I have a trainer rc plane that I recieved lessons on how to fly and seem to be doing fairly well. I realize that rc helicopters are 1000 times harder to fly.

What do you guys think of this? Is this one really as flyer friendly as it seems?

How high can this one go? On all the videos they are flying it about 5 feet off the ground?

Thanks :D

http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/heli-max/hmxe01.html

;)

It's not how high you fly it. They can all go out of sight! But why would you want to fly your heli where you can't see it? (Been there, done that!)
The little electric helis like the RotoFly appear to survive certain crashes better, so perhaps one can learn to fly it quicker, but it's still recommended that you follow certain steps and work up to "flying" one.

Flying a helicopter is like holding one bowling ball while trying to balance a second one on top of it! Controlling a heli is difficult, but can be learned if you learn the various aspects of control one step at a time. There is a reason why you want to spend a lot of time hovering first, no matter how great your airplane flying skills are.
Here is the usual progression of steps when learning to fly a helicopter:
• Learn to hover first
• Then forward flight
• Practice autorotations
• learn basic aerobatic maneuvers (loop, roll, stall turn, Immelman, etc.)
• Fly extreme 3-D aerobatics (hard to do -- awesome to watch!)

At first you will hover the chopper (preferably WITH training gear!) only INCHES (no more than 2-5 inches at first) above the ground, ALWAYS WITH THE TAIL POINTED TO YOU for several weeks. Probably for two to three dozen flights.
Unlike a rc airplane, which can be flown with the right stick only (after throttle is set with the left stick), a helicopter requires CONSTANT inputs from both sticks at all times. Yes, even with that gyro on board! So ALL four controls are ALWAYS in effect and controlled by you to keep the chopper hovering at a level attitude. THROTTLE - to control altitude. ROTOR CONTROL (rudder on an airplane) - to keep it from rotating. FORWARD-AFT CYCLIC (elevator) - to pitch forward and back. LEFT-RIGHT CYCLIC (ailerons) - to bank left and right.
Note that on an airplane the throttle controls forward speed, which causes airflow across the wings, creating lift, making the airplane rise into the air. On a helicopter, the throttle controls altitude by increasing rotor blade pitch that produces lift in a vertical direction, NOT forward motion. Forward movement is caused by adding forward-aft cyclic control which make the chopper tilt the nose down and tail up. The resultant force vector moves the chopper forward.
During hovering practice you have to be careful that you don't accidentally throttle up and shoot the chopper way up high into the air! Keep it LOW and LEVEL. And that close to the ground you don't want to tilt it, making it "stumble" on the training gear. If you do, you'll crash, and there go the main rotor blades, the spindle shaft and the main shaft, usually as a minimum! (Time for that crash kit. You should have bought one anyway... everyone always keep a crash kit handy!)
So whether you agree with my way or not, try it and find out!
(I learned to fly, loop and roll a Century Hawk heli in about one year at age 59...)

Looks like an interesting/fun toy to play with. :yes:

Due to fixed pitch main blades and small size, as well as extreme light weight...Would be best suited for indoor flying or outdoors if absolutely calm wind conditions exist.

Fixed pitch and advertised calm response, indicates limited flight maneuvers. But, one could probably learn to hover and do simple circuits. Fragile construction would require spare parts and overhauls in fairly regular period of time.

The cheap electronics included with this type/price bird can be a little flakie at times. Generally get what you pay for.

But, all that being said, it would be a learning experience and no doubt would be helpfull in learning basic helicopter flying ability.

A good helicopter flight simulator would also be very usefull in learning to fly a helicopter and new maneuvers for your fixed wing aircraft.

Good luck and enjoy. :)

OBTW - As to your question about how high it will fly.
As Frits points out, it can probably get higher than you could see to properly control it. Easily get to a hundred feet or more.

Frits and Alvin are right,

My instructor told me that learning to fly a heli is like balancing a ball bearing on a sheet of glass. Every little move you make you have to correct for with another setting. That said, learning to fly a heli isn't as bad as it sounds.

A couple things to consider. 1 is that you get with someone who can help you thru the process and explain what does what. Whoever you get to help you have them recommend a heli to learn on. They'll recommend something that is going to be stable that you wont have to fight to learn on etc. Some of the smaller heli's can be very unstable, especially like what's been mentioned about even minor winds. Of course the advantage is that if your living room is big enough you can fly it in your house, wife willing that is :^)

Something else to think about is the radio. If you get a good radio, the same brand preferably as your instructor you can make use of the trainer switch which can save you a lot of time and MONEY!!!! + you'll have a radio that you can 'grow' into, use for more advanced settings if you advance to aerobatics or even 3d.

Jon