How is it now?

[oneandonlyian]

Hi guys just a quick wonder.

How is the 3g doin on your helis I have heard the new updates make things a little easier, better.
I keep looking and thinking about flybarless just wanted to know how its doing a couple of months down the road.

Before the mikado boys pipe up v bar is above my price range as i would have to buy the head seperately thanks.

[trillian]

I'm curious about this as well. I was almost going to start a thread to try and get a consensus on this whole flybarless thing.

I have to admit I have not really looked into it in much detail and just heard the odd comment here and there.

[Steve]

As an outsider looking into the tent, it seems a noticeable number of people have tried it, given up on it and gone back to flybars.

[Mike W]

Like Steve I have watched with interest.. Personally Ian stick with flybars and just spend the money on spares .... Biggest worry I would have is if it went in and destroyed the electronics ....

[ChrisB]

Been using 3g on 2 models now with 2.1 update and love it.

All my models are fbl now except a scale one but I have a head and spare v bar for that and I do not like flybarred models anymore in fact I practically hate them because they feel so inaccurate when I fly other peoples

also I am a mikado boy I spose having 5 v bars but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them over the 3g because v bars are far from perfect at times and as you say more expensive to get flying

also i regularly see used 3g systems with heads selling for rediculously low prices on the bmfa bargain I say

the only thing I don't like on the 3g is the update cable it's a crap idea and they should have fitted a mini USB input on the main unit in the first place

[GravityKills]

As an outsider looking into the tent, it seems a noticeable number of people have tried it, given up on it and gone back to flybars.

It's a mixed bag.
I love the way flybarless helis handle, but the vibration problems on my 700 drive me crazy.
I had one V-Bar sensor failure while flying the 600. I managed to save it by sheer luck, but the unit has been to Mikado for half of the summer and I'm still waiting. I would have simply gotten a spare V-Bar, but I'm not willing to pay the full price anymore after their limited-time offer at a huge discount. Reliability is a huge headache, and that's a total non-issue with a mechanical flybar.

Comparing flybarless units, Mikado still seems to be slightly ahead of the race in tail performance. Otherwise, I don't care much about the flybarless controller. I've tried a number of flybarless helis - mostly different 500s with beastX - and felt right at home immediately.

For the majority of people (including myself), the heli is not the limiting factor. Since technology is improving and prices are coming down, the longer I keep the flybar, the more "flybarless" I'll get for the same amount of money.

[Tim Procter]

Still liking mine a whole lot but have to admit I have a CSM 720 gyro fitted for the tail.

This has been discussed widely before and for me is just a personal preference over the Align built-in gyro.

I have to agree with Chris Barrow regarding flying flybarred helis, They do feel ragged after you get used to the 3G system its a fact.

The v2.1 update is without doubt a big improvement on the original v1 that came with mine.

[Mike W]

Tim... have you had to send a 3G unit back to be checked after a crash or killed one in a bad crash yet ?? This is the biggest worry I have over a FB than a FBL is the cost of dumping one ...

[ChrisB]

Hey Tim it's not just me then regarding flybar heads now

I have flown a few other peoples models recently and I know there is absolutely nothing wrong with them but I just find all of them hard work and no matter how accurate and locked in they appear to fly watching the owners fly them when i have a go they just don't feel good at all

I can only assume fbl makes you become lazy after a time

[SRH990]

I bought the 550 with the 3G unit in the box and was wary before the first flight as I had experimented with flybarless previously using 2 CSM 720 gyros & a Cycloc. Experiment is the word as it was pretty fraught at times and caused a crash or two. I needn't have worried, straight up into a rock steady hover and a joy to fly for my style of flying, mainly light 3D and big sky. I was so impressed I bought a 3G kit for my 700 and I'm loving this too, so much so that I'm getting accused of cheating by fellow club members as it makes lots of things much easier!

I've since bought the 3G USB lead and updated to V2.1 firmware which just makes it even better. I do find the tail isn't as good as the Spartan previously fitted, being a little too whippy for my liking but not bad enough to use a separate gyro again, all a matter of personal choice really.

The new V-Bar system is a more attractive price for the cut-down unit so it looks like Mikado now have to compete in the market, which is a good thing. The down side to Mikado have been the high price but also the cost of upgrading firmware - not free like Align, I think my friend paid 25 Euros each to update his.

[millerman]

I have a 550 3G and although I have not flown it in anger I have idled up to a fantastically solid hover far better than my 500/600 flybar'd helis !!


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[coolice]

Hey.

I was one of the first in the UK to have a 3G whcih was fitted to my 700N and test flown outside Midlands :-) video about somewhere.
Apart from an early issue, traced to a badly made link cable from main unit to gyro sensors the entire setup has been perfect and easy to dial in. In fact this 700N is still flying around on Aligns V1 firmware and I have no intention of upgrading it to V2.1 until I need to. Initially I did have the odd tail kick but after adding some delay in the gyro it's not come back, even my V2.1 550 3G has kicked once I'm sure.

As to liking the system I do very much, it works well for me and all my models are now 3G'd. Only model I'm struggling to remove a fast forward/backwards/inverted porpoise from is my 450 PRO but if I'm not flying fast it handles great in 3D.
I'll get there though, just time tweeking at the field with a laptop.
.

[Ross Northcott]

on the subject of 3g software i have a 550e (6 weeks old)and i belive the its the v1, although it seems to me like its rock solid would v2 make a difference and what do you need to do to update the v1 to v2? not the best with computers.

[Ross Northcott]

anyone?

[ChrisB]

As far as i am aware,all the 550`s should have v2 installed,it should say v2 on the main control unit along with some numbers stamped on it.

The upgrade to 2.1 which allows you to get into the software to adjust things is desirable but the "If it aint broke dont fix it" motto could also apply i suppose.

In my experience my 550 felt better to me when i installed 2.1 and my 600LE most certainly felt better going from v1 to 2.1.

Do you think there is anything wrong with the way your 550 flies that you would ideally like to improve upon?