whats the largest electric out there? as i spend more and more time on the sim i have noticed that the larger gas helis are more forgiving and easier to fly. are they more forgiving because of there size or because of the nitro power plant? so whats the largest electric? i really like my mcx and blade 400 so i want to stick with electric.

I believe the largest mainstream electric is the 600 size. I believe it is equal to a .50 nitro. Any size heli can be made electric, but that means converting it from whatever powerplant it has, and it can get expensive. The bigger a heli is, the more stable it is, that is why the nitros/gassers are more forgiving.

thanks bug......can anyone recommend a good 600 size heli?

Depends on what kind of budget you have.

TRex700 is already being converted to electric turning 690mm or 710mm rotors.
Depending on budget, hmmm Align, Thunder Tiger, Compass or Mikado.

Unless you've got at least $1200 to spend on just the heli you won't get many good answers. The servos and gyro that go into a 600 size electric have to be very good, the same as you'd put in a .50 nitro. I spent almost $500 just on the servos and another $200 on the gyro for my Trex 600N. Add that cost to a good 600 size electric kit which is over $600 and it gets expensive. This doesn't even include the $200-$300 batteries, that's EACH. Plus a charger that can handle 6S, another $140.

You may be thinking that I used pretty expensive components.... well I did. Safety in RC helis cannot be overstressed and something that swings 600mm blades at 2000 rpms is NOT where you want to cheap out.

Look into the Miniature Aircraft ION-X. It's a .90 size electric based on the MA Fury Extreme/Tempest helis, that has been around for a few years, before the boom in large electrics. Though they are showing out of stock, Heliproz has a listing for it. Located [link=http://www.heliproz.com/prodinfo.asp?number=166900]here.[/link] The ION-X is $1,380 for the heli, motor, and ESC. The killer is the batteries. It takes 8-10 Cell LiPO or NiCD/NiMH batteries with 28-32 cells. They are set up for 2 batteries per flight, 1 mounted on each side of the main frame. Not a cheap proposition.

With the current battery and motor technology, I wouldn't doubt that you'll see much larger electrics (in place of turbines or gasoline motors in some birds), especially in the scale arena.

hhmmm...........


well i really wanted to stick with electric. i suppose i will have to wait it out and see what comes down the pipeline. i really like the simplicity of electric flight. im not a big fan of tuning nitro motors. if i do end up getting a nitro bird where should i start? i have had some fly time with a nexus .30 but it was in a trainer master controller situation trying to learn how to fly. i would really like something in the .90 or bigger area. eventually i would like to fly it with a scale fuselage. i really like the Hughes 300 and 500.


i do have a long way to go, im still wearing out my mcx and sim. i hope to be wearing out my new blade 400 by the start of summer. i think a larger heli would make a nice winter project for next winter

Once you're ready to advance to a larger machine from the Blade 400, a .50 size nitro or 600 size electric would be your best bet (both are equivalent in size). They have similar performance to a .90 size, but are cheaper to repair than a .90 size. As said before, Align makes the T-Rex 600 in both electric and nitro. If you do consider going nitro, the Hirobo Sceadu EVO 50, the JR Vibe or Airskipper 50, or the Thunder Tiger Raptor 50 are all very popular machines with good parts support. I don't know that from experience, but it does seem that they are the top of the heap from reviews and user comments. There are also many more choices from other manufacturers like Compass Models, Audacity Models, Kyosho, and Ghobee Aviation.

I would only suggest going to a .90 if your budget can handle $200+ per crash. Many very nice scale fuselages are available for a .90, however, there are quite a few for .50s as well.

Scale birds is where you will spend the most IMO. You figure 1000+ for a good .50 nitro or 600 size built with quality stuff, then you can spend another 500 to 1000 on the fuselage and things to make it a scale bird such as retracts and lights. While you aren't doing hard flying, so things don't wear out as quick as a 3d bird, if you ever stuff it, you are out a large chunk of change replacing the fuse and making the heli fly again. Unless of course you have the tools and skill to scratch build, then you can just build another fuse pretty cheap, but you are out all the time it takes to do it.

This is electic, big enough?

Is that a kit, custom job, or conversion? I know it makes me drool a little. Someday[&:]

It's a Vario that Peter Wales converted to A123 electric. 1080mm rotor blades.

My bank account ain't big enough for something like that...yet. I got to get through school first.

oh sweet jesus where can i buy one? im assuming i will have to finance my life away to get it though

Maybe not your life, just your first born, and your health, cause we all know how addicting this hobby can be.

I think we may be able to trim a bit off Druss estimate and still maintane a good safty level. Try
http://flying-hobby.com/catalog/prod...oducts_id=3999 They are using an off brand servo (tail is still futaba) but if its the same one's that they included with the kit I got last year they will hold up for sport flying. If you are going to do 3D or put a heavy fusalage on I would upgrade them. You can also get batteries from HobbyCity , zippy 5000 mah 20C that will work for sport flying for 144.00

Interesting couple of points...
The new Align DS410, 520 and 620 servo's are re-branded Savox's, seem to be getting good reviews apart from the 410 which seems to be burning up rather alot due to the tail issues of the Trex 250.

Sometimes, doesn't matter what you spend, saw a guy with Radix 600mm blades and 1 delaminated in flight, only damage was to his underwear and the LHS swapped the blades out immediately to be sent back and tested. 1 for customer service anyways.

The same site has the Hurricane 550 in combos or RTF with 2.4 ghz radios in the 700 - 800 range. The hurricane 550 is a wonderful starter. very tame in its stock configuration an flys very well on two of the zippy 3300 3s packs only 44 a shot. I got a poly 4 charger some balancers from hobbycity and can charge up two sets of packs at a shot. with sport flying you get about 10 min. Another nice thing about the Hurricane , replacment parts are inexpensive.
BTW I bought my Hurricane 550 from them and later my Trex 600. I had a minor problem with the one way bearing on the Hurrcane and they sent a new one with no problems or questions.

I know what you're saying ea01bg but I personally wouldn't use a 401 in a 600 size heli. Maybe that's just me but if I wouldn't do it unless I couldn't afford anything better. The servos are not that appealing and the battery sucks.

If you're willing to spend the money on a 600 size heli then do it right... That's my philosophy but to each their own.

Druss,
I agree with you on the battery that comes with the kits apex if I recall.As far as the 401 gyro goes I’ve seen no difference so far between its performance in my 550 and the 600. It holds the tail like its in a vise. I dont think Id use it in a nitro 600 or larger due to greater vibration but so far ( a few dozen flights on the trex 600 ) it seems to be working well. I’m also not doing very aggressive flying, just sport flying. If I where going to do anything more I think I would upgrade it as well.
Same goes for the zippy batteries I’ve been using , If I where doing anything more than sport flying they would have to be upgraded.
I guess the point I’m making is that someone could put together a 600 size Heli that would be suitable for a beginner for somewhat less than 1500 and still have a safe Heli. Then as ones ambition, flight skills , and budget increase the Heli can be upgraded into a complete 3D monster with all the trimmings.

Whats wrong with a 401 in a 50/600 size heli? They work just fine. They don't have the piro consistency of some high end gyros but they hold just as well as anyting else.

Apparently you do not own a 401 or you wouldn'y say that. I have one in an EVO.50. Works great unless you want eye watering piros up and down the field in fast forward flight. Hey, I can live it.

Jim

I do have 3 401's and while they are ok but I personally won't use them in my 600. I also have a few logictechs, a solid G, a 770... etc.

It's all personal preference but there is a performance difference.

AND, living where I do live the temperature is a factor. It can get from 90 deg in the summer to -40 in the winter. I find that the 401 can get squirelly in the cold.

Our field has 16 fellows with 50 size helis, most with more then one...and some are pretty hot 3D pilots. They all use the 401/9254 combo on one or more of their 50's and we are all very satisfied with them. They hold onto the tail almost as well as the top line gyros like the 611 etc.. The only area they are not as proficient, is in keeping the same piro rate upwind, as downwind, in any traveling piro maneuver...vertical or horizontal.