Getting Started Q. Should I do this? A. If you're looking for a hobby that offers a challenge, this could be exactly what you're looking for. You will need some mechanical skills. If you can't change a light bulb, this hobby definitely isn't for you. There is also a social aspect that is very rewarding. All over the country, there are "funflys", where beginners and experts come together to fly their models, show off their skill and help others. I encourage you to attend a funfly before taking the plunge. If you'd rather do it on your own, it is certainly possible, however, your learning curve will be much steeper with some help. Q. Can these things hurt me? A. Yes they can. The bigger the model is, the worse it can hurt you. That's one big reason to start with a smaller size machine, but even a small one can cause severe injury. NEVER take your eyes off a model when it's flying near you. Q. What should I do first? A. Read everything you can get your hands on. Start with Ray's Authoritive Helicopter Manual. Periodicals such as Model Helicopter Technique, Model Helicopter World and Rotory Modeler have the most current information You can purchase them in our online store in the Magazines and Videos section. Beware of articles written by the advertisers themselves. Normally they paint a rosy picture of their own products. Q. What does it cost? A. A bare bones new setup will cost from $800 - $1300. If your budget doesn't go even that high, or if someone is trying to sell you a setup for less than that, consider a used setup. Check around the internet for people looking to sell. Typically, you'll spend between $1200 and $2500 for a well equipped new setup, including tools, batteries, starter and all the necessary stuff.. Compare that to something like buying a powerboat and it seems cheap. Not only that, but this is a social hobby that you can enjoy year around. Q. What kind of helicopter should I buy? A. Things have really changed in the last couple years. Now that the T-Rex is here, you have more choices than ever before. Q. I'd like a scale machine, what should I buy? A. Learn to fly first....then shop for a scale model. Q. Should I buy, a small electric or a nitro powered 30/50 or 90? A. That depends on your disposable income. If you can afford to buy and feed a 90 size, then by all means, get a 90. Just be aware that a 90 doesn't just cost more to buy. It costs more to run. Repair costs are typically higher, not to mention the cost of fuel. The T-rex 450 is  a great machine for beginners. It's really inexpensive to fix and they fly almost as good as the bigger machines. Q. What will I need to buy? A. I'll do my best to list everything you should get. This is a big investment in time and money. Take the time to research all this before jumping in. I welcome calls from beginners, and would be glad to help answer any questions that aren't covered here...Ron
	Q. Have you seen anyone get hurt? A. Yes. In 10 years I've seen three incidents. Most weren't serious, which is lucky. A few stitches fixed everything.  One of my customers was killed by a model in 2003. Please be careful.
	Q. Can I fix it if it crashes? A. Absolutely 100%, good as new.
	Q. What happens when I outgrow my 30? A. I say when you can out fly your 30, then buy a 60 or 90 size machine.
	If you bought a good radio to start with, you can take the radio gear out of your 30 and put it in a 60/90. A bigger machine needs stronger servos.
	Use the search words below with the online store "Search" feature.

Items Needed	Comments	Key Search words
Kit ... I don't recommend buying models that are already built, for a number of reasons.	Build it yourself and you'll need a lot less help when it comes time to repair a crash.	Helicopter Kit
Blades ... While most kits include blades, some don't.. Make sure you ask.	I would stick with wood blades until you get at least a couple cases of fuel under your belt.	ACEPV0039     KS607  RVO0515P   RVO0550P
Engine ... OS and YS dominate the hobby.	The O.S. 50 Hyper is the most popular engine in the history of this hobby. There's a reason for that.	OSMG1940   OSMG1951   YS50 YS61
Muffler ... some kits have them, most don't. The Raptor ARF includes a muffler.	Hatori makes a muffler for just about any machine. Muscle Pipes are great too. Align has a terrific muffler for the O.S. 50 Hyper and it's inexpensive too.	Look in the Exhaust Sytems/Top 10
Radio ... Since early 2007 most of the radio systems we've sold have been the new 2.4 ghz spread spectrum systems.	Take a look at the Spektrum DX7. Or, if you can get a good deal on a 72mhz system, most of them can be converted to 2.4 ghz.	Just look in the Radio section of the online store.
Gyro ... Lots of choices here.	I recommend a heading hold gyro.	Gyro
Starter ...	The Hobbico Heavy Duty starter  works good. The ultimate is the Sullivan Dynatron	HAN110     SUL603
Starter Adapter ... Not something you want to forget. Some models will start with the cone that comes with the starter, but not many.	Most machines can be adapted to a hex start. If you ever plan to own an X-Cell  or Robbe, it would be a good idea to get the Robbe S1387 or VAR64_46 which has  a one way bearing built in. Most other machines have the one way bearing in the model and can get by with something as simple as  a  shaft that plugs into the rubber cup that comes on the starter.	S1387 ACETTR3801 MAV804850
Fuel Line ... You'll need about 6 feet of medium size.	We prefer Aerotrend medium ( AER1013 ) for the main lines and Aerotrend small ( AER1011 ) for the clunk line.	AER10
Fuel Filter ... very important	Don't leave this out. Dirt in your fuel can make life miserable.	FILTER
Fuel Pump ...	We sell good ones, not cheap ones...buy one of ours.	PUMP
Glow Plugs ... Keep a couple spares around all the time.	We recommend the better plugs	ENYA3  ENYA4   OSMG2691
Glow Plug Ignitor ...	We sell the McDaniel's and Radio South brands. These are both self contained units with meters. Do yourself a favor and don't buy one that has a replaceable battery. It sounds like a good idea, but most of them are junk.	MCD   RAD3001
Hardened Allen Wrenches ...	You'll need, at a minimum, two. 1.5mm and 2.0mm. For tightening set screws. Other sizes that are available are 2.5mm and 3.0mm. The 2.5mm is also available with a ball end for those hard to reach bolts.	MIP OFN
Glue ...	You'll need some CA and JB Weld sooner or later.	ZAP JBWELD
Oil ...	Most of the guys use Tri-Flow. You can buy this locally or we have it in 2 ounce bottles.	MA4802
Velcro ...	A couple feet of two sided comes in handy to tie everything together, or to handcuff the kids when they start messing with your stuff.	VELCRO
Double Sided Tape ...	Better have a roll of this handy.	ACE3
A Training Gear ...	This can be anything from two sticks and four whiffle balls tied to your landing gear, to a fancy 6 legged contraption that will do everything but move the earth out of your way.	ROT1000
Nylon Wire Ties ... Get the 71/2 inch ones to tie your training gear on. Smaller ones will wear out after only a few landings/bounces.	I found some that are perfect.	TIE
Fuel ...	Start with what's available locally. Try to buy "Heli" fuel. Normally it has a little more oil in it. Also, try to buy fuel that contains "all synthetic" oil. It won't be nearly as hard to clean up afterward and it won't gum up your engine like castor based oil.	We don't ship fuel.
Books and Magazines ...	Learn all you can before you buy. Model Helicopter Technique is probably the best choice for a magazine. It's writers are not paid by the manufacturers nor are they given products to use. MHT buys all the products they test and review. Think about it. If you can't find it locally, call us. We keep it in stock and have most of the back issues.  Curtis Youngblood's book is a wealth of information.	CYBOOK MHTV MODHEL