Thanks Midlands (and what have I done)

[AlastairC]

Been a bit quiet on the forum of recent as been away with work.... and decided to get a new heli while waiting on one of my delayed flights.

Big thanks to Midlands, as per usual their service was fantastic with everything arriving the next day (the week after it was delivered I was on a work trip nearby for a day and managed to pop in... met Mat Watkin and somehow made it out without a coffee.. probably as was going to miss my flight if I did not shoot up the road)

Given the winds up here the 450 is great but a bit of a fight in high winds (like anything below 10mph as this time of year is just not going to happen) so ended up with a new 550e 3GX super combo. Super easy to put together (a big 450) and has so much space for the electronics and so nice to have big pieces to bolt together!

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Did the maiden today. Wind was crazy and given it was my first flight I thought I would call it off...but with rain forecast for the weekend and given how everyone says the big models are solid in the wind I spun it up. Absolutely fantastic. 12mph constant with gusts at 30mph. The heli just sat there. Have the same settings at my 450 pro on the 3GX. Looking forward to getting it out to the field and getting it flying properly.

Now a bigger heli addict!!!

[Vikki]

Very nice, Alistair. Looks and sounds gorgeous. I took the 450 and 500 out yesterday. The 450 was bouncy but the 500 was solid.

I bet the 550 was 24 caret solid.

[bulnose]

Very nice, Alistair. Looks and sounds gorgeous. I took the 450 and 500 out yesterday. The 450 was bouncy but the 500 was solid.

I bet the 550 was 24 caret solid.

try a 700 and i doubt u will want to fly those little helis again :P

[AlastairC]

Very nice, Alistair. Looks and sounds gorgeous. I took the 450 and 500 out yesterday. The 450 was bouncy but the 500 was solid.

I bet the 550 was 24 caret solid.

Thanks Vikki. Yea the 550 was just soo smooth and steady rather than the wasp on crack feeling the 450 has. The head speed was down around 1700. Have IU2 set at 2200 so looking forward to the noise from that! Too little space in the garden to play and on wee man duties.

[simon1]

The 550 is the heli I would be flying if funds allowed it, great bang for buck heli, looks mint.

[AlastairC]

try a 700 and i doubt u will want to fly those little helis again :P

I'm sure. Part of the reason I got the 550 was the battery path to the 700. Back to visit the inlaws in Taiwan next year so maybe then!

Now to get a bigger charger!

[r4nd0m]

nice one - I also like the backyard (if it is) ... could think of some epic scenes to shoot in there ...

[AlastairC]

The 550 is the heli I would be flying if funds allowed it, great bang for buck heli, looks mint.

Definitely save up if you can. Really ticked all the boxes for me as wanted a big heli but not ready yet for the 2 batteries of the bigger stuff as will need to upgrade from my iCharger and find a bigger field.

[Vikki]

That's your garden! Wow!

The battery path puts me off too. How many minutes, I wonder, would 3000mAh give me on a 550. Will have a look at 5000mAh costs later.

[AlastairC]

nice one - I also like the backyard (if it is) ... could think of some epic scenes to shoot in there ...

Yea my parents back yard but a little small for this! Perfect for mcpx. (Some other vids of it on my YouTube channel as it is my maiden/test flight place as my dad has a small workshop that comes in handy)

[AlastairC]

That's your garden! Wow!

The battery path puts me off too. How many minutes, I wonder, would 3000mAh give me on a 550. Will have a look at 5000mAh costs later.

Parents garden :-) long time / if ever I could get a place like that.

Yea batts are not cheap but for the 4 1/2 mins I flew it only seemed to take about 30% out of them with the low head speed.

[simon1]

Definitely save up if you can. Really ticked all the boxes for me as wanted a big heli but not ready yet for the 2 batteries of the bigger stuff as will need to upgrade from my iCharger and find a bigger field.

Its not so much as buying the heli but rather the running costs, the lipos are about £60+ for one 5000mah 6s, the 500's are £70 for two 3000mah 6s. Part cost etc is a little more. I always look at what I can afford to crash, the 500 is my limit, its still quite pricey with £30 blades and £25 canopy on it.

TBH the 500efl pro is awesome so much power its mental, its still very floaty and copes the wind farly well, would have a 550 if i could though

[AlastairC]

I always look at what I can afford to crash, the 500 is my limit, its still quite pricey with £30 blades and £25 canopy on it.

TBH the 500efl pro is awesome so much power its mental, its still very floaty and copes the wind farly well, would have a 550 if i could though

Totally agree. No point in having something that would not be flown if a crash would be unaffordable.

Happy though I did not have to test that out as unlike my 450 it went well :-)

[Vikki]

From Hobby King, UK warehouse, Turnigy 6s 3000mAh 30c are about £28 each and 5000 are about £46 each.

£46 is still a stiff price.

Fully understand crash costs being a limiting factor. But then I have the 450 to practice with (I do try not to crash it).

[JoeBailey]

You could do a 12s fusion 50 with 550 blades using those 3000 packs vikki.

And with a 90 size motor it really would go like stink.