Any of these a good beginner heli?

[flyingdog]

I would get a mcx2. Good for indoors once grown out of it is good to let the kids and friends try. Nano is quick and would be hard IMHO to tame as a starter.

One more thought would be a cx2 for outdoors / big indoors. I think it comes with a nice radio if I am not mistaken

[rhodesengr]

Originally Posted by whodothevoodoo

Hmmmm, fixed pitch Nano...maybe I'll try that for my Grandson. Any idea what value to enter into the Pitch curve? Maybe with a low enough pitch it would require enough throttle to make it more stable, and then reduce the low rates to about 40% with say 30+ on expo, and it might just make a good trainer.

I think you just have to experiment with the throttle and pitch levels so it just barely goes up.

[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by wocka_wocka

Its maybe not quite as dramatic as this, but I was once told if you're thinking of buying a boat, but you don't know whether you are going to like boating, buy what you want. If you don't like boating, sell it.

What you shouldn't do is buy a small one/cheap one/not really the one you wanted one just to see if you like boating because:

if you do like it you have a boat for sale because you want the one you wanted originally,

or if you don't like it you have a boat for sale.

That's about the clumsiest thing I've ever written but I hope you see my point.

+1 Makes sense!

Originally Posted by rhodesengr

To the OP: I said this before but you said you can't go back and read the older posts. You should get on a computer and re-read this thread. I very strongly suggest you DO NOT buy a 120 SR used or not. You can and should ressearch it. I consider mine my only real mistake in helicopering. It will not fly outside. It is too big to fly inside. It has very odd flight characteristics due to its 45 degree flybar. It exhibits pendulum effect and toilet bowl effect (TBE) you spend all your time fighting these effects rather than flying. It handle no more wind than a coax.

Gte an mCX2 and the a Blade Nano CPx or just skip to the nano. You can set the nano as a Fixed pitch so buying any FP is sort of a waste.

Oh I didn't mean I haven't re-read the thread, I just meant while I was replying I couldn't go back to mention the names of specific members when referring to their advice, so I just kept saying "someone". But I have been re-reading the replies and then researching the suggestions . I just got a little confused, because the 120 has good reviews on amazon and YouTube, but I now understand from everyone's posts on here that it is not a heli worth my money.
But it does make it a little more confusing when I try to research each on my own, from using google, amazon, and YouTube, a lot of them seem to have positive views, but they must not all be good. Just a little more work to add :p. I will look into all the ones mentioned by you and others in this thread, thank you for your time and being patient with this newbie .

[BellaNotte]

What's the difference between BNF, BTF, and RTF?

I was looking at the mcx2, rhodesengr mentioned the "mCX2 BNF ($90)", and I noticed on amazon there is Blade mCX2 BTF, or the "RTF"


Also, what's the difference between the DX6i radio and the regular blade one that it comes with? Physically I see the difference, but I'm not sure why I should get the DX6i instead of the one it comes with already? I'm learning a whole new different language here.


and what do you all think about the Blade mQX? It's a 4 channel quad-copter. It seems nice.

I like the mcx2, but too bad it's just an indoor heli, he has a small place so he'll probably get bored of just flying it in a tight circle (ceilings are not high). It's definitely an option though.

I'm also looking into the Blade nano CP X like several suggested, it's a big + that it can be flown outdoors also. Could he also fly it indoors too though? I remember a member mentioned not to fly in indoor even though it looks small. But, he would like something that he can fly outdoors most of the time, and indoors once in a while, especially at night or when it's chilly outside.

[Pcaola]

Bella.

Ready to fly means it comes with a remote control ( the radio ) or (transmitter). The ones in the RTF kits are fine, but very basic. There are very few modification you can make to the way the heli flies. No problem for a MCX2. Although I still like my DXi6 radio for it.

BNF means bind and fly. It's for guys who already have a radio or transmitter. Or purchased a good programmable radio like Spektrums DXi6. Which will hold the programming for 10 different helicopters that work off of Spektrum technology ( Eflite Blades )

So if you aren't buying a DXi6 ( which you can easily find used for about 50-75$. You'll buy a RTF ( ready to fly ). Once you have a good transmitter, you usually stop buying RTF models because you'll never use the transmitter radio. You'll bind future helis to your "best" radio. Gotta watch, BNF,s sometimes don't come with a battery or charger too.

Your probably looking for a RTF.

As for Blades MCPX or Nano. I wouldn't have been able to fly either without a programmable radio to tame down pitch curves and servo travel. ( 6 channel helis ). He won't get bored with one of these. The Nano is pretty new and smaller than small. The MCPX has been around a few years...very proven little heli. 1000s of spare parts on eBay and local hobby shops. And you'll find tens of thousands of forums written on how to get the most out of your MCPX. I love mine

Paul

[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by Pcaola

Bella.

Ready to fly means it comes with a remote control ( the radio ) or (transmitter). The ones in the RTF kits are fine, but very basic. There are very few modification you can make to the way the heli flies. No problem for a MCX2. Although I still like my DXi6 radio for it.

BNF means bind and fly. It's for guys who already have a radio or transmitter. Or purchased a good programmable radio like Spektrums DXi6. Which will hold the programming for 10 different helicopters that work off of Spektrum technology ( Eflite Blades )

So if you aren't buying a DXi6 ( which you can easily find used for about 50-75$. You'll buy a RTF ( ready to fly ). Once you have a good transmitter, you usually stop buying RTF models because you'll never use the transmitter radio. You'll bind future helis to your "best" radio. Gotta watch, BNF,s sometimes don't come with a battery or charger too.

Your probably looking for a RTF.

As for Blades MCPX or Nano. I wouldn't have been able to fly either without a programmable radio to tame down pitch curves and servo travel. ( 6 channel helis ). He won't get bored with one of these. The Nano is pretty new and smaller than small. The MCPX has been around a few years...very proven little heli. 1000s of spare parts on eBay and local hobby shops. And you'll find tens of thousands of forums written on how to get the most out of your MCPX. I love mine

Paul

Thanks! Makes it much more understandable now. And actually, I'm intrigued by the DX6i now, since he would be able to "customize" the flights. But now i'm scared off by the prices. This is what it seems like I'll have to be getting:

Blade nano CP X (BNF) (I believe it comes with a charger, 2 rechargeable batts, 4 doubleA batts, and three little small spares I think are for the tail.)
$149.99

DX6i
$159.99

Phoenix sim
$129.99

Total: $439.97 (wow!)

So much for a fun christmas present. I didn't find any transmitters used on craigslist in my area. I saw some on ebay for around $90, is it safe to purchase these transmitters from Ebay? Not sure how these would compare to other electronics purchased and the risks of what I would be getting (ripped off?). Is there maybe a "cheaper" transmitter that is just as good? I don't see him as getting many helicopters in the future, so I don't think the ability of being able to program up to 10 is something that is needed in this case. It's because the thing here is, that i'm not even sure he's going to take it up as a hobby, or just to play once in a while, have fun, show off a little to his friends, and then not have time for it. I can spend those $440, but it seems too risky.

Any advice to bring down the price on that "package"? Believe me, if it was him he would have just gotten the one at Target (he almost did a few days ago!), and if it wasn't what he expected he would have given up with helicopter RCs.

[wocka_wocka]

You've got the measure of the problem I think, it's a whole new vocabulary to learn.

The DX6i adds the "electric windows, air conditioning, remote central locking etc" of the radio world.

Imagine you have a 17 year old son who wanted to drive your car. Now imagine your car was fast and powerful but was equipped with a switch you could throw to turn down the performance of the car to keep him safe and out of trouble. Helicopters (or more specifically the radios) not only have this switch but need it to make the helicopter flyable in the first place. All good radios have and need this ability.

OK so the DX6i is not the full monty by any means, in fact it adds the bare minimum to make models really flyable but higher spec radios get increasingly expensive and lower spec models frankly just aren't worth having. Its the lowest common denominator but the point is it has all the basics.

So several people can fly together, the heli has to be told which transmitter to listen to. This is called binding. All modern transmitters provide this and it is one heck of a lot safer than it used to be! Your transmitter talks to all the helicopters in the area but only yours listens. Conversely, no one else can inadvertently control your heli, because their radio is not bound to it.

When you buy a BNF heli its pretty much ready to go (i.e. you don't have to build or assemble it) but before you can fly you have to teach it which transmitter to listen to, i.e. bind it, then you can go and fly it safely, hence the expression, "bind and fly" or BNF. It assumes you already have a radio.

[Pcaola]

WW - good summary. The dxi6 is by far not my favorite radio. I just moved up to a Hitec Aurora9 . But the key is..MOVED UP. The A9 would have baffled me. The Dxi6 is such a standard in getting started and for some a long life of flying.

Bella. There are some free sims to get your feet wet. Nothing great, but enough to learn you can't just grab the sticks and go Woooosh. And think your a heli pilot. I started with helis like the MCX2. But I have yet to sit down at my computer to learn how to fly. It's just not for me..and many will argue, that it doesn't feel the same. ( many will say it saved them a lot of crashes). I've always just taken it as slow as I want....but in the back yard.

Paul

[BellaNotte]

OK, I found a DX6i on Craigslist now. But I'm really worried, what am I supposed to look for to make sure it's in good condition and I'm not getting ripped off if it has some kind of malfunction? Like for a DSLR I would know certain things that tend to ware off and I would look for those things to be un good cond.*
But what about transmitters? Does it ware off after time or with bad care and not provide good signal for the heli?

And does this sound like a good deal?:

"$80 with 3 yellow 6 channel receivers would be a great deal. You can also have the 2200 mah 3S battery with it if you can use it."

I really don't know what I'm getting there besides the DX6i.*

*Would anyone recommend just getting the RTF version? Or getting a DX4e?


I hope these aren't too much of silly questions. I just come from a different hobby world than rcs and theres a lot of things that can go wrong when buying second hand.

[BellaNotte]

What do the "6ch recievers" do? Are they needed for the nano cp x with DX6i?

[Iceberg86300]

Originally Posted by BellaNotte

What do the "6ch recievers" do? Are they needed for the nano cp x with DX6i?

The receivers go inside the model. 1 per model. I'm not an expert on these smaller helis but if it is a bind and fly or ready to fly the receivers would just be extra or he could put one in a plane, another heli, etc. the batteries inn that deal are sized for a 450 size heli which is much bigger than what has been talked about in this thread.

It could be a good deal because you could probably sell off those batteries. Ask the seller how many cycles are on the battery packs.

I would also ask for a demo on the lot (ask seller to plug in servos into a receiver to verify everything works.

The price seems low because of the batteries included, so they could be near end of life.

Regards,

Steve

Sent from Tapatalk using my Inspire 4g through ATT (meaning it's a wonder you can see this!)

[Johnny_Boy]

Originally Posted by BellaNotte

OK, I found a DX6i on Craigslist now. But I'm really worried, what am I supposed to look for to make sure it's in good condition and I'm not getting ripped off if it has some kind of malfunction? Like for a DSLR I would know certain things that tend to ware off and I would look for those things to be un good cond.*
But what about transmitters? Does it ware off after time or with bad care and not provide good signal for the heli?

And does this sound like a good deal?:

"$80 with 3 yellow 6 channel receivers would be a great deal. You can also have the 2200 mah 3S battery with it if you can use it."

I really don't know what I'm getting there besides the DX6i.*

*Would anyone recommend just getting the RTF version? Or getting a DX4e?


I hope these aren't too much of silly questions. I just come from a different hobby world than rcs and theres a lot of things that can go wrong when buying second hand.

Receivers are what the picks up the signal your remote/transmitter is sending and makes the helis move. They aren't the best ones but could be usefull if he gets another heli down the track. Its 1 receiver per heli

The 2200 battery is for a larger heli, prob a 450 size.

You have done reasearch and come up with a good list of gear. I wouldn't recommend the DX4, stick with the DX6i (make sure its the 6i, not the 6 as there is a massive difference!)

Oh and another thing make sure the transmitter/controller is a mode 2. What that means is the throttle is on the left hand side. You will be able to tell if its mode 1 or 2 by the stick possitions. On mode 1 the right stick will self centre (has a spring in it) and the left stick will stay where ever you leave it. A quick google search and you will know what i mean.
Mode 1/2 are not better or worse than each other but most would agree mode2 is what you would perfer to start with if you had the choice looking back.

Check out the forsale threads on these forums and you will likely see a used dx6i for sale. If not, put a wanted ad up and there will likely be many responses.

Oh and if your bf still doesn't like the look of the nano, show him a youtube clip of it flipping up side down and doing all sorts of crazy things. Then show him a clip of the 120 doing basically nothing. It will sell him every time I do agree though, most of the blade heli's look crap. But performance matters

Go with what you suggested, big brownie points for all your effort

DX6i
nano cpx
pheonix sim

[whodothevoodoo]

The Nano has the receiver built into the aircraft, it does not require you to purchase one. Most of the micro helis will be the same.

A six channel receiver would be used in the building of a larger heli, like say a Align Trex 450 or something along those lines. A six channel receiver will make it possible to control 6 seperate functions, such as Aileron, Elevator, Rudder, Throttle, Aux 1 and Aux 2. Aux channels could be used for things like flaps on a fixed wing aircraft or landing gear.

[windwizard]

Hi Bella

Do you know what forums are good for...?
Getting lots and lots of opinions and free advice! Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

You said about your boyfriend, "He's 24, a beginner, never flown one before, but he "really" wants one".

This is what I would suggest...

RC helicopters are a life long hobby/addiction for those who fall in love with them. The question is which person is going to stick with it? By nature it is challenging, frustrating, and for some, extremely satisfying. It require patience, discipline and regular practice to become a good pilot. RC heli people are also typically those who posess an aptitiude for mechanical assembly and repair because crashes and rebuilds are part of the game. For others, rc helis are just a passing fad and a casual interest in the latest "gadget" toys.

With all that said, (here comes "my" biased opinion, lol) your boyfriend has a life time to accumulate all the "good stuff". What YOU should avoid is spending a small fortune on equipment that he may not even want if he really catches "heli fever", or, may not appreciate if he doesn't catch the fever.

So what am I recommending? The same advice I have used to get my own friends into the hobby...

First off, I own a lot of helis and could "talk shop" ad nauseum about a lot of various brands and models. (check out my "Heli table" pic below). But what I am suggesting is that you consider buying your boyfriend an Mcpx that comes with its own radio, that is to say an MCPX - RTF.
This is not my favorite heli per say but is the best choice for your situation in my opinion.

Why?, because the mcpx is tough, it can take a beating that a beginner pilot will dish out. It can hovered with ease (more or less), And it can be launched into wild aerobatic flight later on. It can be flown indoors and it can be flown outdoors in the breeze. And best yet, the whole thing will cost $190.00 at your local hobby shop. Dont sweat the radio that comes with it. If he is going to become a heli dude he will be fine learning with this one. BTW, you can learn to fly a heli 3 inches off the ground, be it fixed pitch, collective pitch or a coaxial.

Here is the beauty of it all, the mcpx flys VERY well for its' size, parts are cheap, and with only $190.00 invested in the heli and radio, you could go a step futher and pay for a simulator package (a download off the web) from "Clearview" for approx. $40.00 dollars more. Then order a $20.00 "Esky-simulator radio" from some place like X-heli.com to use with the Clearview simulator. (Every pilot will need a simulator for the long haul.)

So, what you end up with is a limited investment of $260.00 for a guy who may or may not take to the hobby, - but in the meantime he gets ...

A collective pitch heli to learn with (good for indoors and outdoor 3d flight)
A suitable radio to fly with (that comes with no concerns of second hand problems)
A very good simulator package for Cheap! (I have it and the pheonix, and it is just fine)
A suitable simulator radio to be used with clearview that doesn't require batteries

I helped a friend get started with a rtf-mcpx heli and later he decided that he wanted a better radio, but he wouldn't setlte for anything less than one of the new Specktrum DX8 radios. That radio is $380 to $400.00 dollars but he was one of those who caught "heli fever" and started buying with vision for the long haul. Recently he has added a 3rd heli to his fleet and all of them are programmed into his new DX8 radio. I think that the way he entered the hobby is a pretty good model to follow. How about you?

So there you have it, one more opinion to add to the pile!, hehe. Hopefully this was helpful, Sorry for writning you a book.





Wiz

[wocka_wocka]

You've got two routes Bella,

1) Buy a toy that'll be flown on Xmas day, and may lead on to proper helis

2) Buy a proper small heli, the sort of heli that guys with $1000's of helis would own

[Iceberg86300]

Also, do you have a hobby shop nearby? It would be useful to check out a new radio and get a feel for the sticks and switches if you go the craigslist route.

If you can get more info on the batteries I might take them off your hands. Or maybe try to get the seller to just sell the radio.

Regards,

Steve

Sent from Tapatalk using my Inspire 4g through ATT (meaning it's a wonder you can see this!)

[Cookster]

windwalker,

With an interest in getting into r/c helicopters myself, I found your 'advice' to be very useful for my situation as well.

I want to 'test the waters' so to speak, but don't want to spend a lot, at least not right away. I also do not want to buy a 'beginner' bird and then wanting something more challenging a few weeks / months down the road.

I was seriously considering go the route of a Syma S107G or the Blade mCX to cut my teeth on or something similar, but then after reading your post I am now leaning more towards something like the Blade mCP X 2.

It is a bit of a jump in price from the S107G, but $200 is a relatively modest investment in a hobby.

It is also a helicopter that I would certainly have A LOT of room to grow into.

Thanks for the words!!

Rob

[Cookster]

sorry. . .

"windwizard"

Rob

[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by Iceberg86300

Ask the seller how many cycles are on the battery packs.

I would also ask for a demo on the lot (ask seller to plug in servos into a receiver to verify everything works.

The price seems low because of the batteries included, so they could be near end of life.

Regards,

Steve

Sent from Tapatalk using my Inspire 4g through ATT (meaning it's a wonder you can see this!)

Thanks! I asked how many cycles the battery has, and his reply was just "Used. Still good." was that the answer I was looking for? I was expecting a number..

Originally Posted by Johnny_Boy

Oh and another thing make sure the transmitter/controller is a mode 2. What that means is the throttle is on the left hand side. You will be able to tell if its mode 1 or 2 by the stick possitions. On mode 1 the right stick will self centre (has a spring in it) and the left stick will stay where ever you leave it. A quick google search and you will know what i mean.
Mode 1/2 are not better or worse than each other but most would agree mode2 is what you would perfer to start with if you had the choice looking back.

Check out the forsale threads on these forums and you will likely see a used dx6i for sale. If not, put a wanted ad up and there will likely be many responses.

Oh and if your bf still doesn't like the look of the nano, show him a youtube clip of it flipping up side down and doing all sorts of crazy things. Then show him a clip of the 120 doing basically nothing. It will sell him every time I do agree though, most of the blade heli's look crap. But performance matters

Go with what you suggested, big brownie points for all your effort

DX6i
nano cpx
pheonix sim

Thanks! Didn't even know about the mode1/mode2 difference. And I showed him Youtube videos of it, he definitely wants it now haha.

[BellaNotte]

Originally Posted by windwizard

Hi Bella

Do you know what forums are good for...?
Getting lots and lots of opinions and free advice! Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

You said about your boyfriend, "He's 24, a beginner, never flown one before, but he "really" wants one".

This is what I would suggest...

RC helicopters are a life long hobby/addiction for those who fall in love with them. The question is which person is going to stick with it? By nature it is challenging, frustrating, and for some, extremely satisfying. It require patience, discipline and regular practice to become a good pilot. RC heli people are also typically those who posess an aptitiude for mechanical assembly and repair because crashes and rebuilds are part of the game. For others, rc helis are just a passing fad and a casual interest in the latest "gadget" toys.

With all that said, (here comes "my" biased opinion, lol) your boyfriend has a life time to accumulate all the "good stuff". What YOU should avoid is spending a small fortune on equipment that he may not even want if he really catches "heli fever", or, may not appreciate if he doesn't catch the fever.

So what am I recommending? The same advice I have used to get my own friends into the hobby...

First off, I own a lot of helis and could "talk shop" ad nauseum about a lot of various brands and models. (check out my "Heli table" pic below). But what I am suggesting is that you consider buying your boyfriend an Mcpx that comes with its own radio, that is to say an MCPX - RTF.
This is not my favorite heli per say but is the best choice for your situation in my opinion.

Why?, because the mcpx is tough, it can take a beating that a beginner pilot will dish out. It can hovered with ease (more or less), And it can be launched into wild aerobatic flight later on. It can be flown indoors and it can be flown outdoors in the breeze. And best yet, the whole thing will cost $190.00 at your local hobby shop. Dont sweat the radio that comes with it. If he is going to become a heli dude he will be fine learning with this one. BTW, you can learn to fly a heli 3 inches off the ground, be it fixed pitch, collective pitch or a coaxial.

Here is the beauty of it all, the mcpx flys VERY well for its' size, parts are cheap, and with only $190.00 invested in the heli and radio, you could go a step futher and pay for a simulator package (a download off the web) from "Clearview" for approx. $40.00 dollars more. Then order a $20.00 "Esky-simulator radio" from some place like X-heli.com to use with the Clearview simulator. (Every pilot will need a simulator for the long haul.)

So, what you end up with is a limited investment of $260.00 for a guy who may or may not take to the hobby, - but in the meantime he gets ...

A collective pitch heli to learn with (good for indoors and outdoor 3d flight)
A suitable radio to fly with (that comes with no concerns of second hand problems)
A very good simulator package for Cheap! (I have it and the pheonix, and it is just fine)
A suitable simulator radio to be used with clearview that doesn't require batteries

I helped a friend get started with a rtf-mcpx heli and later he decided that he wanted a better radio, but he wouldn't setlte for anything less than one of the new Specktrum DX8 radios. That radio is $380 to $400.00 dollars but he was one of those who caught "heli fever" and started buying with vision for the long haul. Recently he has added a 3rd heli to his fleet and all of them are programmed into his new DX8 radio. I think that the way he entered the hobby is a pretty good model to follow. How about you?

So there you have it, one more opinion to add to the pile!, hehe. Hopefully this was helpful, Sorry for writning you a book.





Wiz

Thanks! Very informative. Interesting, I think you're the first one to recommend the RTF.

I will see where I get with this DX6i from craigslist, and if it doesn't work out or I can't find another used one, I'll just get the RTF.

and he is the kind that has the "interest in the latest "gadget" toys", that's why the first thing he would ask about these rcs is which one's the newest! But after a few videos and sharing with him what I learned he's understood the hobby aspect of it and the difference between these and toy rcs.