Is this heli a good choice?
02-05-2013, 08:56 PM
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Is this heli a good choice?
Hello all!
I've been sail planes and nitro planes for just over 25 years! For a very long time i've wanted to get into helicoptors but have been somewhat intimidated. Finally I've reached a point in my life where I say screw it! Dive right on in.... So... I am. I'm not getting any younger.
I want to stay with a nitro system because that is what Iknow. I am totally unfarmilliar with electric. I have been eyeballing a "Thuner TigerTitan X50B KIT" with OS 55HZ motor. That seems like a good combo for growth.
I want to buy a new radio system as all my radios are 72mhz. What would be a good Futaba choice for a heli transmitter? I dont need the absolute best but dont want the bare minimum either...
What gyro should I get? I've never used one but dont want to "have to"buy another one down the line...
What servos should I get for this heli?
The bankroll for these items isn't strained but I don't want to go WAYoverboard and wind up with a 14CH radio haha!
Basically I'm after a shopping list... What would YOUget?
I've been sail planes and nitro planes for just over 25 years! For a very long time i've wanted to get into helicoptors but have been somewhat intimidated. Finally I've reached a point in my life where I say screw it! Dive right on in.... So... I am. I'm not getting any younger.
I want to stay with a nitro system because that is what Iknow. I am totally unfarmilliar with electric. I have been eyeballing a "Thuner TigerTitan X50B KIT" with OS 55HZ motor. That seems like a good combo for growth.
I want to buy a new radio system as all my radios are 72mhz. What would be a good Futaba choice for a heli transmitter? I dont need the absolute best but dont want the bare minimum either...
What gyro should I get? I've never used one but dont want to "have to"buy another one down the line...
What servos should I get for this heli?
The bankroll for these items isn't strained but I don't want to go WAYoverboard and wind up with a 14CH radio haha!
Basically I'm after a shopping list... What would YOUget?
02-06-2013, 05:38 AM
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RE: Is this heli a good choice?
I would reconsider not going electric.
Dont get me wrong, I own a Raptor 50 and its probably one of...if not my nicest heli that I own. It just gets flown the least because the cost of heli fuel is about 33 dollars per gallon around my area.
Saying that...I can buy some really decent "budget concious" batteries to fly my 500 or 550 electric helis for not much more the cost of a gallon of fuel. And these "budget concious" batteries work out fine for my skill level.
If you were to consider going electric...you could go with an Align super combo kit which comes with everything you need minus the TX and RX and battery. It comes with the 3GX FBL system which Im not sure if you need a full RX or just a satellite if going Spektrum. More research would be needed to be done to confirm before ordering. Here is a link (I am not endorsing the site as Ive never bought from them...just using their link to show you the kit)...
http://www.rpphobby.com/ProductDetai...FU-d4Aod2hoASw
The 550 size is basically about the same size as a 600 (which is what size the R50 is) except it uses a shorter tail boom tube and shorter main blades.
By going this route you wont have to worry about buying the proper ESC and you will have a nice large heli that will be good for flying skills of Mild to Wild. And to top it off...its priced right considering it comes with everything spec'd out for that airframe.
Just thought I would give you some info so you wouldnt discount the electric helis. And since I own and fly both electric and nitro...thought my perspective would be valuable to you.
goodluck.
PS. If you decide to go with the raptor. Look at the servos that come with the Align 550 or 600 kit and get those or some that are spec'd out similar in a quality brand name like JR or Futaba or even HiTec. Ive about learned my lesson on cheaper low cost servos. Not that you cant get good results from them, but because it only takes getting one bad one and then you crash. Its happened to me twice now and I just dont want to risk it any longer by saving a hundred bucks on servos. Just not worth it.
Dont get me wrong, I own a Raptor 50 and its probably one of...if not my nicest heli that I own. It just gets flown the least because the cost of heli fuel is about 33 dollars per gallon around my area.
Saying that...I can buy some really decent "budget concious" batteries to fly my 500 or 550 electric helis for not much more the cost of a gallon of fuel. And these "budget concious" batteries work out fine for my skill level.
If you were to consider going electric...you could go with an Align super combo kit which comes with everything you need minus the TX and RX and battery. It comes with the 3GX FBL system which Im not sure if you need a full RX or just a satellite if going Spektrum. More research would be needed to be done to confirm before ordering. Here is a link (I am not endorsing the site as Ive never bought from them...just using their link to show you the kit)...
http://www.rpphobby.com/ProductDetai...FU-d4Aod2hoASw
The 550 size is basically about the same size as a 600 (which is what size the R50 is) except it uses a shorter tail boom tube and shorter main blades.
By going this route you wont have to worry about buying the proper ESC and you will have a nice large heli that will be good for flying skills of Mild to Wild. And to top it off...its priced right considering it comes with everything spec'd out for that airframe.
Just thought I would give you some info so you wouldnt discount the electric helis. And since I own and fly both electric and nitro...thought my perspective would be valuable to you.
goodluck.
PS. If you decide to go with the raptor. Look at the servos that come with the Align 550 or 600 kit and get those or some that are spec'd out similar in a quality brand name like JR or Futaba or even HiTec. Ive about learned my lesson on cheaper low cost servos. Not that you cant get good results from them, but because it only takes getting one bad one and then you crash. Its happened to me twice now and I just dont want to risk it any longer by saving a hundred bucks on servos. Just not worth it.
02-06-2013, 11:22 AM
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RE: Is this heli a good choice?
ORIGINAL: flycatch
Excellent choice and since money is no object go nitro. Electrics' lack the noise factor.
Excellent choice and since money is no object go nitro. Electrics' lack the noise factor.
My raptor 50 isnt much louder than my 550 or even 500. It has an aftermarket pipe on it and that may be why...I was surprised at how quiet it was compared to some of my nitro planes I fly. It has the OS Hyper 50 in it.
02-07-2013, 10:27 AM
#6
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RE: Is this heli a good choice?
ORIGINAL: omnidynmc
Spektrum transmitters are prettygood for the price, however if you are going futaba the 8FJ is probably the one you want.
Spektrum transmitters are prettygood for the price, however if you are going futaba the 8FJ is probably the one you want.
02-07-2013, 12:23 PM
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RE: Is this heli a good choice?
I went with Spektrum when I got in the hobby a few years ago. Not because I thought it was the best radio...but because most of the people at the club I joined owned either JR or Spektrum, so I knew I would have help with learning to use it.
After buying it...I learned of a feature (that as far as I know) only Spektrum has called Model Match. This feature makes it impossible for you to select the wrong model. Basically, when you bind your radio and receiver, it will only work if you have the correct model selected that was bound to that particular receiver. If you accidentally select the wrong model...it will not work at all. Great safety feature if you ask me and worth its weight in gold because of it.
I never realized how important it was until I bought another brand of radio to run my tmaxx, rock crawler and boats with. I forgot it wasnt model match and I did not have the correct model selected before I turned on the model's RX. Almost stripped a throttle servo because of it or I wouldnt have even known.
I realize we are always supposed to do "pre run checks" and one should notice not being on the right model...but sometimes even the most cautious person can forget. And having that extra safety measure to be sure you have the correct model selected in memory can save you some money and possibly an injury.
Also, you may not always know you are on the wrong model IF all servo directions are the same for lets say...2 planes. And when you do your check it appears that all the surfaces are going in the right direction...BUT the expo and rates are extremely different. You could end up taking off with a model that has way too high of rates or low of expo for you to be able to handle...thus causing a crash. Model Match is almost the greatest thing invented since sliced bread! lol
Also, you may not always know you are on the wrong model IF all servo directions are the same for lets say...2 planes. And when you do your check it appears that all the surfaces are going in the right direction...BUT the expo and rates are extremely different. You could end up taking off with a model that has way too high of rates or low of expo for you to be able to handle...thus causing a crash. Model Match is almost the greatest thing invented since sliced bread! lol
just my .02's again.
