Flight Times.

Hi all,
My nickname is Deano.
I'm new here and this is my second post. I joined this forum after spending hours and hours here reading as a guest.

I last flew a helicopter about 13 years ago. I had just started flying "figure of eights" (not brilliantly) across a large field and for several reasons gave up the hobby.
Anyway my nephews got a little cheap helicopter each at christmas ... that started me thinking about how much I used to love flying my old Kalt Enforcer ZR.
Since then I have bought a DX6i, Phoenix and an MSR ... joined this forum ... and read everyday on here and different places found on Google, with the aim of getting another helicopter that I can fly outside.

Flight times seem to be mentioned very little, if at all and I would not like to buy a helicopter that had really short flight times (5 minutes or less) regardlesss of how good it is.
So ... could you please post what model and size helicopter you use, along with your style of flying and the flight times that you get. What size battery you use, or if fuel what type you use.
Something along the lines of ...

Helicopter is __________
Hovering time is ____ using _____battery/fuel
Scale flying time is ____ using _____battery/fuel
3D flying time is ____ using _____battery/fuel

If using battery, could you please say if cold weather made much difference to flight time.

Cheers, Deano

[p4ddy]

Helicopter is __Logo 500 3D________
Hovering time is _I rarely hover___ using _6s 4800 revo lipo____battery
3D flying time is around 5-5.5 min____ using as above but need new powerfull packs

Helicopter is _Trex 450
Hovering time is 8.5 min with tweaking of throttle curve____ using 3s 2100 battery
Scale flying time is 7min____ using 3s 2100_____battery
3D flying time is--- no it's Airwolf

Helicopter is Trex 450________
Hovering time is _??___ using _____battery/fuel

3D flying time is 5min____ using 3s 2100_____battery

[MartinH]

Helicopter is _Trex 450
Hovering time is 8.5 min with tweaking of throttle curve____ using 3s 2100 battery

Please share your heli and tx settings mate lol how have you got 8 mins .

[p4ddy]

It was a long time ago using a 430L 13T & about 70% thro flying in normal mode only doing small fig 8's & hovering. It was also not in the fuselage back then. With the scorpion & 13T in my other 450......well that's a different story

[est1976]

5 mins on sporty flying with my rave 450

4 mins 30 seconds of the same with my trex 250

nitro heli's generally have longer flight times .... if I had to guess Id say 10 mins on average

it only takes 30 seconds to change a battery on an electric

[dam74]

Please note that flying times vary greatly depending on how well the heli is setup. For instance my Trex450 Sport which was built at xmas seems to be fairly poorly setup as I drain my batteries (Align 2150 and Revo 2100) completely after 4-4.30min of hovering. The problem seems to lie with my meshing and my tail belt. So if the figures you get are from somebody who has an untuned heli then the figures could be well off. I'd suspect that Paddy has a fairly well tuned heli

[p4ddy]

I'd suspect that Paddy has a fairly well tuned heli

Well my belt tension & meshing is fine (although after my mesh hicup on my Logo Ash may beg to differ)

[est1976]

depends on throttle curve, motor/pinion too

[Deano]

Thanks for replies so far.

Please note that flying times vary greatly depending on how well the heli is setup. For instance my Trex450 Sport which was built at xmas seems to be fairly poorly setup as I drain my batteries (Align 2150 and Revo 2100) completely after 4-4.30min of hovering. The problem seems to lie with my meshing and my tail belt. So if the figures you get are from somebody who has an untuned heli then the figures could be well off. I'd suspect that Paddy has a fairly well tuned heli

Yeah I know that setup/engine/batteries etc, will make a difference, but all i'm after for now is average flight times for each model.
I like the idea of not having to carry all the kit to start a Nitro heli .. but ... if flight times are too short and the cold makes battery times even shorter then I would be more likely to go back to Nitro.

Deano

[p4ddy]

What about a HV set up on a 50 size leccy?? You could have a 12s 5000mah, i reckon you could compete with a nitro's flight time on that???

[stevieb337]

You could have a 12s 5000mah

a lot of money for batts tho lol

[matt27]

another idea is to use the new a123 cells,longer flight times, less heat and quicker charge

i currently have blade 400 and only hover for 7mins (timer) and on average still have about 3.1/3.2 left in each cell

[est1976]

on average still have about 3.1/3.2 left in each cell

I never take my lipos below 3.7/3.6v per cell unless by accident

[matt27]

opps lol whats the kind of 'limit'? (tbh thats what came out last few couple of times and i should really get some new batts as ive had mine for a year and 2 months and theyve been used a fair bit! oh and those reading are in the cold )

[p4ddy]

The general rule is to never drain more the 80% of the packs capacity. You can get away with going over a few times but that's it or else you'll start reducing the packs life.