Need Advise my on First ever RC Helicopter

[PNP4CIAG]

I plan to buy the Align T-REX 450V2/Silver Motor/ESC/Battery/(325 Carbon Blade) $549.99
I would like to know if this Helicopter is worth the price. This would be my first RC Helicopter. I have never even had a RC car,boat or plane. Any advise to help prevent me from buying junk and point me in the right direction would be excellent. Oh I will be using this RC Model for aerial Photography.

[Abducted]

I'm not a very experienced pilot, but i do have experience with buying junk because i wanted to save some money. In the end i should have went with Align right away. My brother got a 450SE V2 right away too and that was his first heli too. From what i've read you'll only notice any difference between a 450S and a 450SE V2 is you're a very experienced pilot. So you could consider just going for a 450S (maybe carbon version) But if you have the money for it, you might just as well go all out for a 450SE V2. Either way you can be sure you're not buying junk. (Not sure if the 450S version have the swashplate falling apart problem, but i'm sure somebody else here knows about that and it can be fixed pretty easy)

But the MOST IMPORTANT thing to get is a flight simulator! Best money you'll ever spent. Either use your transmitter with a cable to connect it to the PC or get a 'dummy' transmitter you can connect to the PC for about $25 like this one:
http://store.pda-cool.com/ebay/SIM_HELI/DSC_3000.JPG

[G-MRM]

Need Advise my on First ever RC Helicopter

I will be using this RC Model for aerial Photography.

Hi and welcome, you can sure start with any of the T rex 450 models however you must be aware that you have a lot to learn, from building the kit, setting up the radio and then flying it ! Long as you know this and you know it will take some time and more money that you at first thought!!

Yes, a sim should be on the list of items, have you flown a heli with one? LHS sometimes have one setup for you to try.

The small rex is good for a small video camera for fun but what are you thinking when you say aerial photography?

I and a lot of others have started with a small RTF fixed pitch, this helps with the basic skills and cheap to fix. If you get on well and helis are for you, move on and up !! lollol

Martin

[swatson144]

You'll be doing fine with the Align. My only concern is the quality of the other stuff in the kit. Could you post a link so we can see that it's not coming with a bunch of stuff that won't work.

Martin has it right with the cheapo FP especially if you have a larger than 10x10' indoor space you can learn to hover in.

Let's not forget the coaxial to learn orientation and the basic thumb movements.

Steve

[g0pkh]

The T-rex is a fine model, however for a complete novice, be aware that things can go wrong very quickly with these small models.

I don't of course know your situation regarding nearby clubs, accepted noise etc, but have you considered a much larger nitro heli, raptor 30 springs to mind. Much more suited to the beginner. And capable of taking a much heavier payload when talking about arial photography, a small digital camera no problem.

Consider as has been mentioned already, purchasing a simulator (Phoenix)
and a coaxial heli (blade cx2) to get used to the controls.

Good luck.

[eddiemoth]

I am sure Trex450 is a good heli but I would agree with others that for a brand new pilot it may be a handful to learn and also you will need to include buying a good Radio and Li Po charger in the budget. But I am sure that it is not impossible to learn everything from scratch especially we are here to help you if you should have any questions. I find out that Trex450 is a lot more stable than my Blade CP. If I were you, I would start with a cheap FP such as Esky Honeybee FP and then Trex450. SIM is a good thing to have. Of course, it is just my two cents.

[PNP4CIAG]

this is the site showing whats in the kit.
http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=3701

This is my research list so far. I am still researching and adding stuff to it. After reading all the wonderful responses to my post. I am now looking into a SIM and a cheaper RC Helicopter I can add for training and then pass onto my wife. Right now being in the research phase I am taking note of all the nice advise I am receiving from everyone.

My list so far
Align T-REX 450V2/Silver Motor/ESC/Battery/(325 Carbon Blade) $549.99
Futaba 7CHF 7-Channel Transmitter TX FM/4 S3151 Servos $254.97
Futaba GY611 Gyro w/S9256 Servo $363.74
OR CSM Micro SL560 Head Lock Gyro NEW! $229.99
Futaba S9151 Servo Digital Rudder $89.99
450V2 Metal Tail Servo Mount $11.99
Landing Skid Set/Black $7.81

[g0pkh]

Futaba GY611 Gyro w/S9256 Servo $363.74
OR CSM Micro SL560 Head Lock Gyro NEW! $229.99


While the GY611 Gyro is extremely good, it is also very expensive, and being a 2 part unit rather too large for a TREX 450. You should consider saving yourself lots of money and go for the GY401 instead.
It is a rate gyro just like the 611, and will do just what you need, in an extremely small and light package, couple it with a 9650 servo.
I would advise against the CSM gyro completely.

Pete

[swatson144]

What Pete said...The 611 needs it's own matched full sized servo to run. The 401 is a great gyro for 6ch. I have to recommend the new S3153 to go with it on the Trex450. The 9650 was on my x400 (about ther same as the trex 450) and I swapped over to lose a little weight. Less$ LessG works great! Cyclic servos dejour are hs65hb, though I am running (and happy with) S3110s.

CSM are good gyros but they don't make one I'd consider in a mini.

It's hard to keep up with what's flying well in the fast changng minis. Earlier this year the 9650 would be the very best even given it's size/weight.

Steve

[zen]

My .02 cents:

you are very intrepid to start with the 450SE as your first heli. It is truly a great bird—I have one—but lemme tellya, it is a lot less disappointing, not to mention less expensive, to start with a lighter, cheaper, good-performing micro first.

You may or may not have such good hand-eye coordination that you can fly a single-rotor heli as a first machine. Many people find that a co-axial heli teaches them to co-ordinate the two control sticks better, since the heli is ultra-stable in the air. Even after such an introduction,a single-rotor bird can be a handful. Without it, well ... a lot of people have given up on heli's because they took on bigger challenges than they were ready for.

A mini-size heli like the Trex travels very quickly, and being relatively heavy, demands good throttle management to keep it in the air at a stable altitude. Maybe you are up to this. Then again, maybe you'd like to acquire this and other skills before putting your six or seven hundred dollar bird in the air....

The size of available flying areas is another concern. Micro heli's fly in parks and backyards just fine. Trex 450's like larger areas ... especially when it is time to perform that maneuver known as a 'save'—as in 'save it from crashing'.

Don't mean to sound negative. All decently engineered heli's are great, the Trex being near or at the top of the list. But there is a lot to flying a heli, including plenty of time at the repair bench. It is cheaper and faster to fix my Blade, usually. I really am glad that I learned side-in hovering with my Blade instead of my Trex!

I am not saying you can't start and succeed with a Trex. People have done it; presumably you can too. I am suggesting that you think about it and talk to other heli pilots to see how they did it. You will find that the majority learned to fly something else first.

Best regards,

Glen

[Fireant]

CSM are good gyros but they don't make one I'd consider in a mini.


Sorry, have to disagree. CSM make micro gyros that will fit most small electrics. I have the 560 micro on my X400 and it's physically smaller than the GY401.

http://www.rcmodels.org/csm/

BTW, unless you're going to buy an upmarket gyro like the 611, you don't have to get a dedicated servo. The 401, 190, 191 and most of the CSM units will operate quite happily with standard servos. For example, my x-400 uses a Supertec nano with the 560 micro and it will hold through loops, flips and rolls.

The point I'm trying to make is that you can get flying quite easily without having to buy high spec radio gear. That comes later once you want to explore your limits.

[swatson144]

I sit corrected on the CSM as they just aren't very popular nor available over here. Seems you see the 120 and the lightened 120 but nothing much else. There's a 401 in every display case though.

At 35$ you might as well get the nice little digi S3153 though, too close to the price of a decent analog. Bigest part of the digi is that it can make small corrections at full speed vice creeping due to the low offset.

Steve

[PNP4CIAG]

OK I spent the last few days researching the
GY401 Futaba Gyro with SMM Technology And The gyro gets the best Reviews
So thats the GYRO I will go with.

Now for the Servos:
Which Servo best performs and is most reliable as well as energy efficient?

S3103 Futaba Servo $23.99
OR
Hitec HS-65MG Micro Servo Universal Connector $35.99
OR
Futaba S3153 Digital Micro HT HS Servo $34.99
I realize price can always mislead performance and quality.
I am a retired US Marine so I have all the time in the world to learn to FLY:)
At the top of my list is a SIM. Soon I will be Researching the Sim's.

[swatson144]

Really you can't go wrong on any of those choices. My preference right now (things change so fast) is to run ...

HS-65HB on cyclic. They are tough and effective. I'm running them on the BPE and been through 4 serious crashes and no stripped gears no problems. I don't build to crash but in the case of micro servos paying a little more up front can save a lot of hassle later. Futabas work fine but their micros tend to have weak expensive gearsets but really good function.

S-3153 on the tail running in DS mode on the 401. Tail servos see a hard life but don't really need bullet proof gear sets. You'll likely get 30-50hrs on it and it'll be needing replacement. By then there'll be a good value in a even better servo. S-9650 is a larger servo that is also a good choice. You'll see it recommended by lots of people but I replaced mine with the S-3153 and am happy.

On the Sim, I recommend buying the Esky 30$ usb gadget and run the sim that comes with it or DL FMS and see if you can even use a sim, some of us just can't. I have no awareness of distance or angles in the 2d format. https://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=A2366225&pid=W022984

all the choices look good and those are my opinions.

Steve

[PNP4CIAG]

About a sim I am running Windows Vista 64 bit. That might be the only thing I need to list on my to buy list.
Oh ya what are the spare parts one needs to buy for those unseen crashes? ;)

[PNP4CIAG]

I found a sim that looks interesting and fun. Any one have any comments.

FS One with Mode 2 Controller Computer Simulator $209.99 The sim allows me to use the controller I would buy for the helicopter.

my computer system is a:

AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 Dual Core Processor 2.80GHz
4Gb of RAM
Windows 64 bit Vista.
my list for the Helicopter is almost complete thanks to all of your excellent advice. ;)
Oh and what would be a good Radio Transmitter ? 6, 7, or 9ch. And as too brand. Which brand is the most reliable? FUTABA , Hitec, JR, E-flite, DX, or Dynam. So many Brands. Which Brand performs best in the RC Helicopter world?:D

[swatson144]

One of the great things about the Trex is everybody has parts so not a lot of need to have many spares. Spares that are good to have are Feathering Shaft, Main Shaft, Tali boom, Blades, and flybar. Since it's an SE with metal head. Other stuff is a gearset and struts/skids. That's a roundup of "the usual suspects". Tail blades, and a hardware set are cheap enough to have on hand. Now that I think of it you should order the hardware baggy when you order the heli, so if you screw up a link or a ball you got it in kit, I know a retired marine would have better luck finding a dropped screw than a retired squid (I usually just dig in the hardware kit and fetch out another).

Steve

[basic]

I would agree that the trezx 450 is a great bird, i have a XL version, and i love it. I started out on a blade CP pro and a sim. And while i did learn to fly and hold a hover, it was a long and difficult road paved with many many crashes and broken blades/tail booms/stripped main gears/blade grips/motor/ etc etc. I still fly the blade CP, but the trex is a much more stable bird being heavier and bigger. It can also do a lot more damage when it's crashed.

A sim is a good investment, although I agree with swatson that it's hard to judge angles, distance, etc on a sim. I also find it's too easy to fly on a sim. I do stuff on a sim I wouldn't even try IRL, maybe cause i'm afraid, or maybe because it's too easy. I've tried real-flight, FS-one, FMS and clearview. Clearview was very good IMHO, real-flight and FS-One are very pretty, good physics, and expensive, and FMS is great because the physics are close enough to get used to the reaction to certain things, but the graphics can sometimes leave something to be desired, but it is FREE so that's always a plus. As far as the FS-one with the TX interface, if you go that route, by an extra TX battery, because the TX has to be turned on for it to work. IMHO it's better to just get the dedicated USB interface...now if only i could find one with idle-up and throttle hold/cut switchs.

Also - I would get a co-axial as well, helps with orientation, plus you can fly them indoors on the rainy/cold/so hot i don't want to go outside days.

as far as the hardware you've choosen for the bird, i don't know a lot, but the forum here has been a huge help in the problems that i have had.

[Old Sloppy]

I have never even had a RC car,boat or plane. Oh I will be using this RC Model for aerial Photography.

I had an electric RC pan car & a nitro RC boat before I ever bought my first helicopter.
A 450 is a quality machine for shure.
I would recomend you buy a preflown Align 600 or similar.
But whatever it is, you want a heli that has been test flown.
But speaking as a beginner I want to warn you of something beginners never even think of, smaller aircraft have higher yaw rates than larger, high mass machines.
This is True of both airplanes and helicopters.

What this means is bigger is more stable, stable is for beginners.

Also do you have a helper to setup the radio adjustments?
When I first started flying with my "Futaba Super Seven" Heli Radio.
I was blown away with programing.

Harry S.

[daniel reese]

Here comes old cantankerous Dan!

Asking "What should I do" is a loaded question in a group like this....
Since everyone else has taken the "road most traveled" in their advice, I'll do the opposite.
Id never had ANYTHING rc until I bought a TRex450SEV1 5 months ago. A friend got a Trex and it looked SOOOO cool and I wanted to play too.

I did some research into product quality and watched some videos of people flying various machines and finally ended up on Ebay looking for deals.

Here's where I differ from the rest of 'em: Im cheap. Super Cheap!

On Ebay I found an "RTF" kit from RC Expert in HongKong (wasnt quite but more on that later) for $540
The kit came with a preassembled "tuned and ready to fly" (not) Trex V1, Align 9G servos (x4) Telebee Heading hold gyro, two align 11.1v 2100mah 16C lipo batteries, an un-brand-named charger, 325 Pro wood blades, 315 Carbon blades, some extra parts, an aluminum case to carry it all (the large align case) and a Futaba T6EXHP tx and Align 6ch PPM FM rx with a pair of crystals. Truely everything you need to fly, just not everything you need to fly twice (LOL)

The only thing the kit needed was a PCM rx (that little lesson cost a few bucks) and a real balancing charger. Later I bought some more batteries but I'll get into that later.

The point of mentioning the kit specs is that you DONT need a GY401 or any other Top-Spec gyro. The $35 Telebee works just fine. You also dont need $30-60 servos. Align 9G ($12) and JR S76 ($13) work perfectly well- on cyclic AND rudder. These two servos can be rebuilt in the unfortunate event of a crash that damages them for less than $3. The HS?? servos cost more up front, are no more durable (tried em) and are more expensive to fix.

You dont need Thunder Power or Flight Power or even the expensive Align batteries. DN makes an 11.1v 2150mah 20c for $50 that outperforms the Aligns and is every bit as good as the others at a fraction of the cost.

Thunder power makes nice chargers but at that price, I couldnt afford it. Bantam BC6 will balance/charge/cycle/store 1-6cel lipos, nicad &ca ca, will keep up with you no matter what batteries you use or grow into and its only $170.

You dont need a 7ch radio- you will likely grow into one some day but by then you will likely want MORE than 7ch. For now, a 6 is all you need and the Futaba T6EXHP is cheap to buy ($160) and simple to setup.

For an rx, the Futaba R146I is just the right size and shouldnt cost you more than $60

So, all told, you can have a FINE, functional, stable and consistant TRex450SEV1, truely ready to fly at a fraction of what you've budgeted so far.

There are, I am sure, a multitude who will disagree with my reccomendation for cheaper parts but there is method to my madness. Yer gonna crash. Either often or not so often depending on your willingness to be patient, but none the less, you will crash. When you crash, all the finest, top of the line parts will break just as easily as the cheap ones...the only difference is that you can spend $80 to repair, or $20.

In over 300 flights on this helicopter Ive only crashed once, never had an ESC, Gyro or servo or battery cause me problems.

The difference between my style of flight school and everyone else's is that I practice one step at a time to boredom, then double the practice again, before moving on to the next step. I spent the first two weeks learning to hover. Not that it took that long to learn to hover but it took that long to hover VERY well. All that before trying to go forward. Going back was step 3. Yeah, its tedious, its tiresome and boring but it was cheap. No crashes. It wasnt until last month when I was getting agressive with the new Trex600 and when I was being foolish with the 450, that I crashed. That's been my only crash.

Its not because Im some super skilled natural, its because Im cautious and treat that helicopter as if I were IN it. I guess that's the most important advice I can give anyone- fly as if you were in it- with that level of caution and reserve and you will spend alot more time flying than fixing.

The second most important advice is to TRY a sim, but dont ever let yourself be fooled that its necessary. It aint. You can spend a TON of money on a quality sim that will...sorta....act like your heli. You can learn to do all sorts of things on the sim but if you expect to be able to do those same things on the real Trex, yer gonna be makin a few more trips to the local hobby shop.
There is no substitute for real flying. You wont learn ANYTHING significant until you actually DO IT on your helicopter. I never did get a real sim, tried many but found them all to be a great way to learn to crash my real heli. The only way I was able to learn to fly was to actually put the REAL helicopter in the air. But Im a renegade that way.

The last bit of advice...yeah, I just keep goin and goin...is to forget the whole linear pitch curve that the manual instructs and talk to SWatson on this forum, about "S" curves. He'll do a better job of explaining it than I can but suffice it to say that with this helicopter you have to program how certain functions interact with other functions to make this thing fly. The factory suggestions make this a terribly unstable heli- Steve will set you right.

Trex450 makes a fine trainer that will keep up with you as your skills progress. The only problem you'll ever have with the Rex is that it will encourage you to go farther than you should, to go farther than your skills will allow. In skilled hands this heli can do ANYTHING but in a novice's hands its a stable, predictable and forgiving trainer. Its all in the set-up and there are many experts here to help with that.

Cheap parts are OK, budget shopping for quality cheap parts is even better! Patience and cautious learning is even better yet!

Other's mileages HAVE varried.

[Eagle513]

Although, I adore the mere thought of owning a TRex 600, I don't think it should be the first that you get. I think Dan is very right. The 450 is a great beginner heli. Parts are cheap and plentiful and when you first learn that is the way to go.

I have flown several different heli's and so far the 450 has been the best. Really there has been no comparison. I consider the coaxial heli's more of a tow, and the rex more......professional. It is definatly a more precise machine compared to something like a Blade CP.

Really learning on the T Rex 450 is a SAFE way to really get into the hobby while learning the many complexities it can bring.

Old Sloppy is also right, as a first machine something that has been test flown is a bonus. Getting a TX that has already been set up and the heli trimmed makes it much easier to start. You know you are getting something that is ready to go.

Dan I think has one up for sale right now in the for sale forum, and I have seen it fly. He has everything you need to get started and then some.

Asking around is good, at some point though you are going to have to do more than get your toes wet and jump on in.

This is a great hobby to jump into too. I started in May and this has been the second most exciting hobby I have ever done. (Doesn't beat auto racing)

Good luck to you and enjoy whatever you get.
Good luck

[ranger306ci]

I agree with some, I tried a sim, but it was too easy, and just not real life for me. I could not look down at the ground to get reference.
I personally started out with a honeybee fp2. Nice little fixed pitch, easy to fix and maintain, and easily set up in a radio. You can use this little bird to get your feet wet. I am so much more aggressive with this, than I am my cp birds.
450se is a really good bird, and I am glad you are buying it. I will be getting one soon. But, these things can get away from you, and can hurt, or even kill someone. A little fp, one the other hand, barely leaves a mark(this I know).
Just my 0.02, and I hope you stick with this. It is SO much fun!
Ken