ORIGINAL: JPEE
I fly Align products in my helis and have always been pleased, expensive but I am pleased and you get what you pay for. I did try a HK "clone heli" and found that while it was flyable the short comings were clear in the machine work and part failures. Heres where I am going with this, everytime I purchase new HK batteries which I love I "ALWAYS" unsolder the ends and replace them. I have found time and again that they are poorly soldered from the factory and........sometimes have had cold joints. So with this all said, to put up a Helicopter of like $1,200.00 to $2,000.00 in the air, I dont not want to be "penny wise" and pound foolish. JPEE
you do bring up some very interesting arguments and I don't disagree at all..
however.. just playing the devils advocate...
I have 3 x HK 450 helis, all stock except $8 HK carbon blades... over 300 combined flights and NIL issues..
the cost of each..
1.. $29 (over 130 flights nil issues)
2. $51 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNrafMSx_AU(Over 150 flights nil issues)
3. $69 (a Pro TT) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9X0rYnHEDY(over 60 flights nil issues)
Add another $150 to each for completion (servos, gyros, motor, esc etc..)
and I have 3 VERY flyable and for me Extremely reliable (so far) and FUN helicopters for under $600..
That is pretty good BANG for your BUCK! I thrash them every day in the sky and love it! I have no aspiration for competition or hard 3D... I'm just a sport flyer..
Working on (for the sake of argument) getting 1 flight for every $1 spent.. I am already half way there with my 3 helis..\
a $2000 heli would have to be flown 5 times every day for OVER a year with NILissues to reach the same cost efficiency..
but if I had a $2000 helicopter I would be probably be too SCARED to fly it.... but yes. I agree.. if I did have a $2000 heli I would NEVER risk it tocheap radio components
a $29 heli is another story..
If any of my helis fail due to cheap components ..I know I can completely rebuild /replace it for under $100... that's good enough for me.