the damage you would do to a Trex 600 in one crash would pay for a couple of HBFPs. Plus, the HBFP is way harder too fly and you DID want a challenge. You can always buy a Blade CP Pro if the HBFP is too easy for you.

I'll tell you right now, if you don't find learning to fly a single rotor heli exciting and challenging, planes or cars aren't going to do the trick either.

[Alpha-77]

...Plus, the HBFP is way harder too fly and you DID want a challenge. You can always buy a Blade CP Pro if the HBFP is too easy for you.

I'll tell you right now, if you don't find learning to fly a single rotor heli exciting and challenging, planes or cars aren't going to do the trick either.

Hahaha, hey now... I'm not trying to stir up trouble or anything at all. I was originally just stating that the CX2 has no challenge for me, and that I was not sure if the HBFP would be the same. But from what I have read from you guys, it seems as though its not a walk in the park.
Last year I almost bought a BCPP from someone on craigslist for 100 bucks, only flown once. But I went to my LHS first and ask them if I should get it, and he said its the most crazy heli out there as far keeping it stable goes. Then told me to get the CX2...

So anyways, thanks for the help guys. I do really appreciate it.
I believe I just need to think about what path I want to take a little longer before I decide if I want to buy it or not.

Alpha-77 Out.

[Blade_Killer]

you're a looooooong way off from flips and upside-down flying........you'll spend a while just learning to hover a full pack in all orientations, and you WILL crash a lot.......the only question really is, do you want to spend a lot of money in the process of learning on a fancy CP that is really way above your skill level, or spend as little as possible learning on a heli (HBFP) that is only a little above your skill level?

[grnbrg]

Another option is to get a $10 USB adapter, put together $5 in Radio Shack parts to make a 1/8" mono-to-stereo plug adapter, and you can use the CX2 transmitter to fly a free sim (HeliSim RC (http://www.marksfiles.net/HeliSim)) or an inexpensive one (ClearView (http://www.rcflightsim.com) - $40).

All the difficulty of learning CP flight and none of the cost. :)


grnbrg.

[Alpha-77]

Your right Blade_killer... It is way out of my price range.
I just don't want to be wasting my time (which as you stated, I don't think I would be) with something I'm gonna out grow in five to ten flights (like my cx2)...

Another option is to get a $10 USB adapter, put together $5 in Radio Shack parts to make a 1/8" mono-to-stereo plug adapter, and you can use the CX2 transmitter to fly a free sim (HeliSim RC (http://www.marksfiles.net/HeliSim)) or an inexpensive one (ClearView (http://www.rcflightsim.com) - $40).

All the difficulty of learning CP flight and none of the cost. :)


grnbrg.

Yes, you have a good point... Thank you. I already have a 20 foot stereo cable and a 1/8th inch male to male stereo cable that I used for videography.
I have FMS and I already flew the 3D heli that it has on there (before I flew my cx2 -- Sim or real life)... I was doing inverted flight, and loops... Of course I crashed a couple times... But I think my matter of success was higher then my crash rate... I'm assuming maybe its not accurate at all?

Alpha-77 Out.

[grnbrg]

Yes, you have a good point... Thank you. I already have a 20 foot stereo cable and a 1/8th inch male to male stereo cable that I used for videography.
I have FMS and I already flew the 3D heli that it has on there (before I flew my cx2 -- Sim or real life)... I was doing inverted flight, and loops... Of course I crashed a couple times... But I think my matter of success was higher then my crash rate... I'm assuming maybe its not accurate at all?There are some here who will argue that FMS is not completely useless, but I'm not one of them. :D

FMS might have been worth recommending when it was the only free game in town, but it no longer has that standing. The physics in FMS are nowhere near accurate. HeliSim is also free, and is a far more accurate simulation of a 450 class CP heli, particularly with the non-beginner parameters loaded. You can certainly learn to hover with it. Clearview has multiple models and sceneries, and a little more eye-candy. The CV physics are slightly (but noticeably) better than HeliSim as well.

An hour with HeliSim will tell you if a CP helicopter is your next purchase. 10-20 hours in HeliSim will let you hover a CP heli on your first outing, although training gear will still be a good idea.

Personal experience: I got a HoneyBee King 2, bundled with FMS. I spent a fair amount of time with FMS, but my first dozen or more "flights" lasted less than 5 seconds, and usually ended needing parts. After a month or so of that, I discovered HeliSim. I had a parts order in, and during the 2 weeks of waiting for shipping, I spent 30-60 minutes a day practicing. The next flight I made was a very sloppy 20-30 second hover, that was landed intact.

FMS==Suck. HeliSim==Win.


grnbrg.

[Alpha-77]

Hahaha, alright. Thanks for that input!

I'll go download it, and give it a try.
Alpha-77 Out.

[Alpha-77]

Hi again.

So I finally got around to downloading HeliSim today. Got it to start up, and it looks nice... But then when I had my LP5DSM controller/TX from my cx2 hooked up, it didn't recognize it...? Is there a plugin I need or something? I got it to work with FMS via another download.
I'm using a 20 Female to male stereo cable and a male to male stereo jack on the other end.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! TIA.
Alpha-77 Out.

[grnbrg]

I'm guessing you downloaded SmartPropo Plus for FMS. Apparently, there are two versions of SmartPropo -- one that integrates with FMS and a standalone version. I've never been able to get SmartPropo to work. :)

While you fight with SmartPropo, you might order a GWS USB adapter (http://store.rcsupersales.net/servlet/-strse-2656/USB-GWS-SIMULATOR-CORD/Detail) ($10) that will be far less hassle in the long run.

Although you seem to have figured it out, I'll also make a reminder for anyone reading along -- most of the USB adapters end in a 1/8" mono headphone jack. If it's plugged directy in to the LP5DSM controller, it will short-circuit the battery. A female mono to male stereo adapter (with the middle ring disconnected) is needed.


grnbrg.

[Alpha-77]

Thanks grnbrg. So if I download the other version of SPP, it would work? I don't mind using my setup that I already have (and I'm trying to save money here, hence I'm using a free download).

Thanks again for helping me... I appreciate it. :)
Alpha-77 Out.

[grnbrg]

Thanks grnbrg. So if I download the other version of SPP, it would work? I don't mind using my setup that I already have (and I'm trying to save money here, hence I'm using a free download).I understand saving money. :D

With regard to SPP, I'm just parroting what I've read. In spite of being pretty handy with computers and software, I've never gotten it to work with FMS or anything else. But it should work -- both FMS and HeliSim (and Clearview) use the standard joystick interface, which is what SPP provides....

You could probably make it work by starting FMS, minimizing it, and running HeliSim, if nothing else.


grnbrg.

[burner42]

Hey Alpha,
I did the same thing you did, except I started with an Eflite MCX, then an Eflite CX2. I mastered them both pretty quickly. I took the advice of the all knowing wise forum pros here and bought the Esky Honey Bee FP (HBFP). It is a whole new ball game! I have wrecked it everytime I have flown it! Unfortunately I have had it for 2 weeks now and it seems the wind has been blowing everyday! I tried to fly it outside today in roughly 2-3 mph winds and smashed it into the fence! It is a tough little copter Only broke the rotor mount and landing skid.. roughly $10 in repairs. Buy the HBFP for $100 and master it, then move up to a bigger CP unit.
Good Luck

[Alpha-77]

Thanks grnbrg.

Hey Alpha,
I did the same thing you did, except I started with an Eflite MCX, then an Eflite CX2. I mastered them both pretty quickly. I took the advice of the all knowing wise forum pros here and bought the Esky Honey Bee FP (HBFP). It is a whole new ball game! I have wrecked it everytime I have flown it! Unfortunately I have had it for 2 weeks now and it seems the wind has been blowing everyday! I tried to fly it outside today in roughly 2-3 mph winds and smashed it into the fence! It is a tough little copter Only broke the rotor mount and landing skid.. roughly $10 in repairs. Buy the HBFP for $100 and master it, then move up to a bigger CP unit.
Good Luck

Cool. Thanks Burner...
I'm considering just giving up the hobby (unfortunately)... I only have access to an indoor building big enough to fly it once a week, which is really not enough for me... And sense its not the greatest wind fighter, and I live in the northwest where the wind is blowing almost constant. :(

Alpha-77 Out.

[Balr14]

Thanks grnbrg.



Cool. Thanks Burner...
I'm considering just giving up the hobby (unfortunately)... I only have access to an indoor building big enough to fly it once a week, which is really not enough for me... And sense its not the greatest wind fighter, and I live in the northwest where the wind is blowing almost constant. :(

Alpha-77 Out.

There are a number of more challenging indoor fliers, if you can provide some info on where you might be able to fly with more regularity. I did most of my learning in room about 8' x 8' with a very low ceiling and usually fly in an area 8' x 18'.

[Alpha-77]

There are a number of more challenging indoor fliers, if you can provide some info on where you might be able to fly with more regularity. I did most of my learning in room about 8' x 8' with a very low ceiling and usually fly in an area 8' x 18'.


I have my coldesac, my bedroom which has halogen lights, and only about 4x4 feet of available floor space, and my dads work. Its a one of many "mega Churches" in the area, that has multiple large rooms. And on most days, my dads work is too busy for me to fly out side of a couple hours about once a week (unless I go at night after nine)... Those are the only places I have to fly in. :( Its rather disappointing...

Theres a couple clubs around here that focus on planes, and only a couple people at each fly helis... So I don't think any of those are gonna help me.

I do really want to try the HBFP though.... So I wish something would work out.

Thanks for the help.
Alpha-77 Out.

[Balr14]

My assumption is you are young, maybe early teens? I think a Walkera 4-3Q would be perfect for you. They are quite squirrely, but kids learn on them rather quickly because they have the reflexes to keep up. You will be able to fly it anywhere indoors, with a little practice.