may be i should have stated that my throttle curves where tweaked and the pitch curves were massive.
i read back through this thread and realized i also understated the batteries i was using.

on the 450s, like the blade400. i had 2450mAh batteries, and when just hovering with the curves tweaked i was getting at least 20 minute hovers.

you know, i still to this day have one of those 2450mAh batteries. now, it doesnt have the punch it did have, but its good enough for a solid ten minute hover.
here in michigan i get alot of indoor flight time, it seems like 7 months out of the year its too cold for me to be out side flying these helis.
i like flying, but not enough to being freezing.

i will contest that everything i posted in this thread to be pretty darn accurate.