I’m going to be brutally honest with you so you’ll be happy with your first RC heli to learn on (for indoors).

As a beginner you should stay away from single rotor designs… I know they look cooler than duel rotor (coaxial) designs but this is what you should start with. The coaxial design is something that will allow you to progress and ENJOY your efforts while learning. It will be very rewarding if you use it to learn orientation (hovering in one place, flying forward, turning L R and eventually nose in). These are all very important steps to conquer (with control) if you want to progress with success in single rotor helis.

Sure, you can go ahead and just jump in and buy a single rotor heli that looks good and fits your budget (and don’t let the tiny size of the 4#3 fool you… it’s even more difficult to learn on than something large).

Learning to fly an RC heli is no easy task and I’m trying to steer you to something that will not only make your journey easier but enjoyable too. Believe me it’s much more enjoyable to be slowly moving around your room successfully and getting smiles from yourself and your friends than just getting frustrated from crashing and repairing all the time. BTW you’ll still crash learning on a coaxial design but the whole experience of getting back in the air will be less traumatic on you and your pocket book. On the other hand, crashing with a single rotor design over & over and having to pay and repair your heli MORE than flying it just isn’t any fun. It has even caused many to just give up and chuck everything. I should know, I did that back in 1981 and didn’t even touch helis again for 20 yrs. But back then I didn’t have a choice like you, there wasn’t these cool tiny electric coaxial designs to start out on. Heck, there wasn’t even gyros on our helis back then and talk about difficult to learn… I won’t even begin to explain what that presented in just trying to hover.

Also, if you want to experience the feeling (and learning) of a single rotor heli start out by getting a SIM for your computer… there are many different programs out there to choose from.

My suggestion is to go with either the Walkera 5#6 or Blade CX II… the 5#6 is as tiny as the 4#3 and the CX II is much larger. The choice may depend on the space you have to fly/learn in and the more space you have the better. Parts for both these helis are readily available... another important aspect to consider too. You can gain more info on these helis by going to the Multi-Rotor Section of his forum.

Once you can do (comfortably) all your flight orientations (as mentioned above) then go out and buy that single rotor design you are more attracted to. Believe me you will still find a single rotor design very challenging to learn/fly even though you already have gained some flight experience… but you’ll be glad you know what you've already learned and the transition will be much easier than going ahead right into a single rotor design.

My 2 Dollars… 2 cents isn’t worth anything these days. haha

I've seen the videos of 3vw, and thats what makes be bought a 5G6 when he hovers on a speeding van? Then I saw how he made the 4#3 stable and having a blast with it. So i told to myself, if he can do it.. i can do it too! But yeah its hard, frustrating when you open up the box and the 4#3 looks like it has a mind of its own. countless crashes and weeks of repairs. Good thing i enjoy tinkering than flying. Until now im still trying to setup my 4#3 to its optimum performance and stability. And i couldnt finish a pack of lipo battery hovering tail in. Co-axials in other hands relieves you on your rotor addiction, atleast you see something thats hovering steadily.

Thanks guys for the input. I have flown my friends falcon 3D with good success. I am very shakey with it, but i am able to fly it around slowly and land it without breaking it. I am not precise with where I land or exactly where I am going, but I can manage to set it down gently when I get disoriented.
Thanks guys for the help. I really don't know how serious I am going to get with the hobby, but I would like to get something that I can perhaps grow into. I don't want to get a heli that in a month or 2 I am bored of and now have to buy another to stimulate my amusement. Just my 2 cents as well. I greatly appreciate all your help. Keep it coming if there is anything more.

Go CP if you think your ready, just have some deep pockets. Proper setup is very important on a CP. Each crash makes you better at setup. You've been asking about small helis. They are very twitchy. Also sounds like you want to do indoors flying. Not a good Idea for a beginner. but it seems that nothing can change your mind once its set. Good luck.

lol, thanks.

hyrepower, jasonkc25,
Be sure to update this thread when you actually get your helis. I would be very interested in hearing your impressions when you take it out of the box and spin up for the first time.
(I am learning with a HB CP2, and with no place indoors to fly, so only good weather and on the weekends, it took me nine months to get a stable hover. And the CP2 is like a brick compared to what I hear about the 4#3. ) I think you will be amazed at how quickly they dart out of control.

I totally plan on eating a piece of humble pie when I spin this thing up for the first time.

Perhaps then I can be used as an example to all newbie pilots of what not to do.

We shall see. I feel confident I will prevail...one way or the other.

J

The important thing is your enthusiasm. Keep it up and dont get disappointed when you cant get this little 4#3 in the air. I have smashed it countless of times before i able to fly it.