i am looking to get a glow powered helicopter. Is there any big signifigance between a 30 and a 50? In your opinion which one is better ( more for the money, more stable, ect...)

Up until the intro f the OS-37 or Toki 40 and the Century Hawk Pro - I would have said without hesitation, a 50 - either the Century Raven 50 or the Align 600N (big difference in price but both very capable and rather low maintenance).

But since building and flying the crap out of the relatively low priced Hawk Pro over the past two years with both the powerful Toki 40 and OS37...the bang for buck equation has been altered a fair bit in my mind. This low cost combo has really impressed me.

Next relative to "bang for buck" IMHO is the Raven 50 and the Knight 50 with the OS50 Hyper or better yet, the YS-50 (if you can find one - they are more rare then hens's teeth).

All of these will take you from basic hover, through FFF, into sport aerobatics and well into some pretty extreme 3D.

The fact that bigger is better is undeniable. Whoever tries to tell you otherwise hasn't flown a bigger helicopter.

If you bring budget into the equation, then the problem changes. If you are looking to go all out with 3D aerobatics in the future, then go with a 50, bottom line. If 3D aerobatics is not your thing, and more relaxed "scale" flying with the occasional loop and roll is your cup-of-tea, then a powerful 30 could be your ticket.

I'm not going to "tell you" which one to buy, becasue that is dependent on your local support base. Ask the local pilots what they fly and why. Make your decision from there. What is the point of having a great helicopter, that you can't set up because nobody around you knows how to?

Rafael

.50

If I had a quarter for everyone that went with a 30 and wished they had started with a 50 I'd be retired (or atleast working one less job)

Why buy twice? Get the 50 up front.

You say that like you are convinced they are "better" I'm not so sure they are.

couldn't agree any more

If BarracudaHockey did have quarter for every person that got a 30 and then wished that had went to a 50 initially....I would have been a contributer to that fund.

I've flown both....get the 50. I agree with Syclic in that the OS 37 with the right muffler will turn a 30 size machine into a screaming demon...but the larger size of the rotor disk of the 50 still makes it a more stable heli. I'm only familiar with the Raptors but for what I consider not too much more for the Titan over the 30 size Rappys...I'd get the Titan.

thanks for all the help. Now what about a 50- 90. Would the same ideas apply? is something lost in money for performance (A.K.A maybe the 90 cost more and can only do about the same)

90 is a big step up from a 50 and I dont consider the cost versus performance worth it personally. I had 2 90s and got rid of both of them. Fuel consumption is double, and most parts cost twice as much. I also find people with 90's dont progress well unless they have a 50 they care a lot less about to thrash around and try new stuff.

Don't get me wrong they are great machines, but they cost a lot, usually need more specialized tools and building skill and don't fly all that much better than the 50s.

thats great. 90s seemed a little out of my buget anyway( for some reason $1000 or more seems like so much more than 700-800)

Check out the Audacity Tiger 50 and the Audacity Pantera 50. Cheap but good flying ships to thrash about. I have two Tigers that I learned to build and fly helis on.

If your budget limits you to one helicopter, the 50 is your best bet. If you can afford more than one, then a combination would/could be beneficial. I own a 450 class, a 50 class and a 60 converted to 90.

When I'm practicing maneuvers, the really new stuff I try on the 450 first, then if I'm succesful, I try it on the 50. Then when I'm comfortable I do it with the 90.

Rafael

i was in the same boat as you 2 years ago. i bought a Raptor 30 package deal from helihobby. I sold that about 4 months after buying it. I now have a Raptor 50. much much better bird IMO. And most of the 30 parts are also for the 50.

I'd like to know how big or how small is the difference in stability between the Trex 450, a .30 and a .50 size helicopters, I believe that a bigger is better in stability but I only have the experience of the CpPro and the Trex 450 and between these two there is a huge difference.
Thanks.

A LOT

Just like you noticed the difference going form a Blade to a TRex, you will notice the difference going from a Trex, to something bigger. And you will also notice the difference in any step you take, 30 to 50 and 50 to 90.

Rafael

Thanks!!, I do believe that my next step will be a glow 50 size. I am still impressed with the Trex stability and learning FF flight, and dreaming with bigger birds.

I normally fly my .50's and .90's about the same amount so I never felt a huge difference because I knew what to expect but awhile back I only flew my .90's for about two weeks. When I went back to fly a .50 I was all over the place for the first tank.