Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Helicopters / October 2004

Sounds like good advise to me!

Good luck & Fly Safe,
Steve R.

Sounds like the plan I followed.  I met two guys that were flying Thunder
Tiger Raptor 30's in the fall of 02.  I decided to try helis so I practiced
on Realflight G2 during the winter of 02-03.    (Don't just play on the sim
PRACTICE.  Make up drills and do them daily)  I bought a TT Raptor 30 v2, OS
32, Futaba 401 gyro/digital servo combo and Futaba 9202 servos in the spring
of 03.  While assembling the heli I would practice on the sim and go to the
field and ask a lot of question about the heli, flight procedures,
programming the radio, ect.  When I got it together in April of 03 I took it
to the field and had one of the guys test fly it for me.  Only after
developing a lot of confidence on the sim did I start to fly the heli.
First hovering then taxing and finally forward flight.  (I used a hula hoop
during the hovering and taxing stages)  At any stage that I had trouble I
went back to the sim.  When I started forward flight left turns were giving
me trouble.  So the first day I made only right turns which will aggravate
any instructor.  Remember its YOUR helicopter and YOU make the call when you
are ready for the next step... don't push it.  That night I went home and
made all left turns on the sim.  The next day I was comfortable turning left
or right.   You don't want to wreck the heli and become frustrated or loose
interest.  Accidents will happen  but are more accepted when you stick to a
procedure and don't let your ego get ahead of you skills.  I learned to fly
model helicopter flying G2, but I still had to get comfortable flying Helis
by flying my Raptor.  The point is to do as much of the learning (by this I
mean stick and rudder stuff) on the sim as you can.  Its cheaper than buying
fuel and you don't risk your heli.  However, no matter how good you get on
the sim you WILL still have to put in time fly your heli to get comfortable
with it.

I think Steve has outlined a good plan of attack.  You can start out with 1
and 2 right away.  Remember to have a instructor test fly your heli for the
first time.  Also fly under the supervision of an instructor till you are
comfortable in forward flight.

Good luck

That is not true..... Lots of people begin with electric heli's. A few
months with a Corona is one of the best routes for a beginner. So is a
LOGO 10 and a good simulator.

Now that is complete baloney. How can you say that an 8.5 pound LOGO 20
swinging 600 mm blades at 1800 rpm is any less stable than an 8.5 pound
Raptor 50? I bet that the Raptor 30 is no more stable than the slightly
smaller LOGO 10, which is a brilliant helicopter! Do you think the heli
knows what is powering it and changes its flight characteristics to
suit? Please stop spreading old wives tales :)