A BEGINNER’S TAIL!!

By

Bob Kvedaras

30 seconds. That’s all it took to do 2 things: the first was to crash the co-axial helicopter that my generous brother in law bought me for Christmas last year, and the second was to firmly cement the idea that I could’ve done so much better if I’d read the instructions and thought about what I was (or wasn’t doing).

That was Christmas Day. Boxing Day saw me trying to replace the broken part once I’d realised that a plastic fly bar on a co-axial heli takes quite a bit of abuse, and no amount of super glue is going to fix it. So when you can’t find what you want, you Google it, right? And as with so many things that are relevant to this wonderful hobby of ours – you read and re-read that you’ve been bought something that isn’t supported by the retailer. My brother in law bought it from a high street seller of electric components and unsupported remote control models and almost a year on, this particular heli sits grounded on the shelf to my left. I could probably find the part now, but why would I? It’s a cheap copy of a Lama that made it way across the water in a container crammed full of Eastern Promises – such as “spare parts available” and instructions that included “Your red light is twinkle” as an allegedly acceptable reason for a lack of control, as explained in the trouble shooting section of the destructions.

Whilst I couldn’t get a spare part, I could, however get another helicopter. I was in London visiting friends between Christmas and New Year and was informed that there was a local model shop that was bound to have the said part. It didn’t. But it did have a knowledgeable staff and a stock of Twister Aggressors. This was more like it. £114.00 was serious money – it’s a good job that it was RTF! Talk about lamb to the slaughter….

So tell me….. fellow RC Heli enthusiasts…. Do you remember your first model heli? And your ill advised decisions made in the very best of faith and intention? In fact did anyone ever buy a dodgy model or component with the express intention of making a bad investment? Or modifying their model so that it turned out to have little chance of ever maintaining the loosest of hovers? No. I didn’t think so. But for each of my many investments made on all aspects of Electric Model Helicopter flight since last Christmas I either researched the web or persuaded heli shops to give me advice on what to buy ALONG WITH an explanation/justification to do so. I was that man receiving the blankest of looks across the counter when looking for replacement parts for my Twister – I can’t believe how much I spent on crappy little parts (often more than I spend for bits for my TREX 600). I was also that man that got more helpful advice from fellow customers that I bumped into in shops who all said the same thing – buy a bigger heli – they’re easier to fly. A bigger heli? Than the Twister? Good grief! That’ll cost hundreds of pounds.

And I was half right – it did. But I wasn’t expecting it to be quite that many hundreds given that I now have 2 x 600E’s (1 to be stretched to a 700 for AP work) with 7 decent flight packs, a 450 and too many smaller “toy” heli’s that I don’t care to mention along with a couple of DX7’s and a couple of Bantam chargers etc. And that’s after I’ve sold a couple, too.

Who do you have to sleep with to get meaningful help and advice when you are new to the hobby? And I mean helpful – for example I have a cloned Bantam charger doing nothing right now, but it was supplied by one of the UK’s most active and respected suppliers. It’s the only charger he sells. But I won’t even plug it in because after I bought it I Googled for some balance boards and was horrified by what I read about how bad this charger was. I replaced it with a Bantam after much research and consideration – and right now there are keyboards clacking as people with their own opinions to add them to the smoke and mirrors of RC heli flying. I guess it took a few weeks to find people that I could talk to – I didn’t know of a club. Actually – that’s not true. Given my experience of a distinct lack of tolerance to newbie’s, I eventually plucked up the courage to visit the local field and take a look. I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly it was and had no hesitation in joining it. I’ve not looked back since. I’ve made a bunch of mates and can fly my heli around a bit (I’m pleased with my progress and have a mind to work towards my A Cert soon). If I hadn’t joined a club, I would still be crashing my Blade 400 in my garden – probably not as much, but I’d still be learning from the various forums on the web and being (sometimes) tolerated by the model shops that realised that this guy was spending a fair bit on parts. For the record, there was no need to sleep with anyone at all, which is a good thing (check out the guys at www.hellecats.co.uk  and you’ll see what I mean). I found that by putting a bit back into the club (cutting grass occasionally… buying someone a pint to thank them for their help etc) and not being “Take, Take, Take” has demonstrated that I’m serious about learning to do things for myself and get better at flying my heli’s.

Do you remember Julia Roberts returning to the snooty dress shop with Richard Gere and his credit card? Remember the look on the retailers face as they realised how much the newbie spent? I was tempted to be like that when I returned to the shop that wasn’t interested and bought a Bantam and enough connectors to standardise 7 6S battery packs – and when they asked where I’d bought them, the chap didn’t look too impressed that it wasn’t from him. Nor the 600’s. Neither am I likely to buy the running gear for the stretch 600 – 700 project, unless, of course I get enough “airtime” to help me make an advised and considered decision on what to buy. The forums are full of such advice but it’s sometimes difficult to spot the genuine best advice from the recommendation from someone who is trying to self talk / justify what they have already bought themselves. But I shall persevere with help from trusted advisors (some of whom don’t even have a motivator other than being helpful).

So the next time you greet a newbie – greet him or her well. It may be good for business or membership or a beer (delete as appropriate). Assume that the newbie isn’t a timewaster until you get confirmation! It isn’t my style to name and shame people – I’d rather offer thanks to some that have helped me to enjoy my hobby beyond any expectation that I had. The only advert in here is for the club – I make no apologies for it because it’s the best thing that you can do.

Thanks to (in no particular order) and consider this to be a good starting point for help and advice to any newbie:

 My local club: www.hellecats.co.uk  for help, advice and general insults. Please be aware that there is frequently a dress code – thick skin is sometimes required in a superb environment where friendly banter is second only to flying safely.

Noel Cross:                           School@cross1250.fsnet.co.uk,

Mark Bateman:                     http://www.modelflighttraining.co.uk/,

Fast Lads:                              www.fast-lad.co.uk

Midland Helicopters:           www.modelhelicopters.co.uk           

Revolution Models:             www.revolutionmodels.co.uk

Skyline:                                  www.skylinemodels.co.uk

None of you will recognise me from this, but your business deserves the plaudit for services to newbie’s.