yeah yeah,,, im a newbie

[rd5150]

alright, so im new to flying, ive been playin with a couple sims and a blade cp. I'm ready to get setup with a bigger nitro heli. I keep seeing recommendations for raptors, but the local shop here doesn't stock them. They DO stock the jr ventures. So im thinking of getting a 50. Since they are right up the street, and have all parts for them in stock, it should be easy and the least expensive way to get parts in a crunch. They can order pretty much any heli I ask them to, so if i can find parts less expensive on the web and there's a good reason to get a different heli, I will. So the questions are,

1. should i get the venture 50, or is there something better to start with and have room to grow with as i get better at this.

2. what engine and electronics do you recommend?

3. where can i find the most information on engine and electronics combinations so I dont have to keep bothering all of you?


so theres your topic,,, open forum,,,,, go!

[vlxjim]

Raptor 50 / OS 50 engine / Futaba or JR electronics. You well get the best support if you go this route. A great copter to learn and hard to out grow.

http://www.raptortechnique.com/

[Ghia]

I wouldnt get the venture, but I would chose the Raven 50 by Century. Tower now carries them.

[hueyman]

Can't advise you on other models but i went from a cp micro (shogun clone) to a venture 30 and it is much more stable than i expected. very easy transition from a micro. they are supposed to be capable of 3d although a little on the heavy side from what i have read. being a newbie, you may not outgrow it's capabilities in the near future. support for the venture models in the US is still good and since your LHS has parts in stock thats a real plus. here is a quick vid of my second flight. http://media.putfile.com/v301120052nd

[emandchris]

I will give you my experience thus far, and let you consider. I initially purchased a Century Hawk a couple of years ago in NC. The reason for this was that is what the LHS recommended. Well, after 2 tanks of fuel, I had a mishap and it ended up on a shelf until recently. I have since moved to N. Georgia, and have the fortune of a new hobby shop a few minutes from my home, in Auburn, GA. What a God Send, great customer service, and a real passion for the sport. In fact James and Leon, (owners), have gone above and beyond to help me out. In retrospect, Century may not have been the best choice to cut my teeth on. I remember durring the assembly process, it was painfully frustrating and time consuming. I remember the fit of the parts was marginal at best, and required a lot of brute force to assemble. The repairs were not simple or quick, and much of the AC had to be disassembled just to get at the engine and fan. One of the selling points of the Century, was the low cost of the kit. Well, as we all know, you get what you pay for. Still being new with Heli's, I can really appreciate local support, and flying what the others are, but even with that said, after much research, I do not think you can go wrong with a Raptor 50. I had to unload my Century on E Bay to get my Raptor, and when you look at the poor resale and minimal interest with regard to bidding, it just confirms that Century may not be the best way to go. So, one more vote for a Raptor 50, and with repairs relativly inexpensive, you can't go wrong. I would suggest that you look at the RunRyder site, and spend some time reviewing the threads on the Heli's you are interested in. But in the end, I hope you have the support and customer service available to you that I have the fortune of! Thanks again to James and Leon in Auburn, GA, you rock!

[Ghia]

yes the hawk sports werent meant to be a raptor killer as everyone tries to say they are.

Now we have the Hawk pro which in every sense of the word deff is!

JR venture- Mine was a decent learner through the hovering stages but damn does that head develop slop fast! the blade grips need to be replaced with the old ergo 30 (beefier) to prevent woof (in and out of track each flight).Tail belt always seemed to loosen in the hard landing beginner stages. Weight of the heli is a drawback also, and the damn start shaft kept slippin in the clutch one way bearing, requiring a muffler/eng drop each time.

get the Hawk pro, hirobo sceadu evo 30/50, tiger 50, Raven, Intrepid 50 (My all time fav!). Im not a big raptor guy but it is a good heli. Last should be the Venture series.

[melvonnar]

I've got a venture setting on the floor now; flew just fine but got sloppy real fast; my money goes for the raptor; I have one of those to; has lots of flights and is still tight.

[physics_nut]

Whatever you get, get a 50. Once you get the hang of the basics, a 30 is harder to learn advanced stuff on than a 50. 50 can be toned down to fly just like a 30, only difference is it's slightly more stable, and uses a little more fuel.

Don't fall into the everybody-has-a-raptor-so-I should-get-one-too trap. They're fine helis, but they're no better than any of the other 50's out there. A competant heli pilot can help you with any model, and the rest can be found on forums. If they have a bunch of JR stuff there, the JR is a fine heli to go with. Raptor would be good, as would the Raven or the Hirobo EVO 50. I personally went with the new Caliber 5 coming out because I liked the Caliber 30 a lot.

Get what you like, or what local to you. If getting it local isn't a big deal, I'd say get an EVO 50.

[heli_newbie]

I'm also new to nitro... Started in march, with a GWS Dragonfly, then onto a Hummingbird Elite CP, the a Shogun V1, then Shogun V2, and finally at Raptor 30 V1 (used and cheap).

So far, the rappy is intimidating (loud, smoky and obviously more dangerous compared to the micros), but definitely easier to fly, provided the engine is tuned correctly. Going from electric to glow was a big change (alot more discipline needed for nitro, it's messier, and cost more to crash). It also takes more planning as I can't just fire the raptor up in my driveway as i would with any of my micros.
i'd also go for the raptor, but that's just me... IMHO, the most important things to consider are:
1) Local parts availability
2) What other local pilots fly- REALLY helps for setting one up.

From what I've seen at the LHS, the Tiger 50 also looks like a nice and well priced machine.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, you might consider a large electric (Century Swift, converted Raptor, Logo 14) just be ready to pay ALOT for batteries if you want performance.

Have fun, you're gonna love the big machines!

[RevGadget]

My 2 bits...

Started with a FP micro in January with Shogun, 3D pro and Trex between. Got a Raptor 30 by August :o ($$addicted$$) . Many said "start with a 50" but I went with what I could afford.

heli_newbie is right when it comes to the smell and sounds. I'd rather put up with the mess than tinkering with the glitches and being down because of the wind. Once I got the engine tuned, (learn how to auto :) ) I had noting but trouble free flying until I started 3D.

Anyway, by mid Sept. my R30 became a R50, because it is one of the heli's that allow conversion.

I also have Hawk Sport mechanics in a 30 Airwolf. Did someone mention removing the clutch and engine :eek:. Cheaper was the idea, but not at the expence of performance, I've learned that the hard$$$ way.

So IMHO within the scope of my experience, for a beginner the Raptor or Tiger would be easier to work on, and parts cost not that bad. The Hawk Pro would not be a bad choice either. Just a little harder to work on than the others.

[Ade]

just to back the others up. the raptor is a very capable machine especially once you replace a few bits of plastic in the head with metal. It is also well supported. if you can afford the extra a 50 is worthwhile, its more stable and has much more power, great later on.

Motor, you really cant beat the OS50 hyper. its reliable, easy to tune and has lots of power. MP2, Zimmerman or SB50 muffler work great too. Dont forget fuel, make sure you use one of the well known high quality brands it makes all the difference!

Electronics. futaba gy401 with a 9254 tail servo. Excellent combo, works very very well easy to setup and very tollerant. good price too. The others depends on your budget but a digital servo for the collective helps a lot.

Dont forget the transmitter. If your on a budget a futaba 7c is the best value by a lont shot. either 9c from futaba or 9303 (aka PCM 9x) txs are the best.

You should visit your local flying club, see what they recommend as its these guys that will be most likely helping you set the machine up and its easier for them if they are familer with what you have.

Ade

[GoBucks]

I bought an Evo50 and have been very impressed. The quality of the kit is excellent and it flies great. Stable but with lots of speed and capability when I need it.

I would also not fall into the "only raptors have cheap spares" camp. Someone over at RR did a comparison at 2 of the major online stores and the prices were about the same with the Evo being cheaper in some areas. There is also an online store in Taiwan or Hong Kong that many use and the price of their parts are even cheaper.

[Cranium]

I'm an Evo 50 dude too. I looked at the Raptor 50, Tiger 50, and Evo 50.

All 3 are very capable but I went with the Evo 50 because I liked the head and linkages more than the Raptor or Tiger.

[Ade]

i have an evo50 sitting here in pieces. they just dont take the crashes like the raptor does. frames are weak, flybar carrier is made of plastic, isnt cheap and breaks easily.

there are a number of plastic bits on the evo that are insanely expensive.

i am flying a knight 50 now which I am enjoying a lot, dunno what the availability is like in the USA tho.

Ade