What to buy

ntlbell

Hi

I’m very new to all things RC, I’m looking to purchase a trainer helicopter.
Can anyone recommend some models, places to buy and fly around Dublin?

Thanks

Plug

Try http://www.srcm.co.uk/system/index.html, everything is included except fuel. As for someplace to go I dont know im not from Dublin. Also try http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0161p?&I=LZ1791**.
Good look

coolwings

RC flying In Dublin? Try www.greenhobbymodel.com That's Green Hobby at Harolds Cross.

Also for RC flying you have the Model Centre in Capel Street. (no web link ) but you can't miss it.

There are other smaller places too, but remember that helis are a specialised segment of RC flying, and it takes a certain amount of heli activity to justify a hobby shop keeping the spare parts in stock, as opposed to ordering the spare part when asked. Take a look at the general sticky post for links/info on those other places. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=199335

What you have not told us is ...can you fly models? Is this a first RC model? Do you have a budget? Is it supposd to fly outdoors in a force 4 wind? Do you have friends who are already familiar with one particular type of heli?

A heli is the most difficult model to operate, you have to operate 5 controls simultaneously and breakage costs during learning are high. Most modellers who try to start RC flight with such an advanced model, give up eventually. If they have no one to help. So membership of a flying club is good because experience saves money in heli flying.

For a glowfuel heli, think maybe EUR 800 for the "big things" figure, but by the time you take off you have spent about 2-300 or more on special tools, guages, ground gear, and other items that are necessary.

Then you start learning and breakages happen for the next ten hours, broken rotor blade here, bent tail boom there, cracked undercarraige, & so on....maybe EUR 200 more if you are lucky, but could be a total writeoff if very unlucky. (Remember that a writeoff is just the heli chassis ... not the radio, ground gear, engine, etc) That is the apprenticeship. Later they are brilliant, and the costs is mainly fuel.

If you already know how to fly airplanes a heli is just a new model, the risk is reduced by 90% because you can already fly . A broken plane needs glue and wood to fix it so plane repairs are cheaper during the "bashing it a bit" phase.

So it is wise to begin with model aircraft with a heli radio, and then move up to the heli later, the value of the avoided breakages will pay for the model plane and engine , so you can do plane and heli for the same total cost. If you sell the learner plane on, the total budget might be less costly than going straight for the heli.

Regarding model size...The bigger the easier it flies, but the more expensive.

The indoor electric "toy" helis like Twister really do hover and fly, and beginners really can learn to fly them. So if you want to teach yourself, and cannot fly aircraft at present, these are the way to go.

In the outdoor electrics there are 2 main makes, the Logo 10 and the Eco 8. The Logo is a bit bigger. The electrics start easy.

For glowfuel engines skip the small .30 size and start at the .50 size , it suits Irish winds better, allowing practise on far more days.

Whatever heli you eventually choose - only buy an OS heli engine.

The Starlet 50 is a good heli, made by Graupner Germany, and comes with an OS engine which is top notch. There are quite a few of these in the Dublin area. It is a .60 size cut down (a Uni Star 60 chassis), not a .30 size upgraded . The Starlet parts are not expensive and available in Dublin.
Someone is selling a used Starlet on boards.ie at the moment. If the price was OK that would be a good buy.

Get a simulator to practise flying on first(more cost not in the original budget). Simulator crashes cost nothing.

The radio should be the best you can afford. If value is the target, then I think the Optic 6 is the lowest cost heli capable radio available right now, a JR radio would be the most desirable but costs more.

Hope this helps....
Coolwings