hello again

[aparkin]

hello again

I am returning to the hobby after some 5 or 6 years out thinking of getting a new tx and heli i was flying a trex 450 and other smaller shameful things the (vbar was big and dx7) was hot then (any thing to stay away from )have things moved on or is it still the same so looking to get a 500 size heli this time and prob a axon flybarless unit (bailout) sounds good to me anyone that remembers my flying will know why and that's about it or is this hobby on a slow death march as well

[trillian]

Welcome back! The heli side of things has slowed down a bit over the last 4 or 5 years and you'll notice this forum is very quiet now but that's really due to other things (Facebook being one of them).

The two biggest things have been FBL with rescue and TX's with telemetry. The DX7 will still work just fine though. With the newer TXs you can get alarms for various things like RX or pack voltage etc. Some FBL units can now be programmed from the screen on a TX. To me these are not revolutionary things but I know for some people having a FBL with rescue has been very helpful, some people like being able to do their FBL setup from the TX, it just depends on your situation as to whether these things are such big benefits or not.

Goblins are big, Align is still popular. Some brands have tanked, JR had financial troubles and has been rescued to some degree, we'll see how it pans out. Thunder Tiger scaled back their line to just the E700 and 550 (and something else? I don't remember) and they have much less distribution now but they're still going.

The Oxy's are getting popular now in the smaller helis. There are lots of new helis out but the support from UK shops is not quite as robust as it used to be. Skyline and Revolution went bye bye, NHP blades went as well. Next-D and Radix is now sold by a site called 'Droneshelis' and they have the full range of kits and parts, blades etc.

That's the cliffnotes version off the top of my head

[Crashalotjoe]

Welcome back! Trillian summarised the current position well.

In terms of 500's, I'd say the most popular currently are probably the Align 500X, Goblin 500 Sport and maybe the Logo 480 Extreme. Maybe not such big sellers in the UK, but you also have the Compass Exo, the XL Power 520, the Synergy 516 and the Gaui X5 which are all excellent and there's probably a few I've forgotten.

For flybarless units I guess the most popular are V-Bar, MSH Brain, Spirit and the various BeastX incarnations - all of which offer rescue if required (some at additional cost). For my money, the MSH Brain 2 or the Spirit seem to offer the best value for money for the facilities they offer (Transmitter integration, logging, telemetry etc.) although I still really like the Spartan Vortex even though it currently isn't as feature rich as the others.

Spektrum are still probably the No.1 seller of transmitters. Personally, I'm a Jeti man but there's a huge range of options available depending on your likes, dislikes and budget.

[Boggy]

Welcome back.Be patient,you won't get bombarded with answers like you did in the past but there are still very knowledgeable guys posting.

Oh and don't disrespect Vbars,or Apple products or Nikon or synergy or SAB or Honda genny's or VW vans or.........I'm sure you get the picture. That hasn't changed and is sure to get popcorn in the microwave. ( and now I'll get stick about it been done in a pan over an open fire) &

[trillian]

Probably the coolest 500 next to the Exo is at a great price: HD502 KITS

By the way - sizes have shifted a bit so now we have a '500 class' that is running actual 500mm blades (or between 465 and 520). And now some 450s have started to creep up to just below the blade size that used to be '500 size'.

[PKNEC]

Welcome back.
all that could have been said has been including the popcorn debates😂
Due to the lull in the hobby it looks like a few dedicated helishops are now selling a range of RC models.
And don't forget Futaba Futaba 😎

[p4ddy]

I still have a pic of your crashed 450 with its shark paint canopy lying on your flight case with a nice 45° bend in the tail lol

[aparkin]

yes see p4ddy knows why i need I'm after a bail out (oh shit save me button)

cool thanks for the reply's a lot of good stuff up there i am in no rush think ill get a second hand one first then buy new and build while i dust off the cobwebs and retrain my thumbs

[aparkin]

p.s are you flying again

[p4ddy]

p.s are you flying again

No not yet, I need a new battery for my dx7 so I can retain skills and scratch the itch so to speak on the SIM.

[phil67]

No not yet, I need a new battery for my dx7 so I can retain skills and scratch the itch so to speak on the SIM.

Paddy if the dx9 battery is the same ive got one that you can have matey as ive upgraded to a lipo

[p4ddy]

Paddy if the dx9 battery is the same ive got one that you can have matey as ive upgraded to a lipo

I've no idea? Never seen inside a dx9??