Once you start down the dark path.....

[thehaze]

Personally, I blame the brutally cold winter we are having for what I've done. But yes, I may have joined the dark side... I bought a quad copter.

Tired of not flying because I'm not stup.. err I mean brave enough to join the Ice Pilots at TEMAC I succumbed to a momentary lapse of judgement whilst browsing the shelves of one of our fine local hobby retailers. Caught up in some sort of winter rage, I walked out of the store with a Blade Nano QX 18 gram quad copter (http://www.bladehelis.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=BLH7680). I was attracted to it by a number factors:

1. It was cheap ($60 + tax BNF)
2. It bound to my DX7s which meant no tiny plastic toy controllers.
3. It had something called SAFE technology. Which basically promised me that I'd have instant crash free success
4. It was cheap

I won't bore you with a full review. But I will say that this product delivered as promised. And I am having a absolute blast with it (can't say the same for my poor cat though). I'm hooked. Maybe there's a bigger quad in my future?

[sihinch]

Nice! I've been terrorizing the office with the Estes Proto X. They are fun - but tricky little so and so's aren't they?!

Maybe micro quad racing at the next pilots meeting?!

[Papa]

5. I liked the box.

Never mind it's a good way to celebrate your new job!

Congratulations.

[thehaze]

The box was pretty flashy...

Thanks Jack.

[Skyking]

Oh Mike!
The shame! I always looked up to you as a prime example of righteousness.

I bought a tiny one before xmas. I had very little success. I broke off the tiny on/off switch.

I think maybe there are a bunch of closet quad flyers out there.

What do you think Jack?
Are we all destined for the dark side? Please say it isn't so!

Ken

[Papa]

It ain't so!

Remember the reference to "Mental Giants".
Well the Mental Giants probably don't have "quads"

I think the diehard's are safe.

Jack.

[thehaze]

Jack, if I was a little smarter, I'd think you're trying to mock me...

The SAFE function on this little quad makes it extremely stable and very forgiving. It didn't take me long to get the hang of it. Once I turn it off and attempt to fly in "agility" mode. Things get a little hairy.

[thehaze]

Oh Mike!
The shame! I always looked up to you as a prime example of righteousness.

Wow, you really don't know me well at all... 

[Ededge2002]

I too can admit that I have a quad copter. If I ever buy a helicopter the end is near.

[Ededge2002]

Oh and just when you think the quadcopter is cool...  Along comes variable pitch!

http://youtu.be/z7AwYp_onBw

[Papa]

OK! If there are 8 or more all willing to try I will dream up a challenge for the Skills Challenge.
But you have to commit to entering!!!


Jack.

[sihinch]

Competition - I'm in! 

[sts41]

I pretty much ended up on the dark side... Like Mike, I got a small mCpx heli to fly indoors during the winter.... When spring came, I upgraded to a 450 Flybar... and now own 2 more, one FBL and one DFC....

Still love flying my planes, they are relaxing to fly, but for a shot of adrenaline... the copter really boosts the heart rate.

Also, the electronics and computer setups, and the complicated radio setups really have me hooked. The technical side of copters is a hoot.

I will always fly planes... But the heli's are a fresh change... My next RC... maybe Sailboat... Back to relaxing.

May the force be with you Anakin SkyWalker.   

sts41

[flying IT]

ssssshhhhhhhh

I have been enticed by the dark side the same time i actually got the cub.  Again because the ability to fly indoors in very tight quarters such as offices (right Simon). terrorizing co-workers is so much fun.  I started with a cheap co-axial and now i have a fixed pitch wl toys 911 (a known knock off from align t-rex 100).

on a sub note I also terrorize with pinnacle hobbies little tiger tank