Helicopter for dad?

[WoodiE]

My mom is wanting to get a heli for my dad. At first she thought about getting one of the tiny X-Copters but is now wanting something that dad could fly outside and a bit bigger then the X-Copter.

My dad doesn't have any other R/C's and has never flown an airplane or heli before so we're looking for something basic, easy to fly, and durable. Any suggestions?



-Michael

 

[sweetdiesel]

I'd go with a Blade CX/CX2. It uses dual counter-rotating rotors and is pretty much self hovering. You can fly it indoors and outdoors if there is no wind. The latest CX2 comes with a spektrum DX radio. Parts availability is very good.

Use discount code DEC1500 for $15 off at www.carolinasrc.com

http://www.carolinasrc.com/Webstore/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=3098

 

[Candyman]

If he's new, I think the CX2 would be a good choice. It's not going to be aerobatic. But it will be fun enough to zoom around the yard with.

 

[Tarant]

The Blade CX2 100%, Yesterday I got to demo one for about 30mins and sold 2 of them. I think this is a awsome beginer and you dad will love it. and he wont get bored right off the bat.

But stay with the Blade CX/2 dont get the Helimaxx AXE one, it is nothing like the CX cheaper components and takes for ever to charge.

 

[Nitrobuzzard]

I have to agree with the guys....Blade CX2. Small enough you can hover it indoors, considering you have a large area such as a basement, but big enough to buzz it around outside. Not to mention the price isn't going to hurt the wallet.

-Nitro

 

[TalonOne]

I would agree here.. Blade CX2..I saw one at the LHS yesterday. I have a Blade CP pro I can t seem to master...and I am thinking about gettting one of these for my self so I can actuall log some flight time.

Merry Christmas Woody...its a great job you and your staff do here!!

Talon One'
Out

 

[ZANDOR]

I would agree here.. Blade CX2..I saw one at the LHS yesterday. I have a Blade CP pro I can t seem to master...and I am thinking about gettting one of these for my self so I can actuall log some flight time.

Merry Christmas Woody...its a great job you and your staff do here!!

Talon One'
Out

I can smell the poop on your nose from here LOL:spit:

Woodie from all the reading I have been doing I agree with all Blade CX is the way to go.

 

[sweetdiesel]

I just picked up the Blade CX2 tonight. Along with an aluminum inner shaft, aluminum bearing holder, and motor heatsinks. The extra parts aren't absolutely required hop-ups but they were so pretty I could not resist. It took 15 minutes to install the extra parts. After charging up the lipo I took on her first maiden voyage. It took a couple minutes to get her trimmed, after that she was able to hover very nicely. Frontal flight is not very fast but very controlled. The first charge lasted for about 8-minutes. The battery was a little warm, which tells me that the stock 800mah pack is not up to the task of flying for 8 minutes continuously. I went ahead and ordered 3 1100mah maxxamps packs which should give me better flight times.

The CX2 reminds me of why I bought a heli in the first place, for FUN. I’ve smacked it into the couch, wooden chairs, and walls and nothing has broken. I give it the robmob 3 thumbs up.

 

[rocknbil]

....The extra parts aren't absolutely required hop-ups but they were so pretty I could not resist.....The battery was a little warm, which tells me that the stock 800mah pack is not up to the task of flying for 8 minutes continuously...

If you fly with the plastic flybar holder and bump it in a few times, you'd see just how valuable the aluminum one is. I've broken them off on simple hard landings, don't think the one on the CX2 is any different.

The packs for these are the only thing that will fit, the draw on them is just a little hard on the packs, it's the way they are. You can use other packs but you have to mod the battery tray, unless something has changed on the CX2.

Fly it until it won't climb on its own - this equates to about a 3.0 voltage per cell discharge, when you check the voltage after a flight it should read around 3.7 volts per cell and by no means lower than 3.5 volts per cell. Do this, and they will wake up in a few charges, fly between 10-12 minutes (my personal longest is 17!) and they will never balloon on you. I've lost one pack since I started flying this year, easily over 100 flights on it. It just died.

Welcome to the world of helis and see ya' when you step up to the CP's!

By the way, strip that baby nekkid and give us a pic or two, let's see what's different under the lid!

 

[sweetdiesel]

If you fly with the plastic flybar holder and bump it in a few times, you'd see just how valuable the aluminum one is. I've broken them off on simple hard landings, don't think the one on the CX2 is any different.

The packs for these are the only thing that will fit, the draw on them is just a little hard on the packs, it's the way they are. You can use other packs but you have to mod the battery tray, unless something has changed on the CX2.

Fly it until it won't climb on its own - this equates to about a 3.0 voltage per cell discharge, when you check the voltage after a flight it should read around 3.7 volts per cell and by no means lower than 3.5 volts per cell. Do this, and they will wake up in a few charges, fly between 10-12 minutes (my personal longest is 17!) and they will never balloon on you. I've lost one pack since I started flying this year, easily over 100 flights on it. It just died.

Welcome to the world of helis and see ya' when you step up to the CP's!

By the way, strip that baby nekkid and give us a pic or two, let's see what's different under the lid!

You are correct Bill, the maxxamps packs will not fit the stock holder. They are just a smidge wider than the stock packs. I do not like the way the stock packs mount, sliding them in and out is not easy and the tiny strip of velcro holding them does not look very secure. I will tinker around and make some sort of CF cage for the new packs.

I had the Blade CP Pro but it was too much for me to handle. I didn't have the patience and pocketbook to keep trying. For what I am going to use it for, the CX2 is a much better choice. The majority of my flying is inside the house.

I'll post some naked heli pics tonight.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Those look fun! May have to get one here in the near future!

 

[TalonOne]

I can smell the poop on your nose from here LOL:spit:
/quote]


Kiss my arse:boxing: .........Just a friendly Merry Christmas.....I noticed you were all over the wreath thingie......Anyway if it makes you feel any better ..

MERRY CHRISTMAS to ZANDOR and his Whole family....and their falmiy.....and best wishes for the new year....



Jeez now I even feel dirty.....:surrender

 

[Lessen]

Merry Christmas to me!

Yes, that really is all there is to it. It's a bit of a pain to get it naked but I wanted to see it anyways... Now the big question.. do I wait another week or do I charger her up now?.?

 

[rocknbil]

Thanks! What's the deal with the battery tray, what holds the front up? The original CX has two of those U-shaped thingies, one front and one back.

So that little antenna stub is all it has for an antenna? Interesting.

 

[Lessen]

I actually took off the forward battery holder to get the body off. That was before I realized that I could've simply pulled the upright part of the skids right off. Oh well, now I know

 

[Nitrobuzzard]

Hey Lessen, doesn't this heli come with the Spektrum radio? If so, guess that's why the antenna is so short??


-Nitro

 

[sweetdiesel]

It does come with a 5 channel spektrum radio, and there are two short antennas on the RX. I read on the other forum that range is about 350 feet.

I took mine out today and let one of my fixed wing friends take the sticks. We were outside and there just just a hit of wind. That hint of wind was enough to blow the heli backwards with full forward stick and make it land on my neighbor's roof. Results were a bent inner shaft but after removing and installing a spare I had her up and running in 10 minutes. Nothing else broke and I think I can straighten the bent shaft with a little work.

So far I have 4 packs through mine, flight time is around 10 minutes per pack.

 

[WoodiE]

The CX2 looks pretty sweet. that's probably the one we'll end up getting him! Thanks guys.



-Michael

 

[RushRC]

You will enjoy the CX2!

 

[andy99]

I got my Blade cx2 today. After Charging the battery I had it up and hovering in no time. I quickly decided that in the house you can't do much more then hover unless you have a Very Very large empty room. I can't wait to get it in a large open area. I'm going to bringing it in to work one night when no one is really around and fly it around the warehouse.