Hi Guys

Let me preface by saying that I have read the "electric flight for beginners" document and searched the forum for about an hour now...I mustn't be entering the right search parameters as I can't quite get an answer to my question

I understand a few things, but am confused as hell as well

Basically I am buying a GWS Dragonfly due to the cost and easy access to spares.

I have a JRX378 tx (7 channel) which has a heli mode
I also have a
GWS 2amp ESC
a Jeti Jes006 8A esc (selectable brake),
CC10 phoenix BL esc
himax 2015-3600 bl motor
pico servos
micro rx (6 channel)
2s lithium packs (2xirate 850, 2s kokam 1500, 2s2p etec 1200, 2s etec 700)

the package I am buying comes with the body, the mixerboard, and motors.

I will supply the batts, gyro (pg03), servo and radio gear.

My question is, do i need the mixerboard ? I have read that it is better not to use them and to go separates. But do I have what I need to go separates ?

Is it harder to configure separates than it is for the mixer board ?

What's it easier to learn with ?..ie should i just get the mixer and convert to seperates later ?

I looked at the heli-hobby site which shows how to go seperates and it showed soldering two ESC's together (the power connectors). I take it this wouldn't matter with my phoenix ESC either ?

Anyway...hopefully someone can clear this up for me.

Thanks

welcome to the real world of flying. (lol)
i would keep it stock to begin with, it shouldnt take you long to work out where you want to go next with upgrades.
My view is that these dragonfly style of helis are cheap learning tools and good fun toys that should be enjoyed as they are. When you are ready for major upgades there are better helis to use.
use the stock components until something burns. the set up is straight forward that way, and you dont nees heli mixing on the radio. to go to seperates with the pg3 gyro requires revo mixing and makes set up more difficult for a new flyer.

good luck

adam

The mixer boards do make it a lot easier to setup for a beginner. If you were to use a heading hold gyro, you could use your separates with no need for REVO mixing.

thanks adam...i'll just go with the mixerboard then and go separates or something else later.

I hear there's also a CP upgrade availble down the track.

btw, i might need to contact you when i get around to configuring this thing...i'm pretty confused.

no probs.
The beauty of these things is you can learn to fly and crash with minimal cost.
Once you learn to control them you can move on. i am waiting for the cp version to arrive as well

oops sorry...posted to wrong thread

So, OzzieFlyer, how much is this costing you? And what are you getting for that cost? What parts do you already have? I'm just thinking about getting into helis and seeing that you actually are just getting into them, I figure you have the best memory of what the initial costs are. I've been flying fixed-wing models for a year and I think helis might be something fun to try.
~John

john,
just get the humming bird/dragon fly.
the kit includes all you need except the radio.
your fixed wing radio will work on a fixed pitch heli.It is the cheapest way to learn to fly heli's

adam

John.
Adam says it all. I can tell you costs, however I'm in Australia, so the costs are different (more of course)

In Australian dollars (to convert to US dollars, divide by 1.4)
Dragonfly with Mixerboard and GWS PG03 gyro : $217

I supplied my own:
Servos x 2 = $50
Kokam 1500 2 cell lithium Batt = $50
Micro RX = $55
Lithium Charger = $60

The helis are definitely fun to try. I'm loving it. (vs my wife who hates it) After a week I can now hover a pack. A lithium pack being approx 20mins flight time. My arm is dead sore afterwards as I'm not at the stage where I can hover in "relaxed" fashion.

If you fly fixed wing electrics, you will probably find that you have much of what you need, like I did. So I just needed to buy the heli and mixer..and spares of course.

Even though you could go seperates if your radio could do revo mixing (which I could have done), It is easier to just start off with the mixer board.

I would recommend getting a flight sim and matchint tx cable. I learned to hover on a sim before getting my dragonfly and he transition from sim to real was easier than expected. It IS a lot different to fixed wing though, your fixed wing skills will help, but not much.

by the way...allow some money in your budget for spares.

i have gone through 1 motor (flying too long on lithium packs) and 3 tail rotor blades. They break if you say boo too them. I'm still on my original landing gear and main rotors though.

Ozzieflyer - I also discovered that you can get replacement main rotors ($20~) and and a pack of two tail motors ($22~) . These are useful if you accidently use a 3S lipo instead of a 2.....

Cheers........Doug

dlps. What motors ? Where from ? I can get the stock 280 for $16 from my LHS. The stock tail motor is the same price for some strange reason.

I'm also getting the Johnson 250 upgrade from like90.com to see how that compares. ($16.50US shipped to AU)

After that, I'll go brushless.

Not that you have to, but if you're anything like me, you blow as much doe on the upgrades than you do on the heli.

Ozzieflyer - I'm running the Mini Dragonfly (at least that's what it says on the box) and Kellets (Liverpool NSW) sells a pack of two tail motors for $A22.
My upgrade is gonna be the Eolo R22 ......
I'm working on the basis that I'll still have one to fly if the other's waiting on parts...
I also read that it's not wise to use Lipos whilst training but so far my chopper has valiently sacrificed all its expensive bits to save the battery!

dlps...good point about the battery. But it's a risk i'm prepared to take. The main risk with lipos is if they can punctured and/ shorted. By flying on a smooth surface, you really limit that risk.

The catch22 is, you learn faster and crash less with lipos (in my opinion) as you get longer practice sessions. My sessions lasted 40 minutes, vs my friend with the stock setup of 10 minutes. I'm hovering for 15+ minutes in a week, he's hovering for 1 minute in the same time.

Luckily, the only damage so far is 3 tail rotors. Everything else is in top nick