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Ron’s HeliProz South . MTA Hobbies . Model Rectifier Corp

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Century Hawk - 50NX - Raven - Predator > Century NX 50...save your money...
 
 
vetteguy55
Heliman
Location: Stafford, VA. USA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Hi guys,
Just a few thoughts of mine since I started this build (it's my 12th).
The plans are not very well done at all...and the packaging sucked.
All the bags are kinda sealed in 4-5 bigger bags, with the smaller bags un-numbered, and you have to sort through the bags to find the parts that should be togethere. For a newbie, it would be really hard to figure out, and build this heli.
On to the good stuff...the brass sleve in the washout fit soo bad, well...it didn't. I had to sand the crap outta it, and then polish it, sand, polish...you get the idea. Finally got it to fit, but it's a headache. The parts are mostly plastic,and I can tell the quality is real cheap on the fit. I just expected alot better machine from Century. I came close to throwing it in the garbage a few times. By the way...the new Thunder Tiger Redline motor I bought for this heli? I had to send it back, as the front bearing/seal was such a sloppy fit ...it fell out with a few shakes...
I'll give ya's a final report if & when I get this thing done.
06-08-2009 03:28 PM
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reddragon
Key Veteran
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Please do.
06-08-2009 06:29 PM
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Ravenhyper50
Veteran
Location: Ottawa

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Yes please do.

I have had no problem with putting together this kit. The manual is much easier than other manuals to follow and much better than the older raven manual.

My kit was all silky smooth all over except for the tail, which there was a little resistance, a 5 min job fixed that! Other than that, I found the Raven NX very easy to build even for a noob!

My first CP heli was a hawk pro which was very easy to take apart and put back together. The Raven NX is even easier to follow IMO.
The packaging was good IMO and all the bag #'s follow the build in the manual just as it should. I have seen much worse when it comes to manuals. The new manual is a improvement, very easy on the eyes.

I recommend this machines for any skill level pilot from noob to pro!
This new Raven NX is even stronger in design then the last.
Very, Very, Very durable! Which is great for beginners to learn on and beat the snot out of it and keeps coming back for more. The new frames are very rigid and can take a good beating.

I had an emergency auto where I had an accidental blade stop, hit the ground full free fall force of the raven and landing on the skids (on grass) and only had a minor boom strike! Any other machine I had in the past would of crushed the struts and for sure break the frame and come out with way more damage than my Raven NX. After seeing what the new raven NX frame can handle, this one is a definite keeper in my fleet.



Cheers,
Raven



Vision 50 Flybarless
Super Modified 5s Brushless 130MPH+ Stryker F-27
06-08-2009 08:28 PM
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the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		well we all have our opinions,, me (as well as other that have said on RR) I rather have my Raven than many of the others !! they all have there good and bad points,

as for your Washout Bushings, if you asked I would have told you to simply use some Polishing Compound on the Main Shaft to remove the black coating, no biggie there,, if you give the heli a chance and it's built right and once in the air you will find it really is a no fuss heli,, there was another guy on here that broke a Bellcrank on his NX before it was in the air, he was already to dump it, but he held on and once he got it up in the air he said "it was a keeper"..

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz
06-08-2009 09:09 PM
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reddragon
Key Veteran
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Well I haven't built it ... I just had to see what it was like so I downloaded the new manual, printed and combed through it. The CAD manual much is better with the exploded views than their older manuals so that in itself is a plus, it looks like they put some thought into it. You can actually visualise what you're building instead of guessing on some views. The fact that they redesigned the starting system was another immediate plus.

Wayne -- Fly it like you stole it!
06-08-2009 10:07 PM
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oldfart
Elite Veteran
Location: Vancouver, Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum
Quote 
The plans are not very well done at all...and the packaging sucked.

Hmmm...I thought they were a cut above as did a number of our customers that I have talked to.

Quote 
All the bags are kinda sealed in 4-5 bigger bags, with the smaller bags un-numbered, and you have to sort through the bags to find the parts that should be togethere

That is rather a common practice with a number of kits on the market today. I guess for an absolute neophite who is not able to look through plastic and identify the well illustrated parts in the manual, it may be a bit confusing. But then for them maybe it should come assembled.

Quote 
On to the good stuff...the brass sleve in the washout fit soo bad, well...it didn't. I had to sand the crap outta it, and then polish it, sand, polish...you get the idea. Finally got it to fit, but it's a headache.

Hmmm...I have built two and I personally know two others that have built one and they did not have any problem there. So I think yours was an exception. That being said, I have had to do just that on a number of helis from other brands that I have assembled in the past...some that cost three times more then a Raven.

Quote 
The parts are mostly plastic,and I can tell the quality is real cheap on the fit. I just expected alot better machine from Century.

I see from your other posts here on RR that you have experience with assembling too other helis - the Avro Blitz and the JR Vibe SG - can you really expect a $300.00, 50 size heli to have all the CNC machining and C/F items etc. as these $1500.00 90-size machines???

Hmmm....makes me question the motive for your post??
06-09-2009 05:59 PM
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Mr.Bowflex
Senior Heliman
Location: Toronto Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		...
06-25-2009 01:26 AM
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MartyH
Elite Veteran
Location: Cincinnati

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		A cut above? Not by any stretch. But, Century helis seem to fly great in defiance of some of their design and component quality. I have a couple Hawk Pros and they sure have a look and feel of junk when you build them but there is no denying how well they fly! I have never liked their "manuals" but the info is there. You just have to stare at it for a bit.

Marty,
Raptor 90 3D, Freya and more
07-08-2009 12:49 PM
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reddragon
Key Veteran
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Yes there's no denying that they do fly so well. Amazing.
07-08-2009 01:30 PM
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kraffty
Senior Heliman
Location: princess anne md.usa

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I agree with vetteguy 55. I have 2 Hawks,3 Ravens and now the NX.I feel that this NX kit could have been packaged much better and have clearer instructions. It looks impressive when the box is opened but like several have said, the hardware is all mixed up and some was missing. I ended up dumping all hardware out looking through it all and in some cases using hardware of my own stash. Not a huge deal to some but it certainly wasnt as easy to build as other brands out there. Even as many helis that I have built,I was stumped a few times and had to use my other helis as a reference. All century helis are awesome flying which and very reliable which keep me flying them. I have also built Trex,and Raptors and have found these builds very enjoyable. Also the century helis have no setup instructions for a beginner like the raptor. This in my opinion is not a first model to build.
07-08-2009 02:26 PM
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FBoss
Key Veteran
Location: Aurora Indiana USA

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Anyone ever use the old Hawk Sport build manual?
That is a good manual, detailed, clear, set-up tips. The best Ive seen to date.

The good ole times are now ,Hawk, Raven, Raven NX, Logo 10
07-08-2009 03:57 PM
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rotormonkey
Key Veteran
Location: Ottawa, ON - Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		Yeah, I think that's the one I got with my Raven

No not really. But honestly there were a lot of inconsitencies I found with my Raven vs the manual during that build. It was still reasonably straight forward though.

That being said, you seriously can't judge the quality of a heli based on the quality of the manual. In my experience RC manuals for anything always suck. They're generally either manuals for older models of whatever you have or crappy chinese translations done by 12 year old sweatshop workers. Or it least that's how it seems when you read them.

In the end for me it's all about how it flies, and how much maintenance it takes. The manual's junk as soon as it's been built.
07-08-2009 06:28 PM
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reddragon
Key Veteran
Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.

My Posts This: Topic  Forum
Quote 
In my experience RC manuals for anything always suck.

Not always true. There are a handful of R/C Helicopter companies that have very good manuals. Some of them actually show you how to set up your helicopter with a given radio transmitter, this is something quite a few people need help with in the beginning. The same holds true for R/C cars with the Tamiya Company, excellent manuals. If you have ever built one of their R/C Cars, R/C Tractor Trailers or R/C Tanks you can see what good design engineering translates to in a manual. What is odd and FBoss touched on this earlier, is that the Century Hawk Sport Manual is light years better than the Hawk Pro Manual.

Wayne -- Fly it like you stole it!
07-08-2009 11:33 PM
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the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		edited,,

""Century helis seem to fly great""

""Yes there's no denying that they do fly so well""

""All century helis are awesome flying which and very reliable""

as I said in another post about 2 weeks ago my friend tried to get me to move away from Century, I don't have a problem with him doing that, but what he doesn't understand, is~~ I LOVE,, the way,, My Century,, flies !!!
I have flown other brand 50s that I didn't like the way they feel on the Cyclic, they felt so light that they didn't have any feel at all to them, yes I like my Century 50 to feel light and smooth, but to-me if you can't feel the heli at-all then why fly it,, I have a Compass Sport, it feels a bit like a stock Raven but it feels lighter than the Raven, so I liked the Compass head, but I have found with a little work I can lighten up the Century's feel yet I can still feel what I love about my Century, the all Metal Grips lighten up the Raven's feel a bit,, but I have flown other brand 50s that other people love yet I would not ever buy them, again because they feel so light on the Cyclic they have no or hardly any feel at all,,

when I was a kid of 20 I had a 1971 Nova SS, then I had a 68 Camaro SS, and my brother had a 71 Z28,, well my best friend had a 69 Mustang Mach 1,, the Mustang felt like it was riding on caster wheels while with our Chevy's you could feel the road, I drove the Mustang many times and I hated the way that Mustang drove !!

if you can't feel it, dump it and buy a Century,,
hummmmm, do I have a new signature LOL

shazz-am flame suit on LOL

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz
07-09-2009 12:28 AM
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Furious Predator
rrProfessor
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I would have to agree with the title of the thread.

Save your money, and buy an NX 50

I have built many helicopters. my NX50 was definitely one of the better ones. all parts fit the way they were supposed to, i had no missing parts. and the fact that parts are mixed into multiple partitions in one plastic bad is such a minor issue i feel bad for even mentioning it. the 600N, 450, and a few other helicopters were all the same with that respect. you cant really avoid it. But the parts were still organized enough that they were easy to find.

There were a few errors in the manual, just like every other manual out there. but common sense will guide you through it with little effort.

then on top of it all, it flies amazing.

Shawn
Team Leisure-Tech
Team HelixRC
07-09-2009 06:19 AM
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the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		""I would have to agree with the title of the thread. Save your money, and buy an NX 50""

Oh Snap LOL

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz
07-10-2009 06:48 AM
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Blade_Master1
Elite Veteran
Location: Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		 Ya you gotta to save it up, because you're going to need alot of replacement parts.
clutch
tail gears
oneway bearings

and thats before you crash

F-27
MSR
Terminator Raven
NX Pro
Raven50
K50
HawkPro(~rip)
Swift 550
07-10-2009 07:40 PM
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Furious Predator
rrProfessor
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		i know you have had trouble with the one way's, but what is wrong with the clutch and tail gears?

Shawn
Team Leisure-Tech
Team HelixRC
07-10-2009 09:52 PM
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Blade_Master1
Elite Veteran
Location: Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		I'll PM you the info

actualy the product isn't that bad for a < 300$ machine

F-27
MSR
Terminator Raven
NX Pro
Raven50
K50
HawkPro(~rip)
Swift 550
07-10-2009 09:57 PM
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the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

My Posts This: Topic  Forum		BM, after almost 9 years of me flying Century's 30/50s, I have to question your mechanical abilities..

Jim
Buzz Buzz Buzz
07-10-2009 10:57 PM
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ReadyHeli . Power Helis . CANOMOD

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Century Hawk - 50NX - Raven - Predator > Century NX 50...save your money...
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