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Vario Sky Fox - Benzin - Evolution - Xtreme > Vario helicopters, what are they?
 
 
flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Have not seen much discussion about Vario brand here. Are they not very popular? What do you guys know about them? Their website is pretty interesting, especially the scale section. They have many kits to choose from, why don't they get more attention in this forum?
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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fitenfyr
rrProfessor
Location: Port Orchard, Washington

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		One word....

DOLLARS!!! They are some if not the most expensive kits on the market. You also have to order parts from one of the 2 distributors either east coast or west coast.
You are correct in that they make the best scale machines IMO. However for what you sink into one of them with patience and time you could build up some nice scale from other reps.
Good helicopters fly very nice and quality is great. Just out of most flyers price range.
If you want lots or good info on them look up Dr.Tim here on Runryder he is a Vario Nut! Has a couple of them and built a nice scale Dauphin not too long ago.

Jason

Jason Stiffey
Fly Fast....Live Slow...
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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Rotary Flyer
Senior Heliman
Location: North UK

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I regularly go and drool at the Vario models in the UK distibutors window. He is only 20 miles from me so I do it on a regular basis !!
He is a good source of scale-up bits (the cheaper ones!) for my scale efforts. I use Robbe Moskito mechanics.
JM2pW
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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ItsBent
Senior Heliman
Location: Baltimore MD.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Vario Compario

Let's see, Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge..........................Porsche!
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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Rotary Flyer
Senior Heliman
Location: North UK

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		More like Mercedes I think. German Panzerwagen type engineering !! Porsche are a bit more advanced / space age !! Nice though.
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		So are they "you get what you pay for" or simply overpriced? Is the design, parts, etc.. really better than most others out there or not?
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Since I have never seen a Vario, I have to ask: Example the Kobold, a 60 size heli lists on the vario website for $434. It is an ARTF. I don't think it is more expensive than most other helis in .60 size and it is an ARF. Is it better quality-wise than say Ergo 60? The Ergo is more expensive and not an ARF. Or am I missing the point of the above statements because they apply to their scale fuselages only???
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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CaliRaptor
Senior Heliman
Location: Menifee, CA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I have the Vario Jet Ranger with benzin mechanics and love it. The fit and finish of the fuselage is first rate. The woodwork fits right in with minimal sanding for tight fit. The size of the fuse is big!

The mechanics bolted right in. They are well designed and manufactured and are reliable, not to mention the confident feeling you get when flying (that stuff's not gonna come slinging off or anything!).

Is it worth it? IMO, yes. I bought my fuse new on sale for $299 about a year ago. The Century fuse is just about the same price and is not gelcoated or as good quality.

The benzin mechanics seem steep, but when you compare it to an Xcell gasser, It's not that much different. I think the benzin trainers are going for around $899 and the Zenoah G230 can be had for around $250-300. If I'm not mistaken, the Xcell gasser is around $1100 with engine, so you can see there's not that much difference.

That's my logic for choosing the Vario. I'm now hooked on their products. I just got an A-Star for my next project that'll use the same benzin mechanics that are now in the Jet Ranger (unless I get a deal on another set of mechanics!)
02-19-2002 Over year old.
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ed vega
Key Veteran
Location: nyc, queens

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		once upon a time in germany there was a r/c heli contingent called hiem, graupner and vario .........
02-20-2002 Over year old.
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DangerousDick
Veteran
Location: Cheshire, England

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I like the look of the Vario stuff - I'm also within a few minutes drive of John White Models (UK Dist).

Only thing I don't like is that the blades turn in the wrong direction (that should stir up some arguments! ).

I had a Heim Jet Ranger until recently and, nice as it was, it took ages to get used to the anticlockwise rotation as all the rest of my fleet are clockwise.

The Airwolf they do with all the 'toys' on board is superb - if I ever win the lottery that'll be one of the first purchases

Cheers
Richard.
02-20-2002 Over year old.
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helifan
Heliman
Location: Hamburg / Germany (4 years in L.A., CA, USA)

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		ed vega,
Heim and Graupner are the same. Heim was bought by Graupner if I'm not mistaken who's now selling his helicopter under the brand of Heim. Then you got Vario as well as Robbe/Schluter helicopters. All German engineering helis.

DangerousDick,
I heard that people have preferences of CW or CCW helis and never understood why? I have both and no problem to switch from one to another. I don't care which way the main rotor is spinning. It might be that I'm not advanced enough to notice but during hover and FF flight I don't have any. Just a thought/comment of mine.

@all,
If you're looking for a scale fuse, vario is definitely one place to have a look at. Robbe has good fuses too and is worth a minute to look around.

Just my $0.02.
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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East Coast Scale
rrAdvertiser
Location: Taxachussetts

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		(Warning,I am a rep and dealer so my opinion may be biased)
When you look at what you get for the price, you cannot compare Vario fuselage kits to what is on the market today. You get real nice gel coat, precut woodwork, and the complete tail drive system for that fuselage. With the Airwolfs, you also get the complete retract system. As far as pod and boom, if you look at the Kobold, or the Skyfox, they are competively priced helis. The Kobold is 434.00, the Skyfox is 679.00. The skyfox has all the bearings you need and aluminum bells, torque tube drive, and a canopy which is already assembled. Plus, with the skyfox, you get fiberglass blades. No cheap ones, nice ones. That is worth at least 100.00 in any other kit which does not come with blades. When you use the entire system for a scale heli, you do not have to retrofit anything, and it works and you have a nice flying scale model. You can't say that about all of the other manufacturers. I just tell people to look at what you are getting, then deceide. Perhaps if they had built a couple of Centurys kits in the past, they know what I mean.
Flame suit on.
Joe
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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compumise
Senior Heliman
Location: Eagle, CO

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Vario,

I do not think you should get alot of flame for your post. From what I have been reading in the scale forum, most people agree with you.

I am looking at getting a Big Carbon Airwolf myself. I just have to convince my wife that she needs one of those

Lepton, TREX 500, Trex 700E
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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flatspin
Veteran
Location: H.V. Pa.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		As long as all of the statements are true, reps/dealers comments should be welcomed! No flames here!
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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heliman41
Key Veteran
Location: Valparaiso IN. USA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Hmmm well I ordered a "Vario" Airwolf" last winter and wasnt too impressed.......NO panel lines like Century has, NO windows cutout like Century has, No woodwork installed like Century has, had to build the LG from kit instead of being assembled already, yea kit concept is the correct term nothing done for you. I just felt basicly for what they charge they could at least add a few panel lines maybe or at least remove the window areas, the gel coat was nice it was also HEAVY! Guess Im lazy but building a scaler from anyone is a LOT of work so why get the one that requires the most work ? Anyway thats how I felt about it after looking it over not to mention I had to wait several months just to get it and then all the parts werent even there.(Had to ship parts back to get proper components). Im not the first one to have to wait God awful long either. Anyway, yes if your willing to do ALL the scale work then yes they are ok, IF you can get one @ a timely delivery.
Tube drive isnt a big deal, everyone sells em these days and XL has a nice 3-layer setup for scalers tube drives woes. The fella I dealt with was nice but im not impressed with the USA division just yet..........They dont hold near enough in stock either,as it all comes from Germany, they need to work on that prob REAL bad.........................Now for the machine when done, yes very good scale outlines and yes great gel coating too, definatly not cheap, Id go scalehouse for the$$$$ before ordering from Germany next time as Ive seen both finished and flying, guess Im just pro American, an honest post from a past Vario owner.
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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SemiArticulate
Veteran
Location: On Location

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I've heard those complaints also. I still will probably use Vario for my first scale project. Just because I have never seen a finished Vario that looked bad. One thing I had in mind at the HAI expo was getting enough good pics to make a nice scale heli.
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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Hughes500Pilot
Key Veteran
Location: Anaheim, CA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Vario

I have a Vario Sky Fox with the UH-1D body on it. It looks ad flies great. And all things considered, for what you pay, you get your money's worth. -Steve
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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Optech
Key Veteran
Location: San Diego, CA.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		So your saying that a Skyfox pod and boom at $680 is comparable to an X-cell Fury Expert for about the same price?????

I don't think so. Even having to buy a set of blades for the Fury you'll have a better machine.

If your looking to put the Sfox into a Vario scale ship then it would prudent to buy all Vario. But if your comparing pod-and-boom to pod-and-boom there is no way the Sfox is comparable to the Fury.

Mike

Viva La Airtronics!
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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East Coast Scale
rrAdvertiser
Location: Taxachussetts

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Optech
All pod and booms can be set up pretty much to fly the same way. When was the last time you flew a Skyfox? I did not compare it to any heli in particular, just that you get alot for the money in the pod and boom kits. I cannot compare it to a Fury because I have never flown a Fury.
Joe
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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ed vega
Key Veteran
Location: nyc, queens

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		helifan,
it's wierd that whenever I mention graupner/hiem/vario , schluter / robbe/ kavan , not neccessarily in that order I always hear about who bought who out , who made parts for who etc..

thats not nearly important as who created the era of model r/c heli's, and and it's continued growth and development as with VARIO as excellent example ..

so heres a small input from someone who started a while back , input to the r/c heli history as mentioned in my previous posts.

I know some of the history ... it's all relative, I had the hiem boxframe system before it became graupner , and vario has evolved tremendously as well .. schulter and robbe, kavan were always there too among others ..

1967 3 engineers independant of each other started it all .. H. demuth, f.besterfiled, and dieter schulter sponsered by a large german model manfacturer offering prize money for the longest flight ..

D. Schluter achieved 27min, distace of 11.5 with a cobra .. the concept was marketed all over the world , mainly japanese and US .. schulter also produced the DS-22 .. and a aerospatial gazelle , then the helibaby / then heliboy ..

besterfield and demuth focused on realistic model rotor systems .. besterfield worked with Franz Kavan and created the bell 206 jet ranger amongst the alouette ..40 ..

demuth and H.Bernard created a kit with graupner. marketing a motor from H.B model engines with the bell 212 heli ..

thats just the small part of the early european development, there is of course switzerland, england, and japan development history as well ..

It woud be great to have a section on model heli history detailing every heli that was produced or marketed thru the years to date . with photo's to boot .. I noticed there were previous posts with some vinatge heli's asking for info and it's a good start for a vintage section ..


nuff said ..
02-21-2002 Over year old.
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Vario Sky Fox - Benzin - Evolution - Xtreme > Vario helicopters, what are they?
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