I had the pleasure of flying a friends Aurora yesterday and that was a big mistake.
Wow. Flies better then the 700N in my opinion. Plus it is very sexy!
It costs a bit more but to me not that much more considering the quality and performance.
I'm a sport flyer and don't crash much anyway so thats not a big concern. I just save up money and have it on hand in case I do. If I was crashing a lot then a high end bird like this would not make sense. I have a Knight K3D for trying crazy stuff.
Another friend told me the metal was soft and it did not hold up well in a crash but I find that hard to believe. Of course he does not own one. He is a big Align man.
It seems like everyone just gets what everybody else is getting (Align) and don't like anything different.
The availability of the kits does not bother me as you can usually find a good deal on used ones in like new condition and parts are readily available. I'm looking at one now in the classifieds.
I see some issues that people have had with the Aurora but most look like build issues. The Aurora is a builder's kit and requires special attention to detail. I like that myself but I think most people want a simple erector set type model like the Aligns but the precision and design of a good model like the Aurora really pays off in performance.
I have Rave 450 and it too was pretty much a builder's kit and I love it. The precision is incredible.
In the past kits were basically a box of metal parts that required a good bit of work to put together properly. Things have really changed.
but is the best production helicopter I've flown. My buddy has a 700 and an Aurora. When the 700 was new we both thought it was a pretty darn good heli, But once we got the Aurora dialed in, the 700 now feels like a cheap toy in comparison. Everything on the Aurora is faster, crisper, more precise in feel.
Besides a few headaches with the one way start bearing, is been a really good machine.
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I wonder how many Align pilots would buy an Aurora if they could?
Uhhh, the 700 is provably the best 1st 90 to have for anyone that never had a large heli, because is so easy to put together and cheap on parts. The Aurora must be put together correctly, something beginners find hard to do.
Its not a helicopter you can build in a single day. It requires a lot of attention to detail. It's not like an entry-level helicopter such as an Align where you can build it in an evening with your eyes closed.
Assembling the drive train, in particular, is very involved.
As long as you're thorough and pay careful attention to manual, you should be ok. If you rush and half-ass everything, then you could have problems.
3 years is enough time wasted. Taking a break for a while.
Its not a helicopter you can build in a single day.
You're talking about things like getting the gear mesh correct and such? Or are you talking about having to grind down pieces of metal with a Dremel or file pieces of CF because they don't fit together correctly? Modifying parts because they are machined incorrectly at the factory certainly takes a lot of time as any Align pilot will testify to.
Maybe I just don't understand what could be so hard about building an Avant helicopter.
The Aurora looks to me like it could be built in about 30 minutes. I just look at the complexity of the Align helicopters (and worse yet the Miniature Aircraft helicopters) and think how the Avant design with only a few pieces is generations ahead in terms of simplicity.
It took me about 2 months to build my Spectra-G working on it nearly every day. That is the most complex helicopter I have ever seen, and I think it probably has 1000+ parts all total if you include all of the screws, adapters, washers, standoffs, etc.
I'm hoping the E-Aurora, when I get my hands on one, will be better.
The E Aurora goes together much quicker than its Nitro brother, simply less parts, and less motor accessories on the E vs the N. Ex pipe, clutch, clutch bell. I built my E in about 12 hours, I should expect a full 2 day build for everyone else, and for some maybe 3.
Team Avant Aerospire Radix Solid G Canopy Works Thunder Power RC Spektrum RC
When I bought mine used I got a stainless nut and bolt set and disassembled and reassembled most of the heli. I'm glad I did as it allowed me to see the machine work and attention to detail. I do a little machine work myself and was impressed. I also just built a Srimok. It also is impressive in a very different way. Either way, if you smash up these sweeties, you pay. Thank goodness if you build them right, they fly like they are on rails. Very, very solid feel, IMHO. gonkulator
I spent around 26-30 hours to build my nitro Aurora.
Some of that can be attributed to taking pictures after every step. Some of that can be attributed to taking frequent breaks.
Today, if I were to build another nitro Aurora, and knowing a trick or two, I could probably build one in 15 hours, give or take. That would include electronics installation and the whole works.
3 years is enough time wasted. Taking a break for a while.
Today, if I were to build another nitro Aurora, and knowing a trick or two, I could probably build one in 15 hours, give or take. That would include electronics installation and the whole works.
15 hours seems about right considering what I know about the nitro for someone who really knows what they are doing. Realistically, it sounds like it would take me about 2 weeks to finish the build. I am a perfectionist. I think it is worth taking extra time to get everything right the first time. Then the helicopter not only works better, but lasts longer as well. Besides, it's nice to spend some time with the machine and learn how it was designed and machined. Flying RC helis is as much about engineering and building as it is about flying.
Dood, do you have these pictures somewhere? I would like to see them.
gonkulator, what stainless steel screw set did you choose for your Aurora? I have put RCScrewz in all of my helicopters. Stainless steel screws seem softer than the black oxide screws so instead of snapping in a crash they simply bend. I don't use them in high strain areas like blade grips, however.
Jason Bell, You are an incredible pilot!!! You convinced me with this video to buy an E-Aurora when they become available.
