[NTM]

No, and the trex 600 with the stock 6s electrics is one of the worst performing e-helis you can buy.
6s isn't enough for 600mm blades, and the t600 is too heavy for 550mm blades.
Depending on the type of flying you'll be doing, it might be okay, but if you're looking for a heli that has lots of room to grow with, I wouldn't recommend it.
The upcoming trex 550 (550mm blades) is a better choice, if you want to go align.

But if you want to make a long term investment, look at a logo 500 (550mm blades) or logo 600 (600mm to 640mm blades) v-bar. They're very high quality, parts just don't wear out.
Either one can be super stable, or a 3d monster. Very flexible machines that can grow with you and are unlikely to be outperformed by anything in the next four years.

Regards,
Nathan

[x-planker]

Nitro 4sho!

[Phil Noel]

Originally Posted by Claude Paradis

Yes, but the 550 isn't much bigger than the 450 though is it? I am looking for a significant jump in size.

A true 550 electric (like the Swift NX) uses 520mm to 560mm mainblades. That makes for a rotor disc that is a LOT bigger then those of a 450 electric that uses 325mm blades or even a 500 electric that uses 425mm blades.

A 550 electric (like the Swift NX or the Logo 500 that uses the same size blades) are more like the size of a 30 nitro. That is why they fly so well on the lower cost 6S batteries and charge systems.

With the relatively low price of good 4S, or 5S, or 6S packs today, you will find that a heli like the Swift NX will cost about the same to get into the air as a good 450 (heli, motor, ESC, servos, gyro). Yet, being so much bigger, it will have all the advantages of a bigger heli without much cost for repair if you do have a mishap.

You will find it easy to set-up compared to a nitro (e.g. no throttle curves to try to get just right or needle valves to get adjusted properly for hover and wide open). It will easily take you from basic novice training to well into 3D with just a change of a $12.00 and a change in TX of the settings of your ESC. And versatile enough to use 520mm, 550mm or 560mm and battery packs from 4S. to 5S and on up to a very hot 6S power.

Also, by simply changing your set-up, you can get anyware from a 4 minute 'Yee Haw" flight on a 4S/5000 pack to a 11 minute, more sedate flight, on the same pack. Going for a 5S or 6S system, you can do the same only getting longer flight times for the same types of flights.

As you can see, these size of electrics are far more versatile then the equivalent sized nitros. the same heli can easily be set for gentle training, smooth scale flying to some pretty impressive 3D.

It all depends on how much money you want to put into them...including the cost of adding the cost of the flybarless electronics if you desire to push to the limit.

[Phil Noel]

Of course, for even bigger, you can go to the electrics that use 600 to 620mm blades and 8S or 10S packs (like the Swift 620SE or Logo 600) and flybarless rotor head and control systems. Now you have it all, including a relatively depleted bank account.

As mentioned earlier is the gasser options,e.g. the smaller gasser like the Radikal, powered by the Zenoah G20 EI engine (mentioned earlier by flyswatter) that is a bit bigger then the 50 sized nitro or 620 sized electric (almost the same size as the old 60 nitros we used to fly). It uses 620mm to 640mm blades, flies very well (smooth trainer, scale or 3D) and costs about 30 cents for 20 minutes of flying.

And the bigger ones, like the Predator, that use the Zenoah G-231 or the G-260 engines, are also great flyers and only cost about 45 cents for a 20 minute flight.

As for power, they both have a better power to weight and/or torque to weight then some nitros and some electrics. It all depends on how they are powered.

If you only want "Toolman Taylor" power, that only comes with the 10S or 12S powered Electric 600/620's.

[mjws]

For me it is about how you spend the flying day. If you can only grab a few minutes, and just want to jam a few flights in quickly it is REALLY hard to beat electrics. If you like to sit and BS with the boys in between flights, electrics can still work well.

If you are deep in the learning curve and just want to hammer flight after flight after flight. You can't beat nitro. Just fuel and fly. I can't imagine flying large electrics like that... By the time the generator is out, multiple high dollar chargers are firing, it kind of loses its appeal for me. But there is no argument the electrics are more powerful and more flexible. The cost efficient size keeps getting larger as well.

I go out to make a day of it, no noise issues, and happen to love engines. Electric in the small stuff (250-500), Nitro in the middle (50-90), Gas in the giants (25%-40%). Others have different priorities.

Mike

[Phil Noel]

[QUOTE=Claude Paradis;706926]This will be an investment that needs to last me for a bit 3 - 5 years. So whatever I pick also needs to be expected to be around for awhile. (parts availabitlity). [QUOTE]

Any major brand today, produces helis that are relatively maintenance free and made to last a long time (I have a Hawk Pro that now has well over 100 HOURS of not so gentle flight time, and is still going strong). And most will have parts available for many years. (I can still get parts for some of mine that are over 10 years old!!)

To be honest, it is hard to really give an opinion, unless one has a budget to work with and a list of what must be purchased within that budget (e.g. heli, motor, ESC, radio gear, gyro, chargers etc. etc.) and the type of flying you plan to do with it.

Sorta like having someone ask :

OK, I am tired of driving my go-kart now (400 electric) and would like to step up into an on road car. What should I get?

As you can see, there are thousands of variations that may work for different people and for different reasons. But narrowing the question down to something like:

I would like to step into something that is a good everyday sport sedan that will last me X years and that is easy around town and gives me a comfy ride from Edmonton to Vancouver. I am not interested in the Ferrari or Lombargini type of race driving but more in general driving.

As you can see, that would be a much easier question to answer.

The one thing nice about any well engineered and manufactuered heli, is that they will all be easy to power in a manner that is very broad and can encompass general sport flying to well into more extreme 3D. But they can vary greatly in overall cost, by a large amount.

[Phil Noel]

Originally Posted by Claude Paradis

For those well experienced with the larger helis. Consider this: If you could take everything you know now, go back and start all over from scratch ... what would you do?.

That would depend directly on my budget. IMHO, best buy overall in larger electric helis, is a heli that can run well on the less expensive (to buy and charge) 5S or 6S packs. And as NTM said, a heli swinging 600mm blades is just too big to be good all around with even a 6S pack.

Going to a 600 bladed electric means jumping big time in real costs. because you really will have to go into 8S or 10S packs and appropriate power systems and chargers.

If I had to only keep one in my fleet, considering a reasonable budget. I would just keep the smaller gasser - the Radikal. Why?

It is not too big and easy to transport, yet inexpensive to run, has about the same repair costs as a 50 nitro or 600 electric, has a great flight envelop and it also makes a great scale mechanic, as there is no smoke and there already are two great scale fuselage on offer for it.

[x-planker]

Come on guy's...a 600size electric he'll be putting out 1500hundred bucks in batts and charging system alone never mind the machine. You can buy a Rex Nitro super pro Rx ready brand new for 1150 and never have to worry about wreaking the batterys...you do the math...Buy a nitro

[Stable Rotary Flyer]

Claude you mentioned that you liked either the T-rex 600 Nitro or the Raptor 50 Titan SE if you where to go for a nitro heli. They are both excellent choices, it just really depends on which one you like best. I own two T-rex 600 nitros and they fly very well. Parts are readily available and they are very common at most flying clubs. This is very helpful during the setup stages as there will be lots of information available if you ever need assistance.

If you do decide to go for a 600 sized electric heli I would suggest the Logo 600. It will be my next helicopter, so I am aware of the cost involved. If your budget is $ 1500 max it may make going electric beyond your budget. Like the guys said the batteries and charging equipment for larger electrics can be expensive.


If you are serious about going electric, take the time to see a Logo 600 fly. They simply are the best!

[rotormonkey13]

Unlike Phil, I myself am not a big fan of the larger electric birds. Mostly due to the charging. The way I see it is you either spend big bucks up front for a whole lot of batteries to keep you going. Or you spend 90% of your time charging batteries at the field. You have to make sure you have some kind of power source for charging those batteries, etc, etc. For me it's jut not worth the hassle/expense.

I've taken the best of all worlds. I have a smaller electric 450, a Raven 50 (nitro), and the Radikal 50 (gasser).

You said you're not looking for a hotrod, and you're comfortable with IC motors. I say go with the Radikal. Gas is dirt cheap, you get 20 minutes of flying at a time if you want. Slap on a generator and you don't have to worry about charging batteries at all. And it still has plenty of power for doing just about anything I want to do with it. jmho.