- How much do the parts cost?
Eventually you're gonna crash. How much is it gonna cost to put the machine together again? How quickly are the parts available?
- Local knowledge.
It's always a good idea to get a helicopter that others at your field are familiar with. That way when you have problems, they'll be able to assist you.
- Build quality.
What's this helicopter's reputation? Does it fit with the kind of flying style you see yourself doing in the future?
There are different sizes of helicopter too. The size relates to the size of the engine in the helicopter. We'll discuss these now:
30 size
These are the little helicopters. They're nice and small which makes them cheap to buy and cheap to run. These are the recommended machines to start learning on because when you crash, they're not too costly to repair. Having said that, they'll do a all manner of aerobatics! Most people have a 30 or 46 for learning new stuff and simply cause they fun to bash round cause they're so nimble and cheap to run.

46 size
46 size helicopters are a step up from 30 size. They've got more powerful engines in them. Many 30 size helicopters can accomodate a 46 size engine, helicopters like the JR Ergo and Thunder Tiger Raptor are often upgraded in this way. However, true 46 size helicopters are often slightly larger than their 30 size cousins. They often have slightly larger rotor blades as well
50 size
In the last year or so, 50 size helicopters have become popular. Mainly due to the increase in good quality 50 size engines from makers such as OS. Like 30's upgraded to 46's, many 46's will accomodate 50 size powerplants. Lately however, true 50 size helicopters such as the JR Voyager 50 and Xcell Fury 50 have started appearing on the market designed from the outset for 50 size engines.

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