More 700N Photos!

[Disc]

Not really. Sorry.

You did mention it a lot when I met you at 3DX last year.

I think we should start a forum competition, who will get a Vibe 50 first out of you and Steve?

Only in fun.

Cheers

Mark

Not me thats for sure....

Think I've just spotted my Old predator Gasser on BMFA... More chance of that appearing in my fleet

[Stuart]

Personally I will wait to see it in the air and some more details, on the face of it. As usual Align are quick to constantly develop thier range.

The thing about Align is that they are market hungry and must be by now the biggest player in the market. In my opinion they've done this by bringing in the right people and developed the kits to suit the market needs. No one really had a half decent 450 until Align and they just wiped the floor with everyone and JR, Mini-Aircraft, TT, Compass just watched. Then the 600 electric broke the mould and then heads started to turn and the writing was on the wall for a 600n but all the above just watched and didn't re-act quick enough.

Align for me and I can be unbiased as I've never flown or owned one produce decent quality kits at affordable prices with low running/repair costs. So rather than creaming the market like JR and Mini Air they pitched for mass production and volume sales.


I predict that the 700 will be pitched at the Synergy / Raptor 90 / JR Vibe / Avant and Odin user with low running costs and mass appeal. Whether it looks like a 600 but larger doesn't well this is marketing for you if a look sells you don't walk away from it. Check out Renaults range they all look the same just about at the from the front because the look sells. This is why in my opinion if they others don't re-act before the 700 comes out they will loose.

The Synergy need to release a MKII, V1 is coming to two years old now its a look that sells but still needs fine tuning and develop a smaller same look 50 version.
The Vibe need to get the 90 and 50 re-priced.
Who fly's mini air in the UK - I suspect they will be next on the shelf.
Compass needs to beef up marketing. Change the name of the Odin 'v' Synergy/Avant/Vibe sounds seriously naff, get a cracking canopy for it - look's for me like a squashed fish gone wrong. Make it look the dogs boll^&*. Regardless if it flys mint, if it look's and its name don't create the appeal it will not be flying far. I had hoped they would have learned that lesson from the Knight 3D only now with the glass canopy does it look the part.

Apologies for the length of the post.

[Ashley Davis]

good post Stuart, hit the nail right on the head

[Symon]

Cracking post Stuart.

[moyesboy]

Looks are probably the most important thing, and the finer points of how it flies are lost on the mass market I think.
As long as you can wheel out some guys to demo it doing the same or more than the opposition at shows and fly ins.

I just can't beleive that thunder tiger have been sitting back for so long. Surely there will be something from them in 50 or 90 size.

Maybe someone can explian to me why there is no high performance 30 size nitro heli. It is possible to make a really goodelectric this size. Is nitro at 30 size lacking in power to weight ratio, even with a bored out 46 rather than 30 engine? There seems to be no lightweight carbon framed 30 size nitro heli, only the raptor which carries the weight to support a .50. I'm sure there might be a market of people who don't like spending on fuel. Sort of the opposite of a 90 size customer

[marktigere1]

I just can't beleive that thunder tiger have been sitting back for so long. Surely there will be something from them in 50 or 90 size.

Same as Hirobo.

Are they both going to announce some amazing new machine or are they content to let their market share get eaten by Align?

I just don't know.

Cheers

Mark

[Steve]

And what is it with MA who have limited their fantastic helis to one outlet only in the UK? Are they just plain stoopid?

[Brewber]

<whisper>ahem....who or what is MA?</whisper>

And what is it with MA who have limited their fantastic helis to one outlet only in the UK? Are they just plain stoopid?

[Smoothound]

And what is it with MA who have limited their fantastic helis to one outlet only in the UK? Are they just plain stoopid?

Yeah but there are many others who do similar, one outlet per country I mean.

[Steve]

<whisper>ahem....who or what is MA?</whisper>

MA = Miniature Aircraft = Quality helis from USA otherwise known as Xcell - there's one at our club - the red 90 with the lady on it!

[marktigere1]

MA = Miniature Aircraft = Quality helis from USA otherwise known as Xcell - there's one at our club - the red 90 with the lady on it!

That canopy popped in my head at an inopportune moment on Saturday

[moyesboy]

I suspect its no "lady" in the picture.
Maybe you should lay off the little blue pills

[J3DI]

I've flown and enjoyed owning a Knight 3D but the attraction of a 500 size heli was too much for me! I must say the Align (my 1st) 500 is a cracking good fly. What i like about Align is that they aren't content to sit about (neither Compass it seems just smaller pockets). I've heard Align have bought out the company behind Radix and Rotortech blades - a good move IMO. The ironic thing about a company that could release a "no upgrades required" heli is that we are all individual and like to be different. I get excited (i'm married) about new parts for my model and it gives me an opportunity to personalise it a bit. I can't believe how cheap pre-painted glass canopies are now, so much better than the TT plastic ones where you had to hairdryer on the stickers, they'd get dog-eared very quickly too.

[robgt]

I've heard Align have bought out the company behind Radix and Rotortech blades

Really?
That's interesting news.
That company would be Funkey (Carbon Tech), I believe?
Has this been confirmed anywhere?
Cheers,
Rob

[trvo]

I've heard nothing but there's something suspiciously "Carbon Tech" about them tail blades on the 700...

Trev