Electric smallish helis with good flight times?

[PeteStewardson]

Right I've been out with the 450Pro again this lunch and I think I'm coming to the point where I've decided it's not for me.

I'm spoilt with the TT360 as it flies so nice, really smooth and loves to tear about the sky like a bigger heli. Problem is right now spares are an issue so after a few crashes it could be grounded permanently. The only option then for the heli is to convert it to a Rave 450. Now this is an option that I might take up but before I do I was wondering if there are other options.

I'm spoilt because the TT360 will fly for 9mins on a 2500mah 4s lipo. It doesn't need a high head speed and so really works well for me. I have 4 of those so I can fly for a good while. The 450 Pro will only fly for 4 mins and I only have 2 lipos and another 2 I need to make up from 2s packs. My fault for going 4s but even if I went back to 3s I'd not get longer flight times.

The 450 is quite a lot more twitchy than the 360, and doesn't fly as nice. I know it flies fine as it's been flown by other people and they thought it was fine ( Dan being one ) so it's just that it's not for me. So I might just sell the 450Pro with the big box of spares I bought.

So other than slowly convert into a Rave450, I was wondering what other helis are out there that I can get good flight times on.

So any options people can think of? Trex 500, what's the flight time on those for sport flying? I'm only doing flying about, flips, loops and hoping to start rolls and stall turns etc and also flipping inverted. Spares costs do matter and it doesn't want to be too big as I don't have a massive space at work to fly it?

The short flight time is actually hurting my progression I think. I used to spend 4 or so minutes just going over the basic stuff I knew I could do to get comfortable and then try the odd new thing, withthe 450 I don't have that time so I really want something with good flight times, small-ish and electric.

[Gingerr6]

The 500 is a great heli. I love mine.... FBL Beastx.....

[PeteStewardson]

What flight times do you get though?

[Gingerr6]

What flight times do you get though?

i get 6.30. you just need loads of batteries.

[danch]

I only get 5 minutes from my 500 with 6S 3000mah batts (although they are loong max tipples & turnigy blues)

Heard you can get decent flight times from the logo 600 Pete

Dan

[Si Goodchild]

500s fly lovely, but that's a lot of investment compared with just getting some more batteries and perhaps reconfiguring the settings on your 450 pro. How about heavier paddles (or flybar weights) and a bit more expo on the tx to calm her down a bit. Is the head configurable to add more stability from the flybar and less from your swashplate inputs?A new heli is nice, but not always the first answer.

[simon1]

the pro is an out and out 3d machine so its designed to be agile, and you may find it alot more twitchy compared to a 360mm blade machine. I have taken time to get used to my pro after having the belt driven sport but its a little beast if you want it to be or tame if you don't.

Have a play with the radio settings, swash mix etc, although flights times won't change much, 4-5mins is average for most electric small helis I would of thought?

[Gingerr6]

A new heli is nice, but not always the first answer.

A new heli is ALWAYS the answer

[PeteStewardson]

Heard you can get decent flight times from the logo 600 Pete

That may be, but a logo isn't small or cheap

500s fly lovely, but that's a lot of investment compared with just getting some more batteries and perhaps reconfiguring the settings on your 450 pro. How about heavier paddles (or flybar weights) and a bit more expo on the tx to calm her down a bit. Is the head configurable to add more stability from the flybar and less from your swashplate inputs?A new heli is nice, but not always the first answer.

True it's an investment, but if I want to swap the 450 to 3s I need a new motor and lipos anyway. I can try more expo as you say but it's never going to fly like a bigger heli.

I could pick up a 500esp and then sell the 450Pro and I doubt I'd be much out of pocket other than on lipos maybe.

[Zeeflyboy]

If you want to stay smallish and change heli then you could take a look at the mini protos, perhaps with a stretch kit.

Light weight heli, great performance, cheap parts and with the stretch you can swing the head slower for better flight times and get a bigger bird feel.

[NEAGRON]

Hi Pete,take a look at the mini protos,it can be extended to run 350 blades,it is also designed for 3,4 or6 cells,hope this is of some help,it flies nice to,Marty.

[Zeeflyboy]

Snap lol

[PeteStewardson]

If you want to stay smallish and change heli then you could take a look at the mini protos, perhaps with a stretch kit.

Light weight heli, great performance, cheap parts and with the stretch you can swing the head slower for better flight times and get a bigger bird feel.

Hi Pete,take a look at the mini protos,it can be extended to run 350 blades,it is also designed for 3,4 or6 cells,hope this is of some help,it flies nice to,Marty.

Funny you should both mention that. I had got that in the list. Just wasn't sure on flight times with the stretch but will do some research.

[Lynx.1677]

I know people running a 450 Pro on a low headspeed and getting 5 mins easy. Like you say, you don't need a high heads speed so crank it back. I used to get 4 mins out of a 450 Pro going crazy with a 3'400 headspeed! Maybe you need some new lipo's? Turnigy Nano's are very good.

Why change heli when you can tinker with what you have and get the same end result.

[stanley1]

I love my 450pro atlhough havnt flown it in a while, ive been concentrating on getting the bigger helis set up properly. I doubt ill ever sell it though infact ill proberly go fbl on it in the not too distant future.