"Best of the Best" Heli Manufacturer for "Kit Quality" (Poll)

[cynxmhon]

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

On a purely design and quality of materials and execution

Tier 1 - My take is that these are all the highest of the high quality kits out there.

Henseleit - minimalist perfection
Kasama - mechanical ecstasy
Minicopter - similar to a Henseleit / Banshee mix designwise and Henseleit qualitywise.
Banshee - unobtanium

Tier 2 - Then come the highest quality mass produced helis
Mikado
Synergy
Thunder Tiger
etc..

Tier 2.5 - I found these hard to place
MSH
Compass

Tier 3 - Then come the mass produced kits that aren't quite as high quality
Sab
Align
etc...

Tier 4 - Mass produced helis a spot lower
Blade

There are MANY solid kits available today that make very prudent design decisions that help reduce kit costs and fly very well and that have great support and parts availability.

Very much agree with this!.... I sold all my taiwan helis, but my heart wont let my TDR & Faifa go! NEVER!!!... This helis will go to my grave!

[windwizard]

Originally Posted by ICNU

Really? SAB and Align in the same class, and SAB only one step above a Blade? Sorry, but although I agree with some of that list, much of it is just speculation from someone that hasn't owned or built most of them...

Sorry but you are missing the point here. This entire post was intended to capture a balanced perspective from experienced pilots whom have had the good fortune of first hand exposure to many manufacturers and models. The intent was to consolidate any shared opinions of which are "the best of the best".

- Not to catagorically rank every brand on the market -

Tier 1 - Has most likely captured the only Brands that really needed to be included in this exercise but I wanted to leave the field open.


BTW, I guess I should say that I intentionally threw two "spoilers" into the field.

Align - Knowing that it would reflect popular opinion based on market share, not the best of the best. And the poll results didn't let me down. hehe

TSA - knowing that the don't have near the exposure as other popular brand even though they might very well be one of the first "first class" manufacturers. The poll results were as to be expected for them as well.


So again, it looks like consensus for the best lies within those helis listed in Tier 1 and 2. And this is what I was after!


Thanks guys for helping me out!
Wiz