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My first heli Nexus 30

Leconfield

Beverley Westwood

My History in R/C Helis!

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My interest in R/C model helicopters began quite a while ago, however it was only in the summer of 1998 I could afford to participate in the hobby. I didn't know anyone at the time, nor did I have access to the web on a regular basis, so I got hold of a few magazines and went from there.
Armed with my trusty plastic friend I went to visit my local model shop 'Jim Fox Models' with the aim to buy my first R/C helicopter. I had set myself a budget and decided to buy the Kyosho Nexus and a Futaba Sky Sport 6 radio.

Jim suggested that I would need extra radio features when 'I got the bug' and duly showed me the Field Force 6, computer radio with better servos included. He then went on to try to sell me the Futaba Field Force 8 or 8U as it was known, but alas I took no notice and went for the FF6, how wrong could I have been, I wished I had listened.

After constructing my newly purchased 'copter' the moment of truth arrived. The heli was strapped to the workmate in the middle of our garden. The engine was fired up and I hid around the corner of the house. I have had access to full size helicopters close up, but this thing whirling around frightened me.
I had never been anywhere close to a model helicopter before. Well in the next six months we moved house and the little time I had was spent spinning my heli around in circles on the training gear, how frustrating, is this thing supposed to do this?

The beginning of the summer 1999 I set off in my quest to find expert opinion on my spinning heli. After spending two days travelling around all the old modeler's haunts that I could remember, I came across the local modelling club flying site at RAF Leconfield with no admittance to the public. I eventually persuaded the guard to let me and my family in and found the modelers. I asked for advice as to why my heli just went around in circles and was asked to bring my heli along to one of the ''evening seasons'' at Beverley Westwood, that's before the visit to the pub. I arrived at the site one Tuesday evening and meet the guy who had offered me help. Nigel took some time to check the model over and made adjustments to the tail rotor pitch! "Thats why it went around in circles". He then proceeded to lift the model in to a stable hover and with slight trimming adjustments started to fly figure of eight's. Oh what joy, it actually fly's.
A steady learning curve since then and I now have several model helicopters.

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