Noob trying to get involved.

[cobaltltblue]

i can hover my dads T-rex 600 till the battery is dead. i'm wanting a gasser. batteries die to quick and nitro is expensive. i want to fly scale and maybe the occasional loop. please guide me.:noteworthy

[PaulH]

All you need to know can be summed up in one link...

http://www.bergenrc.com/

:fly

[MarkWebber]

I'd second that! I'd check with Chris to see if the mechanics are known to fit any particular fuselages.

[rbort]

Minair would be another, but for scale vario is the best answer in my opinion as they offer the best options for scale fuselages and you will get excellent looking machines with them.

-=>Raja.

[TooBizzy]

I have been researching gassers for quite some time too. Some background info and methods to my madness. I have a Trex se, a 3dx, two other electrics that don't fly well, and a raptor 30v2. After about a year, I have learned hovering and basic forward flight. Heli's have Definately been the biggest challenge I've had in my 25 years experience in rc flight! Since flying the raptor 30, my Electrics have not gotten much attention. I can see me upgrading my Raptor 30 to a 50 and also purchasing a gasser. I believe my heli fleet will be complete at that time! Or is it ever complete?!?!?!

There are many gassers out there on the market....Such as the Xcell Spectra-G, the Predator Gasser, and the Bergen Intrepid/Observer to name a few. I've also had my eye on the 60/90 Raptor conversion. As you can see there are many to choose from. All with different price tags $$$$...and building complications.

I am concerned with parts availability over the long haul which makes the Raptor a wise choice in my opinion. Plus there are conversion kits out there that can make the build less fretful. Other opinions welcome. Please....

I also worry about noise or interference from the ignition system of a gas motor, which will probably be the 231 or 260 Zenoh....I've read lots on the subject, but would like some advice from some of the guru's out there. The do's and don'ts on gas engine's.

Any advice from guy's out there that have "Been There Done That" will be greatly appreciated. Please help steer some of us gasser-noobie-wannabee's in the right direction. Which gasser would you buy and why?

Thanks in advance....

[PaulH]

The things you need to consider are:

What kind of flying do you intend to do?
Which brand has the best support at your local field/LHS?
Which brand has the best customer support?Gassers are beefier and heavier than a 90-sized nitro bird, so 3D flying is a little different. Maneuvers tend to be a bit larger and more graceful instead of tight and frantic. On the other hand, if scale flying is your thing, you will have to choose mechanics that will fit in the fuselage kit that you want. Vario is known as one of the most flexible in this regard, but fuseage kits are available for most major airframes, depending on what you want.

If all of the major brands (Bergen, Century, Miniature Aircraft, Vario, etc.) are equally well (or equally poorly) represented at your field, you will have to simply choose one. However, if you can get better support for one over the others, then you might be better off picking that brand so that you have a shorter learning curve and someone to go to for advice.

Perhaps most important is customer service. This is the reason many have gone with Bergen. Chris is one of the most helpful people I have dealt with. He has been patient with my newbie questions and is not afraid to take the time to explain things. No matter how stupid I think the question is, he explains things without talking down to me. He has a great understanding of the mechanics he sells because he is familiar with the entire process, from design to machining to building to flying. Because of that he can pinpoint what someone is doing wrong just by listening to the symptoms of a problem.

One trait that is rather unique to Bergen's mechanics is their flexibility to change from one model to another. The upper frames and tail are the same across much of their product line. One can convert from a Magnum 90 to the Gasser or Turbine just by swapping out the lower frames, engine mount, engine, pinion, and clutch. It's a complete sub-assembly. There are even ongoing efforts to build an electric version.

[TooBizzy]

Right now my skills have progressed to the point of just being able to take off, fly some circuits and land all in one piece....Repetitively! Nitro and electric.... Thanks to many hours on the simulator. One of the reasons I'm looking into gas is because I live so far from a LHS....About 60 miles. Sometimes its hard to go that far just for fuel. Plus its about 30.00 a gallon for 30% and buying online is not cheap either. Flying gas will be more economical and I won't have to worry about how much I fly or running out of Glow fuel. I will be saving the all out 3d stuff for my Raptor 50 when I upgrade my 30. Or at least when my skills progress to that point.

Another drawback for me is that I don't belong to a club that flies heli's. I do belong to a small club, but am the only one who flies nitro heli's. There are no other clubs within 30 miles. So I've had to learn the hard way, by myself...

You didn't mention anything about a Raptor conversion. Is this not a good way to go? How long has Bergen been in business? I worry about parts availability over the long haul. I feel like I'm going to be in this for a very long time and don't want to have issues with getting parts.

Thanks for the quick reply. If you can give me any insight on the Raptor conversion, it would be greatly appreciated. I haven't done a complete "How much will it cost" workup. Maybe a heli that is designed for gas would be a better investment in the long run or maybe even cheaper. An Intrepid goes for about 1500. I'm guessing one could end up with close to that in a Raptor conversion????

This is going to be a tough decision!

[PaulH]

I personally have never heard of a Raptor Gasser conversion. Keep in mind the Raptor airframe was never designed to take the kind of vibration and stress that a gas engine would put on it. Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should! :)

$1500 may sound like a lot initially, but realize that the entire kit is made from CNC billet aluminum and not plastic. There are no upgrades to speak of other than a driven tail. Gasser kits from other manufacturers fall into the same price range, so don't expect to save a lot of money between.