50 Nitro Beam anyone?

[barney]

The Beam workmanship looks lovely but its a very competative market place 50's.

I would like to run a quality 50 class machine, but unless its so competively priced with parts available off the shelf I'm happy to stick with the 600N..

I admit the 600N is no engineering masterpiece, but It constantly amazes me how I cant break it in the air as I've tried SOOO Hard...over 1000's of flights.
Maintenance wise as a beater its been exceptionially reliable..snapped a couple flybars, a few bearings, dampners, one clutch, one x one way bearing. It's virtually Charge/fly till I crash

With the price of fuel they should maybe look at a true 30 class Nitro. A dedicated lightweight airframe designed from the outset to use Mini Servo's and shed all the excessive weight. A 30 class 3D pocket Rocket. Potentially we could have a sub 6lb airframe on 500-550's offering an alternative to the electrics.

Brian

[raptorheli2]

Ah mine won't be running the standard swash, will up grade that

just to clarify my 600 is very far from a standard kit and has every upgrade made on it. it still tracks like a boomerang

edit-i should add i was used to flying my synergys at time.

cheers

[3dbasher]

just to clarify my 600 is very far from a standard kit and has every upgrade made on it. it still tracks like a boomerang

cheers

the knight doesnt it arrow like

[Disc]

It'll be intresting as theres the low end 50's the Elyq thing the top end Vibe 50 and the rest in between it will always be good for another model to add choice...

But will the quality be there or will it be made of cheese.. will it track right....

I think it will be an intresting year for 50 machines again with the N5 appearing soon and the the rest...

[Stuart]

For me the best heli I ever flew was the Synergy N9 - robust - flew on rails and relatively speaking for a 90 not bad on running costs.

So I'm just waiting for the N5 - the Elyq hasn't quite done it for me, though the Beam may be more appealing but its one of those things the first set of pic's of the near finished production version and demo vids will get people drooling.

If they know its around the corner i.e. NOT the AVANT style either of round the corner. But a month or two away then people armed with all the information will be able to make a more informed decision as to which to wait for.

[t-rex pedro]

Ok, heres my view:

Marketing! Align go about their marketing very well. They release videos of amazing pilots doing amazing things with the exact same heli you can buy. They produce eye catching boxes which show the heli as a performance machine. They also give you a lovely painted canopy to further make the mouth water! Like any good company they dont sell products, they sell a dream (to emulate your hero) or to some, a lifestyle. You can also get Align parts from almost anywhere (Tesco just started doing them!) so that makes life easier with getting parts etc.

When I got into helis I stood in the model shop not knowing a thing. I had the choice of the Knight or 600n. The 600n box looked more eye catching than the plain cardboard of the Knight, then I opened both and I'll be honest the 600 canopy sold it for me! I had also seen the all important videos on You Tube of Align pilots doing what they do best. If I had met Richie or Ade in the same shop, I would be flying a Knight as I know they both prefer them over the Align. But the box swayed me!!!! The E4 poops on the 450 V2 and I'm sure a Beam 50 will be just as good but a large chunk of change will be required for a marketing budget to really make this popular on heli fields up and down the country.

I am very interested to see this heli and I know Richie will have one of the first ones out so I cant wait to hear his thoughts. I have two 600's so dont mind switching the gear over from one of them for a new addition to the fleet.

[Boggy]

will it fit straight into a thunder tiger fuselage??

[richieclarkie]

Disk
The Beam E4 is really nice quality and tracks beautifully in the air. I'm really hopeful they don't try and invent the wheel and just make a bigger beam E4.

If they put a good quality starter stack in it (using the same idea as the ALIGN nitro I would hope), ensure C of G is good and high to the boom and ensure they keep all the metal on there they will have a good package. If you saw the quality of the finish on the E4 I know you would appreciate it.

I think it's fair to say Align are here to stay and they will always have the lions share of the market, but Beam has organically grown their fan base which means they will already probably get many sales anyway.

[t-rex pedro]

I think it's fair to say Align are here to stay and they will always have the lions share of the market, but Beam has organically grown their fan base which means they will already probably get many sales anyway.

Thats a very good point well put. I'm thinking of trading in the 450 for a Beam later in the year but then again Align have just released that new 450 video so.........I wonder what the box is like!!! Hahaha!!!!

[Stuart]

The one thing I will say for any manufacturer is when it comes to ball links / bearing blocks - PUT in the good stuff - do it right or don't do it at all. Whilst yes, we like value for money etc etc etc.

And Align is mainly to blame for the big competative jump in the market, its quality control has area's of weakness shall we say.

If the heli hits the deck due to non pilot error but due to el'cheepo links, or gears stripping due to poor design for load bearing drive trains, mouldings etc any save a penny mentallity will not win and influence friends in my view.

I think you'll find we'd rather pay a few quid extra for more quality where it reall matters most.

p.s This isn't a blank cheque to attempt a rip off either cause that won't work either

[t-rex pedro]

I'd agree with that Stuart but in my short time flying helis I think Align have changed the hobby. Its still bloody expensive but they produce affordable products that can see you from beginner to competition pilot. Some of the components are crap quality but I still think they are great value for money and allow many more people to get started in the hobby with a reliable machine that will fly without any 'aeromodelling' skills!

Now, I'm hoping the Beam 50 will have similar quality as say the Vibe 50 but with a more competitive price (In the Align bracket). Then we will really see things change.

[Sesame]

Align have definately made it more affordable for people and with the range they do, they have attracted many more heli fans into the hobby. But, their quality can sometimes be less than acceptable especially things like screws and the problems the 700 has been having, if Beam can sort this type of problem out but also have spares at competative prices then their going to have a winner. even in a crowded market place such as the 50 sized machines.

[robgt]

I think it's fair to say Align are here to stay and they will always have the lions share of the market

Just like Thunder Tiger before them, eh
Cheers,
Rob

[moyesboy]

The thing I'm most amazed about since starting this hobby is the almostcomplete demiseof Thunder Tiger.
When i started the universal advice was don't consider anything but a raptor.
Now that would be daft advice indeed. Though the raptor didn't change at all.

I too would like to see a truely powerful, 3D .30 nitro. With the mad power in the outrage550 that will be difficult to achieve.

[moonmanflyer]

Thunder tiger have just seemed to sit back and let the competetion kill them off, i can't believe they hardly sell any 50/90 size helis anymore in the uk market.
I am a big fan of align heli's as many of you will be aware, and have found them the easiest to build, set-up, the quality of parts, spares back-up and as pete says there presentation is second to none, and they fly very well, the super pro for instance flys alot better than the standard pro, but as with all makers they could make improvements, the 250's screws are useless for instance.
The Beam E4 is the first post align heli that i have thought was up there on the same level for all reasons, i also own a rave but rate the beam for build and quality above it, and i am sure will be the next level on from the V2, but my rave flys so nice, almost like a quicker 500 with the 350 blades