Greetings from Colorado

[Boulder53]

I'm a new member getting a late start in life. I started with a coaxial indoor only copter (Chronos CX100) and moved on to quads. I have and regularly fly an Ethos QX 130 and HD around my yard and cul-de-sac. I decided to go BNF in the middle of the summer and moved to a DX7 transmitter and Blade 200 QX. I got "lucky" with the 200 and found a setup file on the Spektrum site and managed to get flying very quickly (and without understanding much of anything about transmitter setup).

About a month ago, the helicopter bug bit hard and I started looking for a larger, more realistic bird than the CX100. I finally settled on the Blade 230 S for good or ill. Jumping into a full CP is scary but I'm hoping the SAFE mode helps me learn basic flight. I also got the Phoenix simulator and have been fooling around with the full CP models in the sim.

The copter finally arrived yesterday and I discovered that Spektrum has not put out a setup file for the model yet. I understand the wisdom of learning to deal with the setup by hand so I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to program the DX7 from the cryptic tables included in the 230 S user guide. I found some great videos on this site through links from the HeliFreak site, so here I am.

I expect it will take me about a week to get the 230 S airborne between radio setup, mechanical checkout of the copter and just getting up the nerve. This single rotor stuff seems a WHOLE lot more complex than getting a quad in the air. I hope I'm up for the challenge. Thanks in advance for help along the way.

Rick

 

[Admiral]

Welcome to the forum, the transition to CP is a steep learning curve but worth it when you get there, same with programming the transmitter. Just take your time and don't be afraid to ask questions we will all help if we can.

 

[trainrider06]

Hi Rick, your a lucky guy! For 2 reasons...1. For living in Colorado, and 2. The 230s!
I want one of those bad! it's the predessesor to the ol Blade SR of which I still have and fly!
The original was a hand full and had its issues (brushed tail motor)
I've moved on to bigger better heli's but have not forgotten where I started, so it still gets air time.
The 230s I have heard is a fun and great bird to fly.
Anyway, welcome!

 

[Boulder53]

Thanks for the welcomes Keith and Rodney.

Keith, I'm very quickly learning that non-flybar copters are a much bigger challenge than any quad I've met. I'm trying to be very patient and deliberate about getting things going.

Rodney, Colorado is great but we're almost a mile higher than most people. I don't know any different but I imagine that thicker air would be a whole different set of challenges.

Rick

 

[trainrider06]

I used to spend quite a bit of time up there, loved it!

 

[Lee]

Welcome to the forum Rick.
Let us know your thoughts on the new 230S when you've had some time on it.
Been to Steamboat once Snowboarding. Nice place.

 

[Boulder53]

Hey Lee. So far I'm not terribly impressed. I had it in the air less than 5 seconds before destroying the tail rotor blades. But this is my first CP heli so it's almost certainly my bad driving that's to blame. Got it repaired today but now it's too windy to fly.

Rick

 

[Heliman450]

Hey Lee. So far I'm not terribly impressed. I had it in the air less than 5 seconds before destroying the tail rotor blades. But this is my first CP heli so it's almost certainly my bad driving that's to blame. Got it repaired today but now it's too windy to fly.

Rick

Hi Rick, sounds a bit like my first steps in the hobby. I crashed many times before accepting that I needed a new approach. My helis (2 of them) went into storage for a few years until I could dedicate enough time to the task. My approach now is to make sure I know what I'm doing before taking the heli to the field. My simulator helps enormously with all aspects. You can even set the weather conditions to help on that score. I tend to go early in the morning before the wind gets up and have been learning to stop myself from becoming lost in the fun and stop when the wind gets stronger.

I don't have a 230, seems very small for outdoors use to me unless you have a very sheltered location to practice. Some of my club colleagues have small helis for the winter season and fly in a sports hall.

Good luck!