Low cost servo/gyro combo?

[Si Goodchild]

Guys,

I'm considering building another mini-electric, probably a TREX 450 S or SE V1 but I'm left wondering if the common Futaba GY401/9527 combo is a little too expensive - almost doubling the price of the heli kit. The basic HH gyro on my mini pred with a very basic servo seems to hold the tail very neatly even in gusty conditions, so I'm wondering whether the Futaba combo mentioned above may be overkill. There must be loads of other workable options out there for a reasonable price - what do you recommend?

I'm expecting a barage of "quality costs" and "you get what you pay for" answers, but I'm really trying to quantify what the tangible benefits are of the more expensive set-up versus the lower cost arrangements that I don't yet fully understand. Why shouldn't I just take the HH gyro out of my mini pred and use a normal servo in the tail?

Si G

[Mike W]

Si .. I had a 9257 on the tail of the mini pred at one point with that gyro on it and it seemed to hold reasonably well in FF ... The thing is with spending the money on it .. You can always use the gyro on another heli and also if you decide to not have another elec then sell the tail servo witout losing too much money on it ... One thing this site has taught me m8e is spend the money on a decent gyro/tail servo .....

[marktigere1]

Funnily enough, I used a CSM LW200 for almost a year on my 450XL with a Futaba 3110.

They still sit in my toolbox doing nothing and your welcome to try them out if you want.

If they work (worked fine for me) then we can come to some arrangement.

Cheers

Mark

PS. I use the bog standard RCE-550 on my 450S and it works okay as well.

[robgt]

I'd go for the Align gyro/servo combo - damn good value!
Cheers,
Rob

[bigbas]

i feel i have to reply to this i have been flying helis for well over ten years and have seen most of the gyros transmitters /recievers move in leaps and bounds but if i cast my mind back to sandown park in 1978(i think) recalling bob johnstone putting. the then very first csm 360 h/h gyro through it paces and can only wish i could do ten years later what he could do then so no matter how expensive the kit we sometimes all buy it is totally down to the man who pushes hard to attain this standerd and how deep his pockets are . after all give me lewis hamiltons car and iam gauaranteed to make honda look good food for thought ??????

[Ade_Law]

bigbas, im not sure thats an accurate analagy.

think of a 401 as a ford focus. it does the job for 99% of people. cheap gyros and servos are more like cheap cars, sure its got 4 wheels, engine, doors and a roof but they just dont drive as nice as the focus.

the modern gyros take the workload off the pilot without taking the control away. some gyros feel loose and disconnected others do what you tell them to, this gives the pilot, no matter what level hes at the confedence he needs to try new things without the model supprising him by the tail doing something weird!

you might want to check your dates, the 360 didnt appear til the mid 90s and bob would have been about 10 years old in 1978.

Ade

[Ashley Davis]

I was flying back in 1985 and we still had mechanical gyros then, so the CSM 360 definitely wasn't about.

[bigbas]

age creeping in on my transmitter box is the original sandown sticker 1997 and while i agree with you in some respects there is some equally good gyros on the market at a price that wont cost the same as a major brand and do the job as well as there more expensive brothers.when i first started digging holes with wood blades was the norm along with quest and futaba 154 rate gyros and every one had one of these decided at birth along with thier religon so my point is i enjoy helis and have seen an awfull lot extremely good pilots walk away from the hobby because of the costs involved;i still have some quite old models and maintain them equally and still get a buzz from them

[BobJ]

Hi

Ade I thought you were about to diss the Focus for a second (just brought a nice one as a family car)
I would have been 12 in 1978, yes I am that bloody old.
And I think demoing the CSM 360 at Sandown would have been in 1996 or possibly 97.

Getting back on tracking, the Align 600 gyro with matching DS520 servo works as well or a little better than the 401/9257 but for half the money, most other cheap gyro's are just that cheap!

Cheers
Bob (old gimmer) Johnston

[colin n]

Wow

are my 360's really that old. now thats value for money. roll on crimbo.

[SRH990]

I've not used the Align 600 gyro but I'm very happy with the Align DS520 servo used with a 401,a very good value servo.

[Si Goodchild]

Thanks for your input, gents.

Mike W: agree the point on resale value, but if you can't afford in the first place...

Marktigere1: many thanks for the offer, will bear you in mind if I make the leap of faith!

Robgt: cheers, will check them out along with the other models mentioned above.

Bigbas: thank you, sagely put. And kinda my point - I wonder if folks go for the best kit when a cheaper alternative may fulfil their needs. Horses for courses.

Ade_Law: I take your point too, and I have a GY401 and 9257 on my new-to-me-but-as-yet-unflown Raptor 50 V2.

My missus says I should concentrate on getting the Raptor airborne because that's where my main investment is and where the action is likely to be. I feel that a small electric offers the flexibility to fly in "stolen moments in opportune areas" like lunchtime and on the way to/from work which a nitro heli can't provide for me. However, funds are limited and I need to ensure that I spend wisely and don't divert a disproportionate amount of cash in to a Gyro/Servo combination which can be matched by a cheaper alternative that serves my ability. It's just a question of economics.

Si G

[bigbas]

i bet the anti roll bar bushes in that shinny new focus dont last as long as youre csm also the head lamp dip switch the poxy ignition coil i love ford focus the best investment in diagnostic software i ever made roll on xmas barry

[Mike W]

Si .. have a look at like the others have said the Align gyro/tail servo ... I know some that are using them and have no problems with them .. And cheaper than Futaba offerings

[Eddie]

Thanks for your input, gents.

Mike W: agree the point on resale value, but if you can't afford in the first place...

Marktigere1: many thanks for the offer, will bear you in mind if I make the leap of faith!

Robgt: cheers, will check them out along with the other models mentioned above.

Bigbas: thank you, sagely put. And kinda my point - I wonder if folks go for the best kit when a cheaper alternative may fulfil their needs. Horses for courses.

Ade_Law: I take your point too, and I have a GY401 and 9257 on my new-to-me-but-as-yet-unflown Raptor 50 V2.

My missus says I should concentrate on getting the Raptor airborne because that's where my main investment is and where the action is likely to be. I feel that a small electric offers the flexibility to fly in "stolen moments in opportune areas" like lunchtime and on the way to/from work which a nitro heli can't provide for me. However, funds are limited and I need to ensure that I spend wisely and don't divert a disproportionate amount of cash in to a Gyro/Servo combination which can be matched by a cheaper alternative that serves my ability. It's just a question of economics.

Si G

Si, you wont be dissapointed with either a Blade 400 or Twister Storm 3D if all you want is a bit of low cost electric fun...I'm still learning with my TS3D and it serves it's purpose to train, gain experience and progress me to the next competence level i hope!....long way to go mind..... just a thought and option to consider.

I