New Guy here in Heli's,For My First Helicopter

bnangle

Hi, My name is Brian.I am new on this site.I have been into Gas (not nitro) and electric brushed/brushless R/C cars and trucks for 27 years (I am 33 now).I think I am ready to try helicopters.I have read many many topics on this site and did lots of research before my first post here.I would like to stick with electric and one day buy a Blade 400 WHEN the time is right.I understand fully that a 150.00 heli is better to learn and crash than a 400.00 one which brings me to my point.I have read over and over again that a CX2 is the heli to first start off with.I plan on buying it this week and I just wanted to know.What extra parts, accessories or upgrades if any do I need get along with the CX2?I waited on helicopters mainly because I had always thought they were expensive but I dont have that high school kid budget anymore so it helps.Also it seems parts are pretty cheap I think now today then years ago.Any information would be a great help.Thanks again and happy new years to all.

tombo242 · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:12 pm Post subject: Spare Blades required.

Hi Bnangle,

First thing you need are Blades and more Blades. For my indoor orbiter I use the II AiRy blades ( see this site ). They do different sizes but I haven't checked on the CX2 for you. These blades really are tough and just what you need to learn with. (The site is nothing to do with me other than being a customer.) I found they outlasted the "normal" blades by at least 5 to1!

Next thing is at least 1 spare battery, in the early days the more pratice the better.

If I can help more let me know, remember the time difference I'm in Portugal so we're well ahead of you in NY.

tombo242 · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: Blades for the BladeCX2

Hi again,

Just done a quick check and your blades at 345mm are the same as my "Orbiter", so you will have no problems with the "Lama" size blades.

bnangle · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 12:56 pm Post subject:

Okay great I will check them out.Thanks again

bnangle · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject:

Well I bought it and tried it and it is so much fun but it is hard for me to keep it in one spot at hover.My friend says it turns right and he put the rudder trim full left and it still want s to turn.He said it needs a pot adjustment but I want to try it on a full battery because he only flight tested it using a half charge.One thing I noticed is I dont like the battery installation.It is hard to stay in.its not a big deal though.Also I put the training gear on but I feel it is more managable with it off.I think it is harder to fly with it installed.I really enjoy this CX2.I just hope I can learn how to fly it.I noticed even though I was a crewmember on UH-60 Blackhawks in the Army and an FAA A&P mechanic understanding flight princibles and charateristics;It means nothing when it comes to flying r/c helicopters.I suck right now but practice makes perfect.I love it anyway.One thing I want to get is a carbon fiber tail boom but I am not sure which one is most used.I seen it on you tube.Any other ideas for me?Thanks.

tombo242 · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:23 pm Post subject: Coaxial setup

Hi Bnangle,

You should not need full trim, but you are quite right to set up on a full battery. I have 4 for the Orbiter and each one is a little different.

Setting up the pot to correct the turn (if still there with full charge) is simple, you turn the pot marked "Proportional" or "Prop" in the direction you want the heli to go. i.e. yours is turning starboard so turn the pot anitclockwise.

Three very important things when doing this:

1, Make sure you know the current setting. (Mark with felt pen)
2, Be very gentle with the pot, they break easily. (Use a very small ideally plastic screwdriver.)
3, Only make an ajustment when the heli battery is disconnected. (It will read the new setting on startup only, and it's not wise to fiddle with a live chopper anyway.)

So, make a small adustment, ensure your trims are all centered, power up and make a gentle lift. If it starts to turn, land and power down, and start over. It's a good exercise and you get to know the heli quite well.

Social note now.
Interesting that you flew in the Army, I was Royal Air Force (english) but fixed wing jets only, just 1 heli trip. However I agree that RC is very different to flying, there's no feed back to warn you that something is about to happen. Takes a while to learn anticipation but it does come.

bnangle · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject:

Tombo Thanks.I havent done those adjustments yet but I will soon.I actually changed the tailboom to a boom town hobbies and got a heat sink for the motors.I am getting better.It is actually making me learn fast because I am in a small area where I can practice so I cant mess up or its a blade change.

Social note.What plane(s) were you on?I worked on bunch of nimrods,hunters,tornados and other planes while stationed in Iceland before the Army.

tombo242 · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:00 am Post subject:

Hi Bnangle,

Social reply:

Started on Meteors (1956), moved to F86's, then Hunters, Swifts, Javelins, finally Lightnings (T1, 3, 5's), in between odd flights in Chipmunks, Vampires, Jet Provosts and a Vulcan bombing run from Goose Bay to Texas.

I served in UK, Germany (2nd Tactical Air Force, Elvis was there at the time),
Singapore, Aden, The Gulf, and many world wide detachments with 64 Sqdn RAF. You don't realise what you've done until you put it down.

Jonathan73

I bought a cx2 a few months ago and get on fine with it, my only issue is I dont get enough flying time , so kind of feel i should have gone for something bigger? so I can get outside more...Ive upgraded all the rotor head to anodised blue alloy components and have a couple bodies for it, Jet Ranger and Augusta 109 in civi colours.
Im probably going to seel mine with spares and get either a Mini Predator? which has been recommended to me by a few pro's or the Innovator MD530 which is amazing!, have a look on you tube if you havent seen this innovator heli, I saw it recently at a demo and for newbies its superb, balances itself and has a great safe mode, also a scale fuselage which is the route I want, not into all this 3d malarky!...also you can plug it into your pc/laptop and play with the settings...So really Im kind of doubting my decession to have bought the cx and wish really id just gone for something bigger to learn quicker and have something thats going to able to keep me interested with upgrades,bodies etc...Good Luck!

drjohnf · Fully Charged Joined: 08 Oct 2009 Posts: 3