Inside Heli #40!
Hey, I'm all caught up for once! So, you guys got to interview Albert, the producer of the Xtrema charger!
=== Nose-In Training ===
I have to agree with James on this. This is like making Vodka your first alcoholic drink. A better example is that it would be like learning to fly an airplane inverted first. Stick with the tried-and-true techniques and just know that there is no magic trick that is going to make nose-in hovering easy.
=== Good versus Popular ===
Chris got a good laugh out of me on this one when he compared the situation of the good Xtrema charger versus the popular Thunder Power chargers to helicopters. Let's see, what was it?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by JustPlaneChris
It's like when the helicopter that everyone thinks is the cat's meow gets shoved down our throats!
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...and never mentions a name. You're more diplomatic than me. May I?
1. Blade CP Pro.
2. T-Rex (that's right, I said it).
I don't think I need to explain myself about the Blade CP. It's twitchy, sloppy, fragile, and most people know it. The T-Rex, while there is an insanely loyal following, is heavy, over-priced, noisy, and the flybar movement is too restricted, so it requires a ridiculous headspeed to get good control authority. Don't get me started on the POS motor that comes with it. I owned one. It was fun, but I'm not getting another. Too many annoyances.
I'm saving my pennies. I've been torturing myself as I read the Protos thread. It's...it's just an engineer's DREAM how they thought out that design! I wish they had a presence at local Hobby Shops so that parts would be easier.
=== Xtrema Charger ===
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...odID=TMEXTRLWM
I've seen a couple of these, and I must admit that the owners are so dedicated that it's like they have their own club. I wish I could comment more, but I have a Bantam BC6, and they wouldn't let me mess with theirs. The ability to use it as a Wattmeter with computer interface is fascinating. Think about it: this charger is $179, but most people spend over $40 for a wattmeter of some sort anyways. Having it built-in makes the price pretty attractive. I kind of wish you'd bundle the balancer with charger purchase for $20 extra, as it would keep the bundle under that $200 "barrier" that seems to exist for charger purchase. Especially since few people will buy a charger without a balancer. Otherwise, that's an impressive piece of machinery.
This show was a good way to start the first Monday of work after the Holidays (glad I had something to look forward to). Thanks, guys!
- Jim