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sunsetmaro · 06-28-2015, 07:32 PM

450 is not a bad little heli. I loved mine. The servos suck and will 90% surely strip in a crash, gears are cheap though, like 3.99 a set. I never had real issues with my 450 and swore I'd never get a larger heli, it happened tho and I still fly the crap out of my 450 every time I go out flying.

learnedthehardway · 06-28-2015, 10:23 PM

Maybe I'll give the 450x a chance then, would be cheaper to buy and I already have everything I need. Might even swap the servos from my walkera if the need arises. Old as dirt but always worked well and never stripped through plenty of crash testing.

Tried to go from an airhog to a craigslist 450 not even knowing what coax, fp and cp were. On top of that I got it from another noob so setup and cog were way off. Plus it had training gear with loose balls causing outrageous vibes that made the heli go bananas not long after liftoff. Wondered why I always felt in control at first then thing quickly spiraled out if hand. Needless to say it didn't go well.

The old if I only new then, what I know now scenario. Think I personally ate up the spares supply for the df36 lol. The crash n rebuilds of that heli is how I found this site, doing part/repair tip searches. Stopped crashing and started reading, got a 120sr and then an mcpx v2, got divorced and sold the v2 + didn't fly for 2yrs, then got a nano, bl, 180 and looking to step up my game to a big dog again. No plans on looking back, big plans on flying till they put me in the ground.

Mateyhv · 06-29-2015, 02:25 AM

Small helis can have a better quality than bigger helis. Just have a look at the Oxy3 from Lynx!

Gladius · 06-29-2015, 08:17 PM

My MCPX-BL has been sitting on a shelf for over a year because I refuse to pay $80 for a new 3n1 board. I refuse to pay $25 + shipping for Mega's Micros to repair it, because I have no idea how many flights I would get out of it before it fried again. So I understand where you are coming from!

My first CP heli was a Blade 450 3D, and it was a good heli. For a long time, I would recommend people to get a 450 size as their first big heli. But recently I've come around to the idea of jumping straight to a 500. It is a lot more stable than a 450, has plenty of power, is easy to see, and not all that expensive to crash. It will cost you at least twice what a 450 would to cost though, so it's not exactly cheap to crash.

I'd say that the biggest thing to look for when getting into the Trex 500 is to be aware of all the variants. It's real easy to get the wrong parts if you aren't double checking the compatibility.

What FBL unit does the heli come with? If it's a 3GX, I would recommend that you switch it for something else. I have no personal experience with a 3GX (I took the advice that I just gave you!), but I've never heard anything particularly good about it. You can pick up a slightly used GPro for real cheap, and it is a definite upgrade over the 3GX.

learnedthehardway · 06-29-2015, 10:04 PM

He didn't really know shat about it, said he bought it used but never flew it. Sounds fishy to me, also has a raptor titan and raptor 90 for sale so I'm guessing he's a nitro guy. Still why would you buy a t500 and never fly it!?!? Unless he's a noob with more $$ than brains and can't fly anything. Definitely not going to buy anything I can't see at least spool up first.

Usually don't buy any used heli I can't see fly but going to take a look at it just in case he doesn't know what he has and it has cream of the crop electronics. I can see in the pic it has a metal tail case upgrade.

If he can afford a raptor 90 maybe he got the rex just cause he could. Sitting next to the raptor, the rex looks like my 180 next to a 450x lol.
That thing must be huge!!! Another reason I want to look, just to see a heli that big in person.

Mateyhv · 06-30-2015, 02:03 PM

The 500 was my first heli and I won't go any bigger, maybe a real 500 but not bigger. The only real difference other that a bit more stability is the crash/lipo/parts price. Bigger helis also need more space and I its a little scary. However there is nothing you can do with a 700 that can't be done with a 500 even flying in windy conditions.

The 3gx is not a bad unit updated to v5 and are really cheap second hand, the Gpro is way more expensive but is a more advanced unit with great interface on par with the best modern FB gyros. If you can invest in a better gyro Ok, if you can't the 3GX won't dissapoint you.

NC Hillbilly · 07-02-2015, 05:02 AM

I started out again after a long hiatus with a bl 450 3d and then bought a nano to fly indoors. After a few months of re-learning I purchased a Trex 450 pro dfc. The bl 450 got shelved because after flying the Trex there was no comparison. I then purchased a Trex 500 pro dfc and soon traded both 450's for a 600E pro. With that being said I will probably never own another 450 size. The power of the 500 made the 450 pro seem real weak not counting the added visibility. I share packs between the 500 and 600 now and really like the size for my aging eyes.The larger ones will really move in a hurry, so a larger area is helpful. The one thing that is really needed with the 6s packs is a good quality charger to cut down on charging times and the need for a lot of batteries. The nano hasn't been off of the shelf in over a year now! One last thought is there is no comparison on the room you have on a 500 compared to a 450 when you build or do your maintenance

learnedthehardway · 07-02-2015, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC Hillbilly

I started out again after a long hiatus with a bl 450 3d and then bought a nano to fly indoors. After a few months of re-learning I purchased a Trex 450 pro dfc. The bl 450 got shelved because after flying the Trex there was no comparison. I then purchased a Trex 500 pro dfc and soon traded both 450's for a 600E pro. With that being said I will probably never own another 450 size. The power of the 500 made the 450 pro seem real weak not counting the added visibility. I share packs between the 500 and 600 now and really like the size for my aging eyes.The larger ones will really move in a hurry, so a larger area is helpful. The one thing that is really needed with the 6s packs is a good quality charger to cut down on charging times and the need for a lot of batteries. The nano hasn't been off of the shelf in over a year now! One last thought is there is no comparison on the room you have on a 500 compared to a 450 when you build or do your maintenance

Is it really that big of a size difference between 450 and 500? 450's don't look all that big to me but haven't seen a 500 in person. Is alot more space required to fly a 500 over a 450? Is the difference more in the 6s system over 3s?? I see most ppl seem to be running 6s 450's now.

NC Hillbilly · 07-02-2015, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by learnedthehardway

Is it really that big of a size difference between 450 and 500? 450's don't look all that big to me but haven't seen a 500 in person. Is alot more space required to fly a 500 over a 450? Is the difference more in the 6s system over 3s?? I see most ppl seem to be running 6s 450's now.

Yes there is a big difference in size. I fly my 500 and 600 out of the same small space I flew my 450's but they are quite a bit faster. I think the difference is huge in the power of 6s. I wanted to convert my 450 to 6s but decided to focus on the bigger easier to see machines. Did I mention how much easier it is to build and wire?
I personally wanted a bigger heli to begin with but didn't want the higher repair cost . If I could do it over I would have spent the extra money and got the 500 to start with.

Gladius · 07-02-2015, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by learnedthehardway

Is it really that big of a size difference between 450 and 500? 450's don't look all that big to me but haven't seen a 500 in person. Is alot more space required to fly a 500 over a 450? Is the difference more in the 6s system over 3s?? I see most ppl seem to be running 6s 450's now.

The 500 is a lot bigger than a traditional 450. The newer 450's, which are running 360 or 380mm blades, are getting up toward the 425mm 500's, but the airframes are still a lot smaller.

As for space to fly in, well, it depends on how you fly, and how good you are. But if you're still learning, you definitely want more space for the bigger birds.

6S vs. 3S is just one parameter. The larger motor on a 500 will have more torque, so it bogs less, which allows more aggressive moves. Your packs and ESC play roles too.

learnedthehardway · 07-02-2015, 08:08 PM

This is a bit more of a toss up than I expected. They both have their advantages, lower cost to purchase/maintain a 450 plus I already have an align 3s balance charger. It's old but has worked perfectly for a long time. There's always a pucker with any new heli especially once you get into the sizes that can do serious damage. My budget isn't the highest either but not terrible, although my work gets slow sometimes.

450 would prob be the better choice to start but once I get used to a heli I start to crave the next best thing shortly after. I don't crash often and the only crashes I've had lately were from losing orientation from tiny green n black helis that blend into the tree'd background like camo.
Even my bl I have no fear of crashing has had 1 dumb thumb in 75-80flights, even doing inverted practice. Much better at bailing out when things go bad instead of just hitting TH like I did flying the nano all the time. Practice/perfect on the bl/nano and do the things I have down pat on the 180

Guess I'll just see how things play out and not rush into anything.
Thank you so much for the invaluable info guys, very much appreciated as always.

Mateyhv · 07-03-2015, 03:09 AM

You will regret buying a 450 instead of a 500

TR450ZS · 07-03-2015, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mateyhv

You will regret buying a 450 instead of a 500

+1

learnedthehardway · 07-03-2015, 06:55 PM

Well looked at the T500 and it was a pile of course, just my luck. Sloppy, cracked and could tell that it had been through some nasty crashes and rebuilt by a noob. Loose belt, swash so out of level a 1st grader could have done a better job. Just the plastic version with basic electronics so looked like more of a nightmare than anything.

Checked out the 450x and it was immaculate cept a lil green grass staining on the tail rotors. Said it had been hovered for 8 seconds and had the video to prove it lol! Guy had a coax, then got an msr, practiced on phoenix for a bit and took the 450x for a spin.

Way more than he bargained for and you could hear the terror in his voice as he tried to hover. All he said was whoa,whoa,WHOOOAA and that was it. Fp to sim, to 450 isn't enough rl practice. Gotta give him credit though, started 2 ft up, then shot up to about 6' and run away a little, he managed to stop it from running and ease it down landing a bit hard on the tail fin but not bad at all for first cp, new heli and 450size pucker all rolled into one.

At that stage of the game I almost certainly would have panicked and dumped her in the grass. Heck of a nice guy and met me down at the lhs where he had it on consignment to show me the video. He's in a wheelchair and is a rc truck guy so he said it's all around too much for him.

Pulled the trigger for $200 for the bnf with orig box, manuals, crappy charger and 1 lipo. Think I got a pretty good deal for a heli that still had the factory grease undisturbed on the mainshaft lol.

Just got finished with the maiden and it flies rock solid and oh so gracefully. Basically hovered it cept a couple figure 8s but seems to handle very well and didn't explode. OMG, I can finally take off and land in the grass!!!!

Sorry to ramble and thanks again for all the info guys. Was going to take my time but she was too shiny to pass up for $30 less than I paid for my 180. Think I will be happy with her for a while.

Gladius · 07-03-2015, 09:51 PM

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal on the 450X. Did it come with the BeastX? That's almost $100 right there.

sunsetmaro · 07-03-2015, 09:54 PM

Awesome! Glad you got something that you wanted. The 450x is a great Heli. I put some Zeals on mine and it pops! i think the 450x for that price will get you going for a while. You will however get the itch to fly bigger someday. I bet the 450 handles better in the wind and now you can take off in grass

learnedthehardway · 07-04-2015, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gladius

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal on the 450X. Did it come with the BeastX? That's almost $100 right there.

Yes has the BeastX and factory setup still intact, electronically and mechanically.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunsetmaro

Awesome! Glad you got something that you wanted. The 450x is a great Heli. I put some Zeals on mine and it pops! i think the 450x for that price will get you going for a while. You will however get the itch to fly bigger someday. I bet the 450 handles better in the wind and now you can take off in grass

There was quite a bit of wind yesterday but it was like it didn't exist with the 450. Certainly would have been noticeable with the 180, although I stayed below the tree line for the maiden to hopefully keep it contained if something went awry.

So nice to be able to land anywhere in the mowed field I fly at. It's behind a small church that has no windows on the backside and I'm the only one that goes there when church is not in session. Now I can stay far away from the church itself and the the other 3 sides have a thick tree line a heli could never make it through. Couple gaps on one side but past those is a masonic center where ppl fly planks.

I'm the only one with permission to fly on the church property and it's baron besides Wed 7-8:30pm and Sun 8-9:30am. I don't fly anything beyond my bl at the masonic center, ppl come there at random to bbq ect.. Only fly there if there is something going on at the church. Nice couple spots next to each other 1/3 of a mile from home.

Plenty of length to zing a 450 but could use a lil more width, of course above the tree line you could zing anything around.

learnedthehardway · 07-04-2015, 06:56 AM

Thought the 450 might feel a bit doggy with 3s but it actually has a decent amount of pop. Haven't even come close to lettin loose on it yet though. Few more packs to get the feel down and I'll see what shes really made of. Sure it's capable of much more than I am lol.

JonJet · 07-04-2015, 06:59 AM

Here's how to know if you're getting the most from your 450X

E-Flite Blade 450X Flight by Bert Kammerer (4 min 2 sec)

learnedthehardway · 07-04-2015, 07:12 AM

Holy shaaat!!! I like how he says he's not doing anything technical, by my standards all of that cept the stationary piros is pretty technical lol. Even the easier maneuvers require perfect technique to do them that precisely, that close to the ground. Freakin sweeeeet!!!

06-29-2015, 08:17 PM	#24 (permalink)
Gladius Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Maryland	My MCPX-BL has been sitting on a shelf for over a year because I refuse to pay $80 for a new 3n1 board. I refuse to pay $25 + shipping for Mega's Micros to repair it, because I have no idea how many flights I would get out of it before it fried again. So I understand where you are coming from! My first CP heli was a Blade 450 3D, and it was a good heli. For a long time, I would recommend people to get a 450 size as their first big heli. But recently I've come around to the idea of jumping straight to a 500. It is a lot more stable than a 450, has plenty of power, is easy to see, and not all that expensive to crash. It will cost you at least twice what a 450 would to cost though, so it's not exactly cheap to crash. I'd say that the biggest thing to look for when getting into the Trex 500 is to be aware of all the variants. It's real easy to get the wrong parts if you aren't double checking the compatibility. What FBL unit does the heli come with? If it's a 3GX, I would recommend that you switch it for something else. I have no personal experience with a 3GX (I took the advice that I just gave you!), but I've never heard anything particularly good about it. You can pick up a slightly used GPro for real cheap, and it is a definite upgrade over the 3GX. __________________ <> Trex 600 ESP FBL, Trex 500 ESP FBL, Gaui X3, Oxy 3 <> <> Builds in progress: Logo 600SX, Synergy 516 <> *Spartan Vortex VX1e*

07-03-2015, 09:51 PM	#35 (permalink)
Gladius Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Maryland	Sounds like you got a pretty good deal on the 450X. Did it come with the BeastX? That's almost $100 right there. __________________ <> Trex 600 ESP FBL, Trex 500 ESP FBL, Gaui X3, Oxy 3 <> <> Builds in progress: Logo 600SX, Synergy 516 <> *Spartan Vortex VX1e*

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06-28-2015, 07:32 PM	#21 (permalink)
sunsetmaro Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2015	450 is not a bad little heli. I loved mine. The servos suck and will 90% surely strip in a crash, gears are cheap though, like 3.99 a set. I never had real issues with my 450 and swore I'd never get a larger heli, it happened tho and I still fly the crap out of my 450 every time I go out flying.

06-28-2015, 10:23 PM	#22 (permalink)
learnedthehardway Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2015	Maybe I'll give the 450x a chance then, would be cheaper to buy and I already have everything I need. Might even swap the servos from my walkera if the need arises. Old as dirt but always worked well and never stripped through plenty of crash testing. Tried to go from an airhog to a craigslist 450 not even knowing what coax, fp and cp were. On top of that I got it from another noob so setup and cog were way off. Plus it had training gear with loose balls causing outrageous vibes that made the heli go bananas not long after liftoff. Wondered why I always felt in control at first then thing quickly spiraled out if hand. Needless to say it didn't go well. The old if I only new then, what I know now scenario. Think I personally ate up the spares supply for the df36 lol. The crash n rebuilds of that heli is how I found this site, doing part/repair tip searches. Stopped crashing and started reading, got a 120sr and then an mcpx v2, got divorced and sold the v2 + didn't fly for 2yrs, then got a nano, bl, 180 and looking to step up my game to a big dog again. No plans on looking back, big plans on flying till they put me in the ground.

06-29-2015, 02:25 AM	#23 (permalink)
Mateyhv Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2011	Small helis can have a better quality than bigger helis. Just have a look at the Oxy3 from Lynx!

06-29-2015, 10:04 PM	#25 (permalink)
learnedthehardway Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2015	He didn't really know shat about it, said he bought it used but never flew it. Sounds fishy to me, also has a raptor titan and raptor 90 for sale so I'm guessing he's a nitro guy. Still why would you buy a t500 and never fly it!?!? Unless he's a noob with more $$ than brains and can't fly anything. Definitely not going to buy anything I can't see at least spool up first. Usually don't buy any used heli I can't see fly but going to take a look at it just in case he doesn't know what he has and it has cream of the crop electronics. I can see in the pic it has a metal tail case upgrade. If he can afford a raptor 90 maybe he got the rex just cause he could. Sitting next to the raptor, the rex looks like my 180 next to a 450x lol. That thing must be huge!!! Another reason I want to look, just to see a heli that big in person.

06-30-2015, 02:03 PM	#26 (permalink)
Mateyhv Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2011	The 500 was my first heli and I won't go any bigger, maybe a real 500 but not bigger. The only real difference other that a bit more stability is the crash/lipo/parts price. Bigger helis also need more space and I its a little scary. However there is nothing you can do with a 700 that can't be done with a 500 even flying in windy conditions. The 3gx is not a bad unit updated to v5 and are really cheap second hand, the Gpro is way more expensive but is a more advanced unit with great interface on par with the best modern FB gyros. If you can invest in a better gyro Ok, if you can't the 3GX won't dissapoint you.

07-02-2015, 05:02 AM	#27 (permalink)
NC Hillbilly Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2013	I started out again after a long hiatus with a bl 450 3d and then bought a nano to fly indoors. After a few months of re-learning I purchased a Trex 450 pro dfc. The bl 450 got shelved because after flying the Trex there was no comparison. I then purchased a Trex 500 pro dfc and soon traded both 450's for a 600E pro. With that being said I will probably never own another 450 size. The power of the 500 made the 450 pro seem real weak not counting the added visibility. I share packs between the 500 and 600 now and really like the size for my aging eyes.The larger ones will really move in a hurry, so a larger area is helpful. The one thing that is really needed with the 6s packs is a good quality charger to cut down on charging times and the need for a lot of batteries. The nano hasn't been off of the shelf in over a year now! One last thought is there is no comparison on the room you have on a 500 compared to a 450 when you build or do your maintenance

07-02-2015, 08:08 PM	#31 (permalink)
learnedthehardway Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2015	This is a bit more of a toss up than I expected. They both have their advantages, lower cost to purchase/maintain a 450 plus I already have an align 3s balance charger. It's old but has worked perfectly for a long time. There's always a pucker with any new heli especially once you get into the sizes that can do serious damage. My budget isn't the highest either but not terrible, although my work gets slow sometimes. 450 would prob be the better choice to start but once I get used to a heli I start to crave the next best thing shortly after. I don't crash often and the only crashes I've had lately were from losing orientation from tiny green n black helis that blend into the tree'd background like camo. Even my bl I have no fear of crashing has had 1 dumb thumb in 75-80flights, even doing inverted practice. Much better at bailing out when things go bad instead of just hitting TH like I did flying the nano all the time. Practice/perfect on the bl/nano and do the things I have down pat on the 180 Guess I'll just see how things play out and not rush into anything. Thank you so much for the invaluable info guys, very much appreciated as always.

07-03-2015, 03:09 AM	#32 (permalink)
Mateyhv Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2011	You will regret buying a 450 instead of a 500

07-03-2015, 06:55 PM	#34 (permalink)
learnedthehardway Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2015	Well looked at the T500 and it was a pile of course, just my luck. Sloppy, cracked and could tell that it had been through some nasty crashes and rebuilt by a noob. Loose belt, swash so out of level a 1st grader could have done a better job. Just the plastic version with basic electronics so looked like more of a nightmare than anything. Checked out the 450x and it was immaculate cept a lil green grass staining on the tail rotors. Said it had been hovered for 8 seconds and had the video to prove it lol! Guy had a coax, then got an msr, practiced on phoenix for a bit and took the 450x for a spin. Way more than he bargained for and you could hear the terror in his voice as he tried to hover. All he said was whoa,whoa,WHOOOAA and that was it. Fp to sim, to 450 isn't enough rl practice. Gotta give him credit though, started 2 ft up, then shot up to about 6' and run away a little, he managed to stop it from running and ease it down landing a bit hard on the tail fin but not bad at all for first cp, new heli and 450size pucker all rolled into one. At that stage of the game I almost certainly would have panicked and dumped her in the grass. Heck of a nice guy and met me down at the lhs where he had it on consignment to show me the video. He's in a wheelchair and is a rc truck guy so he said it's all around too much for him. Pulled the trigger for $200 for the bnf with orig box, manuals, crappy charger and 1 lipo. Think I got a pretty good deal for a heli that still had the factory grease undisturbed on the mainshaft lol. Just got finished with the maiden and it flies rock solid and oh so gracefully. Basically hovered it cept a couple figure 8s but seems to handle very well and didn't explode. OMG, I can finally take off and land in the grass!!!! Sorry to ramble and thanks again for all the info guys. Was going to take my time but she was too shiny to pass up for $30 less than I paid for my 180. Think I will be happy with her for a while.

07-03-2015, 09:54 PM	#36 (permalink)
sunsetmaro Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2015	Awesome! Glad you got something that you wanted. The 450x is a great Heli. I put some Zeals on mine and it pops! i think the 450x for that price will get you going for a while. You will however get the itch to fly bigger someday. I bet the 450 handles better in the wind and now you can take off in grass

07-04-2015, 06:56 AM	#38 (permalink)
learnedthehardway Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2015	Thought the 450 might feel a bit doggy with 3s but it actually has a decent amount of pop. Haven't even come close to lettin loose on it yet though. Few more packs to get the feel down and I'll see what shes really made of. Sure it's capable of much more than I am lol.

07-04-2015, 07:12 AM	#40 (permalink)
learnedthehardway Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2015	Holy shaaat!!! I like how he says he's not doing anything technical, by my standards all of that cept the stationary piros is pretty technical lol. Even the easier maneuvers require perfect technique to do them that precisely, that close to the ground. Freakin sweeeeet!!!

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