Raptor 50 as a beginner heli!

Hello, do you think that a Raptor 50 is a stabile heli? Is it good to start whith a big heli like Raptor 50 for me who have experience with coaxial heli? Is it important to buy a expensive reciver or will it work with a cheaper one?

If you are going from coaxials better buy honey bee fp. You will crash raptor while getting used to single rotor helis, and it will be alot more expensive than the whole hb

Honey Bee FP all the way. That is the best way to learn. It's pretty rugged when you crash it.

raptor 50 is a good heli, but if you're coming from coaxials, cp helis are way different, i agree with p3tras , you should get a honeybee fp to start with a single motor helicopter. then you can move up to a collective pitch helicopter. Crashing a raptor 50 is very expensive to repair.

its funny cause at the funfly I attended recently, I was talking with one of the pilots when a guy came up and asked how much it would cost to get into the hobby and what type of heli to get, the pilot told the guy he'll need at least $1500 and should get a Raptor 50 AND join a local flying club (so that he could get help with the heli and learning to fly). Now for some that is a really good way to get started, I still didn't like the idea of possibly scaring someone away from the hobby by telling people stuff like that, the guy only wanted to fly in his back yard, didn't want anything larger then a 450 and this freaking pilot is filling is head with nonsense telling him he needs to spend all this money to learn to fly

All 3D pilots does that because they don't want any competition. All newbies are potential 3D pilots

He won't get any competition from me. I have absolutely no desire to do 3D. Looks like a fish floppin out ot water to me. Not putting it down, takes unbelievable skill to do it, just not for me.

Donnie D

Donnie D wrote:

He won't get any competition from me. I have absolutely no desire to do 3D. Looks like a fish floppin out ot water to me. Not putting it down, takes unbelievable skill to do it, just not for me.

Donnie D

This may be a very dumb question, but if someone doesn't want to fly 3D (not necessarily sure I do either), what is the benefit of moving to a CP heli instead of a FP? Is it that you can get a bigger heli that is more powerful and there are only a few FP's to choose from?

Eddie NYC wrote:

Donnie D wrote:

He won't get any competition from me. I have absolutely no desire to do 3D. Looks like a fish floppin out ot water to me. Not putting it down, takes unbelievable skill to do it, just not for me.

Donnie D

This may be a very dumb question, but if someone doesn't want to fly 3D (not necessarily sure I do either), what is the benefit of moving to a CP heli instead of a FP? Is it that you can get a bigger heli that is more powerful and there are only a few FP's to choose from?

No Question is dumb. The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask.

First off...To Donnie D:- you crack me up...."...like a fish floppin out of water..." haha...thats funny but a fair assessment, but as you mentioned, takes a lot of skill. I definately won't do it.

Secondly...the move from a FP to CP heli.......
a) FP is to assist you in learning to hover...3 ft, 10ft...30ft....nose left, nose right, nose in and to help you fly in circles and figure 8's. The wind (transitional lift) affects the main blade more.
b) CP heli's fly more scale, level when radio and mechanics are setup right. Handles the wind better even with the 300 size HB King V2 (now V3). With the right throttle curve and Pitch curve, you can do mild 3D...invert, loops and rolls.
Bottom line is a CP heli handles the wind better, is more controllable and flies scale better.
Just my I'm sure the more experienced guys can add more about the attributes of the CP heli.
Oh...I forgot...you get more girls when flying CP heli's

Forgot about flying in the wind. Thanks.

Ty wrote:

b) CP heli's fly more scale, level when radio and mechanics are setup right. Handles the wind better even with the 300 size HB King V2 (now V3). With the right throttle curve and Pitch curve, you can do mild 3D...invert, loops and rolls.

Just a little correction: king 2 is 400 size heli Ty said most of the benefits having cp heli. It is much faster and stable

Guys please don't get me wrong. I am in no way putting down 3D, aerobatic and inverted flight. I absolutly admire anyone that can do that stuff. It is simply amazing, but it just isn't for me. I really like scale helicopters and scale flight. I may get into 3D some a bit later just because learning some will make me a better pilot. But first I need to become a GOOD pilot. That's why I've been using my HBFP to learn nose in hovering lately, and I have improved a lot.

Donnie D

OK Here I go!!! Now Please keep in mind I'm the vast minority here when it comes to this!!!
I think that a Raptor 50, under the right conditions could very well be a fine heli to learn with!!!! Now don't kill me yet... If you had a ROTO POD for training gear and someone to learn from... I think it would be a GREAT heli!!!

I will not kill you FD You can really learn to fly on raptor. But I think it would be great idea to use sim before flying real thing (Real Flight G4.5). And you must TAKE it slow. Maybe even just bunny hops for your first flights

P3tras wrote:

I will not kill you FD You can really learn to fly on raptor. But I think it would be great idea to use sim before flying real thing (Real Flight G4.5). And you must TAKE it slow. Maybe even just bunny hops for your first flights

Actually the Phoenix Flight Simulator is more realistic, cheaper and uses less of the computer's resources.
Flying over and off water is so realistic, it's like actually doing it.
P3tras is right though....if you want to learn, a sim is the way to go...don't have to pay for repairs to the heli the heli resets in 1 second.

Well this is one more thing I guess I'm a little diff..!! I never used a SIM!!!! Started with A CP and still think a 50 Raptor would be fine..!! But I must agree wioth you guys..Most people should use a SIM so they can get the hang of the controls...!!

with proper instruction and help a Raptor 50 would be a great first heli but thats an awful lot of money to spend so early in the hobby, but if you have the cash and a local flying club, its prop be the quickest way to learn. But when you want to learn any kind of inverted flight or trick, even the pros will recommend a simulator. Its the only way I've been able to learn inverted hovering without crashing

I might even start using it myself some.. I'm thinkin it just might help even me!!!LOL

Pardon the late addition to this thread but I'm like FD, I didn't use a SIM when I first tried out my co-axial.
Now that I am kinda ok with hovering, nose-in, circles bits of figure 8 with my Lama V3, I am moving on to the Honey Bee FP V2 coz I'd prefer flying outside and not cooped up at home with the Lama V3. Like Donnie, I don't really fancy 3-D but admire the guys who really can master it. I'd rather fly a heli like how a real one should fly so CPs are currently not for me...

And as Theo said in another thread, I hope I can be careful without crashing my first single-rotor heli right after learning from a co-axial coz my heli will be arriving soon but without spare blades as its on backorder..

Well here I go again!! After flying the G Smart for bout 20 tanks now I still must say I believe that a raptor would be a fine heli to learn with!! Still a ROTO POD is a must unless you got millions of dollars you don't want!!! I also never had a coax. I only had a little foam thing single rotor about 6 inch dia. rotor, that was my first then to my HBK2.. To any and all new pilots....YOU ARE GONNA CRASH!!!! So suck it up and just do it!!! For a while I let the fear of crashing again stop me from really flyin like I could till I said screw it lets fly!!!!
But anyway I think if you can afford it and you got someone to help then go for the 50 , there is something about a nitro that just rocks!!!!