First Nitro?

[Cralis]

Is it worth waiting for the cheaper 600N, or is a Raptor 50 a better option to get into nitro helis? I guess there are fans of both helis, but as far as part replacement, and initial cost is involved, which is the better route?

Also, as I just have a TX, which is best for initial costs?

And also, I guess there will be no 2nd hand 600Ns for a while - is it safe to buy a RTF Raptor 50?

(I'm not sure of the other makes, so if there's a better make besides the 600N and the Raptor 50, please, toss em in the hat..)

[Steve]

Get a Raptor or a Sceadu.

They are the commonest helis out there, are both very capable, are both well-proven, are cheap to run and spares are available everywhere, right on your doorstep, to the point where you could crash it in the morning, takle a trip to your nearest model shop, and be flying again by mid-afternoon.

Everything else (i.e. TRex 600, Knight, Airskipper) are all good helis, but from a learner's repair point of view.....




.... forget it, you'll be waiting 3 days at least for delivery.

[moyesboy]

I've gone down the user raptor .50 route.
Still my 450 is getting more airtime. bought the raptor in feb and only got a gallon through it so far. Had some probs with a few things coming loose, seems it rwaly had hardly been flown.
To buy used:
There are many more .30 size than .50 (the 30 is the walk into the model shop purchase, and is less critic for neading powerful servos and has cheaper bldades and cheaper engine).
Its hard to find one with everything ideal (OS50 hyper, gy401 and good servos, mine has the os50sxh and a csm560 with good servos).

I liked the idea of flying something costing less then 400 rather than 700 new.

Yuo might find a really cheap .30 in whuich case that is probably a good buy, howeverr if youy are sero=ios you will weant a .50 after a while.

If you see fully upgraded helis for salwe sometimes they might have done a lot of hours and be worn. Try to find the history of the heli and how much it is flown . There are lots and lots of folks who buy all the best kit and hardly fly and don't wear the stuff out, and a few that thrash thrash thrash them.
Lots of folks buy a heli and get scared of it and sell it after tipping it, breaking a blade, bending a shaft and scratching the canopy.

most of the spares are cheap but bear in mind a good set of .50 blades is £60!

With a rappy get the v2, avoid the v1. The SE aint worth the money. The titan isn't really worth much extra. The raptor is the safe bet. That was my thinking. Even in scotland you will find another raptor flier.

I have no doubt that there are other helis that are a bit better in many ways, but like the trex 450 is the most common little electric the raptor is still the most common 30/50.
There is also this magnificant work of online help resource:
www.raptortechnique.com

[Cralis]

And the bit about used? Are they safe or is it a gamble that benefits theseller most of the time?
As fr parts, I hold my hands up and admit, I order from the US, as I can't afford the hobby if I buy local. Postage $5, and it takes 5 days, so I live with it.

Blades here.. £10
Blades imported.. £5.50

Just can't afford local, unfortunatly. And no LHS within 30 miles from me that stocks Trex parts.

[Cralis]

Moyesboy, I think I'd prefer a 50 size, as it's bigger (no?) and there's more that can be don with it. £60 for blades worries me! How does the price rise so much from the 325mm ones from the 450, up to £60 for the .50 size blade? Hells teeth! My wife better not see this, or that's my plans putto bed...

The used route does worry me - but I got my 450SE used, and am pretty happy with it. Nothing wrong at all, except now, when I landed a bit hard on it's nose and smashed it. I'm battling to work out what the cost is of putting together a RTF package of a Raptor 50. That's Heli, Gyro, servos, battery, engine and RX. Looks like I'm in for >£700!

Does that soudns right??

[moyesboy]

yes it is 700 for a new setup.
There are things to buy like a 12v starter. Depending on you cluvbs setup you might run that off the car battery or need a 12v power pack like a jump start kit to run it.But you can use a good high speed battery drill to start it.

Glow stick (10 quid or so)

fuel pump (7-10 quid)

This stuff adds up and you can often find a complete kit second hand with a rappy .30, a few spares and a complete set of starting kit and even fuel. The guys who tried to go stright into helis and then give up will sell the lot, but often they have planes and are keeping them, then only the heli and spares are for sale.

Rx. you have a eclipse 7, so get a dual conversion or PCM 7 ch rx in case you want to run a governor. You have the 6 ch that you have on the trex450, but the ESC is the throttle, and then there can be another channel to set the governor rpm. This isn't necessary to begin with though. I am running a 6 ch rx in my rappy.

The £60 blades are for a good set to run at 2000rpm. The wood ones are much cheaper but like with the trex it is more stable running at higher speeds. yuo can hover and fly circuits at 1400 rpm with wood blades, but it is more stable at 1700 or so, and 2000 is for 3D.
Equate the £60 with 315trex radix at £30. My 315 radix have survived an inverted crash, and a complete loss of tail rotor spin in so far, they are much stronger. Of course that was two feathering spindles and two main shafts...

The spares only cost when you crash.

Take a look though the prices at skyline and fast lad for the raptor spares to help make your decision.

[ChrisB]

[QUOTE=Cralis;48910]Is it worth waiting for the cheaper 600N, or is a Raptor 50 a better option to get into nitro helis? I guess there are fans of both helis, but as far as part replacement, and initial cost is involved, which is the better route?QUOTE]


The 600N will undoubtedly be a great heli but it will be unproven so it cannot be recommended for a learner until its in circulation

The Raptor 50,although not the greatest heli by todays standards will always be a good purchase,its become almost legendary and you will find plenty of examples and people who fly them or who are familiar with them

Out of your two choices i would recommend a Raptor 50

[Thomas]

The nitro Trex 600 will come out in a few weeks and the BMFA and eBay will be littered with Raptor 50's.

You can tell that Ade's otherwise occupied, no one has mentioned the Knight 50 yet

[Steve]

no one has mentioned the Knight 50 yet

I did - 2nd post.

[Gaza07]

Id go with the raptor parts are like dog muck every where
visit your local club and ask there advise and see what they are using
i bet it aint the knight

[Thomas]

I did - 2nd post.

Yep, but that was't flogging it to death, but agree that the Knight is not the best model to start with, best 50 IC to fly but the support is not there yet.

[Steve]

Thomas

I think we're on the same wavelength!

[Boggy]

i cant recomend the raptor highly enough!! mainly cos ive got no experience what so ever of any other nitros!! but last night i stuffed my trex just hovering at two feet( bump resistant u/c my ar$3) so today whilst suffering heli withdrawl i rang my mate at the farm and took the raptor out( with training u/c)never flown it before, so i ran a tank of fuel out just getting light on the gear. the 2nd tank let it lift and WOW sooooo easy it just floats in the air non of this left right back forwards with my right thumb. what a rush!!! just gentle stick movments and it moves where you want it . i was shaking so much i couldn't do a third tank
ive got a couple of teething probs but ill post them in the tt section so it wont hijack your post cralis
i must say though ive taken this forum members advice on this one and whilst its not the cheapest route this afternoon was a real buzz and worth every penny so thanks guys

btw instead of using my starter motor i used a 14v drill from b'n'q
a car glow plug starter
a hand fuel pump
so you can save some pennies

go on cralis you know you want too

[colin n]

Get a 30 !!!

Rappy V2 or Evo. Ive had raptors since there launch in 99 , bought the kids an evo 30 to play with and it Flys much better for a beginner. its a myth that they are weak. tested it twice now and it dont break any worse than anything else. and the parts are cheaper.

[LipolyGone]

Rappy V2 or Evo. Ive had raptors since there launch in 99 , bought the kids an evo 30 to play with and it Flys much better for a beginner. its a myth that they are weak. tested it twice now and it dont break any worse than anything else. and the parts are cheaper.

A Hirobo cheap for parts?
Always thought they were the most expensive for there helicopter kits, so surely parts would tend to be expensive also.
Martin