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**BobJ** · 02-02-2008, 02:30 PM

Hi

Unless you have a good reason to stay electric (flying site problems) then go with the Nitro as at this sized Nitro is still the more practical option for most.

Cheers
Bob J

**barney** · 02-02-2008, 03:05 PM

I agree 100% with Bob. Once you make the step up away from Indoor/Park flyers Nitro is still the best option.

You can get considerably more stick time per session using Nitro as there is no requirement to wait for batteries to charge (Usually 1hr plus per charge etc).

Typical flight times 10mins Nitro and 6mins Leccie per flight .

With the Nitro you just refill go fly again..around 5 flights per charge on the Rx battery depending on what you fit. Plus theRx battery is only what £20 so you can easily have a spare in your box to swap over.

Cost effectivness the Nitro is streets ahead especially with your experience level you are likely to damage a pack at some point.

IMHO its a no brainer unless for the reason Bob outlines above

cheers Brian

**mark lane** · 02-02-2008, 03:22 PM

Thanks Brian,

This seems to make sense. I am lucky to have a large available private flying space so noise should not be a problem.

Will the nitro be much harder to build/set up and maintain?

I have a nitro buggy and it can be a bugger to start and adjust mixtures etc?

**moonmanflyer** · 02-02-2008, 05:01 PM

Originally posted by mark lane View Post

Thanks Brian,

This seems to make sense. I am lucky to have a large available private flying space so noise should not be a problem.

Will the nitro be much harder to build/set up and maintain?

I have a nitro buggy and it can be a bugger to start and adjust mixtures etc?

Mark
The nitros are do require more tweeking and adjusting as the air temperature gets warmer, you will just have to test it and adjust the mixture to suit.
I fly both the elec and nitro trex's. I love the elec for its ease of use, just plug and play, where as the nitro you need more equipment but i prefer my nitro due to the power advantage and there is nothing like a screaming engine on a heli.
If i had to get rid of one it would be the elec, but it is a close call.
The chose in the end is down to you, the nitro cost will be less to start but not by much by the time you have added starting equipment fuel etc.

**barney** · 02-02-2008, 06:25 PM

I here what you are saying James but moving beyond the 3S packs it gets expensive very quickly. Convienance yes..practicality/cost no..

Leccie 600..You get two flight of 6mins then spend around 1-1/2hrs waiting for the 1st battery to charge ready for flight no 3..Then another 1-1/2 hrs for flight 4..You get 24mins flying for 3+ hours at the field.

Meanwhile the gezzer with his Nitro 50 can fly 50 mins inside an hour if he wanted too.

James you need to add two battery packs/decent charger into the electric option

If you wanted to fly as much with electric it takes a considerably higher initial outlay. Batteries, chargers and a small generator as your car won't handle it. By the time you add in the odd bent/faulty pack that only produces 70 cycles it fast gets expensive.

Best sceniaro I could come up with assuming everything went 150 cycles, was around twice the cost of running a similiar Nitro per minute.

Providing you get initial help... and Mark ..I highly recommend you do with either option, Nitro's are not difficult to operate. IMHO If you are near any decent Clubs/Heli schools it would be time well spent.

I'm sure a post asking for that information here on the Addicts will give you something to follow up.

Best of luck Brian

**mark lane** · 02-02-2008, 06:36 PM

Thanks James,

I am still indicisive, i posted a similar q elswhere to you as i saw you were local and had both machines!

What can you tell me about the local scene?... i would love to meet like minded flyers and learn more. is there a good club in our area?

I have been into Hobby hangar where i received fantastic service and got to see both choppers. They spoke highly of the elec for all its advantages but i need to make sure i get it right first time as this is the last big spend
before a new baby in June!

I am really looking forward to getting out and flying for real after flogging my micro and wives nerves to death!

Mark.

**Tim Procter** · 02-02-2008, 06:49 PM

Totally agree with other comments about the nitro (more flying time etc)

But!! I have just this week sold my Raptor 50 Titan which was my only Nitro.

Reasons are you take the electric heli, Plug in and fly.

Nitro's you are messing with sticky fuel, Glo plugs, Starter motors, then after you have flown it you spend another 20 minutes cleaning it down as its usually smothered in a sticky mess..

I can see the plus and minus with both choices, Battery packs are certainly expensive..

Each to there own I suppose.

**mark lane** · 02-02-2008, 06:52 PM

Thanks again Barney,

You speak much sense... i have asked James for some local info above and it looks more and more like nitro becoming the appealing option. I suppose the clean down is half the fun of looking after the heli!

Whats your take on radio? i hear Futaba are releasing something to match the DX7 for performance V price.

The other option seems to be some great deals on standard frequency units with full blown synth etc.

will i just get confused with too much gadgetry though and struggle to programme?

I am a sucker for flashing lights but want to get it right again from the off!!

Mark.

**moonmanflyer** · 02-02-2008, 07:06 PM

Originally posted by mark lane View Post

Thanks James,

I am still indicisive, i posted a similar q elswhere to you as i saw you were local and had both machines!

What can you tell me about the local scene?... i would love to meet like minded flyers and learn more. is there a good club in our area?

I have been into Hobby hangar where i received fantastic service and got to see both choppers. They spoke highly of the elec for all its advantages but i need to make sure i get it right first time as this is the last big spend
before a new baby in June!

I am really looking forward to getting out and flying for real after flogging my micro and wives nerves to death!

Mark.

Mark
Hobby hanger is a good shop and as they fly the helis themselfs give good advise and support along with help with set-ups etc.
I bought my helis from them and have always been very friendly and helpfull.
As for clubs there are 2 main ones around, westlands have a club that flys both on the airfield and just outside merriot and another at templecombe.
You are welcome to come and visit and see mine if you like or i can drop you a message when i go flying so you can come and watch, i tend to use the field at merriot more but i think this weekend is a right off due to weather.
If it was my money i would go for the nitro pro. just mostley to do with the cost of batteries and like also mention flight times.
As for radio, go for the DX7, far supperior than the futaba.

**mark lane** · 02-02-2008, 07:22 PM

Thanks James that would be great!

Let me know when we could get together... i would love to see you fly!

I work in Clarks village so work some weekend days. i have all next weekend off and hope to go to the show at yeovilton on Sat. will most likely be lots of static displays however?

Let me know when you plan to spin blades as i'm only 20 mins away and will drop everything if poss to come!

Many thanks,

Mark.

**barney** · 02-02-2008, 08:09 PM

Hi Mark no probs..looks like youve already got a few guys local to you for help now + it looks like your LHS is good for help advice too.

Yes Nitro can be a little messy.. TBH I only quickly wipe down my helis these days as there flown twice a week anyways and stored indoors so kept warm and dry. Using only fully synthetic fuels prevents any burnt on deposits on exhausts etc and it keeps the motors running sweet.

Any fuel residue will attract moisture in a damp enviroment as Methanol (fuel) is hydroscopic (attracts moisture from the air)..me a 30 sec wipe down is about it. If I were storing in a garage/shed etc I would be more thorough..but 5-10 mins would be enough.

Radios..I would go with the DX7 good value..combined with the AR7000 Rx..Ive had well over a thousand flights troublefree with mine.

Do buy it as a combo..i.e. Tx & Rx as the servos it comes with are not really suitable for a 50..You will get 10 answers on what servos/gyro etc to buy.

My recomendation initially would be futaba 401/9254 or spend some more and go with the Spartan DS760 or CSM720 Futaba 9254/JR8900 tail servo.

Cyclics i.e. the swash servos Futaba 9252/or equivalent..throttle servo..any £15 jobby will work fine...Rx Battery a Fromeco 2600 and the Std Align 6 amp regulator (Not the 2 in 1 version)...just squirt some hot glue from a glue gun down each end ensure wiring is supported and it will give you no trouble after that.

I could go on and on but the guys near you should be able to keep you right. GTG.. cheers Brian

**moyesboy** · 02-02-2008, 08:11 PM

I watched the release of the trex500 with some interest. A little heli with the potential to fly like larger heli and it could use batteries that are interchangeable with my 450 size, but two at a time.

but what happens? a pair of 3 cell 2100 packs make the flight a bit short. And then folks are fitting 120 quid packs at 6 s 3000 or more and it gets toward the pack cost of a 600. Then there is the problem of what to charge it with, unless you have mains at your flying site. so you have a nice quiet electic heli and stand next to a petrol generator that is charging your spare packs?!

you learned with a very small twitchy heli, so a 450 size would probably feel like a big heli to you.

I started with a 450, and I flew it mainly in my garden with the odd trip to somewhere with more space. I could hover in all orientations pretty good, but my flying stalled there until I bought a 50 nitro which meant I had to go to a flying field and then becuase I had to make that special trip I invested the time in actually flying it. It was a lot easier to try new stuff with the big stable 50 size heli and then when I could do stuff I could also do it on the little heli too.
So I think I have most angles covered with a 50 nitro and a 450 electric.
The 3 cell 2100 packs for the 450 can be charged from your car, at least 2 or 3 packs with no problem and you can get something like the jumpstart box they have now at aldi for £30 and charge 3-4 packs from that. so 4 packs two chargers and you can fly every 15 minutes with the 450,and it fits in the car with other stuff, you can charge it from the car, and you can fly it when you are out for a picnic or in a playing field round the corner from work at lunchtime. I crashed my 450 a lot and didn't write off any packs yet - always over grass.

The 50 size nitro is the business. I see no need to be any bigger. It'll fly in all wind conditions, just the repatoire gets limited in a gale.

If you do the sums though an electric is actually cheaper by a fair margin, especially if you compare to 30% nitro. If you fly enough and burn enough fuel then it is actually cheaper to fly a 50 size electric , but you have an extra 150quid+ in the heli so it depends how you feel about that when you fly. 4 boxes (4 us gallons/box) is 300+ quid depending on nitro, maybe 2 trex600 packs or more than 3 trex500 packs. So you break even in about 2 seasons.

I bought a very good used raptor50 for 400 quid as my first50. I think that helped me because if it had been 800 quids worth I was trying to hover inverted i might not have got there so quick.
It depends on how hard your wallet rests against your balls.

I'm about to invest in a new 50 nitro with all the best gear so I'm about to find out

By the way lots of people rushed out and bought trex 600e .50 size electric helis and didn't spend enough on the lipo packs. The cheap lipo packs are killed by the 600 rex. So there are quite a few folks selling the helis on. yuo might find a cheap 600e and then you can spend decent money on a few really good lipos for it and have a good setup. But you do need lots of lipos to have a decent flying senssion without waiting for charging, and then there is still the "charger power source at the field" problem.

**moonmanflyer** · 02-02-2008, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by mark lane View Post

Thanks James that would be great!

Let me know when we could get together... i would love to see you fly!

I work in Clarks village so work some weekend days. i have all next weekend off and hope to go to the show at yeovilton on Sat. will most likely be lots of static displays however?

Let me know when you plan to spin blades as i'm only 20 mins away and will drop everything if poss to come!

Many thanks,

Mark.

Hi Mark
I plan to go to the yeovilton show if the weather is good, i won't be flying tomorrow due to the weather but if next weekend is good i will probably try to get out sunday late morning.
I will let you know if and when.

**mark lane** · 02-02-2008, 08:51 PM

Cheers moyesboy!

Lots of great info there.... I,m starting to paint a good picture from all this great info.

I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing some 600's fly in the near future which will help (Thanks moonflyer!)

Mark.

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Trex 600 cf or nitro pro??

Trex 600 cf or nitro pro??

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