just throwing one out there......

[stevek32]

need to make a decision soonish....... i have been offered a raptor 30v2 rtf decent enough electrics and seen in action, price is really good on it,
BUT
i already have a 130x, trex 450 dfc fbl and a trex 500 fb esp, so do i really need another?, and one which is nitro.......
i have had a background with nitro rc trucks/cars etc so that side of it doesnt bother me and i can see the benefits from nitro, i,e longer flying times, instant re-fuel and away all day long... and another is the weight i couldnt fly the 500 the other day as to much of a breeze for a newbie but the raptors were buzzing around like a warm summers day......
now the tough part for me is i would need to get rid of either the 450 or the 500 other half has put the foot done firmly, and to defend her she has a point, being im still a learner, only just about managing circuits at the moment, and im only flying once a wk due to work and weather.....

so not knowing much about raptors are they easier to learn on comparable to the trex?, would you say go ahead and sell or forget the raptor?,........

any advice is greatly welcomed

oh and divorce isnt an option either lol......

[mike557]

I learned to fly on a raptor 30,it's good tool. However I think your missis has a point. The rappy would be a good addition to your fleet. However as you say not a lot of stick time and the 450 is IMHO a good trainer,not to long a flight time, cheap to repair so common spence says continue as you are. There are always rappers about, if in the future you get permission to acquire when skills and space allow you will appreciate it more

[NoFixedAbode]

Re: just throwing one out there......

I to would stay as you are you don't need it...just want it. I have never flown a 500 but the 450 is awesome so stick with what ya got.

[trillian]

I started on a Raptor 30 so I am a bit biased as I think they are still great helis in many ways. But since I have had a Trex 500, about 2 years now I think, it has become the old reliable cheap and cheerful everyday heli that is great for learning new moves and just keeps going and going.

It is true that the bigger the heli the less it is affected by wind and the Raptor is just under double the weight of the 500 but I think you can actually go further with the 500 in that you can move right up into pretty serious 3D whereas you'd need to bump up to a Raptor 50 because you'd start finding the 30 a bit lacking in power.

It's hard to say because for me the Raptor 30 was the perfect learning tool and gave me lots of confidence and at the time I really needed that extra bit of stability but if you're comfortable with the 500 it can be incredibly useful (and very cheap to crash). I would never part with my 500, it's a permanent part of my heli collection.

[pgkevet]

lose the 450 get the rappy


(reasons: 500 almost as cheap to fix as 450 rappy will fly when others grounded)

[RcRotaryMadness]

Tough one really.. depends what you want to do...

Personally I only keep 1 heli - I'm not a believer in having a whole fleet of helis as the cost vs usage for each heli isn't worth it (for me anyway).

I also like the larger helis, had a 450 once and would never go back to it... 550 is the minimum size i'd have (which is what I've got) - the 550 is the same as a nitro .30 size and it was the raptor i originally learned on - great heli for what it is, generally swap hands for less money than the align equivalents, 2nd hand parts are in good supply on ebay so its a cheap/good heli to go for.

I'd agree with pgkevet, sell the 450 and buy the rappy (ASSUMING your happy to have a nitro).

Then you have your 500 which is a nice "smaller" heli and then the raptor for the flying in stronger winds and also a more relaxing bird to fly when you progress to more advanced stuff and you feel like a relaxing fly.

The only thing is - are you sure you want a nitro, having been involved with them before you have a good idea of what their about but all your current helis are electric?

[one life fly it]

Just do what I did. Buy the rappy and some flowers and walk in the door with both.
Worked for me.

[halo25]

I started off on a raptor 30 6 yrs ago - great wee thing, but I spent lots of time upgrading it and lusting after a .50 size being honest.

Having said that the flight times were awesome and it was good for getting stick time in :-)

[KevDavies]

Tough one really.. depends what you want to do...

Personally I only keep 1 heli - I'm not a believer in having a whole fleet of helis as the cost vs usage for each heli isn't worth it (for me anyway).

I also like the larger helis, had a 450 once and would never go back to it... 550 is the minimum size i'd have (which is what I've got) - the 550 is the same as a nitro .30 size and it was the raptor i originally learned on - great heli for what it is, generally swap hands for less money than the align equivalents, 2nd hand parts are in good supply on ebay so its a cheap/good heli to go for.

I'd agree with pgkevet, sell the 450 and buy the rappy (ASSUMING your happy to have a nitro).

Then you have your 500 which is a nice "smaller" heli and then the raptor for the flying in stronger winds and also a more relaxing bird to fly when you progress to more advanced stuff and you feel like a relaxing fly.

The only thing is - are you sure you want a nitro, having been involved with them before you have a good idea of what their about but all your current helis are electric?

U need a big 90 like mine Matt LOL

[mark_w]

just throwing one out there......

I started with a raptor 30, it's very stable to fly.

If I was you, I would keep the 450 and 500 and just get more packs

[stevek32]

Thanks for all your replies guys, the general opinion is to stick with what I have, raptor was a bargain tho £160..... I think the way I saw it was this I couldn't fly the 500 because of the wind where they could, so I had me thinking with limited stick time that's another obsticle out the way I.e weather,
like I said I'm used to tinkering with nitro but went on to lipos with helis just for the clean approach, but after seeing the raptors refuelling system it isn't at all messy.
I like the idea of 3d but I'm many many months poss yrs away from any form of tic tocs, funnels or similar.
and I'm guessing although I like the convenience of lipos I'm also not liking the constant charge 4min flight, charge 4min flight scenario...

[NoFixedAbode]

Re: just throwing one out there......

Simples get more packs. I parallel charge 6 a time. And since I have 12 packs can fly 24/7.

How many packs can you buy with £160? Plus extra packs would be easier to slip past her that must be obeyed.

[RcRotaryMadness]

The way to get round the battery charging is just have enough packs so theres always one being used and the others charging up off a field battery or something. Include a small break for yourself as well in that equation.

[450man]

I have 6 packs for my 450 and charge at the field at 2C. Each charge is about 20 mins and so with a little bit of chatting I can fly all day and always have about 3-4 packs ready to fly. Charging at the field like that I could probably get away with just 4 packs and still be able to fly whenever I wanted all day.

I was offered a Raptor 30 for about £150. Good heli and from a friend so I knew it was OK. I was seriously tempted but I have made the decision to stay electric so I declined. The offer is still there actually so I could always change my mind if I wanted... but I won't... but if you wanted to go nitro then the Raptor 30 does seem like a great option especially whilst still learning.

Need it? nah! Want it? Perhaps...

[MarkG_R1]

just throwing one out there......

I'm long term loaning a Raptor 30 and have only used it a couple of times

I've just heard that I can fly it at my local field though so hoping I can use it a bit this year

I have 5 packs for my 130x, 5 for my 450, and currently 2 for my 550 so usually turn up with them all charged and go home with them all flat