Im new, need help!

[JTT446]

Hi guys my name is Josh and im a Paramedic from MA. I recently received A Syma s107 as a gift. I use to drive nitro buggy's like 5 years ago but since then I have been out of the rc world. However I had such a blast with the s 107 that I just bought a Double Horse 9116. I have flown the DH 2 times now. I have no issues getting it up in the air but it dosen't move forward very fast at all, I'm sure its just an adjustment but being so new I have no idea how to do this. My question's are this. (1) what book or site or person do I talk to so I can acquire a basic understanding of how these things work. (2) Im having such a blast Im looking to drop like 350 on an even better RC but which one should I buy? I deff want electric. I will never use nitro rc anything anymore, way to much of a head ach for me.(3) should I invest in a flight simulator for my pc and if so which one? I understand I have little exp but i'm a fast learner so i'm hoping to pick up on flying quick. any help would be great! p.s Im much better at medicine then grammar hahah

[LN400]

Welcome! And abandon all hope, rc helis will never let you go

Seems you have your fixed pitch trainer covered, that's good. A step up the ladder would be a collective pitch heli. They are quite a leap from fixed pitch, both mechanically (setting up properly, repairing etc) and certainly when it comes to flying them and the possibilities there. I can't really recommend one brand over another but:

I'd say, watch this series, it won't teach you to fly but if you're unfamiliar with how helis work, it's well worth the watch
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...ac.oQw7wM8IKjg

Look up Finless Bob's videos here on Helifreak too
https://www.helifreak.com/forumdisplay.php?f=60


As for learning to fly a collective pitch, a sim when used as a training tool and not a game will save you so much money you can safely laugh all the way to the bank. Phoenix and RealFlight are only two (and the two most popular).

Personally, I'll warmly recommend Radd's School Of Rotary Flight
http://www.dream-models.com/eco/flying-index.html

Capt Jack here on Helifreak also offers online tutoring if you have Phoenix. Look him up.

EDIT: Not something I should have forgotten: For collective pitch helis, you really want to get a good computer radio with 6 (for electric) or more channels. The more the merrier, especially if you want to go scale.
You will need:
1 channel for the elevator servo
1 channel for the aileron servo
1 channel for the pitch servo
1 channel for the throttle
1 channel for the tail servo

Add one channel for remote gyro gain control (really really convenient) and you need at least 6 channels.

[JTT446]

Hey thanks so much for the quick response. Im pumped because now I have a good starting point. Now for the sim.... do you rec that I buy my own remote and just get one with usb and use that or should I just get one of the in the box kit ones?

[Bob O]

Originally Posted by JTT446

Hey thanks so much for the quick response. Im pumped because now I have a good starting point. Now for the sim.... do you rec that I buy my own remote and just get one with usb and use that or should I just get one of the in the box kit ones?

Welcome to HeliFreak!

I started with a free Sim called Mark's HeliSimRC. I used a cheap generic controller on the Sim. After about 10 to 15 hours of mainly hovering practice on the Sim, I jumped right into a T-Rex 450 and haven't looked back.

I still use a Sim, Phoenix. I use a DX-4 cheapie transmitter with it. I wore out my buddy box DX-5e on the Sim last year. Personally, I would only use a cheap transmitter on the Sim. I'd hate to wear out a good transmitter sitting at the computer. I started flying helis with a DX-7, but now I have a JR X9303.

RADD's and Capt. Jac? Depending upon where you're starting from, you may or may not need or want to go those routes. I was flying 3D with airplanes prior to going to helis, so the transition was fairly painless. I read about RADD's when I first started, but didn't feel it was for me. Capt. Jac wasn't available at that time, but that wouldn't have been for me either.

Good luck!

[kdsguy1]

rchelicopterfun.com ..john salt is his name he has some very good videos and 4-5 books you can download from him any where from fliying to complete setup i have 3 of his books and they all are great. welcome to tyhe hobbie

[rhodesengr]

+1 on rchelicopterfun.com. It is an excellant resource and his inexpensive ebooks are very useful. There is no adjustment you can make to a coax to make it faster or fly better outdoors. here is my suggested path forward:

Buy a DX6i. It will fly all the Blade helicopters and run Phoenix. It will also fly any laarge CP helicopter in your future.

Buy Phoenix flight sim.

Buy a 4 channel coax like the mCX2. It is really only useful indoors but works very well and is fun to fly. It is harmless indoors.

Buy an mCPx. This would be your first CP and for outdoor use depsite its small size. This will teach you TX programming and basic CP flight skills.

You will laso want a decent charger. You can get by pretty cheap until you get into 450 size helis. A 5 amp 50 Watt charger like a Thunder AC6 costs less that $50 and is fine for small batteries used in in mCX2 and mCPx. Check out progressiveRc.com for charging cables that fit different batteries.

After that there are more options now than ever: prebuilts like 130X, 300X, 450X and kits like Trex450 etc.

[Bob O]

I learned everything else I needed to know from Finless videos and HF discussion threads.

Heck, I'm still learning new things. HF is basically your one stop shop for everything you'll ever need to know about RC helis.

Sent from my phone

[newbheliusr]

Originally Posted by Bob O

I learned everything else I needed to know from Finless videos and HF discussion threads.

Heck, I'm still learning new things. HF is basically your one stop shop for everything you'll ever need to know about RC helis.

Sent from my phone

+1. I learned all I need to know from Finless (where are you Finless?) and HF. I love this place. I find I start going thru withdrawals if I don't visit it at least a few times per day.

[kdsguy1]

I think what we all are trying to say is find and take in all the info you can cause you are gonna need it ...lol this hobbie is challenging and that's what makes it great both finless and john salt are really good , YouTube and hf is your friend. Watch all the videos and resources you can find