i have never flown either so my question is,which is easier to fly?would i want to start out with electric or nitro?all my off road vehicles are nitro so break in and tuning wouldn't be an issue.is there a flight simulater for heli's? ???
By far, planes are easier to fly. Electric or nitro is more a question of preference. Electrics are cleaner, quieter, and easier to maintain, but since you're already a nitro user, the learning curve for that is eliminated. Simulators are available for almost all aircraft that you can buy/fly. The most complete, and in my opinion the best, is Great Planes' Real Flight G5.5. Great selection of aircraft in the base system, plus TONS of upgrade expansion packs to add more planes, airfields, etc. http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/realflight/gpmz4450.html It is, however, pretty expensive. You can find much less expensive sims just about anywhere, as well as some companies offering very basic sims with the purchase of a RTF plane/heli (example below) http://www.bananahobby.com/1858.html That Pitts biplane was actually my first and it flies GREAT! When all else fails, visit your local hobby shop and ask LOTS of questions. Also, your local flying club - Rogue Valley Flyers in Grants Pass or Rogue Eagles in Medford. Great groups of pilots and a TON of knowledge. Good luck!!!
I received a email newsletter from Horizon Hobby that E-Flite is coming out with a new coaxial helicopter for $49: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=BLH2700 I have a mCX and it is a great beginner helicopter: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLH2200 These are indoors only really because they cannot handle wind very well.
If you go with a plane, I might suggest a Slow Stick to learn on, there wicked easy to fly and hold up fairly well, and are inexpensive. If you want a heli I would suggest an MCX2 which are VERY easy to learn to fly and the settings can be changed to advance it a bit once you learn how to fly.
Hey, just a thought... if you go with nitro power be sure to wipe off and clean all surfaces of the aircraft as the fuel eats epoxy joints and soaks into the wood/styrofoam making it softer. You probably don't have to worry about that kind of stuff with cars/buggies
Greetings JROCK! I'm new to this forum so I've been doing a lot of poking around. Just read your intro a few minutes ago which said you've been in "this hobby" for six years. From that and your question here, I'm assuming you're a car guy trying to grow wings. I have to agree with most everyone else that planes are the best way to start. Helicopters are super cool, but they are extremely difficult to learn on. That is, with the exception of coaxial heli's, which in my mind barely qualify as a helicopter. Coaxial heli's require absolutely no skill to fly, which is why I would never recommend them to someone wanting to learn. If you just want something for flying around your kitchen on a rainy day or something for your kids, they are awesome for entertainment. The problem is that you learn absolutely nothing in the way of skills that will take you forward to something real. I hope my being blunt about that doesn't offend anyone here. If you are really determined to get into helicopters first, the mcx series mentioned by others here are an option. I have every one they have made in that series and I've had a lot of fun with them. The downside of these in my mind, with the exception of the mcpx, is that they are so limited in functionality and are for the most part restricted to indoor flight. Personally, I have settled on the Blade 120SR to recommend to guys just starting. This is a little larger, inexpensive, tough as nails, and capable of flying outdoors in modest wind. As far as I'm concerned it's the best starter heli to ever come along. What you learn on it translates very well to larger machines. You can see it on the Horizon site at: http://search.horizonhobby.com/index.jsp?N=0&Ntt=120sr&sid=1328A5BB994F I'd be happy to bring mine to Redwood some Sunday if you'd like to see it in action. What I would really recommend you do is start with a plane. For years my recommendation for that was the Slow Stick mentioned earlier in this thread. It's just a great flying plane and you can get into one at a reasonable price. You will have to build it and acquire a lot of parts, which may be good or bad depending on your personal preferences. Lately I've switched my recommendation for most guys to the HobbyZone Champ. I think it's the ultimate starter plane in today's market. Again this plane comes from Horizon, but can be purchased from all the local hobby shops. Here is the Horizon link: http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=HBZ4900 This is a super nice flying plane and it comes complete with everything you need including the transmitter for a super low price ($89). I've never seen anyone regret buying the Champ! This is Horizons entry point to bring new flyers into the hobby and it's the least expensive in the series. The DSM2 transmitter that comes with it works with all the other planes and heli's in the ultra-micro (UM) series so your investment can move forward with you when you're ready. The Champ has a high wing like a Cessna so it's inherently stable. It's has a larger motor and battery than most of the other UM's so it even handles wind pretty well. It's just an all around great little plane and I don't think there is a better way to get started. Finally, I'd like to suggest that if you decide to get some other kind of plane, be sure it has a high wing and preferably no ailerons. Low wing planes are far more acrobatic (read: less stable & easy to crash). There are no exceptions to that. Low wing planes are some of the coolest things out there, but it's just not where you want to start. Having helped a lot of guys to get started over the years, what I've found is that the most important thing is that the new flyer be successful. That generally comes down to getting a little help and making a good choice on that first purchase. Nothing is more discouraging than perpetual crashing and forking out your hard earned bucks for parts. One last thing you might want to consider is getting a simulator. I think the best one out there is RealFlight, but it's on the expensive side. Not as expensive as crashing, but expensive. There are also a number of free simulators like FMS if RealFlight is a budget buster. Looking forward to seeing you out at Redwood some Sunday! I always carry my buddy box in the truck if you need a little help getting your new toy off the ground. ...Tiger (aka: John)
