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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 30, 2011 0:02:33 GMT
Great fun isn't it?
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leo
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Post by leo on Oct 30, 2011 7:09:18 GMT
Its becoming hard to resist
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toad
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Post by toad on Oct 30, 2011 7:53:03 GMT
Its becoming hard to resist Go for it Leo. Get one of the play.com Apache helis. £18 delivered and almost indestructable if you remember the golden rule of dump all power if it's gonna hit something. It's stable as a rock and quite slow unless you start using its momentum to throw it around. Mike is so right. It is great fun and a real stress buster. Resistance is futile
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2011 12:01:04 GMT
I love the challenge of the 120 SR!! The little ones are really relaxing but once they get bigger ...... It's impossible to think about work!!!
Ian
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leo
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Post by leo on Oct 30, 2011 16:54:11 GMT
Was dragged around christmas shopping today so had look in those gadget type stores, theres such a wide range to choose from isn't there? Most seen ones in the shops was S107 and U4's, I'd prefer one of the small ones to start off with seeing as though the rooms here are not huge. I already ordered a tiny Losi Micro-T RC car which I'm sure the cat will love Like a big kid BTW thanks for the recommendations, I didn't realise they started off so cheap!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2011 17:40:18 GMT
Ah, well that's part of the fun, like me sending one into the kitchen with a note attached to the skids asking for a cup of tea!! It's seriously relaxing and the ones that are harder to fly so become much more of a challenge and so you really can't think about work while they're up in the air!! I'm thinking of a 2 foot coaxial called a Big Lama. Now when that's up in the air, one word ...... focus. You just want a bigger one next time or the challenge of flying something a bit sporty!!! Ian
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leo
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Post by leo on Oct 31, 2011 18:17:49 GMT
Post it notes stuck to the skids? love it I can imagine the reply stuck on the other side If these things keep your mind off work and prove relaxing then that has to be a good enough excuse to have one in every room. Just had a look at the big lama on youtube, quite an impressive looking beastie
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2011 19:05:55 GMT
That's the one.
I'd like something serene (like a coaxial) that will fly outside, where I don't have to worry about other people around, because if I take my 120 SR out, it attracts starers and then it becomes very difficult because the 120 is a single blade and so not as easily controlled as a Lama which is a big coaxial.
The ones I have are all supposed to fly indoors MCX2, MSR and at a pinch (really pushing it) the 120 sr. However, the 120 sr isn't big enough to easily fly outside because it's still light enough to react to small gusts of air.
The Lama would hold a bit better because it's heavier.
I tell you, once you get a small indoor one, you'll want to grow into something more lethal!!
The biggest killer for me was the Honey Bee which is a biggish single rotor. Difficult to even get off the ground. I got it flying in the garden and was actually holding it there when it had a nasty accident and went into a terrifying spin. (The tail rotor failed) I had a helluva fight to get it down, but actually did while it span like a Banshee.
The speed of the rotors and the loss of control actually scared me so I went back to a smaller 120 sr, but I would love a big coaxial for parks.
Ian
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Nov 28, 2011 20:22:11 GMT
ok i want one now. any recommendations? wots the difference in 3-4 channel? (indoor use preferred)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2011 20:36:53 GMT
Blade MCX rtf. (RTF means ready to fly so it comes with a transmitter)
Also Blade MCX2 RTF.
Expensive in comparison to the cheapo models but streets ahead imo.
4 channel is best and not infa red so you can go outside without fearing the sun on very flat days only.
Advantages of Blades:
a) You can buy extra batteries and charge them before you fly, keeping you in the air for as long as you like. (I have 24 batteries!!) b) You can upgrade to better helis without buying a transmitter. (You buy them BNF which means bind and fly or PNP - Plug and play which is even cheaper than BNF versions) c) You can upgrade the transmitter if yoiu want to get really posh. d) Blades are damned good.
My route was:
MCX/MCX2 - MSR - CX3 - 120 sr - sky Taxi.
They get increasingly harder to fly but being in the same family (except the Taxi), they have some similarities so that you can really progress in your skills if you want.
I love the MSR and will be getting an MSR x which is a single blade heli without a flybar. It'll actually do aerobatics!!
If you go cheapies with 3 channels, you'll probably hop from one to the other without any progression. (ie they'll all be the same thing really) I don't like usb charging with a fixed battery. You get about 7 or 8 minutes in the air if you're lucky and then you need to plug the heli in for 30 - 60 minutes or so. Just no good for good flying.
I go out in the garden on a flat day with an MCX2 and a pocket full of batteries. I can fly for 2 hours if I wanted. Mind you, the heli needs breaks to cool off. In other words, I don't run out of power.
That's the beauty of the Blades. Great little helis, but 3 times the price of most usb jobbies. There's not one of my Blades that I don't like.
Cheapos - Syma? Mike has found some cheap bargains but my feeling is stick with a good brand although it's more expensive if you want long term fun and easy repairs.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Nov 28, 2011 20:50:23 GMT
thanks Ian will look into those. simon
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Nov 28, 2011 21:15:28 GMT
edging towards the mcx2 rtf. just curious on how it would be better than, eg "bladez g4"? as this is slightly cheaper.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2011 21:17:07 GMT
Oooh, I forgot. The first ones I ever had were Bladez which were rather nice. Infa red and cheap. I was given 6 of them so I could fly for 40 minutes or so by taking all six out!! I had them for quite a long time so I guess I learned orientation on them before getting the MCX2 which I still like a lot and Mike's favourite is also the MCX which he has modified to fly faster. He's also modifying one for me!! The only problem going from the Bladez to the more standard 4 channel Blades was the controls being different so although you learn 3d orientation (which is a skill in itself) you don't learn the standard configuration for Europe. That is Mode 2 which means the left joystick is for revs (up and down) and Yaw (turning the nose left and right) The right joystick should control forwards and backwards and moving the whole helicopter left and right which allows you to bank on turns which is a lot more realistic. Three channels use a different configuration which once learned, makes it difficult to change to 4 channel for some. It's really easy to become absorbed by them and you soon start looking for more of a challenge to fly until you find a level of skill that suits you. I've got to small single blades and largish coaxials (about 2 feet) which take a bit more care to fly. I intend eventually to get to a big single blade and perhaps one day a mini car sized one!! Who knows. Outdoors, you must have a place where you won't drop it on people because they become lethal as they get bigger. I'm nervous of the two foot Sky Taxi in that I won't fly it over anyone or anything in case of an accident. However, little ones are very safe as long as you don't buzz them around peoples' faces - you could take an eye out easily with a fast spinning rotor. I tend to be a boring flyer. Slightly 'anal' in a way where I have really watched what the heli does and learned characteristics very slowly so I get absolute control over whatever I fly. That way, I have managed to avoid bad crashes which can be expensive. My mate was flying an MSR with me on my MSR today and he couldn't believe how slowly and smoothly I could fly the single blade MSR. He was twitching all over the place, while mine was floating slower than an MCX2 would go. That's because I have really learned what the flybar on the MSR does so that I kind of compensate for it before it does something. I know what it does on certain actions so I compensate very quickly and it flies like a coaxial now. Out of the two you've mentioned, personally, I'd go Blade MCX2. It's a lovely flier and can be had for fairly good prices if you look around. www.kingslynnmodelshop.co.uk/Helicopters%20&%20Spares_Beginner%20Helicopters_E-Flite%20Blade%20mCX2%20&%20Force%20Combat%20Heli's/c33_354_153/p1782/E-Flite_Blade_mCX2_RTF/product_info.html If you can afford it, buy batteries from Ebay. Turnigy are good. That way, you'll keep flying. I still fly the MCX2 a lot for relaxation. Really easy to fly and is a pleasure to mess around with. You can also upgrade it by putting a boom on the back and taking the body off which makes it a bit faster and you can also change the settings on its linkages from slow response to fast response when you're more confident. It's the best start imo and you won't be long before you'll want something like an MSR which flies like a rocket and is real fun to control as well as much more of a challenge. The transmitter that you get with the MCX2 is ok actually and it can be used with most other Blades so you can then upgrade with BNF or even better PNP which is a lot cheaper. For example and BNF MCX2 is about £56 and you could get a cheaper MCX on the same transmitter for £45.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Nov 28, 2011 23:00:44 GMT
not only have i got the green light to buy one of these, but she has even offered to pay for it!!! happy days
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 28, 2011 23:43:43 GMT
not only have i got the green light to buy one of these, but she has even offered to pay for it!!! happy days You will LOVE it Simon, they are superb helicopters and well worth the money. It's a good idea to get a 6V transformer too as charging from batteries is a friggin' joke!! Actually, when she arrives let me know as I have a good quality Casio supply in the workshop (got 5 of them cheap!) I'll send it over to you free of charge... just plug that into the charging dock and away you go. May I also suggest a pack of five Miniaviation batteries,,, they are 190mAh and give better flying times than the stock e-flite battery.... a bit longer in size but a totally better battery all round and well worth £4 each www.ebay.co.uk/itm/E-flite-Eflite-Blade-MSR-MCX-MCX2-190mAh-25c-battery-X5-Miniaviation-/270859204940?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3f1077794cCharge one while you are flying one... you can pick up the charge pods quite cheaply and charge 10 all at once,,,, believe me, a good stock of batteries is a MUST have. All th best, Mike.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2011 11:48:33 GMT
not only have i got the green light to buy one of these, but she has even offered to pay for it!!! happy days That's really kind of her! My wife says that it calms me down after a stressful day. I come stomping in, get a heli out, fly it by which time the wife has made a cup of tea and I've forgotten all about whatever it was. It's a great little hobby. A lot of fun but be wary of the nerds who take the michael..... they're always around. I had a heating guy in a couple of weeks ago who thought it was funny, so I got the Sky Taxi out in the front room and floated it around. He was horrified by the noise and size of it. I told him it could take his nuts out in a milli-second!! Then I landed it. He then saw the little ones as a 'sensible' option. If the wife is buying it however, the pressure is now on you NOT TO CRASH. You'll be damaging her present!!
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Nov 29, 2011 20:04:37 GMT
have not got it yet and already i am thinking about an upgrade. kings lynn models are selling the mcx2 with the dx6i transmitter. would this be over kill!
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Nov 29, 2011 20:08:44 GMT
not only have i got the green light to buy one of these, but she has even offered to pay for it!!! happy days You will LOVE it Simon, they are superb helicopters and well worth the money. It's a good idea to get a 6V transformer too as charging from batteries is a friggin' joke!! Actually, when she arrives let me know as I have a good quality Casio supply in the workshop (got 5 of them cheap!) I'll send it over to you free of charge... just plug that into the charging dock and away you go. May I also suggest a pack of five Miniaviation batteries,,, they are 190mAh and give better flying times than the stock e-flite battery.... a bit longer in size but a totally better battery all round and well worth £4 each www.ebay.co.uk/itm/E-flite-Eflite-Blade-MSR-MCX-MCX2-190mAh-25c-battery-X5-Miniaviation-/270859204940?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3f1077794cCharge one while you are flying one... you can pick up the charge pods quite cheaply and charge 10 all at once,,,, believe me, a good stock of batteries is a MUST have. All th best, Mike. Mike thanks for the offer of the charger. very much appreciated. will be ordering the mcx2 as soon as i find the best price. cheers Simon
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2011 21:08:03 GMT
For an mcx2 it is a bit posh but I would buy one myself now if I didn't have the DX5e. (The model below)
Sort of similar in the way that it works but will only remember 1 model while the DX6i remembers the settings for 10!!! That means I have to trim my helis every time I fly a new one whereas with the dx6i, you just dial up the heli.
It's a bit overkill for an mcx2 but if you progress, it's a real bonus. You can programme how the revs go up as you increase them so you have a great deal more control.
Changing from the stock Blade transmitter and going to the DX5e helped me solve many problems with the more difficult fliers like the MSR and 120 sr.
The DX5e is less aggressive than the Blade transmitter so you instantly gain much more subtle control over the heli. The result is, I have two rockets (MSR and 120 sr) which fly like pussy cats with the DX5e. The whole experience is less fraught and more enjoyable.
MCX2 is pretty slow in comparison so it's not as essential, but I can fly that sloooooooow and smoooooooth without thinking. However, the dx6i is programmable so you could set it up to be pretty aggressive with the MCX2 and make it a fast heli. However, I have done some fast stuff on one of my MCX2's and I think I wore out a flybar link as a result!!
The MCX2 is an ideal starter heli and gives you a flavour of what you can do. If you move up, the adrenalin starts going and that's when you really need a grip of the heli and also why I go on about learning absolute control over the MCX2 first. Those learned skills are transferable to the killer machines which add another dose of difficulty as well on top.
If you intend to progress, a DX6i would be fantastic. You'd be pretty much set up for big 3d single blades. The Blade transmitter is fine with the MCX2. In fact it makes it more lively. I use the DX5e which is a compromise and a lot cheaper.
You can get one on its own for £95. Then you can buy an MCX2 bnf for £55 I think. I just checked, they do the lot for £145. The transmitter is worth £95 and works long distance too.
DX6i is a real hobbyists transmitter. I'd get one for myself because I'm a perfectionist but maybe over the top just for an MCX2, Simon. The Blade one isn't bad at all. Just more aggressive which isn't a bad thing for the MCX series.
However, if you move on ...... I'd go for one!!
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 30, 2011 0:08:33 GMT
Ian...... Swash for MCX arrived today.... I have "just" fitted it and tuned her in to my stock transmitter... she may require trimming on your fancy transmitter... will ship on Thursday (Kayak day).... foam nose cone mod will be applied tomorrow (if I have time) so she will be pretty much ready to fly out of the box..... Try not to clatter the blades off a wall (I know you'll be careful!) and enjoy the speed of the swash Think of the MCX as a classic and treat her with respect
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2011 6:37:17 GMT
Thanks Mike. With one of my MCX2's, if I push it hard and suddenly bank and turn, it can easily stall!! It kind of drops on the turn and sometimes does a little 'dance' as it straightens up. I can't imagine it going faster so it'll be interesting to see how the modded MCX flies at turbo!! I'll look forward to it.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Nov 30, 2011 23:40:27 GMT
anyone tried the walkera cb100? transmitter looks more advanced than the e-flite offering.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Dec 1, 2011 0:17:41 GMT
Thanks Mike. With one of my MCX2's, if I push it hard and suddenly bank and turn, it can easily stall!! It kind of drops on the turn and sometimes does a little 'dance' as it straightens up. I can't imagine it going faster so it'll be interesting to see how the modded MCX flies at turbo!! I'll look forward to it. Much the same scene man... that type of behaviour is pretty much indicative of the animal.... you just have to be sure NOT to push it beyond it's limits.... all about finger on the stick "control".... if you push anything too hard it will go out of control... lay off the yaw "+" high speed turn and you'll be fine That combo just seems to be a recipe for drop out / loss of control... if you think about it you are "essentially" contra confusing things... feels right on the sticks but the helicopter will only "fly" within it's design brief / capabilities. Full throttle, full left tuen and full right yaw will most definitely result in a CRASH! (it would be the same in a real helicopter).... it's not the helicopter that's misbehaving (I thought it was too) it's just us asking it to do things it's not capable of I'll be shipping your MCX tomorrow Ian... she is a precision machine but will NOT perform miracles (even though I've included a few miracle tea bags in the package) I want you to feel the "quality" of the flight and the "controlability"... you should have no reason to whack the yaw on (on a sharp turn)... test the basic functions first.... IMO, the "extreme" swashed MCX is the most controllable in my fleet... it's the most responsive / precise for sure and, as such, is numero UNO when it comes down to displaying in front of people You'll probably hate it
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Post by PinkFloyd on Dec 1, 2011 0:24:38 GMT
have not got it yet and already i am thinking about an upgrade. kings lynn models are selling the mcx2 with the dx6i transmitter. would this be over kill! No, not at all, Ian will be more tooled up to tell you about the benefits of a "one size fits all" transmitter... gives you the opportunity to "bind" with other models should you so desire.... I wish I had taken Sam's advice from day ONE and stuck with the e-flite range OR had gone down the BNF route and purchased a universal transmitter like the Spektrum... would have saved me a lot of money (in the long run) and a crateload of random transmitters / chargers. PM me your details and I'll get that Casio 6V transformer over to you. Mike.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2011 7:48:48 GMT
That's about it I guess, Mike. Coaxials just can't fly the same as single blades. If I send the msr fast forward and then do a 'skid' turn, it literally skids round and gives a great turn. Mind you, when it's coming back, it's coming faster than it went and has to be slowed down!!
Just the simple act of turning right on a single blade with no forward input makes the heli go forwards so you do have to watch it. That extra little bit added to your 'already' forward motion speeds the heli up.
I think with the MCX range, it's the inbuilt stability that causes it so that it keeps trying to get itself back to upright which works against you. If you try to bank on a turn it tries to go upright whereas a single blade leans over.
Mind you, with both the msr and the 120 sr, you're still counteracting that damned flybar. It does try to take a grip but you kind of learn how it works and use it to your advantage. The result is, they both fly really smoothly if you fly to their strengths but try to fight it and they are uncontrollable as I found when I first got them.
I'm looking forward to trying the msrx, although that also has some kind of stability thing built in but from what I hear, it has less impact than on the current models. (More like the MCP 3d model) Apparently, it's also not quite as easy to fly.
I'm looking forward to trying the mcx with the new swashplate. With any extra 'oomph' it may well make it possible to fly outside a bit easier for us southerners and our namby pamby weather. That's one thing with the mcx2 - if you get stuck with a breeze blowing it away, then you can get into trouble trying to get it to return. I try to face the wind so that I'm flying into it so at least it gets blown back at me. Trouble is, it has to be so little to make the mcx2 go berserk!! Same for the CX3. They are affected terribly by the merest hint of a draft.
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