What 500 to get? **UPDATE** I GOT THE SWIFT 16!!! thanks guys!

[helifrek]

I am tied up between 500 size helicopters, there are just so many to choose from. I am leaning towards the protos as i really like the design, plus it is cheap. The copterX 500 seems to be very nice and I heard the quality is even better than the Trex 500 but don't qoute me on it. there is also the hurricane and outrage and a bunch of others. the Atom seems nice but it is expensive compared to others. the protos also seems the lightest.
besides all that, I will have to get all the electronics so what would you guys recommend for a 500 size heli on a budget? thanks guys.

Brandon

[racie34]

I am tied up between 500 size helicopters, there are just so many to choose from. I am leaning towards the protos as i really like the design, plus it is cheap. The copterX 500 seems to be very nice and I heard the quality is even better than the Trex 500 but don't qoute me on it. there is also the hurricane and outrage and a bunch of others. the Atom seems nice but it is expensive compared to others. the protos also seems the lightest.
besides all that, I will have to get all the electronics so what would you guys recommend for a 500 size heli on a budget? thanks guys.

Brandon
for the price.....and parts availability...the HDX is good...new version out soon also.....HDX HC

[helifrek]

cool, also what good dealers are out there, i used to buy all my stuff from helihobby. I was thinking maybe heliproz or readyheli?
I plan on using a 6S 3000mah zippy pack since there cheap means I would have to buy a new charger as well. scorpion (spelling?) motors have a good rep and there also cheap as well, whats a good choice for 3D? thanks again.

Brandon

[RC Man]

Checkout the 550 size helicopters. They are about the same price and sometimes less. They work great on 6s LiPo batteries. Bigger is better – check it out!

[helifrek]

like..... :) a swift? something the size of a trex500 is what I am wanting bigger is fine as long as it doesn't cost much more.

Brandon

[Greybird]

I would pick one of the 500-550mm blade heli's. Not the 425mm. The bigger ones are more fun.

[Power Up]

Not much on this forum pertaining to the Trex 500. Don’t let that stop you from looking into one. Very nice flying Heli . Will do it all, mild to wild :D .

Check out the Helifreak forum (lot of info' over there)
Have had mine since June. Not an issue!!

[Wren1702]

like..... :) a swift? something the size of a trex500 is what I am wanting bigger is fine as long as it doesn't cost much more.

Brandon

Bigger in this case is cheaper! I would take a hard look a Swift 16. :)

Here's just one of their combos for $305

http://www.heli-world.com/detail.aspx?ID=8680

[helifrek]

the rex isn't a bad heli, I just think it is a little overpriced and heavy :)

Greybird, I miss my old .30 nitro :( my fleet has dowsized quite a bit over the past few years. I used to own a fully "blinged" eco-8 which used 470mm blades and was a blast to fly. I would love a 550mm bladed heli but I don't know if I could afford it unless maybe it was a swift but I have heard mixed opinions on them.
I wish I was back in florida you lucky dog :) weather sucks here, I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt this time last year in florida :)

Brandon

[helifrek]

man, I have liked the swift since it came out :) whats the best motor/servo/gyro combo for it? should I get the stock motor and esc or could I go with a cheaper scorpion motor and pentium esc? and is the DX6 a good radio or should I save and get the DX7? I have sold almost all my rc related stuff so I gotta start over, when do we get that stimulus check again ;)

Brandon

[Wren1702]

I personally like the Scorpion motors, cheap and easy to rebuild!

[Gadget01]

man, I have liked the swift since it came out :) whats the best motor/servo/gyro combo for it? should I get the stock motor and esc or could I go with a cheaper scorpion motor and pentium esc? and is the DX6 a good radio or should I save and get the DX7? I have sold almost all my rc related stuff so I gotta start over, when do we get that stimulus check again ;)

Brandon Brandon, if you like a blinged Eco, you'll love a Swift. It's refreshingly easy to build and work on by far. You can get it flying for about the same or less. Oh, and the Swift bling costs a fraction of Eco bling.... you know, for when that other stimulus check rolls in.

The DX7 is a good tx, but don't overlook the DX6i. Costs less and is full-range DSM2 (unlike the DX6), so compatible with all the Spektrum rx's. All the necessary features are there plus a few (only a small few) nice extras. 4xAA cells runs it for a crazy long time. I don't know how they made it so efficient, but it seems to run forever. You can remove and swap the AA rechargeables like anything else, or use a NiMh charger plugged in.

[Cyclick]

No doubt about it, the bigger Swift is the better choice -wether you want to set it up for mild trainer it will be better, or for wild 3D, it will be better, or for scale or anything else...much more versatile and like these guys are saying, even less money and it works on standsrd sized servos that allow you bigger horizons later.

[arclite5]

I strongly recommend that you STAY AWAY from the HDX500. It sucks. Bad.

All of the other ones have their strong and weak points. Usually ends up being a matter of preference. I own a flybarless T-Rex 500 which is the only 425 I've flown that I've enjoyed. For reference, I've flown in this class: A flybar'd T-Rex500, a Protos, an Atom, an HDX 500SAH, A Logo 400, and a Lepton..

[cfrank2005]

Hi Brandon, I am into 500 size helis as well, having flown the Protos, SJM430, ARK X500, and lately the Atom500. All have their strong points, & a few weak points. Protos is light & very agile in flight. The SJM flies like a 450, so it's really great for 3d. The X500 is lighter than the Protos, & great for beginners to intermedia.te fliers. 3d however, not so good unless you fly on 6s lipo. The Atom is very robust, & reminds me of the Trex500, without sacrifising agility. Personally, I love them all, but my SJM430 is still my favourite, both in performance & looks & price. Good luck in whatever u decide

[helifrek]

thanks guys. I should mention that I am slowly getting into 3D, tic-tocs, chaos, funnels and what not so I do want my heli to be as capable as possible. I am really leaning towards the swift now that I see how cheap the kit is. what scorpion motor would I need to put in it and I am guessing 6S would be the route to go. I am really on a budget, trying to sell my 4G3 which I have alread put $300 bucks into, I could have got a swift with motor and esc for that much! man am I smacking myself in the head :)

the heli that I choose will probably be my only heli for the next couple years so I don't think I need a very fancy radio, is the DX6i going to be good for 3D? and will it be able to keep up as my skills increase? thank you guys very much for all the help.

Brandon

[Gadget01]

is the DX6i going to be good for 3D? and will it be able to keep up as my skills increase?I think so. 6-channels, 5-point throttle and pitch curves, throttle hold, normal/idle-up, programmable up/down timer, 120/90 swash mixing, dual-rates, expo... not sure what else you need. Maybe peruse the owner's manual and see if its missing anything you want.

DX6i Manual (13.3 MB in pdf) (http://www.spektrumrc.com/ProdInfo/Files/SPM6600_DX6i_Manual-LoRes.pdf)

[helifrek]

thanks gadget, looks like a good buy. and about $140 bucks cheaper which means I could get a good gyro and tail servo combo. will take me awhile to get the funds put together but will be something to work on for the winter :) I am definitaly getting the swift. thanks guys

Brandon

[helifrek]

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=963251#post11075512

check out that deal! used from a guy with great feedback for only $85 bucks!!!!!!! that saves me a ton of money!!!!!!! running off only 4 cells will I still get good range? thanks guys.

Brandon

[racie34]

I strongly recommend that you STAY AWAY from the HDX500. It sucks. Bad.

All of the other ones have their strong and weak points. Usually ends up being a matter of preference. I own a flybarless T-Rex 500 which is the only 425 I've flown that I've enjoyed. For reference, I've flown in this class: A flybar'd T-Rex500, a Protos, an Atom, an HDX 500SAH, A Logo 400, and a Lepton..
Whats wrong with the HDX?

[clicky]

Hm - very few Protos owners to defend it... I'm bad choice to do so - being on the same level as you helifrek and not owned/flown anything else but Protos.

Anyway - going from 450 to 500 and choosing best value for money I still have an impression that Protos is exactly that. (and I love it! :D )

[helifrek]

I do like the protos, very beautiful design. I like the swift alot too and it is way cheaper. I also have a friend thats a century dealer, so I can get it at cost. I seen one swift in person when I was in florida and I liked it, perfect size for an electric.
Got the DX6i (not in my hands yet but on it's way) and I am glad I did, seems like an awesome radio, and you can't beat the deal I got! Thanks for the manual Gadget, I read the whole thing last night.

Brandon

[Greybird]

Hm - very few Protos owners to defend it... I'm bad choice to do so - being on the same level as you helifrek and not owned/flown anything else but Protos.

Anyway - going from 450 to 500 and choosing best value for money I still have an impression that Protos is exactly that. (and I love it! :D )
Called a 500, but, not 500 size. Too small in my opinion. Please get something with 500-550 blades Helifrek. You had the 470mm Eco, anything less is too small.

[helifrek]

don't worry, I am set on the swift for sure. I do think the protos is a great design and a good flier, just a touch to small for me :)
now I gotta start reading all the darn swift threads :) this is why I hate buying a new heli, sooo much to learn :)

Brandon

[Greybird]

If you are interested, I have 3 Futaba 3151's(soon to be replaced in my Swift) and a Century 600+ that would work in your Swift. Price is right :rolleyes:

[helifrek]

PM me your price :) is the 600+ the most powerful century motor?

Brandon

[misskimo]

hey , well soon I will post up forsale the rex 500 loaded and my proto with upgrades in the box as well as my logo 30 ARTF , logo 14 put together but no elec or motor , and maybe my logo 500 RTF . just need to post it .

Tony

[helifrek]

Tony, made up my mind on the swift but thank you for letting me know.

Brandon

[helifrek]

hey guys, would this (http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7638&Product_Name=ZIPPY_4000mAh_6S1P_20C_) be a good battery for 3D? I have heard nothing but good stuff about Zippy batteries and the price is awesome, at that price I might be able to afford 2 packs!

Brandon

[L0stS0ul]

I really like my hurricane. I've got the short boom and run 500mm blades on it. Very nice. I've got the Scorpion HK-3026 1000kv motor on the stock gearing and it's great. I run dual 2500mAh Flightpower packs on mine and on the Scorpion I get about 6 minutes of hard flying. Thats about 2 minutes more than the old stock 800kv motor.

[helifrek]

well, here is what I got on my christmas list so far.

Swift 16 base kit
9T pinion
3.5mm bullet connectors
80A turnigy BL esc
6S 4000mah zippy lipo
GT-A6 charger
Power supply
DX6i TX
AR6200 RX
600+ century motor
3151 on cyclic


will probably put a GY401 gyro and 9254 on the tail

am I missing anything?

[Greybird]

You wil need a BEC, or a receiver pack also. Is that ESC known to work well? The low dollar Century ones work well from what I read. I am a CC fan.

[helifrek]

i have read many good reviews on that esc, also known as a pentium esc I think. good call on the bec, not sure what that esc is rated for but I will check. I do like CC myself but the turnigy 80A is only $54 bucks and looks almost identical. look at hobbycity.com for some good deals on electronics :)

Brandon

[Gadget01]

With 6s power, you can easily spin 550mm blades, so you might want to order a set. The kit should come with 520mm. I only flew them once, and since they were used and abused already, they got replaced after that first flight. New woodies fly just fine (so I hear) and are readily/cheaply available since they are stock for many .30-nitro helis. The extra lifting power is nice and provides more float time for autos.

[Greybird]

Can you run 550's on a plastic head?

[Gadget01]

Can you run 550's on a plastic head? I don't see any reason why not, so long as the headspeed is kept below ballistic levels. I never tested the outer performance levels of the plastic head, so I'm just making a quasi-educated guess.

[helifrek]

the Hawk that century makes uses a plastic head, I had a friend that ran a OS .50 in his Hawk with 550mm woodies :) i seen that heli-world has fully symmetrical 550 woodies for $20 bucks. still waiting for my little 4G3 to sell, not sure if I am going to buy the heli kit first or my batt, charger, power supply first.... probably the heli so I can take my time and put it together. it's just going to be painful waiting to get everything to make it flyable while I save up money :)

How is the cyclic responsiveness? should I get a longer flybar and lighter paddles? is it able to perform a stationary roll stock or does it loose alot of altitude? thanks again guys.

Brandon

[Greybird]

I just put the 550 woodies on mine. I like them. Alot. Brandon, I will get a box in the mail wed or thurs this week. The stock flybar and paddles are are very responsive. It is a good kit.

[helifrek]

man I am so excited! thank you soooo much greybird you have no idea how much it helps. I have a good 5 people interested in the 4G3 so I am kind of expecting it to sell tonight, if it does then I am going to go ahead and order the kit a 9T pinion and some blades. greybird, how much power does the motor your sending have on 6S? thanks again, can't wait to get up and flying!

Brandon

[Greybird]

Well, It had too much power for me. I bought a Z30-800 instead. Head speed was 2100 on a 9 tooth/600+. I have no use for that much power. I will include an 8 tooth pinion. Ready Heli has a very good headspeed calculator. I wonder if you could use 5 cell and a 10 tooth?

[helifrek]

too much? sounds just about right for me :) I am going to order a 9T pinion, thanks for sending the 8T along as well. I got somebody ready to buy my heli but I am taking a $100 loss :( should be able to order tonight or tomorrow!

Brandon

[rotoraddict]

You're gonna love the Swift - probably the best kept secret in the R/C helicopter world IMHO.

If you are after "pumpin" 3D with that combination, you will find shorter blades )with higher pitch settings to absorb the power), will "pop" a lot better, but the longer blade will auto-rotate better.

If you can afford them, the best 3D blade on a 6S pack at 2100 to 2200 head speed, on the Swift with the plastic head, are the Rotor Tech 515mm blades...but you will have to carefully drill out the 3mm blade bolt holes to 4mm ones.

For some very good "best value" composite 3D blades, I recommend the FunKey 530mm units.

In woodies for harder 3D stick with their 520's or go to the 530's they have.

I find they are both more readily available in Canada then from Heli-World or other US sources that I deal with.

PM me if you want links to some of my Canadian sources.

[helifrek]

I will probably stick with the stock woodies until I get comfortable flying a larger helicopter again. it will be awhile before I can splurge some $$$ on some good blades. I have always like the swift, I had a Hawk III way back in the day and I liked it alot but it had some issues that in my eyes century did not resolve very well, and don't get me started on the Hummingbirds :) but the swift seems to be a winner and they have had plenty of time to get any bugs out. I can't wait!!!!! anyone wanna buy my little brushless 4G3 indoor 3D heli? hehehe.....

Brandon

[helifrek]

Got the DX6i in today and sold the 4G3!!!! already ordered the swift kit and a 9T pinion. will be awhile before I get the funds to get the rest of the stuff I need but thats ok. I will post pictures of the build. thanks again guys.

Brandon

[desert_flyer]

helifreak,

The triple bearing upgrade and solid main shaft is pretty much essential on the swift if you want to bang it around.

[helifrek]

thanks for the advice. can't wait to get it up and flying.

Brandon

[Greybird]

Hey, Where are the pictures?

[helifrek]

still waiting on the swift to arrive. I'll post some pics of what I have so far.
UPS tracking says the package will be here tuesday. have company so I will post pics soon.

Brandon

[helifrek]

Hey guys. here are some pictures of what I have so far! I do not have the helicopter yet, it's on it's way from ups. will post pics as soon as it's here.

thanks,
Brandon

[helifrek]

helicopter arrived yesterday!!! I was able to put it together yesterday but my brother and a friend came over and hooked realflight up to a projector in my living room (which is where I was trying to work) so I kept on getting distracted. I wish i could say the build went smooth and that it was a pleasure but unfortunitaly the parts quality is like that of almost every century heli I have owned :) I wasn't able to simply just put everything together, I had to sand the feathering shaft to get the bearings to fit, the tail pulley in the back had to be sanded because it was rubbing the gearbox and every single screw that I put in that holds the tailboom on the heads broke off. I gotta run to lowes today and pick up some better screws. The overall quality of the helicopter is pretty good, just a few things that needed tweaking....... I love the size and feel of the heli, it's exactly what I wanted. I have lots of work to do today on the tail rotor and head, both seem way to stiff and I haven't even put any of the ball linkages on yet..... I will post some pictures later on today. thanks again guys.

Brandon

[Greybird]

I thought the new ones came with 8 3mm hex-heads for the tailboom? My #2 Swift did. Did you find a little bag with 8 hex-heads? If you ordered from Century, you should have gotten the latest kit.

[geostomp]

We want video!!

[Gadget01]

Your receiver and a spare set of blades are on their way- sent via Priority Mail.

[helifrek]

thanks gadget! greybird, I found the little pack of hex heads, they were not labeled and I was not sure what they were for, I could not get them to thread but I was a little rushed yesterday, I will try again today. i rewatched some of finless bobs videos and caught they I had put the tail blade grips on backwards and forgot to setscrew the tail gear pin in place. also readjusted the tail bellcrank and sanded the ball a little, got the tail nice and smooth but I think the brass slider just needs a little wearing in as well. the main rotorhead grips were really tight so I took the head back apart and spent a good hour sanding and polishing the flybar, now it is pretty smooth. I repacked the thrust bearings with teflon grease. right now i am taking a break from putting the linkages on, will mount servos, balance blades and finish the canopy throughout the day.

I am leaving for Ohio thursday morning really early and won't be back until the 23rd, going to spend some time with my brother for the holidays. I am so close to having this thing ready to fly!!! I hope to have it flying before the end of january, keep in mind I am laid off :) so bills gotta get paid first. good thing is I am only lacking about $300 in stuff, an esc, batt, charger, gyro and tail servo are all I need so I figure if I only order one thing a week..... I'll be up in the air in no time. also trying to help a friend open up a hobby shop, we already have the building with race tracks ready we just don't have any stock and the place needs cleaned up. good thing is that will be a job for me as soon as it's open. anywho... I'll stop rambling on, got plenty more work to do.

thanks for listening :)
Brandon

[Wren1702]

thanks gadget! greybird, I found the little pack of hex heads, they were not labeled and I was not sure what they were for, I could not get them to thread but I was a little rushed yesterday, I will try again today.
Brandon


Those bolts are tight going in, on hind site I wish I would have tapped the holes out.

What's your impression of the kit so far?

[helifrek]

other than the few minor problems I have had I really like it, it's a pretty big electric heli when you consider that most people flying electric helis have 450s, 500s and smaller, and the price can't be beat for a name brand heli with great parts support and plenty of power options, not to mention upgrades :) the hardest thing so far (besides sanding the feathering shaft) was getting the flybar decals lined up perfectly :)

Brandon

[helifrek]

build is finished! got the servos and motor mounted, the linkages measured and put on. I LOVE this helicopter and i cannot wait to see it up in the air. thanks again for all the help from everyone. I couldn't have gotten this far without the help and generosity of my fellow RCG'ers. thanks again guys.
I'll get some better pics with the wife modeling the heli later ;)

Brandon

[Greybird]

Man, you are fast. Did that one servo arm work OK on the elevator?

[helifrek]

measured 21mm and the manual says 21-22mm so it'll work, thanks again. I love building, it's my favorite part. I could have had it completely built in about 3 or 4 hours if I could work without interuption. I remember back in the day my mentor/friend and I both flew hawk III's and we had both crashed, I completely disassemboled (spelling) and rebuilt the helis side by side and it took about 6 hours straight. I think I missed school the next day :) didn't go to bed till about 5am..... I will keep updating as I get the rest of the electronics I need. can't wait!

Brandon

[Gadget01]

Those bolts are tight going in, on hind site I wish I would have tapped the holes out.

What's your impression of the kit so far?I drilled the tailbox holes out to 3.5mm and tapped M4 threads. M4 screws hold very well- much more thread surface area to grip.

Keep an eye out in the classified ads for a gy401. I see them for sale there quite often.

[helifrek]

In ohio at my bro's house! I was able to get the tail boom screws in before I left, found that the frame wasn't letting the screws go into the boom mount piece.... used an exacto knife to fix it :) I have blisters from screwing in the bolts..... they go in tight! but it is nice and solid. hope to get the rest of the electronics I need soon so I can get up in the air!

Brandon

[Dogwoodtheone]

ok. got to ask, where in Ohio are you? (transplanted Buckeye here)

[helifrek]

technically Fowler but they get the mail sent to a Cortland address. I was born here but been in NC most of my life, since I was 6, lived in florida for a year about 2 years ago... thats where I wanna end up eventually.

also, little PM thing at the top of the screen says I have 65,535 private messages..... yet I have none, anyone else had this happen? maybe just something up with my bro's comp.