Why isn't this heli more popular?

[Zeeflyboy]

I just recently joined the Protos crowd, and this thing is awesome!

I was just curious - certainly by looking at this forum, there don't seem to be many people rocking the protos, but it is carried by places such as fast-lad in the UK and spares are easy to get. Price wise it's not far off a T-Rex 500 but comes with a much higher quality scorpion motor and YGE ESC.

It's good looking, performs brilliantly, and makes a seriously cool noise.... And it's Italian. Why aren't more people flying it?

[Jamin_00]

I dont know either. I just had one and it is better, quicker and more agile than the Trex 500 for example.

But I just sold it and kept the Trex 500? Go figure

Maybe thats why, too ballistic. Defo a 3D'ers 500 size heli where as the 500 is more of an allrounder in comparison

[Zeeflyboy]

You think?

I can't really comment on flybarred flight as mine has been flybarless since day 1 with a skookum sk720, but it flies beautifully smooth big air aerobatics just as well as it does flips and rolls. It can fly gently and sedately or like a heli on crack...

Can't believe you sold it and kept the 500! Lol

[SRH990]

I had one of the first batch into the country and loved flying it but the first crash was the last, it did so much damage, the frames exploded and wiped out the motor (broken fan), ESC and two servos. They fly exceedingly well because they are so light but that's its downside too, it doesn't crash well and the thought of buying virtually a new kit after every crash put me right off.

Not sure if the carbon frames are any better for crash resistance.

[heliward0]

I think you just answered your own question mate.!!

[Zeeflyboy]

I think you just answered your own question mate.!!

How so?


SRH - I believe the carbon frames are much tougher than the plastic ones, but they weigh a little more too.

[MrB]

It's just too fragile,

Always take a small box with you to collect all the bits after crashing

[acwman]

The protos flew great.. but, as others have said, it is fragile. I had the carbon frame version and had it flybarless. Out flew my trex 500 easily.

My vbar control box was situated on the bottom tray, and on a pretty light inverted crash, the main mast was pushed straight through both main mast bearing blocks (plastic) and stopped 1mm away from my vbar control box. Persuaded to me that this was just too fragile. To get aluminium upgrades cost too much, and were sold separately.

Spares... although seem easy to get with several suppliers.. 2 different in the UK at the time; both had no stock of the bearing blocks, and both could not guarantee a delivery time.. and one actually implied that some items they had waited a long time for still with no firm delivery. Search for other European stockist also showed no stock.

Tried to order directly from italy but they refer back to you to their uk distributors.

Eventually, found a online model shop in Germany which showed stock. Chased and waited for over a month, and no parts arrived.. and they would not even answer emails..

got fed up.. and got rid of it as a damaged repairable...... TBH Good riddance... and happy i've seen the back end of it..

[Asid]

Very fragile

[Zeeflyboy]

Lol, are you guys buying the heli to fly or to crash?

That's a good point about the main shaft coming through - hadn't considered that for my little skookum below! Might be worth me buying the metal lower bearing block to help guard against that I think, it's only 12 quid or so and if it helps protect the skookum then it's worth doing... thanks!

Haven't had a problem with spares yet, I've bought the thrusted tail bearing hub kit, new blade grips, spare belt, spare main shafts... I guess I can see where you might end up waiting a long time for spares if they are out of stock of several places, but then if you're desperate you could always go further afield to places such as infinity-hobby, readyheli etc... But no, point accepted - will never be as ubiquitous as T-rex spares, but then where's the fun in everyone having the same thing!

[Toolman]

I have loved the Protos in Phoenix since it was released & have toyed with getting one a number of times.

Funny thing is to me the one piece belt is just wrong, I know they have got it to work but I just can't bring myself to buy one.
Plus it would go against the Align brain washing, lol!

Tim,

[Zeeflyboy]

The one piece belt is great... It makes the heli quieter and reduces vibration.

I nearly got to test out what everyone was saying about it being fragile this afternoon (although given my height and speed I think even a tank would have had trouble) - did a high speed pass pulled up vertically for a big stall turn with a half flip at the top, a half roll, and a piro on the way down but totally dumb thumbed it and being both far away and high up, I lost which way was up! Mayday mayday mayday....

Thankfully I pushed the big red panic button on my controller and the skookum took control for me! It flipped the heli upright and I managed to get control again... Just incredible...

Think that little bit of kit just paid for itself!

[moonmanflyer]

Well i have one now as a hack and have to say flies 10 times better than a 500, i just love the thing, has mental power and acurate.
Mine is also running FBL, an align 3GX and i can say i am very very surprised how good it performs

[F.arch]

Currently my best heli.... Plastic frames
are fine, low parts count, cheep to replace watch the static from the
Belt. Go fbl, if they did a 600 I'd have one

[whisperdancer]

I dont know either. I just had one and it is better, quicker and more agile than the Trex 500 for example.

But I just sold it and kept the Trex 500? Go figure

Maybe thats why, too ballistic. Defo a 3D'ers 500 size heli where as the 500 is more of an allrounder in comparison

I did the opposite a long time ago: as soon as I got the Protos, I had to sell the Trex 500 and buy another Protos...

First kits were more fragile. Since then, plastic compounds have been changed and are much tougher now.