New 550

[Ktbone]

Well after much research I've decided to pull the trigger and buy the 550. I am interested in hearing from those that have been flying it now for a while what they would reccomend for build parts. My current flying style is mostly FF circuts and lite acro (loops,flips, and sloppy roles).

1. What motor pinion/gear combo would you reccomend? I happen to like scorpion motors but I will go with what fits and works best.

2. Servos? I'd like to keep it light and I was thinking about the futaba 9650's anyone have any good or bad experience with these?

3. BEC vs Rx Pack? I would think the BEC would keep the AUW down.

Thank you in advance and I'm sure I will be back with more questions, I'm off to re-watch the finless build videos while I wait for the USPS truck.

[mysticmead]

first and foremost... Welcome to the family!

second... motors... well.. for gentle flights and sport flying. the Z20a-980 is great! The Z30-1110 is great for more power.. there are people that use and love scorpions as well.. 3026-1000 to 3026-1400.. gearing can get the head speeds down or up to what you want.. just don't go overboard on head speed...2200 should be PLENTY for just about anything... I was running 1800 for a while.. as soon as the weather breaks, I'll see how 2200 works out for me :D

servos.. 9650 servo are to small for the Gaui 550 frame. they're perfect for the CHP frame.. but if you bought the Gaui frame.. you need standard size servo.. DS821 Spektrum/JR work great and are cheap.. lots of people sells them cheap because they won't use them in their .50 or .90 helis..

BEC vs RX pack... this is an on going argument... me, I use a RX pack.. AUW is NOT a concern on this heli like it would be on a 450 sized heli.. I prefer the RX pack because it allows me to do set without having a Flight pack attached... that means there's no possible way for those blades to spin and smack me in the head :D

[bobbybe]

1.) z30 is a good motor. i have it and it delivers more power than the main gears can handle but you can also gear it down to be tame. so if you're staying where you are the z20 should be great, like mystic said, but if you're looking to get into 3d then the z30 may be a better option.
2.) mystic is totally right about the 9650s being too small! however they do sell adaptor plates here: http://www.readyheli.com/Custom_Heli_Parts_Futaba_S9650_Carbon_Fiber_Serv_p/chp-g015.htm
now if the servo is actually powerful enough... well that is a different matter. i'd be worried about them being underpowered as you only get 62oz/in at 6v whereas the ds821 gives you 88oz/in at 6v at waaay less cost and only .04 seconds slower.
3.) i personally use a bec but i'm always a bit afraid that it will explode or catch fire or crap all over my heli. like previously said, you don't have to worry too much about weight with the hurri cause it's already lighter than my wallet since i started flying helis

oh and welcome to the family! :hug: you're gonna love the hurri- nothing that i've flown is quite as fun as this bird!

[mysticmead]

ya know... I picked up my friends Trex 600 with 8s... that thing was over twice the weight of the Hurri... bet it makes a nice crater when he plants it for the first time (he planted his Trex 450 twice last Sunday.. would have been 3 times but he busted the CF frame in half)

[JaggedEdge]

9650's work fine but as Bobby explained the gaui frames would need adapter plates so its somewhat pointless to go with minis unless you upgrade to the CHP frames.

I've always used a bec, currently hercules 5A HC. IMO the DE Sport BEC does not supply more than 2.5A which is pretty close to the limit on a hard working 550.

IMO the Z30 is too much motor for 3200mah packs which are are the largest you can fit on stock frames without CG issues. I pretty much killed a 3300mah pack with a Z20 so the Z30 will only be harder on the packs.

[Ktbone]

Thanks for all the info!!

So if I go with the z20 and the stock gearing would you use the 14 or 15T pinion on a 6s setup? I am thinking of the CC 45A ESC with a separate BEC.

I will definetly be going with the DS821's that will save me some serious change, do they work o.k. on the rudder?

[mysticmead]

get a better ESC.. 45A is not going to be enough... get a 75amp ESC and it'll serve you a long time... even if you move up to a more powerful motor..

as far as teh 821 on the tail.. works great.. it's just .04 sec slower than a 9650...and the 9650 is used on a 450 as a prefered tail servo...

[mjdee14]

get a better ESC.. 45A is not going to be enough... get a 75amp ESC and it'll serve you a long time... even if you move up to a more powerful motor..

as far as teh 821 on the tail.. works great.. it's just .04 sec slower than a 9650...and the 9650 is used on a 450 as a prefered tail servo...

I second the better ESC...I burned up a CC45 pretty quick on my ECO 8 and this can pull way more amps....

[ke6d]

ya know... I picked up my friends Trex 600 with 8s... that thing was over twice the weight of the Hurri... bet it makes a nice crater when he plants it for the first time (he planted his Trex 450 twice last Sunday.. would have been 3 times but he busted the CF frame in half)

A 8S T-Rex is a great flying machine :) I have a 6S T-Rex and would love to go 8S but I can't afford the doh :(

Yes, bigger and heavier crashes harder, but that is not the point. When I fly, I concentrate on flying - not on "keep the heli from crashing". I practice on the sim until I can do it well, then try it on a beater heli (yes, there is a place for a beater heli) Once I can do it well in RL with a beater heli, I try it on the T-Rex 600. Yes, I crash the 450 more often, but the 600, and the Hurricane are still intact (700 flights between the 2 of them with one 1 crash and the only crash on the big birds was mechanical failure)

I am working on piro flip on the sim now. Once I can do it there, guess what heli is going to get all the crashing :)

[mysticmead]

of course the goal in flying is not to crash...and practicing on the sim is VERY helpful... focusing on flying and not thinking about crashing are good points too... that's why I have spent the last 6 months putting in 2 hours a day on the sim... now to get the guy I fly with to spend more time on teh sim... or we're going to see it hit the ground hard... almost happened last weekend... with his AP rig attached!!!!

[Ktbone]

Here is the new addition to my fleet along with one of my 450's just before it's maiden flight.
It's going to take a little getting used to but nice bird and handles the wind much better than the little 450's.

[mysticmead]

very nice... you'll love how it handles...

[Ktbone]

Thanks Mystic I'm having fun with it.
BTW - How's the knee today? I've had 5 knee surgeries myself and it seems the second day is always the worst.

[mysticmead]

yeah... 3rd time around for me.. and yep... today is the real sore day.... I hurt from below the knee to about mid thigh.. but I also know that the pain will fade fast..and tomorrow I'll feel a lot better..and each day will be better than the day before it

[Ktbone]

Had a chance to get the 550 out this morning at the house. So far I have not been able to get it to a large flying field just my little 450 sized front yard so I've been very conservetive. Pulled off my first stall turn with it today though, wow is it smooth! It was almost like ballet compared the the 450. It almost seemed to just hang there like it was on a hook and nice and easy just slid down the slope and - zip - to the other end of the yard. I can't wait for my new batteries and some open field time!

Thanks again for the encouragement to buy this Heli!