Old Flyer back for another go

[rambo0293]

Hey

Been a long time since i was on here!! Im looking at getting back in to the hobby but am looking for some advice and this was always a good place to get good but sometimes mixed advice. I started flying quite a few years back with Jamin_00 on this sight and progressed as you do and getting to a point i could fly ok. But i made a life changing choice and move from sunny essex to the south island of New Zealand. Now i have been here for a couple of years and life is amazing. I have taken up quite a few hobby's since i have been here (Hunting, Fishing, 4WD'ing etc), but i still feel the need to get another heli. Now as i have started a new life and i am now a student again money can be quite tight so i know especially as i am starting out again and have to buy everything that i cannot afford to much etc. So i have been looking at 450 to 500 leccy. But a lot has changed in the fact everything is flybarless and where everyone was spektrum back then its seems a lot of a wider field. So my questions are:

What radios do people recommend these days?
How different is FBL to flybarred?
How good are the new align T rex 450's or is the 500 that much better still?

Now i know the answers are peoples own choices and are not right for all but just a insight in to the newer tech and kits would be nice

Thanks

[dieselcarb]

Hi welcome back I use hitec aurora 9 tx personal choice love everything about it but really its all about budget. A spektrum should be fine.

Align helis are fab easy to work on cheaper parts and fly well again depends what you want to spend.

And as for flybarless whats wrong with an old flybar

Good hunting terry

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[pgkevet]

As ever it'll be opinion over fact.
8 or 9 channel tx's tend to have nicer feel and gimbals than 6 or 7 channel tx's. Futaba rules unless you own a spectrum and force yourself to believe that second best is worth having. Hitec always feel nice but lack a following. Jeti if you have megabucks to spend.
You know that a 500 will fly when a 450 can't but costs a little more to run. FBl generally flies in even worse conditions with less effort and fewer bits on the head to mend in a ding. Yo then have to unravel the b0ll0cks about which fbl system to buy.
Anecdotally on here folk seem to have more issues setting up the 3gx but then there's probably more of those units out there than one thinks. Cheapo xyz works but not the nicest. Beastx easy to setup and works.. and clones are fine and dirt cheap. Higher end Brain, Vortex Vbar and other units are just down to personal opinion and prejudice and can all probbaly be tweaked to fly like each other since they nearly all have the same sensors anyway.

Realistically any tx will do the job. Realistically a tarot clone will fly as well as an align 500 and if budget is tight then a beastx clone isn't a bad place to start. Or sell a dozen sheep and buy bling.

[PKNEC]

Welcome back and basically +1 to what PGK said.
Definitely go 500 will handle the offshore breezes better.

[rambo0293]

PGK thats a name i haven't seen for a while assuming you are the same pgk i used to know. Did you come to the field at purfleet?? or may be picked something up from you before but i am sure we have met. Thank you for your input and yes i do understand the difference between how the 500 flys and a 600 but not a 450. I am quite lucky as for where i live because we dont really get wind i could fly in as it is either to windy for any thing or no wind at all but we only really get 2 months of wind here in a year. Unfortunately we dont have any sheep and the last lamb is now in the freezer I cant see a problem with the old flybar but everthing thats out at the mo is FBL so i was guessing its the way to go and yes your right less bits to break during a crash. I think a big factor aslo with going with a 450 would as i said cost but also there are no clubs here etc and a 450 buzzing around a park is no where near as intimidating as a bigger heli and also not as obvious so should not get a crowd not that there is many people in my town lol.

Thank you both for your input so far

[tomatwalden]

What radios do people recommend these days?
How different is FBL to flybarred?
How good are the new align T rex 450's or is the 500 that much better still?

Thanks

Radios : Everyone recommends their own generally! The old Futaba v Spektrum debate is still trawled out for some reason, but both are fine. Silliness aside, go with your budget and personal preference I'd say. Personally I use a DX8 and am very happy with it. I know guys who are extremely happy with their 18MZ's too!

Flybar v FBL : I only ever flew one flybarred machine before I converted to FBL. Personally, I found FBL to be much better. The lower heads and consequently, lower CoG made the models more stable inverted. In a crash, there's no flybar cage to rebuild. Also, FBL units are now relatively cheap, with some (eg. the AR7200BX) being an absolute doddle to setup.

Align : Align have their detractors (I'm one of them!), but they remain a popular brand. I would say avoid their BTF offerings, and consider replacing their screw sets with ones made from sturdier stuff. Personally, I dislike DFC style heads (hence why I'm a detractor) but I think KDE and possibly some others offer upgrades to replace the stock DFC heads with ones that include a swash driver. Personally, if you're looking for a good, reliable 450 or 500 - I would look at the Gaui X3 or X4II before an Align - but that's just me ...

[rambo0293]

Welcome back and basically +1 to what PGK said.
Definitely go 500 will handle the offshore breezes better.

Thank you but as said in post about wind i live in the southern alps

[Alfie]

I have all the helis mentioned, so feel worthy to comment.

If i were you i would buy a second hand Trex 500esp fb of here and a spektrum radio, turnigy (blue) lipos and S/H revolectrix 10s charger.

The reason being, all of the items are popular and very easy to move on if you dont settle back in, and the trex 500esp stock out the box really is plug and play, and very cost effective to upgrade to FBL or DFC.

col

[Ritchieme]

I have a tarot 450 align clone, its even better than the align in some ways, the head is fbl but not dfc and personally i prefer none dfc, I use a DX9 which I'm happy with can't comment on others cos never used anything else, it fly's really nice and isn't too bothered with wind, in fact when its really blowing i prefer to fly it instead of my 500 or 600 cos its cheaper to repair and so far hasn't gone in due to weather, only dumb thumbs, now that's backward thinking :-)

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[PKNEC]

IF a 450 is more to your liking,start browsing the classifieds as there are usually plenty about that have already been blinged up.
e.g The BMFA Classified Ads Service / Trex 450 pro DFC head in case with lipos or a 500 http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/sale/1...0-efl-pro.html

[tomatwalden]

Might be a bit costly to post to New Zealand though!

[PKNEC]

Very true Tom,but not sure of Neils options,perhaps some BMFA type organisation in NZ/Australia?

Just found this, Gaui - - Kits - RC Helicopters - Hobby City ..... X5 No brainer
or http://rc.franktonmodels.co.nz/index...cPath=4_23_514

[pgkevet]

PGK thats a name i haven't seen for a while assuming you are the same pgk i used to know. Did you come to the field at purfleet?? or may be picked something up from you before but i am sure we have met. Thank you for your input and yes i do understand the difference between how the 500 flys and a 600 but not a 450. I am quite lucky as for where i live because we dont really get wind i could fly in as it is either to windy for any thing or no wind at all but we only really get 2 months of wind here in a year. Unfortunately we dont have any sheep and the last lamb is now in the freezer I cant see a problem with the old flybar but everthing thats out at the mo is FBL so i was guessing its the way to go and yes your right less bits to break during a crash. I think a big factor aslo with going with a 450 would as i said cost but also there are no clubs here etc and a 450 buzzing around a park is no where near as intimidating as a bigger heli and also not as obvious so should not get a crowd not that there is many people in my town lol.

Thank you both for your input so far

We did meet..once at purfleet if it was you trying to first autos on a 450 while I managed the impossible of stacking a 700 on takeoff!! Was it you that picked up some lipos for Ben from me at Croydon?

Surely there's more room than just a park on S Island? Although i honestly don't think there's much difference between a 450 and 500 when it comes to park flying - both can do seriious damage if you do hit someone and the 500 wont look that much bigger in the air to passers-by but will be way easier to see as the pilot...and will be more stable and less likely to get out of shape.

[Made2Fade]

Welcome back Neil

[ChrisB]

As ever it'll be opinion over fact..

so i see