Just starting out

[cdremy]

Plan on buying my first copter. Decided on a Big Lama which hopefully will be a good choice. Besides extra blades, is there anything else I need to buy to make this a satisfying experience.

[GLM308]

First off have to ask, have you ever flown a helicopter before? If the answer is no I would highly recommend you find someone to mentor your till you get the hang of hovering. If you have experiance then I would say buying extra blades, main shafts and feathering shafts is a good idea as you will give it a dirt nap at some point.

This is a fast and fun hobby, Get ready to open your wallet and watch the money fly out just as fast as your first helicopter.

Welcome to the site.

Greg

[ryguy76]

Have you bought the Big Lama yet? Are you planing on going to Collective Pitch heli's?

[Imzzaudae]

Are you looking at a Walkera Lama or E sky?

I know ether Lama looks nice, but I have to say that a Blade 120SR without a transmitter would be a much better choice as you can get parts!

Then depending on your transmitter budget, a DX5e or if you can afford it a DX6i
lots of information if you click the link bellow.

120SR SETUP, SERVICE & FLYING LINKS FOR NEWBIES
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=496890

Or better yet.
Invest in a good simulator, ether Real Flight or Phoenix are great simulators and crashes don't cost you $

Maybe grab up a DX6i and an MCPX in the spring.

MCPX setup service and flying links for newbies
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=506789

Even if you stick with the Lama there is plenty of great information if you fallow the links above.

Ron

[tailspin90]

EXCELLENT Advice^^^^^^

Beware of the internet specials

Take a hard look at the BLADE line of heli's
Better quality and better parts availability.

Seek out other heli pilots in your area find out what they are flying and why.
Please avoid just jumping in, do some research. It'll save you mucho $$$


club finder: http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx

[cdremy]

I not yet bought a copter yet and have never flown one. Was looking at the Esky Big Lama: not sure what the difference between the Walkera and the Esky. Never herd of collective pitch. Maybe I need to educate myself a bit.

[Imzzaudae]

Look at MCX2 and a DX5e rather than the Lama.

The MCX2 is small coaxial and a great 1st helicopter. It's super easy to fly and the DX5e will fly 120SR as a 2nd helicopter!

This will keep you busy indoors for quite some time.

Better yet.
Spend your money on Real Flight Flight Simulator!

Hook your computer up to a large screen LCD TV.

Impala Helicopter with training gear until you can get it up and down.

Then Impala without training gear

Flight simulator
https://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=450700


Ron

[cdremy]

My second choice was the Blade CX2. Any thoughts on this choice. Thanks

[LN400]

Originally Posted by cdremy

I not yet bought a copter yet and have never flown one. Was looking at the Esky Big Lama: not sure what the difference between the Walkera and the Esky. Never herd of collective pitch. Maybe I need to educate myself a bit.

Just a bit to get your research started:

When talking about pitch here, we're talking about the angle of the blades and there are basically 2 kinds of helis.

Fixed pitch (FP): These blades are fixed so their angle can not change. Thrust/lift is controlled by rotor rpm alone. Mechanically "simple" and it reflects in a generally lower price and lower maintenance costs.

Collective pitch (CP): These blades have variable pitch controlled by raising and lowering the swashplate (mechanically speaking). When the swash moves up and down, all blades change pitch collectively, that is the same amount, simultaneously. Thrust/lift is controlled by both rotor rpm and blade pitch. For all that inverted flying you see on youtube, and all that wild stunt flying, collective pitch is necessary. Mechanically more complex and again it reflects in a generally higher price and maintenance costs.

When it comes to rotor configurations, again there are only a few types of helis: Single rotor (yer good ol classic heli), tandem (like the Chinook), intermeshing (like the K-MAX) and coaxial (as in Kamov helis and most toy grade rc models). Each kind have their strengths and weaknesses.

Coaxials (mostly FP): Incredibly stable for a heli, probably the easiest to learn the very basic orientations on without a simulator. FP coaxials are severely limited in what they can do so they will only take you so far before your skills are beyond what it can do.

FP single rotor is something I never had but generally speaking, going from coaxial to single rotor is upping the game quite a bit. Single rotors are much, MUCH less stable than coaxials but except for inverted and beyond, they behave much like a fully fledged single rotor CP and is also something to consider for learning.

CP single rotor is what it's all about. Whether you like 3D, scale, sports, just goofing around, CP single rotor helis can perform in ways no other can. They are also more resilient to wind (FP coaxials REALLY don't like any wind at all). The dilemma here is, the learning curve to fly a CP is brutal and for many, long but once you have made it to the point where you can fly easy sports, it is much easier to keep in control than FP, especially coaxials.

Just a word: If you want to go single rotor, do yourself a huge favour and get a simulator. Phoenix and RealFlight are the 2 most popular but really, any will do. If you plan on going CP single rotor then it is even more important to do your homework first on the simulator or your first flight will more likely than not be a very short and expensive one.

[cdremy]

Thanks for your extensive reply.

[Imzzaudae]

I really liked CX2.
It's not only a nice looking coaxial it is easy to service and parts are available.

If you take the time to balance the blades before your first flight you will love the helicopter!

Easy way to ballance your "Blade CX2" blades (2 min 13 sec)

BLADE CX2 HELI TRIMING AND SETTING UP RADIO (14 min 17 sec)

Take the time to trim the helicopter and it fly very well.

You can also use the stock CX2 LP5DSM transmitter to fly a 120SR or MSR if you chose.

[Gasturbine]

Great thread. Even helped this newbie out too!

Ive got about 2 hours on my Blade Nano, and have it mastered pretty well. I can take off/land from were ever (even under a table), can fly though obsticals, etc. Not killer fast yet tho.

I am now picking up a Blade 120 sr in the next few days I found on Craigslist for dirt cheap.

And so it begins...

[tubadub]

Good thread. I'm a newbie myself starting with a 120sr as well
Looking to expand my RC hobby.

[Imzzaudae]

Make sure you check out the 120SR forum guys