Heli brand with longest part support on their models?
08-12-2013, 09:17 AM
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Heli brand with longest part support on their models?
Someone was asking me this at the field. My immediate response was Thunder Tiger, but that is the only brand I have really dealt with and I explained that it might be a biased opinion.
Thanks,
Alex
Thanks,
Alex
08-12-2013, 09:41 AM
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Longest? Not sure what you mean by saying that, but I think that Align has a very good parts support as well as Blade too.
Not knocking Thunder Tiger helis, but they would be the last company to come to my mind. I say this because one can get Blade or Align parts almost anywhere...local or on the web. Thunder Tiger parts you are limited to Tower Hobbies or a few places here and there online. One of my LHS still has some Raptor parts hanging on the pegboards....but you have to wipe the dust off of them to even see what they are.
Again, not knocking Raptors...I own a Raptor 50 myself. I just dont think that they are the most supported helis out there is all.
Not knocking Thunder Tiger helis, but they would be the last company to come to my mind. I say this because one can get Blade or Align parts almost anywhere...local or on the web. Thunder Tiger parts you are limited to Tower Hobbies or a few places here and there online. One of my LHS still has some Raptor parts hanging on the pegboards....but you have to wipe the dust off of them to even see what they are.
Again, not knocking Raptors...I own a Raptor 50 myself. I just dont think that they are the most supported helis out there is all.
08-13-2013, 09:09 AM
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I meant the length of time in which a brand produces parts for a particular model. Someone at my local field is interested in a new heli but doesn't want the model to be discontinued in a year or two and therefore make parts potentially hard to come by. I have not dealt with Align or Blade. Align I might see having a solid legacy parts line, but Blade seems to come out with new helis every year or so. Not sure if they keep producing parts for their earlier models.
08-13-2013, 09:17 AM
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Okay...I now understand what you meant better.
Ive not had any problems finding parts for my older Align or Blade helis. However, be warned that I am just 4 years into the hobby so Ive not had to be looking for anything "ancient" by todays standards.
Given the fact that there are tons of Align factory as well as aftermarket parts for those helis...IF I could only pick one brand...I guess it would have to be Align. I know that there are better heli makers out there, just I cant afford them for the most part and I like being able to pick up parts on a whim...so Align has been what I have found to be all over and everywhere.
Ive not had any problems finding parts for my older Align or Blade helis. However, be warned that I am just 4 years into the hobby so Ive not had to be looking for anything "ancient" by todays standards.
Given the fact that there are tons of Align factory as well as aftermarket parts for those helis...IF I could only pick one brand...I guess it would have to be Align. I know that there are better heli makers out there, just I cant afford them for the most part and I like being able to pick up parts on a whim...so Align has been what I have found to be all over and everywhere.
08-13-2013, 05:41 PM
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I will pass the good word on, thanks. I have an original raptor 30 that I purchased back in 01 and then a raptor 50 SE in 07 and have always been able to find parts for all, but I am not that big into helis. I try to fly my 50 SE a couple battery cycles a season. Sucks getting old with adult responsibilities lol.
08-14-2013, 04:49 AM
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I will pass the good word on, thanks. I have an original raptor 30 that I purchased back in 01 and then a raptor 50 SE in 07 and have always been able to find parts for all, but I am not that big into helis. I try to fly my 50 SE a couple battery cycles a season. Sucks getting old with adult responsibilities lol.
I like my Raptor 50 too. Its an SE with all of the upgrades, yada yada yada. I dont like buying fuel for it though! lol
My favorite heli has to be a toss up between my 500 and 550 though. The 550 feels like the Raptor but with much more power.
08-16-2013, 10:11 AM
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I have a number of older helis that I still fly regularly. The brand that has been the best at supplying parts for their older helis has been Century. I have an old Hawk IV from 2001 that I still fly regularly and still have no problem getting parts from my local supplier. I also have one of their Predator gassers and still get parts for it.
One of the nice things I found about many of their models is as a new version comes out you can use the newer verion of components from it on your older version, so this keeps most important parts relatively current.
One of the nice things I found about many of their models is as a new version comes out you can use the newer verion of components from it on your older version, so this keeps most important parts relatively current.
06-03-2014, 12:31 PM
#10
Be careful when replying to a thread like this. makes you sound like a cheerleader.
The real response to this question is Miniature Aircraft. They provided support to all their helicopters from the 1001 to the newest gasser until they closed their doors early this year.
None of the other manufacturers can even come close. There is no way to continue making parts for old models after they have been discontinued and keep making a profit. So in a certain number of years, the supply of spare parts will dry up and you will either sell the helicopter or hang it up in your shop.
Best course of action is.... Research how old is the helicopter; based on market turn over, estimate how long the model still has in existence, add a few years of parts supply in the chain, and make a decision. If the helicopter was introduced to the market close to 10 years ago, the above logic makes it a non-deal. 5 years is more like it, depending on the manufacturer's goals. Some models like the Century, Raptors, TRex, XCells, and others have interchangeable parts between different year models. so the logic above could be extended a little. If you are into flying a Frankenstein of a helicopter, and know how to, you can extend it even longer. But then you wouldn't be reading a thread like this one.
Rafael
The real response to this question is Miniature Aircraft. They provided support to all their helicopters from the 1001 to the newest gasser until they closed their doors early this year.
None of the other manufacturers can even come close. There is no way to continue making parts for old models after they have been discontinued and keep making a profit. So in a certain number of years, the supply of spare parts will dry up and you will either sell the helicopter or hang it up in your shop.
Best course of action is.... Research how old is the helicopter; based on market turn over, estimate how long the model still has in existence, add a few years of parts supply in the chain, and make a decision. If the helicopter was introduced to the market close to 10 years ago, the above logic makes it a non-deal. 5 years is more like it, depending on the manufacturer's goals. Some models like the Century, Raptors, TRex, XCells, and others have interchangeable parts between different year models. so the logic above could be extended a little. If you are into flying a Frankenstein of a helicopter, and know how to, you can extend it even longer. But then you wouldn't be reading a thread like this one.
Rafael
