Originally Posted by Heli Biggie

I wont talk about how bad walkera is ....... I do love the wk2801 tx, and all the rx are great, ...anyway i worked all day, oncall, and came home to buy a nano cp. it should be fun, it completely takes me away from walkera, so you will hear it here if it sucks also. But the reviews are great so far. I have not wrecked the 600, so i will keep my record with this heli also.the more i get away from walkera ,the less i wreck. Its just bad parts guys, plain and simple, maybe one day i will do 3d inside lol. Probaly not,lol,

Happy flying all

That using a spektrum tx right? Just wondering?

Originally Posted by bradheli1

You guys make lots of good points, but I still think this thing does quite well for how cheap they are. I bought my Wow V450D01 with a case, a hot motor, a battery, and a 2801 for $459. If you take off the cost of the TX, battery and case....I spent $231 for the heli. I think its a GREAT price for a flybarless 450.

I use the 2801 for my custom CB180Z and both of my Genius CPs. So I paid even less for these without the TX. Thats been convienient when flying 3 different birds.

I read all about it before I bought it so I knew it wasn't the best, but I'm sure glad that I didn't do my learning and crashing on a new X5!

I hear lots of complaining that Walkera doesnt have "customer service folks" or great technical service. Where I come from thats the function of the distributor.... they guy that just made 30% on the heli for being a middle man. You don't call Honda in Japan when you have car problems, you call your dealer and a good one will look after your service needs.... not the manufacturer directly.

Walkera is the designer and manufacturer and thats all they should be doing. A great distributor will provide value added customer service, not just the very lowest price.

I find techical assistance is less important all the time anyway. I get answer on this board in a matter of hours, from guys that really know their stuff.

Isn't anyone else amazed how you can smash these things into the ground a dozen times at high speed, bending and breaking all sorts of parts... take it back to the bench and, within a few hours make it fly as good as new again?

I've also accepted the fact that most (not all) of my serious damage came as a result of pilot error not quality issues. Luckily, my motor and servo failure(s) happened low to the ground and I was able to put them down.I now use great servos and a better motor so I think many of my big problems are behind me.

I know these things are just toys & I'm convinced its time for me to add another bird to the fleet. So we will see how much better a new X5 will be. I first gotta figure who I'm going to be buying it and the parts from. Any suggestions on a good Gaui dealer?

You know what buddy. You got a point about the MFG/distributor stuff. But that is kind of my point. No hobby shop or anywhere your going to get good service carries them.

PLUS, i REALLY, REALLY, REALLY disagree with you. I wish i had just got a X5 or goblin instead as my bigger heli. Because, unlike my v450. I'm positive it would have only crashed maybe 4-5 times in the same amount of time i've owned the v450, which has been crashed over 30 times by now. Those crashes on a X5 or a Goblin would have been my fault for dumb thumbing it. I have never been able to trust my v450, so i have never been able to progress and grow into my comfort with it. I already learned how to fly on a V120 and a simulator. I was able to invert the v450 the same time i got it. But was never actually able to trust it because it caught fire on my second battery, and it steam rolled from there. So i probably would never crash the X5 or whatever because i would grow into my comfort level with the size of it. Already knowing how to fly, and having my orientations down. I would be a few hundred dollars less in the hole by now, that i'm positive of. But it's too late to know for sure now. All i know for sure now, is the sooner i can get a X5 or something else, the better i'll feel. Because i'll actually be able to go and fly comfortably for a change. Even my v120s give me gyro issues now and then.

Originally Posted by A VIKING

Integrity.
Buddy...you have heard me say it before and I'll say it again, in aviation big or small it dosn't matter what you buy, there will always be issues. Never buy a real airplane or helicopter, you would be very disapointed. In a few years you will acumulate dozens maybe hundreds of bullitens that address issues on a machine you just spent 4 million on to buy.
I have watched and read issues that have been a constant problem with the V450 and from what I see it has been related to servos and the ESC.
So I have replaced them with higher end Align and Castle products and so far things are good, no more issues than what I created for myself in the beginning.
Did the stock componants have issues, absolutely. Should they have been caught at the factory before shippment, absolutely.
But again even for the million dollar birds they leave the factory with problems that are caught latter and left to the new owner to correct.
So for the V450 I could see the FAA issueing an AD on the servos: replace before 10 hours of flight due to wiring issues. An AD on the ESC: replace before futher flight due to overheating and inflight shutdown. And a Walkera issued ASB on the tail drive belt: check belt tension before futher flight to prevent a high belt tension causeing an in flight belt failure.

It's just aviation, nothing is perfect.
I'll see you in the X5 forum.

Viking

My grandfather owned a piper warrior. Nice little bird. Maintenance was no big deal. Only cost about 20k and over all was a good little plane. I liked it better than the Cessna with the wing over head. It flew real nice. Sure every machine has issues. I'm not looking for the damn thing to be perfect. Just keep it's self in the air for more than 5-10 packs with the DAILY MAINTENANCE that i give the fing thing. Hell, what should i do now? Try the stock ESC again, now that i have two new motors two try with it? I'm positive even if i got a Castle ice it will still produce the same failure. I've replaced every bearing, lubed everything, replaced all the electronics twice. New RX. EVERYTHING! What the hell else am i suppose to sit here and think? Only thing left is to install a 2nd battery and a redundant bec circuit to try and keep the RX powered up though all the flights. A 2200 micro farad capacitor sure isn't helping. I just never know when the next one is coming i gave up when the thing died and glided it's self right at my car. Lucky for me it came back online in time for me to pitch it into the ground before it got to my car. I think i have that one on video.

I'm glad all of you are not having any issues. So far the new one i built had not had any failures. But i won't take it to the field. I've only hovered it in the driveway.

Yes dx4e ...or whatever. Im sure its very basic but its no walkera.




But like i said i love mt wk tx.

Originally Posted by IntegrityHndywrk

That using a spektrum tx right? Just wondering?



You know what buddy. You got a point about the MFG/distributor stuff. But that is kind of my point. No hobby shop or anywhere your going to get good service carries them.

PLUS, i REALLY, REALLY, REALLY disagree with you. I wish i had just got a X5 or goblin instead as my bigger heli. Because, unlike my v450. I'm positive it would have only crashed maybe 4-5 times in the same amount of time i've owned the v450, which has been crashed over 30 times by now. Those crashes on a X5 or a Goblin would have been my fault for dumb thumbing it. I have never been able to trust my v450, so i have never been able to progress and grow into my comfort with it. I already learned how to fly on a V120 and a simulator. I was able to invert the v450 the same time i got it. But was never actually able to trust it because it caught fire on my second battery, and it steam rolled from there. So i probably would never crash the X5 or whatever because i would grow into my comfort level with the size of it. Already knowing how to fly, and having my orientations down. I would be a few hundred dollars less in the hole by now, that i'm positive of. But it's too late to know for sure now. All i know for sure now, is the sooner i can get a X5 or something else, the better i'll feel. Because i'll actually be able to go and fly comfortably for a change. Even my v120s give me gyro issues now and then.

Originally Posted by IntegrityHndywrk

My grandfather owned a piper warrior. Nice little bird. Maintenance was no big deal. Only cost about 20k and over all was a good little plane. I liked it better than the Cessna with the wing over head. It flew real nice. Sure every machine has issues. I'm not looking for the damn thing to be perfect. Just keep it's self in the air for more than 5-10 packs with the DAILY MAINTENANCE that i give the fing thing. Hell, what should i do now? Try the stock ESC again, now that i have two new motors two try with it? I'm positive even if i got a Castle ice it will still produce the same failure. I've replaced every bearing, lubed everything, replaced all the electronics twice. New RX. EVERYTHING! What the hell else am i suppose to sit here and think? Only thing left is to install a 2nd battery and a redundant bec circuit to try and keep the RX powered up though all the flights. A 2200 micro farad capacitor sure isn't helping. I just never know when the next one is coming i gave up when the thing died and glided it's self right at my car. Lucky for me it came back online in time for me to pitch it into the ground before it got to my car. I think i have that one on video.

I'm glad all of you are not having any issues. So far the new one i built had not had any failures. But i won't take it to the field. I've only hovered it in the driveway.

You have deffinitely paid your dues and it's time to move on. I think your doing the right thing. To bad your not a "Blues" composer, that would be one bad ass song. I'll be here holding down the V450 site, earning my "right".
Instead of telling my grand kids I walked 5 miles every day in the snow to get to school, up hill both ways, I'll be able to tell them I flew a Walkera V450 for years, that will make them feel sorry for me.. And they will say "really grand dad, did it make you sad?" And I will say "sometimes, but I knew this one guy...."
All the best to you Integrity! You have had so many crazy things happen with your 450 over time, but to your credit, you stuck with it. I am so hopeing I can see nothing but possitive posts from you with your new ship whatever it may end up being, you desirve it! You have paid your dues and a few other peoples as well.

Viking

I have been searching around, comparing prices and that flybarless X5 with all the extras is going to cost more like $1550 + shipping! And thats without buying a box of spare parts.

So buying the X5 from the right place becomes way more important. Until I find a reliable place to buy the X5 and the parts with good service, I will be waiting and looking. I don't even mind paying a bit more if I can be sure that I will have long term support.

After looking at these prices, and knowing the V450D01 prices really well.... nobody should be compaing these two machines. Its like saying " I really hate my $20,000 Ford car.... my $100,000 Mercedes is way better quality.... umm....no kidding.

Directly compared... a plain no frills V450D01 without a TX, battery, case (with RX) costs about $245 if you buy a RTF and subrtract the 2801 TX cost. My new Gaui X5 (flybarless) is about $950 for the same options.

Comparing the 2 seems really silly. Maybe a Blade 450 is a more fair comparison. Do we like these better than the V450D01? The parts are readily available and they are more similar in price.They are also $450 > $500 ready to fly.

Check with dustin at heli-heli.com please, he helped me so much , he beat all other prices, then built and tested my heli so good that its perfect,( with a utube video) and still answers all my emails within a day, now thats service , now i hope for you he sells guai. I have trex 600 efl pro. Its a dream!

Originally Posted by bradheli1

I have been searching around, comparing prices and that flybarless X5 with all the extras is going to cost more like $1550 + shipping! And thats without buying a box of spare parts.

So buying the X5 from the right place becomes way more important. Until I find a reliable place to buy the X5 and the parts with good service, I will be waiting and looking. I don't even mind paying a bit more if I can be sure that I will have long term support.

After looking at these price, and knowing the V450D01 prices really well.... nobody should be compaing these two machines. Its like saying " I really hate my $20,000 Ford car.... my $100,000 Mercedes is way better quality.... umm....no kidding.

Directly compared... a plain no frills V450D01 without a TX, battery, case (with RX) costs about $245 if you buy a RTF and subrtract the 2801 TX cost. My new Gaui X5 (flybarless) is about $950 for the same thing.

Comparing the 2 seems really silly.

http://www.bladehelis.com/Products/D...ProdID=BLH4380

This Blade looks pretty similar to the Walkera in features and price. Are these things any good? I want to take a big step up (like the X5) but its interesting I don't see more comparions to this Blade FBL machine. From the pictures, they still look like toys too.

I will check out heli-heli.com Thanks for the tip!

Originally Posted by Heli Biggie

Check with dustin at heli-heli.com please, he helped me so much , he beat all other prices, then built and tested my heli so good that its perfect,( with a utube video) and still answers all my emails within a day, now thats service , now i hope for you he sells guai. I have trex 600 efl pro. Its a dream!

Thanks for the tip and I did check it out. The prices seem fine, but they don't have the FBL X5 in stock and if you check the parts page... they have almost no replacement parts. If this is going to become my top bird, I need access to parts quickly as I'm known to crash fairly often. I will email them and see if they are going to go deeper into the Gaui or they just dabble in it.

Maybe there is a business hidden in this?? It looks like a guy could be the top Gaui distributor in North America. If these things are as great as they say, there should be a good demand if you provide top notch service, fair pricing and fast shipping.

Originally Posted by bradheli1

Thanks for the tip and I did check it out. The prices seem fine, but they don't have the FBL X5 in stock and if you check the parts page... they have almost no replacement parts. If this is going to become my top bird, I need access to parts quickly as I'm known to crash fairly often. I will email them and see if they are going to go deeper into the Gaui or they just dabble in it.

Maybe there is a business hidden in this?? It looks like a guy could be the top Gaui distributor in North America. If these things are as great as they say, there should be a good demand if you provide top notch service, fair pricing and fast shipping.

I'm afraid you'll have to arm wrestle Integrity for the dealership.

Viking

Originally Posted by A VIKING

I'm afraid you'll have to arm wrestle Integrity for the dealership.

Viking

Just out of interest, I should try to visit Gaui on my next trip. I travel thru Hong Kong and into mainland China as I have a partner / manufacturer there. So I get the benefit of good translation and I'd have someone on the ground in China to work with them. It would be intersting to see what the minimum distributor requirements are and how much investment would be required.

Maybe a guy could carry a toy line like Walkera and a next step brand like Gaui. Its difficult to get Walkera parts fast and cheap here in Canada so I could have an edge.

I bet the margins are very thin on this stuff. I'd like to say people will pay more for good service, but we know from looking at a Walmart parking lot, thats all talk.

I also wonder about sales volumes... do they sell hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of these helis? How many does a big web distributor sell? If you are only going to sell a hundred machines per year, it could be lots of work for not too much $$$$. Has anyone ever heard production volumes on any of these machines so I have some idea of market size?

I have another thought rolling around in the back of my mind... " the last time you turned your hobby into a business, it ended the hobby and it all turned into work ".

Originally Posted by Heli Biggie

Yes dx4e ...or whatever. Im sure its very basic but its no walkera.




But like i said i love mt wk tx.

I would think then the DX6, 7, and 8 would be cross compatible? I'm still trying to figure out what blade is up to.

Originally Posted by A VIKING

You have deffinitely paid your dues and it's time to move on. I think your doing the right thing. To bad your not a "Blues" composer, that would be one bad ass song. I'll be here holding down the V450 site, earning my "right".
Instead of telling my grand kids I walked 5 miles every day in the snow to get to school, up hill both ways, I'll be able to tell them I flew a Walkera V450 for years, that will make them feel sorry for me.. And they will say "really grand dad, did it make you sad?" And I will say "sometimes, but I knew this one guy...."
All the best to you Integrity! You have had so many crazy things happen with your 450 over time, but to your credit, you stuck with it. I am so hopeing I can see nothing but possitive posts from you with your new ship whatever it may end up being, you desirve it! You have paid your dues and a few other peoples as well.

Viking

LOL!

Originally Posted by bradheli1

I have been searching around, comparing prices and that flybarless X5 with all the extras is going to cost more like $1550 + shipping! And thats without buying a box of spare parts.

So buying the X5 from the right place becomes way more important. Until I find a reliable place to buy the X5 and the parts with good service, I will be waiting and looking. I don't even mind paying a bit more if I can be sure that I will have long term support.

After looking at these prices, and knowing the V450D01 prices really well.... nobody should be compaing these two machines. Its like saying " I really hate my $20,000 Ford car.... my $100,000 Mercedes is way better quality.... umm....no kidding.

Directly compared... a plain no frills V450D01 without a TX, battery, case (with RX) costs about $245 if you buy a RTF and subrtract the 2801 TX cost. My new Gaui X5 (flybarless) is about $950 for the same options.

Comparing the 2 seems really silly. Maybe a Blade 450 is a more fair comparison. Do we like these better than the V450D01? The parts are readily available and they are more similar in price.They are also $450 > $500 ready to fly.

Patients is key with Gaui. Distribution is limited and things will often be out of stock compared to walkera. There are a few US vendors, but mostly just for the heli. wow carries the X5 kits i think, but not the parts. I estimate about $1200 after i buy the full electronics package, sell the micro beast and get an AR7200BX. Then an extra whatever for my TX. The $899 X5 FES kit comes with everything but a battery and the TX.

Of course comparing A German piece of engineering to a current day American car is a joke. Of course. THIS IS WHY BEASTX is better. Because it is German engineering only we're comparing it to China's mimicry of technology. But really Walkera is over priced. Blade helicopters are actually priced higher. Your paying $240 for the BeastX RX/gyro (AR7200BX) and about $200 for the whole heli. So a brand new 450X is something like $499 or something. In reality, i think they charge more for plastic parts. But they have BeastX. In my opinion, i would have more trust in the consistency of flight of the beastX. /shrug. Personally. If your still learning, get something smaller and cheaper. But If you want to fly a big helicopter and progress into professional quality 3d. My opinion is to save your money and get something that is not so baseline. But in the US i'm sure that blade will have better support, and parts supply will be everywhere. As well as a warranty, and i've heard if you buy direct from HH, they will fix any defect or problem free of charge. Someone had sent their 300X in for a tail issue and it was outfitted with new parts and fixed the issue. They sent it back in working order, no charge. They might instead, just send you the parts so you can fix it yourself. So they are likely at least a easier company to deal with. Personally, If i can't get a X5, it will be a Logo, if it's not a logo it will be a Goblin. I i can't find a reliable heli available in the states, i'll just have to quit the hobby for now. I don't mind paying $2000 for a helicopter as long as i can make it 1 week or more than 5-10 flights even with out my RX falling asleep in the air.

Originally Posted by bradheli1

Just out of interest, I should try to visit Gaui on my next trip. I travel thru Hong Kong and into mainland China as I have a partner / manufacturer there. So I get the benefit of good translation and I'd have someone on the ground in China to work with them. It would be intersting to see what the minimum distributor requirements are and how much investment would be required.

Maybe a guy could carry a toy line like Walkera and a next step brand like Gaui. Its difficult to get Walkera parts fast and cheap here in Canada so I could have an edge.

I bet the margins are very thin on this stuff. I'd like to say people will pay more for good service, but we know from looking at a Walmart parking lot, thats all talk.

I also wonder about sales volumes... do they sell hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of these helis? How many does a big web distributor sell? If you are only going to sell a hundred machines per year, it could be lots of work for not too much $$$$. Has anyone ever heard production volumes on any of these machines so I have some idea of market size?

I have another thought rolling around in the back of my mind... " the last time you turned your hobby into a business, it ended the hobby and it all turned into work ".

Actually, Gaui is produced in New Taipei City, Taiwan. I'm pretty sure they don't have the manufacturing capabilities that others do. On top of that, as you have said. The price range is not your typical. So demand is not as high as for the smaller helicopters. Again, your paying a lot just for the BeastX. The replacement parts for the X5 are almost the same price as the V450 replacement parts. So they might not sell thousands and thousands of helicopters. But WE all know that the real money is not in the RTF or heli kits, it's in the replacement parts. That is why almost anyone carrying kits or parts is almost always out of stock. It seems like a distribution or manufacturing limitation. Not sure. In either case. The main thing about Gaui, again, they use BeastX Gyros. But on top of that their frame and mechanics are rather different from other helicopters. They engineer their own stuff it appears. Unlike these hybrid clones out there that are all basically T-Rex copies. I believe Gaui owns a few patents on heli designs as well. Because, like i've said before. Since BeastX is their stabilization system, and Scorpion is their power train. They have all the money they need for R&D and quality control. Plus some advertising left over. Take a look at their X2 helicopter. It's kind of weird. The motor is mounted in the rear and the servos sit in there a kind of funny way. It's a really cool looking heli. I might be getting one of those as well. If i don't just get a 250 DFC instead. /shrug
I can tell you this much. When the X5 was released, lots of T-rex 550 owners made the switch.


There should be no comparison to the 450X and V450. Because the 450X is probably not as likely to just have servo failures or ESC burn out in the hot summer weather. Things like that. With the BeastX branding, they have to keep up reputations or BeastX might pull away due to tarnished reputation. At least thats the way i would see it if i were in business. God knows, i'd rather spend my R&D on my mechanics and new heli rather than pay some programmers and people to try and rip off someone's gyro designs that are not as good. I'm pretty sure if it was not for BeastX, blade heli sales would not be going as well as they do now.

I LOVE my Gaui X5, so much so I have just placed an order for the X7.
Align is just pants in comparison....
Ask anybody who has owned both.
I even prefer it to my Micky Logo 400 in terms of build quality.

Originally Posted by V999D02

I LOVE my Gaui X5, so much so I have just placed an order for the X7.
Align is just pants in comparison....
Ask anybody who has owned both.
I even prefer it to my Micky Logo 400 in terms of build quality.

There she is! Thanks for that! Where did you buy it and what are you into it for? I want the FBL, just like that!

Is there anything else I should know before I alert Mastercard?

Originally Posted by V999D02

I LOVE my Gaui X5, so much so I have just placed an order for the X7.
Align is just pants in comparison....
Ask anybody who has owned both.
I even prefer it to my Micky Logo 400 in terms of build quality.

Did you know they come with Microbeast V3 now? But it concerns me because of the V2 labeling on all of them. Also they rebrand the scorpion stuff now apparently. So the new ones don't have the scorpion stickers and things on them. I think they always rebrand the Hyperion servos too. I'm not sure. But i'm freaking jealous. I'll have to buy a full kit i think because availability is pretty bad on everything else. I still have not found a place that sells every part for the gaui and has more than %50 of them in stock at one time. Just the same. I've been researching them and they are looking to be one of the very best out there. I'm actually surprised that you would even say it's better build quality than a logo. My next thing to look into is maybe a Compass or something like that. I'm pretty sure i'm going X5, and maybe even the X2. I have no real desire to go that huge. I'm not sure bigger is always better too. I need more space to fly a 700 i think. At least where i'm not 1000 feet from a real scale airport. The FAA has a restriction of 150-200ft for RC models here. So i'm not able to fly very high and the places i fly may not be that safe. Sure, i'll be AMA registered with an X5 or X7. So i can probably start using the local RC field. But i still will have the 200 ft ceiling. The 200 has been my favorite size now for a while. But that could just be because of my bad luck with the 450.


ZOMG, LOOK EVERYONE!!! Spektrum TX has the neck strap in the right spot!!


To hell with what you paid. How many flights have you had on it? Have you had any electrical issues at all? I've heard that the ESC could be replaced for better, maybe a castle or something? Does the Stock ESC have governor mode? I'm kind of addicted to gov mode.

Originally Posted by bradheli1

There she is! Thanks for that! Where did you buy it and what are you into it for? I want the FBL, just like that!

Is there anything else I should know before I alert Mastercard?

I bought it from a company over here in England, Buzzflyer.co.uk.

It cost me £905 with a 4A 6S Lipo with a Dx6i RX and Sat, all prebuilt.

It doesn't need any mod's, but the stock skids are not upto par. You can use Trex 500efl skids, Carbon fibre Gaui skids, or compass skids though.

I just sport fly at the moment, and have crashed a couple of times.

I know of nobody who has broken the frames, as they are a super strong design.

The spares are also dirt cheap, and come in packs of 2. The initial outlay for the ship is pretty expensive but this is a Bird for life, no joke.

You wont hear a bad word said about it by any owner. It's a keeper.