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Blade Helicopters - What happend or am I stupid?

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  • #1

    Blade Helicopters - What happend or am I stupid?

    Just though id cheack out blades website to see what they are doing these days.

    Last I heard they had very popular 450 FBL machines and a 500x was ariveing shortly / Lunched with bigger birds in the works.

    However unless I am doing something very stupid (Likely) it looks like they scrapped all this and there biggest machine is a 360X along with some more micros and some of the old popular ones (mcpx ect), seems to be more quads though which is good.

    I am on mobile site and clicked helicopters / looked at all the experiance level Tabs.

    Am I just haveing a brain fart or what happend...only been gone a year or two.
    Last edited by CyclingSalmon14; 02-02-2015, 01:18 PM.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Feel free to luagh at me very loudly though for i am likely just missing something...ah well it will cheer some of you up no doubt.
    Last edited by CyclingSalmon14; 02-02-2015, 01:16 PM.

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    • #3
      If I can translate this correctly then yes. I think they are phasing out their larger models. However, the 360 is bigger than the 450.
      Spektrum IX12
      Blade Inductrix
      T-Rex 150X
      T-Rex 450L, Heli Option Turn-buckles, carbon push rod, 6s, Stock Electrics, Giant Power Lipos
      Goblin 380 Kyle Stacy, 360mm, 6s, AR7210BX, Align 430m/525m @ 6.0v, Castle Talon 90, Scorpion 3020-1000, Optipower 2700 30c
      Goblin 570 Carbon Red, Stretched to 600mm, Blackline 3D Blades, 12s, BD 3SX, Align 800/850 HV servos @ 8.0v Castle 120 Phoenix Edge HV, Scorpion, Thunderpower G8s
      T-Rex 800e Pro DFC, Hobbywing 200A, 760x Head, BeastX

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      • #4
        Number system is confusing then lol.

        Last i knew they had just released the 500x

        Anyone know why...was the bigger helicopters just a flop?

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        • #5
          As far as I know, the larger "Pro" series Blade helis have been discontinued, but still some stock around in shops - usually discounted.
          SAB Goblin 380 KSE - latest love thang
          Lynx OXY 3 - my mini flagship!
          Blade 180 CFX - field beater for new moves
          Blade Red Bull BO-105 CB 130 X - scale fun flying at the field when the tail isn't broken, which is not often.
          Blade mCPX - sold
          Blade Nano QX - house fly of choice
          Blade mCX2 - retired but will be back when the kids get a bit bigger

          Spektrum DX8 - for everything
          ne          Xt sim - the sim I started out with
          Heli-X sim - my new favourite sim!

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          • #6
            550x and 700x great helis but didnt sell much in europe but usa like them.I have a 550x and its fantastic!
            • Trex 700N RMJ,msh brain
            • Goblin 700 black thunder sport,vbar Neo
            • Trex 700L Dfc,vbar Night Flyer
            • Trex 700x,Vbar Neo
            • Goblin 570,msh brain
            • Goblin 380 kse,msh brain
            • ​NeXt sim and DX9 and Vcontrol

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            • #7
              Yup ah well that sucks for whoever bought them then not a great lifespan...

              Shame asblade helis were always good value.

              Comment

              • #8
                I think they tried selling their "Pro" series at around the same price as proper helis... and failed, miserably. Kinda like if Reliant released a new car. It wouldn't matter how good it was, it would still have a Reliant badge.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by Nick_C View Post
                  550x and 700x great helis but didnt sell much in europe but usa like them.I have a 550x and its fantastic!
                  I also have a 550x, great heli and very underestimated IMO.
                  Parts supply still ok too

                  Dan.

                  TREX 550X - Beastx HD Pro
                  GOBLIN 570 - V-Bar Neo Pro

                  Taranis X9D Plus

                  neXt Sim

                  AccruRc Sim

                  Proud wearer of 3 X EGS

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Gixxer View Post
                    I think they tried selling their "Pro" series at around the same price as proper helis... and failed, miserably. Kinda like if Reliant released a new car. It wouldn't matter how good it was, it would still have a Reliant badge.
                    I was of that opinion until i got the 550x, they are excellent helis and that's hard for me to say as i had never been a Blade fan

                    Dan.

                    TREX 550X - Beastx HD Pro
                    GOBLIN 570 - V-Bar Neo Pro

                    Taranis X9D Plus

                    neXt Sim

                    AccruRc Sim

                    Proud wearer of 3 X EGS

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Gixxer View Post
                      I think they tried selling their "Pro" series at around the same price as proper helis... and failed, miserably. Kinda like if Reliant released a new car. It wouldn't matter how good it was, it would still have a Reliant badge.
                      LOL "Proper helis"!? they priced them pretty much at the same price if not slightly cheaper than equivalent Align models. I personally went from an Align to a Blade 550X and was glad I did. Despite not being a "proper" heli, it pretty much outperformed the Align, used a "proper" head (no DFC silliness) and flies really well. If Blade did anything wrong, it was the cosmetic aspects. The canopy was a disaster and the canopy mounts broke too easy.

                      They fixed both of those points on the 700X, which, all things being equal, I would still prefer over an Align 700.

                      But Blade did fail on the Pro Series, but I think largely for the following reasons ..

                      1/. Preconceptions by those that couldn't see past the name and made assumptions based upon micros. If Reliant released a good car, it would still be a good car regardless of the name on the front!
                      2/. Very little competition presence, no big names pilots - hence no high level reputation, no "kudos".
                      3/. Despite a similar RRP price, Align's get massive discounts very quickly due to a high turnaround of versions.

                      Personally, I think had Blade fixed the cosmetic issues quickly (ie. better canopy for the 550x/600x) and had come out with really aggressive pricing (ie. a "loss leader") with the first of the "Pro Series", they might have succeeded.

                      As it was, some of us (me included) got ridiculously good deals on these helis and therefore ended up actually seeing and flying them. Almost everyone I've heard from that actually owns one says almost the same thing ... crap canopy, brilliant heli.

                      Personally, I spent £50 with Fusuno to fix the canopy issue and am really happy with both helis.

                      Bottom line though, Blade made some really good proper helis. They completely goofed the marketing of them however.
                      Tom
                      sigpic Synergy E7SE - Kontronic Helijive 120+ ESC, vBar Neo
                      SAB Goblin 630 Competition                       - Castle Edge 120HV, vBar Neo
                      Blade 700X - Castle Edge 160HV ESC, Mini vBar
                      Logo 550SXv2 - Castle 130LV ESC, vBar Neo
                      .... and a Gaui X3
                      Spektrum DX8 ; Mikado VBC ; RealFlight 7 & neXt sims                       ... and two EGS'



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                      • #12
                        I love the way people get all defensive over their toys

                        I didn't say there was anything wrong with the 'Pro' series, but when the 700 was released, it was close to the price of a Goblin. No Blade heli was ever going to sell at that price, it had the wrong badge (which is what I was saying in my previous post). If they had priced it realistically from the start, or changed the name, it might have sold.

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                        • #13
                          PS. FWIW, Blade seem to be focusing on three things now ...

                          1/. Their "core" market - small helis (fixed pitch) 120SR, 200SRX (colletive pitch) 180cfx, 300cfx, 450x v2 RTF(*), 360cfx
                          2/. Small quads - too numerous to mention
                          3/. Business opportunities around quads ... see Horizon Precision Systems | Welcome

                          In short, they're focusing on stuff that makes clear profit. Whilst the larger helis are more interesting for this forum - they are not big money spinners in the grand scheme of things.

                          (*) The naming convention of the old 450x is a bit misleading against the new nomenclature of the CFX range. The 360cfx is bigger than the 450x.
                          Tom
                          sigpic Synergy E7SE - Kontronic Helijive 120+ ESC, vBar Neo
                          SAB Goblin 630 Competition                           - Castle Edge 120HV, vBar Neo
                          Blade 700X - Castle Edge 160HV ESC, Mini vBar
                          Logo 550SXv2 - Castle 130LV ESC, vBar Neo
                          .... and a Gaui X3
                          Spektrum DX8 ; Mikado VBC ; RealFlight 7 & neXt sims                           ... and two EGS'



                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Gixxer View Post
                            I love the way people get all defensive over their toys

                            I didn't say there was anything wrong with the 'Pro' series, but when the 700 was released, it was close to the price of a Goblin. No Blade heli was ever going to sell at that price, it had the wrong badge (which is what I was saying in my previous post). If they had priced it realistically from the start, or changed the name, it might have sold.
                            The 700X was cheaper than the Align 700DFC-HV super-combo (the 700X is an HV combo). I don't believe it was ever close to the price of a Goblin 700.

                            edit: my comments relate to the super-combo setup which included blades, HV servos, motor, and AR7200BX. the bare-bones kit was overpriced as I think they were trying to make the super-combo look attractive. Trouble is, Blade got the marketing wrong and probably misunderstood that many in this market sector are more inclined towards bare-bones kits than super-combos - hence why it looked expensive maybe?
                            Last edited by tomatwalden; 02-02-2015, 03:08 PM.
                            Tom
                            sigpic Synergy E7SE - Kontronic Helijive 120+ ESC, vBar Neo
                            SAB Goblin 630 Competition                             - Castle Edge 120HV, vBar Neo
                            Blade 700X - Castle Edge 160HV ESC, Mini vBar
                            Logo 550SXv2 - Castle 130LV ESC, vBar Neo
                            .... and a Gaui X3
                            Spektrum DX8 ; Mikado VBC ; RealFlight 7 & neXt sims                             ... and two EGS'



                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Originally posted by tomatwalden View Post
                              The 700X was cheaper than the Align 700DFC-HV super-combo (the 700X is an HV combo). I don't believe it was ever close to the price of a Goblin 700.
                              According to this thread...

                              700X price?? - HeliFreak

                              The Blade 700X was actually more expensive than the Goblin 700, when it was released.

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