Hello! What is good choice according to your opinion?

[Terrna]

I was thinking to purchase a Align heli.
But I was wondering which one is a good pick?

I was looking at the 250 DFC super combo & 450 DFC super combo.
I'm not good at flying helis, I just for some random reason wanted a Align heli.
Or should I go for 450 DFC Plus RTF?

I own a HoneyBeeV2, and a mCPX V2.

I'm not interested in doing any fancy 3D moves, I just want to hover, fly around, in circles maybe(like a newb, because I am one).

I don't really know what the difference between PRO, PLUS and that. I just know that DFC is pretty new, as I haven't seen that before when I purchased the HoneyBee or mCPX.

What is the main difference between the 250 & 450(not considering the scale of the heli)?


So, in your opinion, what would you recommend me to purchase?
Or do you have another brand to recommend as hover/fly around heli.


Thanks in advance.


Best regards
Alan

 

[murankar]

If your looking for something to just fly almost out of the box get the 450 plus. If you want to build (which I suggest) get the 450 sport or pro.

Now the pro is a torque tube setup on the tail. Usually it is not recommended for beginners. Torque tube gears can strip really super easy. Try to get the belt drive if at all possible.

For size I would and I am sure many others will to get the 450 or bigger. Lot more stable for beginners. Flying the 250 as a beginner can and will be a handful. They (250s) are light and not so stable.

Dfc or not to dfc. I think you will enjoy the benefits of the dfc head. They are known to be responsive and stable. It is a better platform to train on.


If you build you will need to set the kit up also. This is where you will learn the most. It can be a tedious chore but worth every minute of your time.

 

[Terrna]

Thanks for replying, I do want to build a heli myself as it looks fun and challenging, and I will get more knowledge on the heli, once it breaks, and how to repair it.

I was also leaning more towards the 450 than a 250. So that's a good thing you would recommend that size.

Since I live in Norway, and the RC community aren't too big, there are limited stocked items. From what I see, at least from this site. They sell only the DFC PRO version, which will contain torque tube gears according to you. The other one is 450 Sport V2, without DFC. So, how much will the belt driven heli benefit me? Or is it better to get the DFC kit instead of belt driven heli.

How easily will these torque tube gears break, will it break easily even if I do not fly 3D?
How difficult will it be to repair it once it breaks(is it pain in the ass?)?

What tools do you guys recommend me to purchase prior to assembling the helicopter? Or is everything included in the Super Combo package? I know it says that you need pitch gauge, radio/reciver & battery, battery charger. But I was wondering what tool will be handy.

I have watched few of the videos by RcHelpDotCom on youtube building the 450 Pro V2, is this simillar to the 450 Pro V2 Super Combo?

Here is the link to the website that I consider to purcahse my heli, take a look on their items(it's in norwegian so, guess pictures and titles would work, and the copy paste text from Aligns website). http://www.elefun.no/p/kat.aspx?k=96&&i=30


Really appreciate replies.


Thanks in advance


Best regards
Alan

 

[Lee]

Welcome Terrna,
The bigger the heli the easier they are to fly. The down side is they cost more to repair. Depending on how much space you have to fly, i would go for a 450 or even a 500 depending on your price range. If you have a MCPX and can fly it reasonably well, you will find the 450 very forgiving.
Good luck

 

[wolfman76]

First off welcome to the forum Terrna as you can already see we are all very helpful here and more then happy to answer any questions you might have.. I am not the most experienced person on here but i do know a few things here and there so if i was you i would go for the Align T-Rex 450 Sport V2 Super Combo it is belt driven and as you get better at flying it you can always upgrade to the dfc setup later or upgrade heli sizes also so best wishes in all your heli endeavors and feel free to ask any questions you might have and remember there are never stupid questions...

 

[murankar]

Tools: Allen heads 1.5mm (2) 2mm 2.5mm, side cutters, #0 and #1 cross tip screw driver. Thread locker (blue), high quality bearing oil, pitch gauge, digital calipers, solder, soldering iron, needle nose pliers.

This is not complete but is most of what you will need.

 

[BOKI]

Hi terrna; This is BOKI I am new at helicopters also! I have a Trex SE V2 it is belt driven & it fly's like a humming bird real nice quite also! A Synergy pilot set it up with my DX8 transmitter & then flew it for me to check it out! First time I flew it I crashed it! I have it all rebuilt & I learned alot by doing it & guys here on the site helped me through My rebuild! If I had it to do over again I would have built a new kit! So I wish you the best on whatever you choose to do! This is a great site & everyone will help you much as they can! BOKI 8:26 PM ILLINOIS TIME THURSDAY THE BEST & SAFE FLYING!

 

[Tony]

The guys above have answered just about every question you have asked, so my reply is a little redundant. But may help out.

The difference between the Align 450 Pro V2 that I built in the videos and the Align 450 Pro V2 DFC have to do with the head of the heli, and the bearing blocks. Everything else is the same. DFC just stands for Direct Flight Control and that just means they have done away with the old style swash drivers and instead use the pitch links to drive the swash.

Belt vs Torque Tube.

this is a debate that has went on here on the site and many others for a while now. Hands down the belt will win if you are not an experienced pilot. If you can not land without touching the tail to the ground, get a belt. If you are still learing, get a belt. In most cases, I will suggest a belt driven tail for just about every one on here. Something as simple as hitting a rock with the tail blades or a clump of dirt will strip the tail gears. A hard landing will strip the gears because it's flexing the boom.

IMO, if you are just starting out, the Sport V2 is a perfect heli. It has a flybar that is known to be reliable and works very well, the setup is much easier since you dont' need a computer, and the belt will keep you in the air longer.

250 vs 450

Again, it depends on skill. 250's are twitchy and hard to fly. 450, although still hard to fly, are more forgiving as Lee stated. The 450 is about double the size of the 250 and in theory should be twice as stable. What are the differences other than size? Nothing. They are exactly the same, one is just smaller than the other.

In conclusion, if you think you can land a heli softly and without dragging the tail, or you can stock up on tail gears, get the Pro V2 DFC. It's well worth the money and I regret selling my 450 to a member here. They are great helicopters, just look at what Marius has done with his.

I think that answers everything. If you have more questions, just post up.

 

[stokke]

Hei Alan! Velkommen til forumet! Kjempemorsomt at vi nå er to nordmenn her inne!!

Ehrrm. English then:

Hello Alan! Welcome to the forum! Great that two Norwegians have found their way to RCH!!

_____________

My first CP bird was a torque tube (450 PRO) and it turned out just fine - did over 100 flights before I smack landed it and took out my tail gears. But it should be noted that I had many hours on the simulator before starting flying my 450 PRO.

I love my 450 and do not regret getting it for a second.

Lykke til!

 

[Terrna]

Thanks for welcoming me into the community guys!
Also huge thanks to people who bother to reply, and help me with this task.

I have decided to go for the size 450, as it's windy in Norway, and according to you all, the bigger the heli the more stable it will be(logic).

But I still have some question between the Pro and Sport.

So, flybar, what is the benefit and con?
Also, about the belt on Sport version, how long will the belt last under normal flying(without crashing) compared to the torque tube gears?

Willp DX6i work for these two helis? As I think these two are only 6 channel helis, and DX6i is a 6channel transmitter. Hope I'm totally wrong here, if so, please do correct me, I'm here to learn.


Thanks in advance!


Sidenote to stokke;
Hvor er du kjøper dine RC deler og lignende?



Best regards
Alan

 

[Lee]

Hi Terrna,
If you are going to buy a Heli, check out my Trex 500 for sale in the for sale section. Just an idea. Great for the wind and it comes ready to fly if you have a DX6I.

 

[murankar]

Any radio with matching receiver will work. I am using a fly sky th9x radio with a fly sky 6 channel receiver. If you can afford it go with a Dx6i. Its one of the best ones out there in its class. If I had the cash I would have the dx6 or dx7.


Consider lee's offer. It will be a great deal for its size. No guess work it all done and ready.

Fly bars are a mechanical way to stabilize the heli and is also used to control it.

Fly barless system uses an electronic gyro to stabilize it. This is even more stable than a fly bar due to the gyro. In some cases easier to fly.

 

[coolgabsi]

Longevity of a belt to turque tube: Both are same or similar.. Till you start throwing harsh flying at it.. The whole thing is after a day or weekend of flying.. and before every flight.. do post and pre flight checks respectively. You wanna always check if something sounds different. Does the heli not "feel" right... check for belts.. if a tooth is missing .. same with the gears.. there is no mention of Shelf life on these items due to the nature of the hobby.. cause.. one way or other.. a new pilot is gonna crash.. and things will need replacement. and when you replace things.. check other things for damage also..

Pro pilot will know what a issue looks like.. So the answer is there is no answer to that.. hahaha .. Is belt more beginner friendly .. yes.. is there anything wrong with having a belt? NO.. A lot of pro BIGGER size birds do belt drives.. even Goblin.. its all belt.. Just depends on the design and if you build it right.. things last longer

Flybar : Pros: tried and tested over years and years. Mechanical setup.. if setup right.. wont fail on you.. You fly a flybarred once.. Flybarless is EASY! lol

Cons: More parts on the head: so.. more setup .. more linkages.. more rotating mass.. more bearings to check every crash.. cost of crash goes up as you are loosing rotatiing parts when the heli hits the ground.

Flybarles: a computerized gyro chip is doing that corrections to your heli.. and doing it on the swash rather than the head itself so much les rotating stuff.. BUT a software glitch will almost always cause a crash.. How often do they happen.. Not very.. Do they happen .. yeah.. its electronics under high G manuevers and being thrown around and also taking jerks when crashing.. so yeah it CAn happen. but has that stopped people from going FBL no! I went FBL last year and never looked back. Never had a software glitch myself.. Setup is on that gyro.. wrong setup can be caught before flight.. but then some fbl units want you to do parameter tuning.. some dont..

DFC and TRACX and all these systems are all FBL systems.. and its the hot thing in the market right now.. Its flies GREAT!

Do people still fly flybar.. and can you find parts for it? YES! if not in your lHS.. probablly online.. But MANY people fly flybarred still cause thats what they are confortable with and they like that setup..

FBL does correct unwanted movements intelligently using PID loops so.. a good setup can give you a handsfree hover.. while on a flybarred.. you are always correcting with very slight and subtle movements.. right left up down..

 

[stokke]

Sidenote to stokke;
Hvor er du kjøper dine RC deler og lignende?

Av de norske er det Elefun jeg kjøper mest hos - kjapp levering og god lagerføring (særlig Align). Men hvis du virkelig vil spare noe kroner bør du sjekke ut Flying Hobby, der kan du spare 1500 kr på et 450 PRO DFC kit (i forhold til Elefun).

Jeg har handlet for en 4-5000 kr derifra nå og er veldig fornøyd. Hvis du lurer på hva moms osv. angår bør vi ta det på PM - bare send en PM hvis du er nysgjerrig.

Ellers bruker jeg eBay ganske ofte til verktøy og ting jeg ikke finner på Elefun eller Flying Hobby.

Du bør seriøst skaffe deg en simulator - dette er et flott verktøy som jeg personlig aldri kunne vært foruten.

Videre kommunikasjon mellom oss to bør nok gå på Engelsk eller PM av respekt for øvrige forum-medlemmer
Lykke til!

____________

Regarding Norwegian RC shops; I shop most of my stuff from Elefun - quick delivery and a broad selection of parts (especially Align). But if you want to save some money you should check Flying Hobby, where you can save 1500 NOK on 450 PRO DFC super combo (compared with Elefun).

I have purchased goods for about 4-5000 NOK there now and I'm very satisfied. If you have questions regarding tax, please send a PM.

Otherwise I'll use eBay pretty often for finding tools and stuff which I can't find on Elefun or Flying Hobby.

You should seriously consider getting a sim - this is a great tool which I personally could not have been without.

Further communication between us should probably be done in English or by PM out of respect for our fellow members.
Good luck!

 

[wolfman76]

i am fine with you making comments in a thread to a fellow native to where you live stokke and i am sure most of the other members probably would not mind either it is nice having someone you can relate to on here i am sure we all know if it something important other ppl in forum should know you would translate but i know it probably easier to explane something to terrna in native language sure there is language barrier sometimes like different word meanings...

 

[callsign4223]

Hey, I got google translate if I start to think ya'll are talking bad about us.

Besides, now I can add Norwegian along with Spanish and Vietnamese as languages I should learn(Work with a Vietnamese guy and plenty of Spanish spoken in general here)

 

[Terrna]

Thanks for everything guys!
Love the that you people want to help people in need.


Lee, I'm not sure about buying it from you, as it will cost me a lot when it gets shipped into the country, because of the taxes and such, but may consider it.
But how much are you wanting for the heli, as I'm new on these helis I don't know the price range, and how come the tailboom & the head aren't by Align?
Why are you selling this heli?

Just something I want to know.
If there is anything you want to tell me about the heli, please do.
For example, when you purchased it, made it, crashed it, maintanced it etc etc(So much random stuff).

And big thanks to coolgabsi, love that you write more in-depths replies for my questions.
But also thanks to the others who are explaining stuff for me and giving me their opinion.



Thanks guys, really appreciate this!



Best regards
Alan

- - - Updated - - -

Now, how the hell do I edit my posts?
Can't seem to find it on this forum.

I also have a DX6i, so I'm good then, I guess.

I was thinking to purchase a Align heli.
But I was wondering which one is a good pick?

I was looking at the 250 DFC super combo & 450 DFC super combo.
I'm not good at flying helis, I just for some random reason wanted a Align heli.
Or should I go for 450 DFC Plus RTF?

I own a HoneyBeeV2, and a mCPX V2.

I'm not interested in doing any fancy 3D moves, I just want to hover, fly around, in circles maybe(like a newb, because I am one).

I don't really know what the difference between PRO, PLUS and that. I just know that DFC is pretty new, as I haven't seen that before when I purchased the HoneyBee or mCPX.

What is the main difference between the 250 & 450(not considering the scale of the heli)?


So, in your opinion, what would you recommend me to purchase?
Or do you have another brand to recommend as hover/fly around heli.


Thanks in advance.


Best regards
Alan

Thanks for everything guys!
Love the that you people want to help people in need.


Lee, I'm not sure about buying it from you, as it will cost me a lot when it gets shipped into the country, because of the taxes and such, but may consider it.
But how much are you wanting for the heli, as I'm new on these helis I don't know the price range, and how come the tailboom & the head aren't by Align?
Why are you selling this heli?

Just something I want to know.
If there is anything you want to tell me about the heli, please do.
For example, when you purchased it, made it, crashed it, maintanced it etc etc(So much random stuff).

And big thanks to coolgabsi, love that you write more in-depths replies for my questions.
But also thanks to the others who are explaining stuff for me and giving me their opinion.



Thanks guys, really appreciate this!



Best regards
Alan

 

[Lee]

Hi Terrna,
I bought the original heli a year and a half ago. It has be upgraded to the max. It has been crashed a couple of times but the damaged parts have long since been replaced. This has been my favourite heli. The only reason i'm selling is to cut down my fleet. It has been well looked after since new.
It is set up perfectly and will take you 30mins to set up when it arrives. I can help you through the set up if you get a DX6I.
Obviously i could say anything, but don't take my word for it, ask any of the guys on here about my helis and me. I'm one of the moderators on here, so i hope i'm trust worthy
As for tax, that i don't know about. These are selling for approx 450euros stock. I would like to get 300 euros for it plus shipping. We can alway put on the package a cheaper price for the taxman. "they don't know how much you paid for it.
Let me know what you think. Maybe speak to Stokke about your country's laws and this hell.
All the best Lee

 

[coolgabsi]

Yes you'll be good with the dx6i... It can do 10 different models on 6 channels

Fly safe!! have fun!

 

[Terrna]

Tempting tempting

If you are willing to help me on tax, maybe I will go for it. But still need to consider it.
I do have a DX6i, I bought it for my mCPX.

Well the law is, if you purchase something over 200 NOK(27euro) I will have to pay tax and other fee. Unless it's sent by a private name, marked as gift, then the value exceeds to 1000NOK (135 euro), but all value over that I have to pay taxes and such.


Anyways, um, where do you live?
It says UK on the forum.

Do you know how much the shipping will cost to send it to Norway safe.

How would you do this transaction if I decide to purchase it, I do got a eBay account, that may be a safe way to do this transaction.


Also, can you tell me more about your heli.
What model was it original when you first bought it? For example a 500 Sport V2 (no idea if this exist just typing something).
It looks like the tail is torque tube driven is it true?
How is the quality/performance of the non Align parts?
How come you have chosen to replace the Align parts with other parts than by Align?
When was the last time you replaced something on the heli.
When was the last time you flew it?

Just tell me some random info that may be interesting to know.
As I'm new on this heli stuff, I would like to know more.

Also, willp this heli be more than enough for my use?
As I stated early, just flying around like a fool, circle movements or something, no 3D stuff here.

Hope I'm not being a pain in the ass right now.



Thanks for everything guys!



Best regards
Alan