Seasoned newbie?
 

It's been a long time since I've been new to a forum and even longer since I've been new to flying. When I was 11, I begged my parents for a radio controlled airplane for Christmas. My wishes were granted and I started out with a Sig Kadet Jr. Unfortunately, back then, the club didn't really seem to be that accepting to flyers as young as I was and there were only really two people that provided me with any assistance. After about two years, I dropped the hobby.

I was always more interested in helicopters, but they were pretty expensive and nobody knew how to set one up and fly. When I was 20, I treated myself to a Hirobo Shuttle helicopter and made some friends with new heli pilots. I absolutely loved it and upgraded to a Shuttle Z and an X-Cell 60 and finally a rocket of a machine with a Shuttle Z modified to cram in a 0.40 on tuned exhaust.

I was an avid flyer for about 6 years until the birth of my daughter and priorities took over. I sold everything promising myself to someday get back into the hobby. There were a lot of financial ups and downs, but life is going good again and my wife said it was time that I kept my promise to myself for my 44th birthday. I just finished assembling a JR GS260Z Sports gas helicopter and am just going through the transmitter and gyro adjustments to get ready for the first test flight. The knees are knocking, but I'm sure I can get the hang of this again.

I'm already tossing coins into the jar for the next project... a turbine powered chopper... but that's probably a few years away.

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Hi Dave,

Welcome back to the hobby, great looking heli there. I never gave up the hobby but I can sure tell you that it's a lot harder to get in the air with 2 kids under 5. Much easier to get one of the ground vehicles out for 20 min on the road in front, especially with 10-15 kids in the cul de sac chasing it.

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Well... no worries about young ones holding me back.. my daughter is 17 going on 18 and she was encouraging me to get back into the hobby as well. Three years ago... I lost my job and EI offered to send me back to school. Not something easy to do when you're 41. It was three years of high stress and hard work... both my wife and daughter told me it was time to reward myself for getting my diploma and learn to live again.

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

No doubt... there is no way I'd go back to school myself, way too much work. Great to hear you toughed it out and graduated. Great way to reward yourself as well. Well go big or go home right? My largest is a 600 and my only nitro.

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Nice story with what looks like a great ending which is actually a new beginning. I returned to flying last year after a 35 year break for different reasons including new hobbies & starting my own business. I'm a fixed wing pilot but I'm very serious about learning to fly a heli. Your's looks very nice but bigger than I'm willing to start on. I've acquired 3 T-rex 450's & lots of spare parts plus know where to get great help once I think I'm up to the move.

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Well.. have the pitch and throttle curves roughed in, basic gyro settings tweaked, went back and double checked everything was tight and temporarily installed screws were removed, coated in thread lock and re-installed.... just have to pick up some 2-cycle oil and some gas... and maybe a bit of valium to calm the nerves.

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Congratulations on getting back into the hobby after making a midlife career change! I took the same amount of time off while my kids were growing up and then got back into large aircraft. I know that you have lots of previous experience in heli's but you might want to think about having someone take your new bird up for a trim flight before you put your rusty thumbs on the sticks LOL

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Welcome back Dave, great story and a really nice heli.
I have never pushed myself to learn helis but last year I bought a small indoor from eflite and I enjoyed that.
I have always loved helicopters and I hope one day to build a scale Bell 47 and do it up in a military scheme, M.A.S.H. perhaps with stretchers and GI Joe's.:)

Bill

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Valium... need lots of it right now.... did the first test fire... I'm not familiar with this engine at all, so I did a test fire of the engine with the rotor blades removed... just in case I start at too high an RPM and the clutch grabs... don't want my eulogy to read that I was beaten to death by my own helicopter. Well, did as the instruction said... full trim on the throttle, choke closed, primed until I could see fuel filling the priming bubble.. a couple quick pulls until I hear it trying to fire... open the choke... pull and it's running a nice stable idle. So on went the blades. Run it up a few times.. got it a couple feet in the air... it need some fine adjustments yet, but need to relax a bit first.

Re: Seasoned newbie?
 

Wishing you a great come back Dave ...
I also came back after 20 year away from the hobby and was then a fix wing Rc pilot.

When I did come back a fiew years back I choose to learn with a Hirobo LAMA electric powerplant of 10 1/2 lbs. Best come back I ever did and did learn the new ways of flying with scale helis with a mentor Pro scale master buddy ...

Best of luck on your come back with that great helo mate ...