Discussion Clueless Wife Needs Help

[pimmer]

I was going to recommend the simulator first off. He should not TOUCH the sticks for a real heli until he has been on the simulator for at least a few weeks. I GUARANTEE there will be massive disappointment when he crashes the machine as he absolutely WILL do if he tries to fly it the first time. (Ask me how I know these things.) He may swaer up and down that he will have no problem, but he will, I assure you. It doesn't matter how smart you are, or how mechanically inclined you are, or even if you have been flying RC planes for years. He needs simulator time before wrecking an expensive machine. He may end up thinking that the whole hobby is not worth the trouble if he trashes the heli the first time out.

[jblackmore]

Originally Posted by lincsmama

Would it be lame to get him just part of the set-up? Like the kit, and maybe the electric parts? What do you husbands think?

As a husband - I would want something I could fly straight away - or if it was a kit I could build it and fly it straight away ;-)

All the people saying get better heli's have already decided they are sticking with it, so spending $$$$$ is worth it.

Honestly for a first heli, I would look at something like a Blade MSR - its cheap, ready to go out of the box, and can fly indoors, and is great for learning - any guy would love this !!!

If you really want outdoor, then a Belt CP or Blade400 which comes complete and RTF (Ready to fly) would be best - if he likes engineering, he will enjoy fixing it - and spares are available for all these.

Maybe next Christmas you could get him the copter-X ;-)

[arbilab]

Y'all, look at the jargon you're spewing at this lady who specifically said she doesn't get most of it. Puh-leez. I've got Asperger's, deficit in relating to people, but I know better than to do that.

'Clueless' gets more than she gives herself credit for. Trex 450 is the gold standard for backyard+ flyers. Starting less than that, you'll end up replacing a lot of components with Trex anyway. 'Course then, if he's just learning to fly helicopters, he's going to have to replace juzbout everything, many more than once. So maybe the "clone" approach (offbrand versions of the same thing) makes the most economic sense to start with.

Let him round up his own electronics (transmitter, receiver, servos, motor, so-called ESC). Engineer-type guys (I'm one) like doing that for themselves anyway. But do consider the cost of all that with regard to the family budget. The one thing above that is universally true, is that this is an expensive hobby once you determine to "go outdoors".

Don't want to reconsider a houseflyer? Already got one? They're only $100-170 and don't care about weather. Come complete, everything needed, charge and fly. But if that's definitely not what he wants, don't let me persuade you that direction.

[tonyastro]

factors:

price
flying experience
rtf (no need for radio) or kit
house flyer (Blade msr) or 450 size (only lincsmama would know)

[lincsmama]

Yes he already has two houseflyers, he specifically showed me a youtube video of someone flying an outdoor one, it was definitely impressive, he will have a lot to learn! But he said that is what he wants. At the time, I didn't look to see what type of helicopter it was, it was over a month ago, so I can't track it back down without asking him, and I'm big into surprises, obviously.

What I have to decide I guess is how deep I think he's going to get into this hobby. If he's eventually going to want something nicer, I'd rather not waste the money on a cheaper one. I know he really really wants one, but right now, I might know more about the costs and stuff than him! haha So I'm tempted by the cheaper options as much as I'm tempted by the costlier ones. If I get the copterx or trex, I think it will have to be only part of the setup. He could always sell it on ebay and get one of the ones you guys mentioned like the honey bee instead if he decides he doesn't want to get that far into it, right?

[SidewaysLS4]

Looks like flying hobby has the sport super combo on sale today...$359

TX/RX $180

Charger: $55

Batteries: $14/ea

A top notch setup with no fuss, no muss (definately figure out how to hover a collective pitch machine on a sim before attempting actual flight). It'll cost about $700 with shipping/a good number of batteries, but a good way to start out without having to worry about equipment issues (or knowing what to look out for before they become issues) Seems like a smoother way to ease into the hobby, and is one heck of a nice gift

[bad400]

Originally Posted by prop bender

If I follow your line of thinking right( and please correct me if I am not) You are saying that the only way to get into helies is top dollar! I respectivly disagree You are right in this respect though" this hobby is not cheap" But there is no reason to lay out a thousand bucks to get into a hobby that you might find is not what you expected.

You mentioned Copter-X OK A copter-X kit costs $69.95 An electronic package for it runs another $69.95 round that of to $140.00 plus shipping which I believe is another $12.00. Batterys add another $40.00 (about $18.00 apiece) OK Theres the bird Now another $200.00 for the Dx6I plus a battery charger--a good one for about $80.00 Thats means around $500 for a flyable bird. True it does not have the prestigious componants that an Aline has! but it will fly And it is not an E-flight 400 that runs over $400 and I think you said you put another $400 in it in up grades. Come on!! this hobby is about haveing fun and most of us are doing that on very small budgets There differant ways to get into helies. My advise is to serf the foroms and find out what people are useing and make your desision from what you learn from that. Just my 15 cents PB

so you suggest to spend 190 buck`s on a piece of JUNK heli that`ll DO NOTHING but discurage the newbie totally away from heli`s????, because they followed buy CHEAP and have a heli THAT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BUT CAUSE A HUGE HEADACHE.
now they have wasted 190 buck`s plus shipping and god`s know`s how much on part`s for something that`ll NEVER be worth flying to begain with. and on something that`ll fall apart in a week and then will become a shelf model????????
totally BAD logic when looking at heli`s BAD BAD BAD

[grahats]

I would by the Trex 450 supersport that sideways found at flying hobby. Really cannot go wrong with this.

http://flying-hobby.com/catalog/prod...jn25ss09osa9t2

[Jimmy Flyer]

Originally Posted by grahats

I would by the Trex 450 supersport that sideways found at flying hobby. Really cannot go wrong with this.

http://flying-hobby.com/catalog/prod...jn25ss09osa9t2

+100000, it's the real deal, and all he would need is a radio, batteries, charger, reciever. yes that's a lot of money, however if he sticks with the hobby, it will be an awesome, long lasting, reliable set up. And if RC helis turns out not to be his thing, you can get a good chunk of your money back on craigs list or something along those lines. That's also another option is looking on craigsist for a used heli that's nice and has just about everything it needs.

[tonyastro]

if he doesn't mind 2nd hand birthday gifts

[ewoodcox]

[quote=lincsmama;13498587]Hi Guys,
I'm trying to get some advice from someone who can talk to me in layman's terms. I'm thinking of buying my husband an outdoor helicopter for Christmas, but I'm clueless. He really wants one but I want to keep it a surprise...I decided on the T-Rex 450 but I think I will actually probably go with the Copterx because of the cost.....QUOTE]

Well you got lots of comments, some ignore the cost issue, you mentioned it so I assume cost is a issue. I hear a 450 size heli is a good way to learn, I might suggest clearview flight sim ~$39 with a esky training handset ~$22.

I hate to say but is an expensive hobby. For a first heli I REALLY suggest a RTF, the CopterX is awsome choice, but getting a TX is expensive and it is going to cost allot to get a Futaba or Spektrum radio (I recommend you go Spektrum, but that is a different threat ).

Check these RTF
http://www.xheli.com/26exrcg2brrc.html
I don't like the TX, but it is probably OK

http://www.xheli.com/exrc2450sert.html

I like the metal head/tail on this guy but it is a bit more spensive
http://www.xheli.com/blueray-450.html

You will still need another lipo and a nice charger. This one is nice:
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idProduct=7028

Here is a nice battery for a 450 sized heli:
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idProduct=6306

Good luck, go RTF to learn and that Exceed TX can be used on other helis, but it is best to get a.....

[arbilab]

Bearing in mind that most youtube heli videos--the 'impressive' ones anyway--are going to take quite a while to duplicate in the hands of an outdoor-beginner.

Also bearing in mind that, as you might expect, the aftermarket value of hobby components is going to be roughly half what they cost retail. I wouldn't sell the one that was "too good" if I needed a cheaper/simpler learner. Fact, I had the learner for a month when the "too good" one became available, bought it even though I wasn't ready for it, and still not. That was Trex/EXI 450 hybrid, already built and fully fitted including transmitter, for $350. Roughly half the retail price of the components, not counting the assembly work.

I think, get him a good airframe kit like Trex at a practical scale like 450. It's hard to rate the clones (offbrands) as to quality, they all look the same as they use Trex's dimensions but not necessarily Trex's materials or tolerances. Let him flesh out the kit (radioset and other electronics) with his own research. Keep him busy longer.

The Trex airframe kit should leave room for that in the budget, though it may take months to acquire everything. For that matter, it may take months to put it together, weeks anyway. These "outdoor" flyers tend to have about 10x as many parts as the houseflyers he's used to, and 4x the adjustments.

I spoze it could be done incrementally cheaper, if you knew exactly what you were looking at by reputation. There is much discussion (here) about which clone comes closest to Trex and with what compromises, but little hard concensus and they all reference Trex. So if you got that, you couldn't very well go wrong. (Might go broke though, eh?)

[MakMov]

If you are like me, stubborn and hard headed, determined and have a high threshold of patients I'd just go with an old school Walkera 4#3.

It's an RTF with a FM radio and you can still find them in the sub $100 range.

Parts are everywhere and if you can fly this little sucker you can fly just about anything else that comes along. It's also good for learning your heli skills because you'll rebuild a dozen times before getting it to hover.

If it cracks you, you probably get cracked anyway and you're only out a $100. I actually had to threaten mine with "fly damn you or else!" It eventually did.

But if you have the persistance to fly it you'll get hooked and have an easy time getting pretty much anything else in the air.

In the end it was probably my best heli investment.

[MakMov]

Originally Posted by arbilab

Bearing in mind that most youtube heli videos--the 'impressive' ones anyway--are going to take quite a while to duplicate in the hands of an outdoor-beginner.

Also bearing in mind that, as you might expect, the aftermarket value of hobby components is going to be roughly half what they cost retail. I wouldn't sell the one that was "too good" if I needed a cheaper/simpler learner. Fact, I had the learner for a month when the "too good" one became available, bought it even though I wasn't ready for it, and still not. That was Trex/EXI 450 hybrid, already built and fully fitted including transmitter, for $350. Roughly half the retail price of the components, not counting the assembly work.

I think, get him a good airframe kit like Trex at a practical scale like 450. It's hard to rate the clones (offbrands) as to quality, they all look the same as they use Trex's dimensions but not necessarily Trex's materials or tolerances. Let him flesh out the kit (radioset and other electronics) with his own research. Keep him busy longer.

The Trex airframe kit should leave room for that in the budget, though it may take months to acquire everything. For that matter, it may take months to put it together, weeks anyway. These "outdoor" flyers tend to have about 10x as many parts as the houseflyers he's used to, and 4x the adjustments.

I spoze it could be done incrementally cheaper, if you knew exactly what you were looking at by reputation. There is much discussion (here) about which clone comes closest to Trex and with what compromises, but little hard concensus and they all reference Trex. So if you got that, you couldn't very well go wrong. (Might go broke though, eh?)

All depends on experience. I wouldn't recommend a clone to someone without any experience with them. They are great if you know what to do to them to make them better, what the quriks are, and what IS going to fail for sure.

I have a EXI 450 (Trex clone) and it's pretty good. However, it's also been modified with Align parts including a V3 TT tail.

That was like my 3rd or 4th heli and I would have been clueless without knowing the basics I learned from my Mini Spark AKA Walkera 4#3, Walkera 4#3A 4G3 and Trex 250.

Honestly, really when it comes right down to it the only way to do it is to just do it, which sounds like an over simplified answer but it's the honest to god's truth.

[ewoodcox]

Originally Posted by arbilab

Bearing in mind that most youtube heli videos--the 'impressive' ones anyway--are going to take quite a while to duplicate in the hands of an outdoor-beginner.

Also bearing in mind that, as you might expect, the aftermarket value of hobby components is going to be roughly half what they cost retail. I wouldn't sell the one that was "too good" if I needed a cheaper/simpler learner. Fact, I had the learner for a month when the "too good" one became available, bought it even though I wasn't ready for it, and still not. That was Trex/EXI 450 hybrid, already built and fully fitted including transmitter, for $350. Roughly half the retail price of the components, not counting the assembly work.

I think, get him a good airframe kit like Trex at a practical scale like 450. It's hard to rate the clones (offbrands) as to quality, they all look the same as they use Trex's dimensions but not necessarily Trex's materials or tolerances. Let him flesh out the kit (radioset and other electronics) with his own research. Keep him busy longer.

The Trex airframe kit should leave room for that in the budget, though it may take months to acquire everything. For that matter, it may take months to put it together, weeks anyway. These "outdoor" flyers tend to have about 10x as many parts as the houseflyers he's used to, and 4x the adjustments.

I spoze it could be done incrementally cheaper, if you knew exactly what you were looking at by reputation. There is much discussion (here) about which clone comes closest to Trex and with what compromises, but little hard concensus and they all reference Trex. So if you got that, you couldn't very well go wrong. (Might go broke though, eh?)

It has been a weird time for me, work, helis, stupid stuff, so....after drinking a ridiculous number of beers tonight,I have to say, with all due respect, that is the craziest thing I have ever heard for a primary trainer, I'm not sure of your point, are you recommendeing a TREX on a budget. or used? I guess that could be a good way to go for an engineering type, I think.... I guess you are suggesting that is a better way to go than a plastic head 450 RTF?

If the 450 RTFs are too spensive....get a HBFP or a mSR, the mSR will set you back $180 and it is pointlessly easy but fun, I kind of thought the HBFP was a PITA but it works and is very cheap and comes RTF. I really recommend a RTF for a first time heli student pilot.