What would you do ?

[Mutley]

I have 3x .90 chassis's that i was planning on converting to electric. I've flown IC for the first 5 years of my flying career with X-Cells so its not unfamiliar tertiary just when i started to get back into flying properly (planks) about 3 years ago electrics was the way then i got a 450Pro in January and it seemed obvious.

My style of flying is beginner F3c definitely not 3D.

So, do i :-

A: Convert to electric and go with motors, esc's, batteries etc.

or

B: Go with IC, and put up with the ancillaries that are needed for a flight day as opposed to plug and go.

Cheers

[robgt]

Go electric!
Anyone who is anyone in the world of F3C seems to be going that way.

Some interesting developments on the way for F3C (and that style of flight) in the UK for next year - keep your eyes peeled, or jump in with the AHA for up to the minute info when it happens

Home - AHA: Association for Helicopter Aerosports

Cheers,
Rob

[rachel]

I was definatly a batery girl with an t rex 600 esp but when i worked it out 5 packs costing £240 each gave me only 25 mins of airtime

I went to IC on the advice of fellow club members and now get 15 mins + on 1 tank.
Plus you don't have to pay for all your flights upfront , as you do when you buy a lipo.

Each 90 ship will need 2 x 5000mah 6s lipos (ouch)

You don't have to clean lipo helis.

If I was stashed rotten and could afford it I Would go electric as its clean !!!! But you need 8 packs plus or a way to charge at the field.

Oh now I can go fly at the drop of a hat as with electric you spend a day charging.

pros & cons too both

's X Rachel

[Mutley]

Interesting, Having flown both i guess i already know the answer. I need stick time and theres only so much a simulator can do so i need to go IC purely so i'm not limited. At the moment i have nothing and with everyone going electric there should be spare .91's ?

I'll be joining the AHA, RCHA, BMFA so should be picking up the news as it happens but of course i'll be on here too. Care to share some inside news ?

[LipolyGone]

I too was thinking 90 sized electric, especialy after chatting to Mark christy at Charmouth. It did seem the most natural way to go.
Then i spoke to a few other members who were there over a beer or two & I was put off the idea big time.
So decided if I couldnt have a big electric I would have a small nitro & bought an outrage velo 50 instead.
The big pitfalls of electrics are 12s packs at £130 a pop for turnigy
5000 40c rated ones, your going to need at least two & then a 12 s charger capable of fast charging the pack thats out of the machine whilst flying the other one.
The downtime with just two packs is actualy quite annoying it seems your almost always waiting for the charger to beep.
The battery you will need to take to the field for a days charging of these packs will give you a hernia lifting it in & out of your car also.
With nitro it's just so much easier fuel & fly sure theres ancilary equipment but it's not actualy to much compared to the chargers etc you need with electrics.

[trillian]

Interesting, Having flown both i guess i already know the answer. I need stick time and theres only so much a simulator can do so i need to go IC purely so i'm not limited. At the moment i have nothing and with everyone going electric there should be spare .91's ?

I'll be joining the AHA, RCHA, BMFA so should be picking up the news as it happens but of course i'll be on here too. Care to share some inside news ?

My interest is also more toward F3C and although I like the idea of a big electric heli as well, and they have become a bit more affordable recently, I can't see myself leaving IC behind any time soon.

I think if you have the luxury of bringing a charger to the field with a lead battery or generator and can get enough flying in while some of the packs charge then it can work. Otherwise you just need so many big heavy charged LiPos and all the preparation that goes with it.

For the 450 it's not an issue to have plenty of 3 cell Lipos.

Also, my current LiPo chargers can only do up to 5 cell, so I guess I could
run a 10S setup but anything more and I'd need to invest in a bigger charger.

Regarding engines, there are some good deals from time to time on 2nd hand engines and more than likely
they'll run for years needing only the occasional bearing change and could still be sold later. Conversely, if
you invested in lots of Lipos and decided to sell, you'd take a big loss. So you can always go nitro now
and then still change to electric later on.

'just to add - after reading the other comments above - I also saw Mark's electric Rave at Charmouth and that made
me think about it again, but for all the reasons you mention, it's just not practical at the moment. (for me anyway)

[pgkevet]

I have 3x .90 chassis's that i was planning on converting to electric. I've flown IC for the first 5 years of my flying career with X-Cells so its not unfamiliar tertiary just when i started to get back into flying properly (planks) about 3 years ago electrics was the way then i got a 450Pro in January and it seemed obvious.

My style of flying is beginner F3c definitely not 3D.

So, do i :-

A: Convert to electric and go with motors, esc's, batteries etc.

or

B: Go with IC, and put up with the ancillaries that are needed for a flight day as opposed to plug and go.

Cheers

Easy!...one electric, one IC and if any of them is a trex700 then convert that to a helibug gasser... then you have a complete set of power plants and can decide which to sell and which to keep later

[jwatts007]

I like nitro helis the mechanics engine muffler and the smoke, electric helis are nice but nitro helis are great.