Being a new heli flyer, I was wandering what kind of flying most of us really do. When I went to Muncie Indiana for the helicopter jamboree there were a lot of world class 3D guys there. When I talked with the other people just there to see the show almost everyone said they were only into sport flying and mild acro. Yet most of us build 3D helis. I personally have no intention of flying 3D just sport and scale. Which makes me wonder if I am building the right heli for the job? What do you think? Do 3D helis make the best sport flyers? I'm not sure.

I'm still a beginner heli pilot, but as a fairly experienced R/C plane pilot, I can say that it's nice to have something that is only limited by my skill. I have several 3D capable planes and sometimes while just putzing around in the sky, the urge just strikes to attempt a new aerobatic manuever. Also, with helis, they are only as aerobatic as their blades/motor/servos/gyro allow them to be. You can buy a full out 3D capable heli and install wooden blades and slow servos and a sloppy gyro in it and it will no longer be 3D capable.

3D helis do make good sport flyers. You have to understand what people mean by that though. When people say they only fly sport style... what it really means is "I don't have the skillz for 3D but I want to"

Helis like the TT Mini Titan E325 are much better sport flyers as they have lots of mechanical adjustments you can make to alter flight properties. In general, they provide smoother, more gradual and more linear response than the knee-jerk Trex action. You can use your Tx to smooth out the Trex response but it's not the same at all. Thunder Tiger helis are great for scale flying. You can still do 3D with them, but you have to be really good. I practice 3D moves in Real Flight, but I would prefer to have a really nice scale heli.

I do practice 3D but I also enjoy sport flying with large loops and rolls. I am not competation caliber so I just try to enjoy myself.

I also enjoy building and tuning. I like to tinker and try new things. I am definitely not an ARF guy because I like building and learning.

I am a noob at this stuff also, but for me right now I just want to fly it normally...no 3D but I might get into it once I learn to fly really good...I just want a nice scale heli to buzz around for now!

Been flying for about 5 years. I do very well, but 3D just doesn't interest me at all.
A loop here and there is plenty for me. I actually enjoy building and trouble shooting more than flying. I'm very mechanically inclined, so my helis are always spot on with set-up. Currently I have a HK450 Pro TT and a Trex 500 ESP, and using a Futaba T7C radio system.

Dave

i can do some flips, loops with my 450...but i like taking my 500 and fly really big FAST circuits and stuff...i dig the speed thing

Big sky, with uncomplicated flips, loops and rolls are relaxing. Even adding some high speed into the mix makes flying very enjoyable. I define 3D as when you have a constant adrenaline rush and the heli is like a p***ed off angry bee.

Mac2286,

Imho, 3D/CCPM helis are the best sport flyers, when compared to a Fixed Pitch, when coupled to a programable radio, such as Sprectrum or Futaba. The programable radios gives you an endless amount of options in head speed, pitch curve, swash mix, etc.
You can program them to fly very tame or very radical, and anywhere inbetween. You can even program them to fly like a Fixed Pitch heli, however, that takes some of the stability and performance out of the equation too.

Dave

It is good to see that there are more flyers like me out here. I am new to helis but have been flying fixed wing rc for more than 30 years. During those years I never competed in any contest, but still flew some of the top rated equipment and planes. For me one of the all time greatest planes I have ever had was a foam SE5A 3 channel that flew absolutely scale like. After years of flying rc planes a simple 3 channel would be my favorite pick. I flew it with my Hitec Eclipse 7 using expo, epa, and all the nice features it offers. I have been gathering a fleet of helis to learn on. Starting with a MSR, Honey bee V2, Esky Belt CP, Trex 450 clones, Gaui 425, Gaui 550 to name a few. I can not fly them all yet but I will in time. As Dave points out with the computer radios I can make them fly anyway I chose. I just need to learn how to do it. For me I enjoy flying around in a manor that looks scale, with a loop and a roll thrown in once and a while. I just wandered if anybody else liked to fly that way.

Mac2286,
You just need to sit down and learn how to program the Tx. It's just the "getting started" part that intimidates a lot of the folks. Heck, I did it and I'm an old phart.
Dave

Originally Posted by choppersrule

Mac2286,
You just need to sit down and learn how to program the Tx. It's just the "getting started" part that intimidates a lot of the folks. Heck, I did it and I'm an old phart.
Dave

yep...once you learn to tweek the TX settings.....it's ALL FUN !!

Most people find the 'next step' irresistible. At first establishing a reliable tail-in hover is challenging enough to command a certain amount of time, money, and repairs. Then side-in, forward flight, etc. If an RC flier sticks with it to the point of turning it upside down there is no telling what other maneuvers might be seen as the next step.

I only "sports fly" but my T-Rex 600E is the best flying Heli I have.

I started off a long time back with a MM "Lark" - no gyros back then

Finally got to a Schluter Champion and was then distracted by F5B planes around 1990. (also saw Curtis fly 3D here after the 1991 F3C WCs - decided I would never be able to do that!)

I got into electric Helis with a Logo 10-3D, after a crash I decided that the T-Rex 450 cost less than the repairs for the Logo!! When I saw the price of the T-Rex 600E, I decided it was worth a try and I love the way it flies!! I have just got a T-Rex 700E and have nearly finished it. I hope to fit a Jet Ranger Fuz to it down the track - I got a CC 160HV that will hopefully be able to stay relatively cool in the scale fuz.!

I don't find any of my T-Rexs "jerky" in their flying - the 600 is really smooth - but then I probably don't run as high a rotor rpm.

Ray