I'm looking to upgrade the FBL gyro on my TREX 550. I keep hearing about Beast X and Mikado V Bar. I don't have any experience with either. I did hear that the Mikado requires more setup and occasionally you need to have your laptop handy at the field. What is the general consensus about which is better. I also want to use the same FBL gyro on the new Thunder Tiger G4 Nitro I'm building.

the beastx is more user friendly if your starting out with fbl. as far as the best there are multiple that fly different ways, so not really one to choose

SK720 is the best and it has self-leveling that saves many helicopters from crashing. It also has governor for both EP and nitro. The next best is the SK540. It is much lower cost but does not have the self-leveling feature but it does have the latest gyro technology (6 gyros instead of the normal 3).

The Skookum line of gyros is by far the easiest to setup.


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Originally Posted by RC Man

SK720 is the best and it has self-leveling that saves many helicopters from crashing. It also has governor for both EP and nitro. The next best is the SK540. It is much lower cost but does not have the self-leveling feature but it does have the latest gyro technology (6 gyros instead of the normal 3).

The Skookum line of gyros is by far the easiest to setup.


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Not what you would call cheap tho!
But I have decided to use one on my scale Cobra build

My own research of FBL systems had come to the same conclusion that for scale use the SK720 is the one to go for.
It al depends exactly what you want from a flybarless system.
When you consider the cost of a decent scale 500 fuse then the SK720's "panic" mode could pay for itself after the 2nd save

Ok so I have been reading and I'm now more confused than ever. At the end of the day will I really feel a difference between a Mikado V Bar, Skookum 720, or a HeliCommand HC3-SX? I'm a fairly new pilot and fly basic 3D but I want to imporve and priactice. I know both the Skookum 720 and the HeliCommand HC3-SX have some sort of panic auto-reover option. Has anyone out there had any epxerience using this in a situation where the helicopter needed to be reovered?

i've said it before and i'll say it again, I've used the Skookum 720 as well as the HeliCommand HC3-SX in my Mini Protos and of the two the HC3-SX is superior in almost every way and as for Self-Leveling (ie Captain Rescue) the HC3-SX in a league of its own !

V-Bar is easily the best nothing is even close to it the BeastX would be next
and the 3G far down the list
but i have only flown the V-Bar beast and 3G
the SK720 and 540 i hear are good but take 10 to 15 flights to get dialed in

if you have only flown the V-Bar, beast, and 3G how can you say the v-bar is the best and how would you know nothing else comes close if the only other FBL units you've flown are beast, and 3G ???

The beast is good but not top tear and the 3G is near the bottom.........

After flying my SK540 for a couple of months it’s definitely me new favorite for the way it flies and features. If you are into 3D the SK540 is what you want.

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V Bar is great for sport and 3D but sucks in high speed straight line stuff...rarely even a concern.

The $5000 helis doing the world record speed passes are on BeastX.

If you're not doing 130+ mph passes,the V Bar is among the best. The newest sensor seems to have some issues though....Maybe the 5.3 firmware...not clear yet.

BeastX simply works.

Skookum requires a nearly perfect heli with very low vibrations if you use the self leveling feature.

Helicommand has been in the fore front of stabilization vs price for a long time.

Align just doesn't have it yet.

My money would be spent on Mikado or Microbeast.

I wouldn't piss on a 3G or SK720 if they were on fire....No more of that crap in my stable.lol....

now there's someone who knows what he's talking about !!!

Consider the new Robird G31,$66 and similar to vbar in features and very easy to setup with the computer software.Check out the YouTube setup videos and flight videos.
Steve

Buy a Skookum 540 rock solid same features as 720 minus the auto correct feature.... I own two the are a breeze to set up.. Tail is easy as to set up.. Great unit I see a new ones for sale on ebay for 235.bucks. Or so

Originally Posted by AndreKoren

Ok so I have been reading and I'm now more confused than ever. At the end of the day will I really feel a difference between a Mikado V Bar, Skookum 720, or a HeliCommand HC3-SX? I'm a fairly new pilot and fly basic 3D but I want to imporve and priactice. I know both the Skookum 720 and the HeliCommand HC3-SX have some sort of panic auto-reover option. Has anyone out there had any epxerience using this in a situation where the helicopter needed to be reovered?

The HC3SX has saved me a number of times so the bail out feature is a money saver and confidence builder. The unit as far as a FBL unit it is rock solid. The manual is confusing and setup can be complicated unless you are used to FBL gyros. The manual has been written as if the reader knows what it is talking about. This is a common fault with many manuals, not just FBL ones, but the HC3SX one is improving. Helifreak has an excellent thread on the HC3SX. It's expensive but mine has paid for itself. I also have a BeastX on a heli and as far as setup it is the easiest and the manual is the best.

For sure the HC3SX self-leveling is 2nd to none !!!