Blade 700X on final approach...

[xYcoR]

Originally Posted by CARMELHILL

The Blade 450x made a reappearance on the Blade website today. Anyone think the 500, 550, 600, and 700 will ever come back?

I think it was a huge mistake to get rid of the pro line. I have the 600x and it's a nicely built machine.

[jadewarrior]

Originally Posted by xYcoR

I think it was a huge mistake to get rid of the pro line. I have the 600x and it's a nicely built machine.

I understand their business move to "trim the fat", but they really should have stuck it out. These helis barely had a chance to go mainstream. By and large, most everyone who owned a Pro Series heli really liked them. Now, any exposure they got will only eventually wither and die as these helis are crashed out of service. As previously said, I'm not expecting parts support to be very good for very long. That said, they do seem to be re-imaging themselves with some nice helis. Maybe, after a long time of solid products, they'll bring out some bigger stuff once the bad ol' E-flite and early Blade heli days are VERY far behind them but people do have long memories, too. We'll just have to see what happens.

[supertoyz]

Originally Posted by jadewarrior

They sure have with me and I love my two Pro Series helis. The new 360CFX looks nice, but I won't be buying one. There are other good 360mm/6S helis out there and I won't buy anything larger than a micro (and only if it's really something special) from Blade again on principle alone. My X3 does just fine and has been doing so for a long time before the 360CFX...which still isn't even available yet...

+1

I've had all of their micro's over the years and thought the 700X looked like a decent heli and good value. I didn't think the negative perception of the Pro line was necessarily fair and wanted to show my support by buying a 700X. Less than a year later they walk away and leave me hanging. HH is building a long and consistent history of doing this to me with Airplanes and now this. On numerous occasions I've seen them release a new plane and within 18 months it's discontinued. Not a big deal if they continue to supply parts but they never do. The parts supply usually starts to dry up even before the model is discontinued.

The Pro Series may have had a slow start but that should have been expected, you can't start out making entry level products and then jump into mid to upper level and expect instant acceptance. Look at Kia and Hyundai, slow and steady, keep making decent products, exceed peoples expectations and slowly but surely you gain acceptance and market share. If Blade had been committed to a solid 5 year plan they could have become a dominant brand. Instead all they managed to do was alienate the customers that were willing to give them a chance.

[jadewarrior]

Originally Posted by supertoyz

If Blade had been committed to a solid 5 year plan they could have become a dominant brand. Instead all they managed to do was alienate the customers that were willing to give them a chance.

Exactly. Well put, especially that last part.

[ss1-2013]

Originally Posted by supertoyz

+1

I've had all of their micro's over the years and thought the 700X looked like a decent heli and good value. I didn't think the negative perception of the Pro line was necessarily fair and wanted to show my support by buying a 700X. Less than a year later they walk away and leave me hanging. HH is building a long and consistent history of doing this to me with Airplanes and now this. On numerous occasions I've seen them release a new plane and within 18 months it's discontinued. Not a big deal if they continue to supply parts but they never do. The parts supply usually starts to dry up even before the model is discontinued.

The Pro Series may have had a slow start but that should have been expected, you can't start out making entry level products and then jump into mid to upper level and expect instant acceptance. Look at Kia and Hyundai, slow and steady, keep making decent products, exceed peoples expectations and slowly but surely you gain acceptance and market share. If Blade had been committed to a solid 5 year plan they could have become a dominant brand. Instead all they managed to do was alienate the customers that were willing to give them a chance.

+1

[HeliDoc25]

Originally Posted by supertoyz

+1
I didn't think the negative perception of the Pro line was necessarily fair and wanted to show my support by buying a 700X. Less than a year later they walk away and leave me hanging.
Instead all they managed to do was alienate the customers that were willing to give them a chance.

These points are exactly how i feel. after the 130x cluster funk and nanocpx needing a motor every 10 flights and parts that cost the same or more than the 450x, and a 300x that couldnt keep a main shaft in 1 pc i swore off blade helis. I saw the 700x at ircha 2013 and said i need one! I loved the simple design. I had a e700 raptor that couldnt keep a tail gear from exploding to save its life, so i bought a 700x, i said maybe it will surprise me. And it has, its been a great heli, it had fair parts price, was built tough, easy to work on, and flew great. But now my airframe worth 500 bucks is now worth 150-200? No body, i repeat NOBODY wants to buy this thing. They hear the word discontinued and immediately dismiss it. So Either i sell it super cheap and pic up a new airframe thats not discontinued, or i keep flying this till parts are no longer around and then it will be worth even less. What gets me is how we were told here and on facebook how the 700x wasnt going anywhere....

[jadewarrior]

Doc, I'd just keep flying it until it don't fly no mo. Seriously, if you like the heli a lot, try and find another kit somewhere as a backup. As you said, you won't get jack for it if you try to sell it. I have two 550X kits in a box for spares. That should keep the one I have built in the air for a long time and when (not if) I'm looking to replace it in the future, let's just say it won't be with another Blade if they even have anything that large. Gaui has been doing just fine by me lately.

Originally Posted by HeliDoc25

What gets me is how we were told here and on facebook how the 700x wasnt going anywhere....

I saw that, too. I don't forget things like that and I'm definitely not shy about bringing them up later, either. A certain Blade designer said on FB that parts support for the Pro Series would be around for years. Yeah, we'll see about that. That same designer also said years ago right here on HF that there would never be a BL mCPX. Well, guess what? But, I don't necessarily blame the actual Blade guys. I'm sure it's more of a big momma Horizon "bean counter" thing.

[tomatwalden]

You mean this post ...

https://www.helifreak.com/showpost.p...79&postcount=2

[jadewarrior]

Originally Posted by tomatwalden

You mean this post ...

https://www.helifreak.com/showpost.p...79&postcount=2

That's one of them. To be fair, though, that was from Oct 2013 and as far as they knew, the 700X was there to stay. It was a pretty new heli at that point and they had no reason to think it would be officially discontinued about a year later. There was ZERO stench in the air of the Pro Series line going away back then. I remember specifically because, if there were, I'd never have purchased my first one at the end of Sep 2013. If anything, it seemed like the Pro Series was runnin' like an unstoppable freight train since it was like OMFG!!! Blade just released a 700 (when nobody thought they ever would)!!! Heck, I remember people talking about them maybe releasing nitro models because it actually seemed somewhat possible based on their momentum. But, now look where we are...

[reich2004]

I've never bought one of their kits but I am disappointed to see it go this way. Ive always thought the 550 looked sweet. Real shame...

[Greg B]

Someday one of us is going to be the last one to post on this thread and that will be the end of the 700X forever. I wonder if the 700X holds the record for the shortest lived 700 size model ever?

[jadewarrior]

Originally Posted by reich2004

I've never bought one of their kits but I am disappointed to see it go this way. Ive always thought the 550 looked sweet. Real shame...

It really is. It's a great flying heli and it's also been extremely reliable. No issues at all since building mine in Sep 2013 and over 500 flights on the airframe. I haven't even so much as needed to change a bearing. I changed the head dampers once and, honestly, the old ones were still fine as I noticed zero difference. It only did it because I had the head apart around the 300 flight mark to re-grease the thrust bearings..

[vebbyson]

Just pulled my 700x out to fly, can't remember if the tail grips are supposed to have axial play on the tail shaft. Pulled the tail blades off thinking that the screws had backed out but they're tight.

[crashcopterman]

Ya they do have play, no worries. Good on you to check though!

[CARMELHILL]

I was really hoping to buy the 700x after reading the review in RC Heli Pilot. But since it's gone, and Blade doesn't seem interested in anything over 500, I dropped the hammer on a Hobby King 700 Assault. Not trolling here, I was just interested in something I could progress on, with bigger size, and more stability than a tiny little 200 or 300. And I'm not intersted in crazy 3d flying, so hopefully I was won't beat the crap out of it. Once my Blade 500 3d is destroyed and parts are impossible to find, I'll concentrate on this 700 size.

I will still use Blade for small stuff because I do like their customer service, website, parts seem to be relatively available, etc... it just would have been awesome if they kept updating the product line from 500 straight through the 700.

It REALLY stinks though. Blade had a great thing going....with all the Spektrum hardware, Castle Creations, Bind n Fly stuff. It was one stop shopping for all your needs. Why would anyone ever go to another manufacturer? I'll tell you why....because Blade doesn't want your customer loyalty if you like anything bigger then a 500.

That's poor marketing. The general rule of thumb, it's always easier to market yourself to an EXISTING customer rather then trying to lure in a new customer. But without a product lineup, they are loosing me, and others.

[CARMELHILL]

Blade sent an email blast out yesterday that the Blade 450 RTF is $150 off. THat usually means they are gearing up to discontinue the line and release a new replacement, or they are just going to allow the 360 CFX be it's replacement.

I am hoping for a new Blade 500, 550, 600, or a new 700. Let's see what happens.

[raisinjack]

[QUOTE=CARMELHILL;6564800

I am hoping for a new Blade 500, 550, 600, or a new 700. Let's see what happens.[/QUOTE]


no way not going to happen.


I think you can see the future when you look at the Blade facebook page

[crashcopterman]

Originally Posted by raisinjack

no way not going to happen.


I think you can see the future when you look at the Blade facebook page

By that do you mean multirotors? Sorry, not a face book guy......at all!!

Steve

[raisinjack]

I dont have a facebook account either, but you can look at this

https://www.facebook.com/BladeHelis

[crashcopterman]

Ya, just as I thought!!