Electric Helicopters
12-28-2001, 09:02 PM
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Electric Helicopters
Hi, I'm interested in perhaps getting an electric heli because of cost, noise and easier maintainance. Can anyone rec a good electric heli. Also how long can you fly on one charge? If you think electric heli's are just junk, please let me know also. Thanks
12-29-2001, 02:56 PM
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Electrics are good!!! Clean, quiet, and they will do all the things an IC heli will do, with the right equipment & set-up...
What size heli are you interested in???
What size heli are you interested in???
12-31-2001, 06:25 PM
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I dont know about cost. You should compare the cost of typical crash
parts first. I know everyone complains about the Eco costs.
Then consider that you'll probably want a brushless motor and ESC which
will easily be in the $250 zone.
Then add <n> battery packs at probably $50+ eachh which will give you
all of about 6-7 minutes of good performance and the $100-200 charger
you will need and then sit and wait a while for the batteries to recharge.
They are not as cheap as they seem.
Check out the Logo series though. I wouldn't mess w/ the others.
parts first. I know everyone complains about the Eco costs.
Then consider that you'll probably want a brushless motor and ESC which
will easily be in the $250 zone.
Then add <n> battery packs at probably $50+ eachh which will give you
all of about 6-7 minutes of good performance and the $100-200 charger
you will need and then sit and wait a while for the batteries to recharge.
They are not as cheap as they seem.
Check out the Logo series though. I wouldn't mess w/ the others.
12-31-2001, 08:23 PM
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VARIO offers a .60 size electric helicopter. Flight time is about 8.5 minutes on the two 15 cell, 2000ma factory batteries. Flys like a .60 glo for about $1,200.00, if upgraded to a Skyfox series head and mods are made to the battery packs this machine is 3d capable and stands right up there with .60 size glo-motors and offers 15 minutes of flight time.
12-31-2001, 08:40 PM
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I agree with Howard on this. I have had an Echo 8 and a buddy had a JR electric. I really wouldn't consider either one. The LOGO rep was flying a stock LOGO 20 at Muncie this fall and did some respectable 3D with it. He was getting flight times in excess of 10 minutes with it. That thing seemed like it would go on for ever. I'm not sure what the exact motor and battery setup was he was using but I know it was pretty impressive.
01-01-2002, 12:09 AM
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The Logo 20 that Ralph Buxnowitz was using a Tango 45-08 I believe an 24 CP-2400 cells... Bob Belloumini was using a Plattenberg on 24 cells on his... They are surely very smooth... The only problem I can see with the Logo's is that there is only one place to get the parts in the US... Other the Logos are pretty super... There will certainly be one in my future... Either a L-10 (42" rotor) or a L-20 (52" rotor) will do nicely...
From an expense standpoint, e-helis are certainly more expensive initially... but after the charger, & battery packs are purchased you basicly have no expense except for crashes... Most of the parts for the E-helis are comparable to or less expensive than their IC counterpart...
I have been flying a JR Voyager (there is quite a large group flying this heli now) and with the brushless motor & controller on 10 CP-1700 cells is a pretty awsome little machine... This machine has a 38" rotor dia. and is a load of fun to fly... There arn't too many "hop-up" parts but lite is a key to performance... Of course CF blades are available (about $50) as are CF mainframes at only $39...
Another even smaller E-heli is the MS (yes the same ones that make the CF blades) Hornet... This little fixed pitch heli is really pretty cool and it will soon be available with collective pitch... With only an 18" rotor dia., it's quite small but alot of the guys fly them outdoors...
Vario & Graupner both offer "60" size electrics that I believe fly quite well... I have seen a Graupner on 30 some odd cells, wearing an Agusta 109 fuse that was outstanding...
All in all I have found E-helis to be a blast... Much improvement over the older initial electrics on the market...
I also fly X-Cells, the Graphite Gasser being my favorite... By all means give a look at the electrics...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
From an expense standpoint, e-helis are certainly more expensive initially... but after the charger, & battery packs are purchased you basicly have no expense except for crashes... Most of the parts for the E-helis are comparable to or less expensive than their IC counterpart...
I have been flying a JR Voyager (there is quite a large group flying this heli now) and with the brushless motor & controller on 10 CP-1700 cells is a pretty awsome little machine... This machine has a 38" rotor dia. and is a load of fun to fly... There arn't too many "hop-up" parts but lite is a key to performance... Of course CF blades are available (about $50) as are CF mainframes at only $39...
Another even smaller E-heli is the MS (yes the same ones that make the CF blades) Hornet... This little fixed pitch heli is really pretty cool and it will soon be available with collective pitch... With only an 18" rotor dia., it's quite small but alot of the guys fly them outdoors...
Vario & Graupner both offer "60" size electrics that I believe fly quite well... I have seen a Graupner on 30 some odd cells, wearing an Agusta 109 fuse that was outstanding...
All in all I have found E-helis to be a blast... Much improvement over the older initial electrics on the market...
I also fly X-Cells, the Graphite Gasser being my favorite... By all means give a look at the electrics...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
01-02-2002, 03:52 AM
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What you need to look at is a Mikado Logo 10. It is the HOT e-heli in the 10-16 cell range.
Cost
Logo 10 Kit $299.
Kontronik Brushless motor and controller $289.
4 servos $100 (3 Hitec HS85, 1 Hitec HS 81)
Gyro $100 (Futaba GY-201)
12 cell 2400 Nicad packs at least 3@$80. each (build your own)
PCM 7/8 channel RX $150. (might get by with PPM)
4 cell 500 mah RX Nicad pack $20.
Computer Radio (got to have one, Logo is CCPM) $200 TX only.
Battery charger $125. (FMA SuperNova 250)
http://www.mikado-heli.de/en/ Mikado web site
http://www.rc-direct.com/ US Distributor
Anyway you may have a lot of the equipment now.
Brad
Cost
Logo 10 Kit $299.
Kontronik Brushless motor and controller $289.
4 servos $100 (3 Hitec HS85, 1 Hitec HS 81)
Gyro $100 (Futaba GY-201)
12 cell 2400 Nicad packs at least 3@$80. each (build your own)
PCM 7/8 channel RX $150. (might get by with PPM)
4 cell 500 mah RX Nicad pack $20.
Computer Radio (got to have one, Logo is CCPM) $200 TX only.
Battery charger $125. (FMA SuperNova 250)
http://www.mikado-heli.de/en/ Mikado web site
http://www.rc-direct.com/ US Distributor
Anyway you may have a lot of the equipment now.
Brad
