My Next Heli?

[freakinnovice]

Can you guys help me with my next heli purchase? I've narrowed it down to the Gaui 200 or a E-beam E4. I know that these are completely different classes, but what can you do. A little back ground, I've been flying a T-rex v2 for the past five months and I'm still working on my orientations with little FF.
I'm looking for something else to fly in-between crashes. I like the Beam because of its solid reviews and quick cyclic, but I have a buddy with a 200 that I've been watching that I know I'd enjoy. The only down side to the 200 is the fact that for a good setup the cost is close to the price of a Beam. Another pro for the Beam is I can use my existing batteries and some of my Align spare parts to repair my inevitable meetings with the terra firma. So if you guys can just give me some friendly in put that would really help me out.

And yes I do realize where I'm posting this, so I know the responses my be a little:) one sided.

Thanks for the advice,
D

[psindrup]

I'm looking for something else to fly in-between crashes.


You don't fly the Gaui 200 between crashes.
You fly your other heli's while your Gaui 200 is down/grounded. :smokin:

Peter
Gaui 200 rules forever - amen

[GreenCello]

Give up. You know that you're going to get both!

What I need now is stick time. With the Guai, I can step out back and practice those orientations and circuits but I still have to hold down the speed. Also good batteries are only $20. That's 3 or 4 for the price of a typical Beam or Trex battery.

BTW I have 2 Trex 450s, the second one mostly from my ballooning spare parts inventory. Duh.

[SurfCity]

Can you guys help me with my next heli purchase? I've narrowed it down to the Gaui 200 or a E-beam E4.

Like you, I'm still in that beginning stage, working on orientations. A couple quick comments:

1) I love the Gaui, especially its size. It'll fly anywhere, including indoors. It's like a manic little jewel. Parts are inexpensive and support is good.

2) Unlike fries and a Coke, small does not equal cheap. You'll spend as much on the 200 as on a 450. The exception is batteries, which are only about $20. This adds up.

3) The fact that you already have 450-size batteries favors the Beam.

4) I've found the 200 to be somewhat frustrating to learn on. It's a little like taking driver's ed in an Indy car. It's quick and extremely responsive. It has tiny parts and tolerances, it has to be set up perfectly, and the smallest "incident" -- rotating blades touching grass, for example, will result in the need for at least a small repair, which takes time. A slightly larger "incident" -- blades striking concrete -- can easily result in a $50 head makeover (although it won't necessarily). And while I value getting to know every last mechanical detail of my heli, I'd really rather be learning to fly than spending hours -- again -- on the workbench.

None of this is to say that the Beam won't have similar issues. Crashes do time-consuming, wallet-emptying damage. But the Gaui's quickness and responsiveness does require you to bring your A game to every single flight, no napping on the sticks.

That said, I'd buy it again without hesitation, I value the challenge it presents, and I REALLY look forward to mastering it.

[stoatnchips]

I was waivering over a SEV2 and E325 a while back as i wanted something between the 200 and Shuttle but to be honest, i would have chosen the Beam any day of the week. The feel of quailty and design features puts it ahead of the 450 crowd IMHO. I had to discount it though as spares are non exhistent over here and then i got given a CopterX -hybrid (ahem... its slowly being pimped i might add!!) Having said that you have a 450 class, so why would you want another? Keep enough spares in stock and you should not have much down time and it would be cheaper than a whole new Heli.
I advise the same way as Peter and Surf, the 200 gives you the challenge of flying something unique and skitish... it really focusses your skills and keeps you on your toes! However do not think this is an expensive toy to be used like a 4#3, its a proper Heli and you'll end up spending more time on it than anything else. I did the Math too before i bought mine and must say that a 200 is about 80% the price of an equivilent 450. You need to compare like for like. Sure a 200 with a 2100/3100, HS45s, cc10A & Zpower is not cheap per gram but neither is a SEv2 with 65MGs, 401, 9257 & Flightpower pack. The spares for the 200 are much cheaper and so in the long run i think you will find the 200 is significantly cheaper to run if you're gunna ding it a few times learning.

[psindrup]

I fully agree to what has been said so far

The spares for the 200 are much cheaper and so in the long run i think you will find the 200 is significantly cheaper to run if you're gunna ding it a few times learning.


But the "ding rate" is also expected to be somewhat higher.

On my T-rex 500 I have approx. 150 flights and 2 crashes (the latest today)
On my Gaui 200 I have approx. 70 flights, and I guess 5-8 crashes

The price pr. crash is mush cheaper (does not compare at all) but the crash rate is also quite high.

Peter

[bpd964]

The big sellers for me that made me decide on the gaui 200 was:

1. I have/had the Hurricane 550 and love it to pieces
2. cheap, very cheap spares
3. most online vendors carry parts
4. many people have them so they can help you with your set-up or other issues
5. fun as heck
6. fly anywhere. at home, out back, family picnics, at the grocery store while waiting for the wife.
7. cheap batteries
8. addicting because it's psycho crazy fast
9. it just rocks dude :Bang

[northcarolinadan]

ok....... just get off the damn fence, you know you want it, you already have a 450, your choice is clear, either go 500 class and take the cost, that is what you will do later anyway, or get the 200, which you WILL do anyway... and it IS alot cheaper on crashes.90% of the time...... heck you saw me plow it into the back of my jimmy at about 25mph and the only damage was the wood blades, and some ca on the canopy...(ok, well, a bit of see-saw arm work) what more convincing do you need....? :dontknow

i expect you have one when i get back from germany on sunday (that is if airline strike here in the big "D" prevents me from returning).

so order now and i will help you get it in the air..... besides its smaller and easier to tell the wife it dosent cost the same as the 450... other than that it does get more air time than my 450... even though you don't see it at the field too much..because it doesn't require as much area to fly it...its waaaay to easy to step out of the house, and fly and be back in the house in 6 minutes....does it get any better??? :YeaBaby:

this is the ONLY 200 class worth a sh*t...in my opinion...:Bang

[Jetleaf]

The 200 will hone your skills as well. If you can fly the 200, you can fly anything. Flying it has done more for me than the sim ever will. With a sim I just don't feel connected to the heli. Take my word for it you'll connect with the 200 no doubt about that. Oh and I have a Beam, Diablo, T-Rex 500, and a Protos and they're all in flying condition and they're all sobbing like babies:bawl cause they never get flown now.

[CHOPPERTECH]

I have been looking at both for weeks now. my next purchase is a ep200 belt. Enough said.
Les

[freakinnovice]

Well I read the replies and it's really what I expected. Dan's right, I'll probably have a 200 in the next few weeks. It seem to be a pretty nice bird.

Who has the best deal on a belt 200?

[rotorhead58d]

Well I read the replies and it's really what I expected. Dan's right, I'll probably have a 200 in the next few weeks. It seem to be a pretty nice bird.

Who has the best deal on a belt 200?

www.flying-hobby.com (http://www.flying-hobby.com) check the shipping costs tho.

www.readyheli.com (http://www.readyheli.com) has great deals too. free shipping!

[CHOPPERTECH]

Well I read the replies and it's really what I expected. Dan's right, I'll probably have a 200 in the next few weeks. It seem to be a pretty nice bird.

Who has the best deal on a belt 200?

See my thead : want to purchase gaui200

[Gr4yb3ard]

Wow!

The 'tudes prevail...

Choppertech, glad to have 'ya. NorthCarolinaDan, who do you fly for? Ever meet John Latson at G.S. in Arlington?

My next heli will probably be another 200. I'm taking my 200 down next weekend to move the electrics around and fit the new batteries. It hurts, guess I'll do the Blade-V2-600 thing for a few days and get back into shape later...

***
...June, 1902&1/2...
"...Orville: Okay, we need the money.... ...Wilbur: It's okay, he's a Pirate, they know the wind and stuff... ...Orville: Okay,,just once.... ....Wilbur: Okay, Mr. Gray, so you know about this... ...***yb3ard: I'm a freaking pirate lad, we were born into the wind"... Wilbur: Okay, strap in... ..***yb3ard: I'll get the seatbelt and just light my hair on fire... ....Orville: Oh, No!.... ...Wilbur: No, no, no... ...***yb3ard:...or 'll have 'me identity crisis right here and now, I do this on takeoff and boarding,... ....Orville: NO!... Wilbur: THATS GASOLINE!!!... ...***yb3ard:...Gaso-what-WHOOMPH!!!!.......

[northcarolinadan]

fly for????? Just me baby !!


John Latson at G.S. in Arlington? nope..


you must have me confused with someone who can actually fly these things.......but i am trying !! ;)

[freakinnovice]

I got my 200 last week :banana, so I've been working on getting it setup, thanks for all the help guys.

Keep flying,
D

[northcarolinadan]

I got my 200 last week :banana, so I've been working on getting it setup, thanks for all the help guys.

Keep flying,
D


thats great, it will be attack of the Hurricane 200's at our flying place !!!!!


:YeaBaby:

[Piranha]

Here is my 2 cents!
My next heli will be another Hurricane 200SD :) Or maybe Outrage200 if they will decide to produce it or maybe TREX-200 ;)

Now I am flying on Trex600 Nitro, Trex500 and my favourite is Hurricane 200SD :)

I had Hurricane 550 but sold it last year, Great Machine but you need to have a lot of spare time, tonn of spare gears shafts frames and so on in your nearest LHS, also good and straight hands and R&D department in your head to make it fly :)))
I had 3 or four Trexs450s for a last couple of years but sold them and NEWER return back!!!