HELP! I'm addicted. Might need an "intervention"

HELP! I'm addicted. Might need an "intervention"

Bought my first heli, an alloy shark co-axial (disappointed with it)

So, ordered a HB King V3, but upgraded before it was shipped to a belt CP V2. (from Banana Hobby)

Got my order (took 10 days, wrong item and color and damaged). Called them but no operators answered. What a hassle to try to return this to them. So, I decided to order another one from helidirect.com, and just return my wrong item for a refund.

HELIDIRECT is AWESOME! Got my heli in 23 hours using UPS ground. Amazing! and $31 dollars cheaper!

Long story but after almost 6 weeks, I finally got my refund from Banana Hobby. I must have spent 2+ hours several different times on their on-line chat trying to straighten it out. I will NEVER order from BananaHobby again.

So, I stripped a main gear on the belt CP, and decided to get a back up heli. So, I had to order form Xheli.com , as helidirect was out of stock. Got that order in 5-6 days.

Now there are 2 belt-cp's on my table.

Practiced on the FMS Sim alot. Then flew my belt cp, crashed it hovering several times, but, afeter many repairs, finally got it under control and hovering smooth. That's when I think I really became addicted.

I also admire the piloting I've seen on youtube videos, Justin Chi etc., but I really only want to be able to fly normal stuff, not really into the 3D, but really respect the piloting abilities of these guys.

Then, I saw Marks vids on the EXI 450 build, and ordered one with the metal head, figured I'd crash the belt cp, and switch over the electronics.

It doesn't stop there!!!!!

I saw a HBK 500 at hobbyking, ordered it, and figured that would be my winter project.

I THINK I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!

If it doesn't stop here, I will ask my friends to have an "intervention" for me. LOL

PS I'm 54 years old, and it feels like Xmas everytime the UPS man arrives, Is this normal?

Yup it is normal!!!! I'm bout to turn 50 and started in jan 09 and now have 8 flying!!!! From a HBK2 to 2 ESmarts and a bunch in between!!!! Good luck....
PS...Just wait till you can fly!!!!LOL

It's defintely addicting. HBFP started it all. Then two 450 squadrons, one for parts backup. Then two of the $39.95 EXI 450s, one for parts backup. Have two 450s flying at the moments. Most recently an EXI 500CF, the best of the bunch. Had my first 500 real flying this morning. All this since early in the year. I don' even want to think how much I have spent!

The boys are right "Bigger is better".

I was getting worried you haven't been around lately!

We missed you!

AHHHH you guys are so sweet to have missed me!!!!!! LOL!!!!
I've been a little under the weather but am much better now!!!! Mostly trying to get my "G" tuned in!!!! Its still very hard to start!!!! Very touchy mixture!!!! With the tiny motor it needs to be just right!! It needs to scream and it is very sensitive to mixture changes!!!!

Your not alone obviously lol

3 months in this hobby. I have HBv1, HBv2, Walkera 3b, Mini spark(trashed), and a blade msr, and have my eye on this dx6i and e-flight 400 3d and not including the art tech 3d i bought as my first heli and crashed and sold. I havn't even gotten into 3d yet !

I feel your Pain/JOY!

Yeah it's normal. I've put my ups and fed-ex driver at the top of my x-mas shopping list this year. If anybody deserves to be at the top, they do.

Hell Yeah!!!! Started with Blade MCX, Novus FP and CP (both crap), HBFP V2, Belt CP V2, HB CP3 (not very good, but working with it) and the love of my heli life, my Blade 400.

I have been flying for a few months and I just got up the nerve to do a backwards roll with the Belt CP. The first one went great...the second, not so good. Should be up and running by early next week.

I am thinking about getting a HB King. Although I have my eye on the Gaui 200. Any thoughts?

PS I'm 54 years old, and it feels like Xmas everytime the UPS man arrives, Is this normal?

Yep! It's normal.... I'm 58 years old going on 10. I have never had so much fun in my life as building and flying RC heli's. I look at it this way...It's a challenge! And not everybody can do it! And those mail guys are my best buddies! I have to agree with you about Heli Direct. They are awesome! Three days at most to my front door! I have 32 orders from them to prove it! Welcome to the addiction...which reminds me, I haven't had my fix today! Think I'll practice some hovering!

YEA Go bigger not smaller!!!! The king is like a heli on crack!!!! Wicked fast and agile but really hard to fly!!!! But once you can it would be a blast!!! But bigger is the way to go!!!! NO QUESTION!!!!

I have to agree with Fatdaddy! The bigger the heli, the more stable it is, and easier to control. I have the ES600 and she is smooth, stable and can handle the wind much better than say, a Belt CP, I have one of those too! My favorite size is the 500 class. Good outside, and believe it or not I've hovered both of mine in the house (rainy day hover practice). I have a large room I can use! Makes my wife very nervous though, she thinks I'm crazy!

Smooth and stable is nice, I agree...but I like heart pounding, tear up the sky fast. I got the biggest rush rolling the Belt CP the other day. My fear with the big heli is it won't be able to get around low to the ground. I have no problem controlling Belt CP at high speeds...us young guys!!

garytash wrote:

Smooth and stable is nice, I agree...but I like heart pounding, tear up the sky fast. I got the biggest rush rolling the Belt CP the other day. My fear with the big heli is it won't be able to get around low to the ground. I have no problem controlling Belt CP at high speeds...us young guys!!

Ahhh! You want fast and powerful! Then build yourself up an HC500!
I fly one and it is a T-Rex 500 on steroids! Makes the Belt look like childs play!

But, it will hover stable, and handle the wind much better, however, if you want it to perform...power her up and hang on! One of us older guys opinion!

You want fast dude???!!!! I got a EXI 500 that will rip a belt in two just from the rotor wash!!!!LOL
It will fly as low or as hi as you will ever want!!!!

Ahh! Fatdaddy the MAN! Maybe we ought to compare the HC500 and the EXI 500! Show these young whipper-snappers what a larger heli can do!

That would be my pleasure!!!! I do believe that my EXI would even smoke my "E"!!!! Someday I will fly good enough to see for sure about the handling too.. I'm also pretty it would out 3D the E too!!
With the exception of my G5 the EXI500 handles like its on fire....The Outrage would fly circles aroung it but in a drag race it(the G5) would not stand a chance!!!! My EXI 500 is FAST!!!!

Yes, I agree, comparing the two of them would be very cool! I have the CopterX 500 (Same kit as the EXI) and I agree it is fast! But what I have found out is the difference between the CopterX (EXI) and the HC500 is the gear ratio ( Main gear to Tail Gear). It is very different! I am using the motor that came with the kit (Outrage ) with a 13 tooth pinion. I originally used a 14 tooth and the headspeed was totally insane! Had to tone that down some! Also the head design is very different as well! Maybe you ought to try out the HC 500! I call it "The Beast"!

Mine is also a beast!!! But what I've done is used the torque tube tail drive from the Align TREX, and the washout and flybar arm upgrade from the TREX too for handling, they have a couple settings for mild to wild, and the Scorpion 1600 and 15T pinion and it also has a pretty wild HS!! But like I said I'm not that good yet so I'm not at 100% throttle that often,Head speed is around 2775 or so and that is border line max... The TT tail has made the tail solid as a rock especailly with the 2100T gyro!!
I also have the predacessor to the HC in the HDX 500 that I've set up to be mild and to have my daughter learn with.. It has turned out to be one of my Fav.'s to fly..

Sounds like you have an awesome machine! I have been flying for a little over a year now and it is very cool. Seeing as how I have worked on aircraft for a living most of my life you might say I'm a total "Airhead"! I enjoy building the RC heli's the most, flying them is just icing on the cake! I see in your pic that you ride a Harley. Same here! Another totally awesome machine! I'm thinking about building up an ES500 (aka. 900) just for something I can thrash on without spending a group of cash. I plan to build it cheap! I think with a little tweaking it would pobably fly pretty well for a thrasher. What do you think?

well, it seems you all are really on top of this stuff. I have a question. I just got an EXI 450 V2, I figured I'd swap all my electrics from one of my belt CP V2's, after my next crash, and I ordered a HK-500GT, I will build over the winter. My question is this. I goal was to be able to do some nice FPV video like this ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTgrSIftAlo&feature=channel ) so I want a stable/easy to fly heli.

Is there some way to setup the heli's to be more stable? Maybe adding more flybar weight? Or, adjusting the "EXPO" I think it's called?

I also would eventually like to be able to fly modest-hard flying like this ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TeKQFG9Iz0&feature=related ) This is some beautiful flying, smoothe and graceful, choreographed really well with the music also.

Of course, Justin Chi's video making crop circles is just outrageous piloting! Amazing! ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wmwWNwJSx4 )

Well, Painter, I should be able to answer that soon as I have a orange 900 on the way!!! Been waiting for it for a couple weeks now and hope it arrives soon.. I've been asked by a friend with a shop to check it out for him both in building ease and flight so he can decide if he is going to carry it. I'm really lookin forward to it.. Sounds like we've got some common ground here as I really like building and modifing them as well.. Yea my EXI is pretty sweet,I think, I've added a bunch of stuff to it from the start cause I could tell it was gonna rock..I've added all the KDB CNC upgrades to it so it really is a solid platform, the one negivite thing its LOUD!!!! The tail drive makes some noise!!!!
Anyway the 500 class is turning out to be a fav. of mine too..Although I'm really hopping to get an Outrage 550 very soon, the G5 is by far the best hi-performance heli I've ever seen and I can only imanage how awesome the 550 must be!!!!
Anyhow I'll let you know how I like the 900, I do think it will be a good beater from what I can see so far!!!