jbeech
Elite Veteran
Location: Sanford, FL (Orlando area)
My Posts This: Topic Forum | What's the perfect 50-class helicopter? For example . . .
The JR Vibe 50 is a popular competitor to a Pantera, and it only goes for about $570, yet folks repeatedly complain about tail rotor grip problems. In this case, the 'fix' is to buy a Gforce tail assembly, hmmmm. We, in turn, despite having only a few folks with an issue (MartyH is one) created a new stronger grip - made it available for $13 (for the pair), thus, ended the 'problem'. Further to the Vibe 50, crashing it and repairing it is not an easy thing. Why? Because compared to a Pantera, great care must be taken with respect to aligning the gear and engine within the side frames. By the way, the same holds true for all other plate and block designs. Of course, don't forget you can purchase two Panteras and an engine for the price of just a Vibe 50. So is the Vibe 50 the perfect 50-class heli? Not hardly.
How about the popular T-Rex 600N? Folks often buy aluminum fans, or complain about bearings not lasting. Furthermore, folks seem to hate mounting a magnet for the governor, or dropping the engine for service, and of course their quality is no paragon of perfection. So is it perfect? Nope because, for example, many folks have to upgrade the clutch bearing block with an aluminum one (we opted to mold this one into the frame because it simplied engine alignment and since it never gets damaged in a crash, we avoid this very issue). Also, addressing the head (since this is what started all this), it seems folks are opting for the Kasama, Velocity, or even heads from other brands in attempts to make the thing fly on rails (which Panteras are know for). Moreover, like the Vibe 50, it too costs multiples of what a Pantera costs which means, once again, a fellow can purchase two Panteras and an engine for the price of one T-Rex 600. There's another thing I never tire of saying, folks, it's not the model, it's the pilot! So if you've got money to burn, we're probably not making the right product for you.
So what about the new Hirobo SDX? It's a lovely model, which like the Pantera also features engineering polymer side frames, and has generally excellent quality. Yet if you want to use the new OS 55 Hyper or YS 56SR, Hirobo advise you to upgrade your main gear to a stronger one! Moreover, not only is it heavier than a Pantera, and more complex, but it forces folks to deal with a separate servo carrier and a butt load of linkages to replace when you crash it. Also, if you damage a side frame bearing seat when you bend a main shaft in a crash, unlike a Pantera, you can't just replace an inexpensive bearing block, you gotta fork over for a whole frame set (plus the time-consuming work involved). Worse, considering what the thing costs, believe it or not it comes with rather chintzy Phillips-head screws for assembly instead of Allen-head bolts. Furthermore, they seem to have a lot of complaints about the Allen head bolts they do include, e.g. the blade bolts, which bend in flight. Yet, to date, nobody from Hirobo has come in to say anything about the blade bolt issue. Oh, and plenty of guys are modifying the washout pins t make them longer - yet no comment from Hirobo about this either. Then, of course, there's the issue of destroying one-way bearings (the chirping noise) and the fix? It's the Sceadu HD one-way, P/N 0412-290, which only costs $190 from Heliproz South . . . and folks aren't even flying the bigger 55-class engines yet - and again, no comment from Hirobo! And what are the new features they advertise versus the model it replaced (Sceadu Evo)? Well, it now has a 30° pitch range and allows either 120° or 135° swashplate control - does this sound familiar to Pantera owners? Of course, a fellow can buy a SDX, or two Panteras (with a fair bit of money left over toward an engine to boot), and still not get perfection. So while it's a nice model, like a Pantera, it's not perfect either.
Then there's the Raptor 50 Titan SE, which outweighs the Pantera as well yet has the similar style of construction (engineering polymer). Like the SDX, the bearings run directly in the side frame instead of in separate bearing blocks, which can not be inexpensively replaced. Moreover, it has a ton of complicated linkages and worse, like the SDX, has a separate servo carrier to break off in a crash too. Plus, it has so many issues an entire cottage industry has sprung up to deal with them (via aftermarket CNC aluminum parts). Frankly, there's a reason these 3rd party products/companies exist, and it's not because the Raptor product is perfect. Sure, I could go on but you get the idea, right? Consequently, it's not perfect either and, by the way, it too costs considerably more than a Pantera.
In short, the fact is there's no perfect 50-class model, not mine, not anybody's. Don't like the Pantera blade grips because they fit loose? While I never tire of saying they're a design consideration, which affects how nicely the model flies (the polymer material flows during blade loading e.g. at 1900 RPMs) and thus, snugs up so they work just fine in flight - yet are still very easy to service since you don't have to pry the bearings out, the fact is some folks don't get it, don't like it, and there's nothing I can do to convince them. Why not? It's because other product's plastic grips fit more tightly (yet their models are pitchy in forward flight) but you don't see these same folks complaining about this - or even seeming to understand the issue. Hence, ultimately, if you don't like it, then my best advice is just buy some aluminum grips from a 3rd party vendor . . . just like you'd do with other products!
Finally, if you want to throw stones at the Pantera, don't forget to mention how well it flies, how little it costs, the fact it can be flown in aggresive 3D flight without spending money on upgrades, is pretty durable and has some nifty available options like the air filter, output shaft stabilizers, and BBC kit, which simply aren't available at any price from our competitors! Add to it this one simple fact, e.g. folks can pick up the phone and get pretty decent tech support directly from me, the guy responsible, and all in all, you have something pretty special in my view.
Yet some folks delight in holding this product to seemingly a higher standard than our competitors - or am I just sensitive? Anyway, if you don't like me and the fact I give tech support for my product, here then don't visit this forum because I'm here doing just that and not planning on leaving because you don't like it. Moreover, by comparison, just try and get a response from someone in charge at Align, or Hirobo, or Thunder Tiger, or JR, or whatever else you fly. In fact, let's see if they even acknowledge you exist!
Naturally, if folks would rather I not attend to them in this forum I can do this too. E.g. maybe you'd rather I treat everybody like the other guys do, and not bother responding to issues directly within the forums - not even via cut and paste. Is that what you guys want from me? Frankly, I can as easilty provide support via my own website (where we have forum software loaded) if that's what you'd rather have me do. Speak up, let's vote folks!
John Beech - GM (and janitor)
Audacity Models
AMA # 47381
IRCHA #745 |
