New Protos Build Questions

[loknar28]

Fellow Heli-Freaks,
I apologize for this rather long post, but I have some important considerations to cover. So, I figured I would come to the experts.

I am rather new to the hobby and still very at flying the 130x that I currently have. Although, I have found that I am very good at working on the many fixes required to get the 130x right. I have even become the 130x mechanic of my coworker who got me started in the hobby. Unlike myself, he is a rather seasoned pilot, flying his LOGO 800 at the ball-field of the college where we both work. So, I figured we could help each other out.

Recently, my wife made the mistake of asking me what I want for Christmas and I thought for awhile, ultimately deciding it would be fun to start a Protos 500 FBL build. I already have a simulator and a DX6i remote so this seemed to be a good move.

I am going to be purchasing the bare-bone (MSH51102) kit initially. Although, I am a bit confused about purchasing priorities going forward. I downloaded, both the Protos and Mini Protos manuals from MSH's main site and while reviewing the documentation, I noticed that the Mini Protos appears to include FB and FBL parts, while the Protos 500 only had FB. If this is the case then additionally I would need to add a $50 (MSH51115) FBL or the (MSH51335) Lowered FBL kit. (To be used with the stretch kit ONLY)

I imagine I will end up going the stretch direction based on what I have read, or is this not worth the extra expense? In other words, should I just invest in the electronics and blades to get it flying. I am really not stressed to get it in the air since I have the 130x to fly. The other question I have is whether or not it make more sense to go with a Mini-Protos? I was thinking the 500 would be more stable, providing some variance of flight characteristics from what I have now.
Since I am new I can only speculate, but my understanding is that the 130x flys similarly to a 450.

Thanks in advance, my Protos Feaks,

Collin

[Mikej]

Colin,

I have both the Mini-P and the Protos (and getting a 130X for Christmas) - I would be very surprised if the 130 flies like the M-P but I'll let you know. Both the Protos and M-P are very very good fliers, both very fast and nimble. The Protos flies a lot bigge rthan teh M-P and needs a lot more space.

The Protos is naturally a bit more expensive to fit out and repair (even though the kit price is similar), but servos are more, batteries are more, blades are a lot more - so crash costs are naturally quite a lot more.

To my mind a lot of it is dependent upon the space that you have available - the Protos is very fast and would work much better at a "proper" flying field, whereas the M-P works much better in smaller spaces.

Either way - you won't be disappointed.

Mike

[prillernut]

Originally Posted by loknar28

...I noticed that the Mini Protos appears to include FB and FBL parts, while the Protos 500 only had FB. If this is the case then additionally I would need to add a $50 (MSH51115) FBL or the (MSH51335) Lowered FBL kit. (To be used with the stretch kit ONLY) ...

Congrats on the pending Protos!

Yeah, MSH says not to use the low hub unless you're stretched, and they don't recommend stretching plastic frames

If you do go FBL, it requires the 51115 kit, whether you go with the 51335 low FBL hub or not - the lowered hub kit by itself isn't a complete FBL conversion kit.

[scott s]

Originally Posted by prillernut

Congrats on the pending Protos!

Yeah, MSH says not to use the low hub unless you're stretched, and they don't recommend stretching plastic frames

If you do go FBL, it requires the 51115 kit, whether you go with the 51335 low FBL hub or not - the lowered hub kit by itself isn't a complete FBL conversion kit.

the

This is not accurate info. The low fbl hub kit is complete except for needing to purchase msh51119 which is just the long fbl spindle (feathering shaft) and thick spacers. You do not need anything from the msh51115 fbl conversion kit for standard head.

msh51335 low head, http://helidirect.com/msh51335-low-f...os-p-24771.hdx

msh51119 fbl spindle, this picture does not show the thick spindle spacers but they do come with it. I am looking at an unopened package right at the moment LOL! http://www.helidirect.com/msh51119-m...os-p-22879.hdx

[prillernut]

Originally Posted by scott s

the

This is not accurate info. The low fbl hub kit is complete except for needing to purchase msh51119 which is just the long fbl spindle (feathering shaft) and thick spacers. You do not need anything from the msh51115 fbl conversion kit for standard head.

msh51335 low head, http://helidirect.com/msh51335-low-f...os-p-24771.hdx

msh51119 fbl spindle, this picture does not show the thick spindle spacers but they do come with it. I am looking at an unopened package right at the moment LOL! http://www.helidirect.com/msh51119-m...os-p-22879.hdx

you don't use the longer swash balls for the low hub?

[scott s]

Originally Posted by prillernut

you don't use the longer swash balls for the low hub?

Not sure you meant swash or the long grip balls so OOPS, yes but they are available seperately. You don't need to buy the standard head fbl conversion kit msh51115 that you said to get those. here they are! You get

msh51118 fbl long grip balls, http://www.msh-direct.com/products/f...-msh51118.html

And here are the long fbl swash balls that you may or may not need depending on your fbl controler and servos. For more cyclic you would use the short standard ones in the kit but best to have both on hand
http://www.msh-direct.com/products/f...-msh51120.html

[west5500]

Good luck with the Protos. What a great machine!

A very nice place to view other folks' heli setups is at Helifleet. Here's a link to the Carbon Protos setups they have listed.

http://www.helifleet.com/msh-protos-carbon/i84

I have found that viewing the various combinations of components used by people, who are no doubt more experienced than I, has helped me in my own configuration decisions.

[prillernut]

Originally Posted by scott s

OOPS, yes but thy are available seperately. You don't need to buy the standard head fbl conversion kit msh51115 that you said to get those. here they are!

msh51118 fbl long grip balls, http://www.msh-direct.com/products/f...-msh51118.html

Thanks for the confirmation I really am surprised that MSH has never come out with a simple single sheet of info for either their FBL or low head kits, like they did with the thrusted tail rotor -

[rossk]

I would have gone with the full kit, its great value compared to buying the same parts extra. The electronics in the full kit are all you will need for quite some time, only updates are to experiment, you wont get much better performance.
Only reason I see to go barebones is if you already have an ESC that you want to use, im guessing since you only have a 130X, you dont have a 60+ amp ESC laying around...

[scott s]

Originally Posted by prillernut

Thanks for the confirmation I really am surprised that MSH has never come out with a simple single sheet of info for either their FBL or low head kits, like they did with the thrusted tail rotor -

I agree 100%, msh helis are great but msh documentation is for the birds and I could think of a better word to use LOL!

[loknar28]

Originally Posted by rossk

I would have gone with the full kit, its great value compared to buying the same parts extra.

You did read the part in my post about this being a Christmas present from my wife, right? LOL, she would kill me if I spent $450 in one shot.. I have to space it out a little at a time. ;-)
Also, while I have read several posts regarding the value of the complete set, I am curious to spend some more time researching the build, that's half the fun.
By the way, I got a really good deal on the Protos 500 barebones kit today. It was $225 at amainhobbies.com. Since then it appears it has been removed from the site. Not back ordered, but gone, part number search comes up empty for MSH51102.
Oh, and I did add the strtch kit with the SAB blades included. That put me over the $250 needed to use the $25 off coupon.

[loknar28]

Originally Posted by Mikej

To my mind a lot of it is dependent upon the space that you have available - the Protos is very fast and would work much better at a "proper" flying field, whereas the M-P works much better in smaller spaces.

Either way - you won't be disappointed.

Mike

I suppose the best way to give you an idea of the flying location would be to share some of the footage my coworker shot from his LOGO XTREEM 800.

[rossk]

Originally Posted by loknar28

You did read the part in my post about this being a Christmas present from my wife, right? LOL, she would kill me if I spent $450 in one shot.. I have to space it out a little at a time. ;-)

Oh, budgets, I often forget about them, sorry, haha.

[loknar28]

Originally Posted by Mikej

To my mind a lot of it is dependent upon the space that you have available - the Protos is very fast and would work much better at a "proper" flying field, whereas the M-P works much better in smaller spaces.

Either way - you won't be disappointed.

Mike

I believe there is an actual flying field close by. I am not sure of the details for this group however.