Research phase... Happy with your 5.5?

[ryguy76]

I'm likely going to add a 550 or 600 to my fleet next spring.

At the moment, in no particular order, my short list is the Agile 5.5, G570 and Compass 6HVU.

I've read lots on the other 2, but know very little on the 5.5 other than I'm really drawn to the design/look, and fly the 7.2 in my sim more than everything else.

My questions are pretty straightforward at the moment.

Are you happy with your 5.5? What are the Pros and Cons? Would you buy it again? Do you wish you bought something else in this size instead?

Thanks!

[Bigpops]

I do like my Agile. It's a total work of art visually, but....

As a 6 cell heli, I sort of wish I'd gone with the other option I was considering at the time, the Gaui X5.

It's not lacking in power on 6S, but even at 2300rpm on the head, I'm hitting spikes in the 140A+ range (only for sub 1 second), and I don't even fly that hard. I don't like pulling those crazy currents.

This will be remedied in the new year when I go 12S on the Agile, and buy a Gaui X5.

If I had unlimited funds for crashes, I'd probably have gone for the Goblin 570 on 12S, but the parts prices for that fill me with dread. They were one of the reasons I sold my Goblin 500.

[ryguy76]

Good info, thanks.

I was likely going to aim to run a 12S setup if I went with the G570, so I'll keep this in mind and may do the same for the Agile, if I end up going that route.

The cost of the Goblin scares me too, a bit. Are you happy with the parts cost on the 5.5?

Do you like the way it flies even with the 6S setup?


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[Flydynamics]

It's a heavy machine so that's why you pull so much current ... sadly the 550 class helicopter (real ones, not the smaller ones like the X5) are heavy, Agile 5.5, Synergy E5 and the New Align 550L are all around the same weight ... So .... many option instead of a very simple design that is light like the Logo 550SX !

[Bigpops]

Originally Posted by ryguy76

Good info, thanks.

I was likely going to aim to run a 12S setup if I went with the G570, so I'll keep this in mind and may do the same for the Agile, if I end up going that route.

The cost of the Goblin scares me too, a bit. Are you happy with the parts cost on the 5.5?

Do you like the way it flies even with the 6S setup?


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Parts for the 5.5 (and 7.2 for that matter) are really nicely priced. Frames and main/crown gears are more expensive than average, but everything else is very reasonable. Even the lovely carbon tail boom isn't crazy expensive.

[GimpyGolden]

Also consider kit/parts support.
I see you are in Canada so RotorQuest will take good care of you for the Agile or Goblin.
For Compass you are looking at Michigan with ProStar or Experience RC.

Working with RotorQuest I am helping build a Team for KDS in 2015 so expect with more exposure to see more Agile in the Canadian sky's.

Also if you want bigger Agile 5.5 can soon be stretched to run up to 620mm blade.
Will be a monster on 12 cell. I will be setting mine up next season on 12S/570mm and 12S/700mm for my 7.2

[ryguy76]

Well, I do have to say I forgot about the Logo 550SX. Having a try 550 heli that performed really well on a single 6S pack would really be welcomed. I'm not sure about the parts availability, but rcflightstore.com carries Mikado and are in the Greater Vancouver area.

That would work for me.

Having rotorquest carry KDS and Goblin was a big part of this too, and not having a Compass dealer was likely going to remove that heli from the short list.

[Flydynamics]

The compass designers should work on the shape of the canopy !!!!.... Except the 7HV, the other models are really ugly ..... Agile 5.5 looks very neat, the Synergy E5 is cool but the weird shape of he skids never appealed me (replaced it wit Align ones), the Logo 550SX is nice but Mikado is forcing you to work with only one retailer causing price to be sometimes ridiculously high like Synergy. Align just released a beautiful, heavy Trex 550L at a crazy low price for the quality. Another good option is the JR E6-550, very nice, very light, priced properly with combo available and a 3 blades head available to add some crazy rotor head authority (not that it's needed but nice to be able to try by just buying the option).

[nflanagin]

Then there's the Thunder Tiger e550. The weights look odd though.

Logo 550 sx - Mikado USA - RTF Weight - 2950g
ThunderTiger E550 - Tower Hobbies - RTF Weight - 2277g

Agile 5.5 - flying weight 3500g

[TBur]

I really like the 5.5 as well. However I share similar concerns as have been previously posted about low flight times and high current.

Is anyone running 7s ? I'd like to hear the results for that sort of setup. I'd really like to keep a goto single battery heli in my fleet

[redsox]

the agile 5.5 is my current front runner for a 12s 550. i dont find the double battery at all troublesome. i have the g570 and its really nice, i just dont want to crash it so i fly it kinda lame. so its too expensive for me to have fun on. im looking for a 550 to run 2600-3000 x2, logo has scared me with dealers closing so its out for me. synergys parts are crazy and has some of the worst crash cost. so the agile looks very promising. ive always had light helis atom 500, goblin 570, x3, so ive never flown a heavier one. maybe ill like it.

[Skeezix]

Originally Posted by TBur

I really like the 5.5 as well. However I share similar concerns as have been previously posted about low flight times and high current.

Is anyone running 7s ? I'd like to hear the results for that sort of setup. I'd really like to keep a goto single battery heli in my fleet

I'm in the same boat looking for a 550 heli. I did speak to someone who flew or worked for KDS on this forum and he said 7S is the sweet spot for the 5.5

6S may not be quite enough depending on flying style, but it's doable and what the Agile 5.5 was designed for.

The only other 550 that I like is the New 550L Dominator, but looking at parts between the Dominator and Agile, the frame sides are the same price but main gears are more for the Agile.

With the Agile you can get aftermarket Fusuno frame sides for $38/side vs $58 from KDS

A dealer brought an agile 5.5 to my field the other day and I was able to look at it and watch it fly. The dealer tried to steer me away from the agile 5.5 as he said the parts were A) hard to get B) poor quality, and C) didn't perform any better than anything else. Also he explained that the components (servos, FBL system and motor) in the Agile combo were pretty poor quality. He told me if I was going to spend $$ on the Agile a Goblin would be a much better choice.

Hope this helps. I really want to Like the Agile, but it sounds like an expensive build if you end up piece mewling all the components together

[ryguy76]

Originally Posted by Skeezix

I'm in the same boat looking for a 550 heli. I did speak to someone who flew or worked for KDS on this forum and he said 7S is the sweet spot for the 5.5



6S may not be quite enough depending on flying style, but it's doable and what the Agile 5.5 was designed for.



The only other 550 that I like is the New 550L Dominator, but looking at parts between the Dominator and Agile, the frame sides are the same price but main gears are more for the Agile.



With the Agile you can get aftermarket Fusuno frame sides for $38/side vs $58 from KDS



A dealer brought an agile 5.5 to my field the other day and I was able to look at it and watch it fly. The dealer tried to steer me away from the agile 5.5 as he said the parts were A) hard to get B) poor quality, and C) didn't perform any better than anything else. Also he explained that the components (servos, FBL system and motor) in the Agile combo were pretty poor quality. He told me if I was going to spend $$ on the Agile a Goblin would be a much better choice.



Hope this helps. I really want to Like the Agile, but it sounds like an expensive build if you end up piece mewling all the components together

After contemplating my options, once I headed down the Logo path, there has been no turning back or distractions. I'll likely get a 550 SE.


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[Skeezix]

Originally Posted by redsox

the agile 5.5 is my current front runner for a 12s 550. i dont find the double battery at all troublesome. i have the g570 and its really nice, i just dont want to crash it so i fly it kinda lame. so its too expensive for me to have fun on. im looking for a 550 to run 2600-3000 x2, logo has scared me with dealers closing so its out for me. synergys parts are crazy and has some of the worst crash cost. so the agile looks very promising. ive always had light helis atom 500, goblin 570, x3, so ive never flown a heavier one. maybe ill like it.

Being a Goblin owner, how much 'cheaper' is the Goblin 570 vs the Agile 5.5 if you get the frame-only kit for the Agile?

Admittedly, I'm not an owner of either of those models, but they seem about the same price to build - I cannot comment on crashing. In fact, the dealer I spoke to who sold both models, told me the parts for the Agile are more expensive. The example he used was that a carbon frame side for the Goblin was about $45, whereas the Agile was about $60.

I thought that was interesting, but also found that Fusuno makes replacement carbon fiber frames for the Agile for $38 each on HeliDirect.