i cant decide...

[challis349]

Decissions decissions lol, it's a nitemare, all I'd like is a decent heli that I can get flying lol, instead of a damn heli that needs lots spending on it,

Thanks for all the input mike

[CookieMan]

Hey Kev mate,

Take everything one step at a time mate. Do this slowly.

1) Nitro Vs. Electric ...... Are you sure you want to stick with the 450 pro? YES / NO

a) If YES, go to point 2.

b) If NO, Consider the following points:

i) Will I be able to afford a bigger nitro?
ii) What are your choices?
- A Raptor 30/50
- A Flasher 50
- A trex 600N
- A trex 500

Electrics:
Short term investment heavy. Cheaper - long term

Nitro:
Short term investment lite. Expensive - long term. (Consolation: costs are spread over time.)

2) What is your budget? ...........

3) Will you be able to get a new heli for that budget? YES / NO

a) If Yes, end of story, enjoy the semi-built, build

b) If No,
i) Put up a WANTED POST here and search on BMFA as well.
ii) Be patient. The heli you deserve WILL come to you.

Go through these points and let us know where you're stuck. If it is just the matter of searching out a heli for you, give us a shout, we'l keep an eye out for one.

[challis349]

Hi Jason, thanks for that, I ran through everything and with 450 sport super combo the answers are yes and fit into my budget, problem is it's only £300, whereas I can't afford a new nitro model until next year, but could afford a used model I think, but like I say my budget is only £300

[adieuk]

hi Kev,
if you go nitro mike's heli is spot on Ive seen it fly and so have you, i know mike pretty well mate and you will get a good deal,
if you go electric mate miss out buying from ebay you have been there before mate. buy new or buy a good used electric or a good used nitro from someone off this forum then you will now you will get something that will fly and setup spot on mate

[waveydavey]

Whats wrong with the 450 you have. It looked like good spec from your original posts. Why look at another purchase of over £300 if you need to spend say £100 on your current one for a decent gyro and tail servo. The 450 can be a lively little heli but will serve you well. You can get by with 6 channels and you don't need a governor, just run a nitro on curves if that's what you decide. The bigger the heli the more stable, the 600 compared to the Raptor is in my opinion no competition the Raptor will fly better and is a superb model for a beginner. Believe me, unless you're the next Duncan Osbourn it will out perform you.

[challis349]

Hello mate, for the current 450 I have an align ds520 on tail, could do with 3 better servos on swash as currently have hs56 that are plastic geared, need new tAil block as can't tighten tail, new gyro, some tail rod guides, I think that's about it but to get that I'd prob be looking at spending more than if I sold current 450 and bought new 450 sport super combo, I think ...

[waveydavey]

Theres nothing wrong with plastic gears, the 9254 is plastic geared and one of the best tail servos out there. The HS56 are more than quick enough and offer more torque than you need. Don't know how much the tail block is but can't be more than £20 and the guides are a few quid. The gyro, put your £100 into a gyro to match your tail servo and keep what you've got. don't make the same mistake as a lot of new pilots and think that you need the latest and greatest and that it's going to be better than your current stuff. Practice on Phoenix, fly for real with your current machine and when you can fly circuits, 8's etc then change for a bigger machine. By that time you'll have saved a fortune and looking at competing in the 3D champs.

[Streetluge Chris]

I run cheap servos hxt900 even have one on the tail it works I also have a raptor 30 which I got from a member on here and its been spot on I love it.
I used the 450 to learn on untill i get right then try it with the raptor why not have both?

[challis349]

the main thing then is a decent gyro, have seen some servo's on ava hobbies which have been said to out perform hs65mg's, that are 11 quid each, just gyro then...

[waveydavey]

the main thing then is a decent gyro, have seen some servo's on ava hobbies which have been said to out perform hs65mg's, that are 11 quid each, just gyro then...

Again Kev, why do you think you need new cyclic servos. Are they damaged, are they not holding centre correctly, are they a little vague in operation. The gyro will give you confidence in that the tail will hold without any need for you to correct it. However, as you get more and more capable you start to control the heli with all controls and it becomes second nature, so if you've got a bit of drift, so what you'll learn quicker and the corrections will become automatic. When you start to fly you tend to make one correction at a time because your brain hasn't made the link yet and it goes something like, up a bit, down a bit, left a bit, right a bit, left roll a bit, right roll a bit and so on. Thats why you notice the tail drifting and it becomes annoying. I've just fitted a KDS 800 to my sons 450 and I'm blown away by it, and it cost all of £20. The servos your talking about are excellent also.

More stick time, more sim time and less fiddling time will see you better, just my opinion of course.

[challis349]

Too me the cyclic servos do seem a little vague in operation, and a little slow, think they will be ok at the moment, going to go to gliders distribution today and get some carbon tube I think for the tail linkage rod instead of guides,

The servos then I may change at a later date

where did u get gyro from, as to pay £100 for a futaba one is not really in budget at the moment, then could get a raptor or something in a few months, as cash still a little tight since I was with no job for 8 weeks, although working again now

maybe cyclic servos seem a little slow as I'm comparing it to the ds520 I have on tail

[waveydavey]

where did u get gyro from, as to pay £100 for a futaba one is not really in budget at the moment, then could get a raptor or something in a few months, as cash still a little tight since I was with no job for 8 weeks, although working again now

I got it from an Ebay (Click Here) vendor, good delivery and a stonking little gyro at £20. You don't need a GY401, trust me. Others will have different opinions but they just aren't worth the money anymore. You can get a Spartan Quark (Click Here) including servo for just over a £100, compared to £107 for a 401 and the Quark will far outperform the Futaba

maybe cyclic servos seem a little slow as I'm comparing it to the ds520 I have on tail

They will be slow compared to the tail. They're doing a different job and don't need to be fast, although the ones you have are fast enough even for the tail at 0.1s for 60 degrees.

[davew]

He's talking sense Kev.

You can't fly well enough to say the HS56 servos are slow! You haven't had anyone even look at your set ups yet.

I don't care what the nitro boys say, you should stick with electric for now and what you've got is nearly there. Sorry to be a bit harsh but buying what you think is better kit will be no substitute for practice, sim time and more practice.

I'm no expert flyer but have had a lot of time with various 450s and guarantee what you have could be set up and flying beautifully for less than 100 quid.

Dave

[challis349]

Hi thanks dave, I've ordered today a kds800 like waveydavey uses, have read reviews on them also, ordered some carbon tube for my tail linkage rod, now if I can find one anywhere I either need a new tail boom retaining box thingy, or some longer screws as the screws aren't tightening which loosens the tail, then for around 40 to 50 quid I should be all set up and flying

[waveydavey]

He's talking sense Kev.

You can't fly well enough to say the HS56 servos are slow! You haven't had anyone even look at your set ups yet.

I don't care what the nitro boys say, you should stick with electric for now and what you've got is nearly there. Sorry to be a bit harsh but buying what you think is better kit will be no substitute for practice, sim time and more practice.

I'm no expert flyer but have had a lot of time with various 450s and guarantee what you have could be set up and flying beautifully for less than 100 quid.

Dave

There you go! By the way I am a nitro boy through and through but I've seen too many beginners go through the same path as you think you should and fall by the wayside because they are spending more money than they get a return for. The hobby is about flying and your flying buddies not the best servos or gyro. One of the best pilots in my club and we have more than out fair share flys a Raptor 50 with an OS37 and it outperforms most machines in the club, no bling, no custom sprayed canopy just a well looked after machine reasonably spec'd and flew by a brilliant pilot.