Woohoo.. proper helicopter :D
Discussion
Got one of these yesterday!
Had bought a wee coaxial Buzzfly back in March, I started a thread on here and a few people said they had them too. All was good, fun to fly about the house etc, but got fed up breaking parts and rounding ridiculously small screws trying to fix it.
So bought a copy of Phoenix and have been learning over the past few months. Decided it was time to go for something bigger, and given I'd need to use it outside skipping the smaller fixed pitch one seemed a good idea. More to learn set up wise, but I will get there.
Just took it out for a second go with more space and some bigger training gear than my first attempt. Managed to hold a reasonable hover a couple of feet off the ground within a few feet of where I wanted to be. It's sooooo satisfying
Bit windy for it, but the practice in the sim before trying it has made quite a difference, without that I'd have had no hope.
Had bought a wee coaxial Buzzfly back in March, I started a thread on here and a few people said they had them too. All was good, fun to fly about the house etc, but got fed up breaking parts and rounding ridiculously small screws trying to fix it.
So bought a copy of Phoenix and have been learning over the past few months. Decided it was time to go for something bigger, and given I'd need to use it outside skipping the smaller fixed pitch one seemed a good idea. More to learn set up wise, but I will get there.
Just took it out for a second go with more space and some bigger training gear than my first attempt. Managed to hold a reasonable hover a couple of feet off the ground within a few feet of where I wanted to be. It's sooooo satisfying
Bit windy for it, but the practice in the sim before trying it has made quite a difference, without that I'd have had no hope. 
Blade 400 is a good starter heli.
Well done Alan, the first flight is the most dangerous. I also started with a 4#3B and later phoenix sim and I think its a very good way to learn. If you speak to "club" flyers they think the 4#3B is a waste of time but it helped me alot.
I have a Belt CP with many many upgrades (bought it second hand) but I destroyed it trying to do 3D flying in the wind and I cant afford to repair it at the moment.
Do you find the bigger heli a bit frightening.. I did when I first got mine but thats probably a good thing.
Well done Alan, the first flight is the most dangerous. I also started with a 4#3B and later phoenix sim and I think its a very good way to learn. If you speak to "club" flyers they think the 4#3B is a waste of time but it helped me alot.
I have a Belt CP with many many upgrades (bought it second hand) but I destroyed it trying to do 3D flying in the wind and I cant afford to repair it at the moment.
Do you find the bigger heli a bit frightening.. I did when I first got mine but thats probably a good thing.
Just had a look on the web and it seems very good value for money.
I've started flying helicopters about 20 years and still have two 30 sized in the garage sitting gathering dust. One of which has aluminium head that cost £600 15 years ago, both of which were seriously upgraded to include pipes and carbon blades etc
I haven't had a play for a few years and might just get one of these for the fun of it - at these prices it's a no brainer.
I've started flying helicopters about 20 years and still have two 30 sized in the garage sitting gathering dust. One of which has aluminium head that cost £600 15 years ago, both of which were seriously upgraded to include pipes and carbon blades etc
I haven't had a play for a few years and might just get one of these for the fun of it - at these prices it's a no brainer.
Yeah it is pretty intimidating given the size, noise and head speed! An to think this is classed as a fairly small one, the first time you spin up a 90 size must be something! I took it out again there and got on ok. Somehow though the rotor managed to come round and hit the flybar and bent it slightly when I let the power off sharply... dunno why. Should be fine once straightened but called it a day there.
Will order some commonly broken parts as spares. It's bound to go wrong sometime, shop had no feathering shafts in stock so didn't bother picking any up.
It's brilliant fun though! Finding it way harder than the sim, in all respects but depth perception, much easier to see when it's drifting away. Will go through the head setup videos and make sure everythin is right. It's some learning curve!
Will order some commonly broken parts as spares. It's bound to go wrong sometime, shop had no feathering shafts in stock so didn't bother picking any up.
It's brilliant fun though! Finding it way harder than the sim, in all respects but depth perception, much easier to see when it's drifting away. Will go through the head setup videos and make sure everythin is right. It's some learning curve!
I used to fly Heli's as a hobby; I started 20 years ago with a Kyosho Concept 30 (initially with an Enya engine, later changed for an O.S.) and a Futaba 1024 'computer radio'. There was a pc sim available at the time but it was very basic and initially I started learning by having a couple of lessons with a guy called Kevin Maxfield from Bolton, who used to write for one of the R/C Heli magazines. After two lessons (where basically he stands behind you with his arms around you guiding you on the sticks and/or standing by to take control if it starts going pear-shaped) I decided to go it alone... it took me about 4 weeks to reach what Kev called "a very competent level', but at a high cost - the crashes over that month cost me nearly £2000! 
But it was worth it at the time, I don't like taking forever to learn something, and by the end of that first month I was able to do pretty much everything, even 'nose in' hovering and landing.
I moved on to the full size ones for a bit too, training in an R22, and the R/C flying was a great help.
It's a while since I've flown a R/C heli but I did recently have a go on a friend's simulator and it seems like riding a bike, once you can do it you don't forget. I'm now thinking about getting one of the modern 30/40-size electric ones for a laugh.
Anyway have fun with yours, they're great when you master them!
But it was worth it at the time, I don't like taking forever to learn something, and by the end of that first month I was able to do pretty much everything, even 'nose in' hovering and landing.I moved on to the full size ones for a bit too, training in an R22, and the R/C flying was a great help.
It's a while since I've flown a R/C heli but I did recently have a go on a friend's simulator and it seems like riding a bike, once you can do it you don't forget. I'm now thinking about getting one of the modern 30/40-size electric ones for a laugh.
Anyway have fun with yours, they're great when you master them!
Edited by timarnold on Sunday 26th July 10:29
You’ll find that the feathering shaft and main shaft both come in ‘two packs’ which should give you an idea of how fragile they are. Also the servos aren’t brilliant as it’s quite easy to strip the plastic gears if you don’t get off the power quick enough when landing slightly heavier than planned (we all do that don’ t we?).
There’s a forum on www.rcheliaddict.co.uk for these where some better quality spares are recommended also they’ve got a load of hints and tips for setting it up and calming it down a little.
I got ‘sold’ one of these when looking to buy a 450 Align and I’m still unsure whether it was a good deal. Cheaper to buy and repair but not quite the quality I was hoping for.
Good fun though!
There’s a forum on www.rcheliaddict.co.uk for these where some better quality spares are recommended also they’ve got a load of hints and tips for setting it up and calming it down a little.
I got ‘sold’ one of these when looking to buy a 450 Align and I’m still unsure whether it was a good deal. Cheaper to buy and repair but not quite the quality I was hoping for.
Good fun though!
I've just abandoned the hobby. Spent far too much on a Belt CP and a T-Rex 450. The final straw was me performing a £185 repair after I stuck it into a fence (my first big crash in months) then having a mecahnical failure literally seconds into the post-crash maiden and causing £200 worth of damage.
Hope you guys have better luck than I did! It is a fantastic hobby and very satisfying, I just couldn't fund it.
Hope you guys have better luck than I did! It is a fantastic hobby and very satisfying, I just couldn't fund it.
Floats are good too. That's what I used on advice of my instructor. I fitted a disproportionately sized set of floats, which had the effect of spreading the overall base area of the the heli (as do the ping-pong balls) - reducing the possibility of dynamic rollover; also raising the height of the main rotor disk above the ground - reducing the chances of a blade strike on the ground; and the added weight and aero-drag, dampens the the whole speed/response of the machine, making it easier to fly when you're learning.
Been going on alright. Had a bit of a crash the other week when I clipped the ground with a blade. Set of Align 225 wood blades on, replace other bent bits then added some wheel collars on the ends of the flybar. They have made it fly better, or slowed it down enough so that I can keep up.
Had it out six times over the weekend so far (really need more batteries) and getting a lot happier just trying to hover, with periods were I can keep it exactly where I want. Getting less freaked out when it tries to drift away and managing to correct it ok now. Took some pictures today.... it really is awesome when you have it just hovering there in front of you. Must be great when you can accomplish something other people go wow at!
Had it out six times over the weekend so far (really need more batteries) and getting a lot happier just trying to hover, with periods were I can keep it exactly where I want. Getting less freaked out when it tries to drift away and managing to correct it ok now. Took some pictures today.... it really is awesome when you have it just hovering there in front of you. Must be great when you can accomplish something other people go wow at!
Excellent, well done...! Blade 400 is a cracking entry level helicopter, especially for the money with a full-range Spektrum system in there, etc...
I plan to pick up a larger electric heli in the next 12 months. Getting fed up of the noise from nitros, plus the 60's and bigger don't half chew through (very expensive) fuel. With the price of Lipos these days it's cheap enough to go electric with the larger copters.
Keep up the good work.
I plan to pick up a larger electric heli in the next 12 months. Getting fed up of the noise from nitros, plus the 60's and bigger don't half chew through (very expensive) fuel. With the price of Lipos these days it's cheap enough to go electric with the larger copters.
Keep up the good work.
Anybody any experience with the Walkera 4-3B CP micro heli?
http://www.rc711.com/_webphoto/heli/walkera_43b_bl...
Fancied one to go with my ESky Lama V3 and Walkera 55 co-axials.
http://www.rc711.com/_webphoto/heli/walkera_43b_bl...
Fancied one to go with my ESky Lama V3 and Walkera 55 co-axials.
M-J-B said:
What sort of flight time are you getting out of a single charge?
I'm really not sure yet. Been flying it until it seems to lose power a bit, will need to start timing it soon as it's not good for the battery, but at the moment it's so inconsistent because I'm not good enough to be flying it constantly for a set time. Guys on the net seem to say about 5 min with the stock battery once you are flying it properly I think.dr_gn said:
Anybody any experience with the Walkera 4-3B CP micro heli?
http://www.rc711.com/_webphoto/heli/walkera_43b_bl...
Fancied one to go with my ESky Lama V3 and Walkera 55 co-axials.
This is what I learnt with.http://www.rc711.com/_webphoto/heli/walkera_43b_bl...
Fancied one to go with my ESky Lama V3 and Walkera 55 co-axials.
They are a bit frustrating to fly in the beginning (as they are so small and the gyro isnt great) but they are hard to damage (in comparison to a larger heli) and cheap to repair.
If you can fly the co-axials then you stand a reasonable chance of keeping the 4#3B in the air for more than a few seconds.
Once you get past the crash in 5 seconds stage then practicing will pay off.
If you can fly a 4#3B around without crashing a larger heli shouldnt pose a big problem.
Holst said:
dr_gn said:
Anybody any experience with the Walkera 4-3B CP micro heli?
http://www.rc711.com/_webphoto/heli/walkera_43b_bl...
Fancied one to go with my ESky Lama V3 and Walkera 55 co-axials.
This is what I learnt with.http://www.rc711.com/_webphoto/heli/walkera_43b_bl...
Fancied one to go with my ESky Lama V3 and Walkera 55 co-axials.
They are a bit frustrating to fly in the beginning (as they are so small and the gyro isnt great) but they are hard to damage (in comparison to a larger heli) and cheap to repair.
If you can fly the co-axials then you stand a reasonable chance of keeping the 4#3B in the air for more than a few seconds.
Once you get past the crash in 5 seconds stage then practicing will pay off.
If you can fly a 4#3B around without crashing a larger heli shouldnt pose a big problem.
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