Informal gasser poll

[uh1medic]

I've been lurking here in the shadows for quite some time, watching the many interesting topics about building gasoline-powered helicopters. As a result of my research, I have come to 2 conclusions: (1) gasser helicopters are extremely fascinating, and (2) gasser helicopters are extremely expensive!

My question to all you gasser fanatics (and I know the answers will be 100% biased) is:

"Do you regret the time and expense of building your gasser machine?"

I have spent the past several years developing my skills, both 3D and sport flying, and now feel ready to move into a larger machine. I'm very confident that I will NOT be purchasing a large electric heli, in spite of all the compelling reasons that just make sense. Nitro is pretty awesome with all its raw power and smoke trail, but the cost of fuel and the mess leaves me thinking twice about that power option. So, if you could just simply reply with the following:

(1) "This thing is freakin' awesome! Can't believe I waited so long to build one..."

(2) "It was cool for a while, but now I'm into foam planes and shuffleboard..."

(3) "I'm thinking of hanging myself from the maple tree in the backyard..."

I appreciate your consideration in responding with your opinion, and fully understand that the decision to move into a gasser machine is highly individual and based off of many factors. Just want to avoid the common pitfalls of this hobby and mitigate my own ignorance.

Thanks 'Freakers!

[jharkin]

Well my asnwer would be 1.


If you think a gasser is expensive, go price out the full ownership cost to get the same kind of continuous flight time out of a 700 electric, INCLUDING all the required support gear - batteries, chargers, deep cycle batteries and/or gas generators, etc.

Gas wins hands down in cost when figured that way, not to mention convenience when you realize how much less stuff you need to haul to the field and how much less prep you need to do before a session.

[uh1medic]

Much appreciated. Thank you for your additional input as well...

[fastflyer20]

I started out as #3 years ago, but there are better choices in engines and air frames now for 3D, so it has changed to #1.

I tried a big electric and sold it.
I don't care for the expense of fuel and mess of a 700 nitro.

I fly my two goblin gassers all the time

[Dawiev]

Originally Posted by uh1medic

(2) gasser helicopters are extremely expensive!

I haven't done this until your post prompted me :

X7 power train - Xnova + CC 160 = $ 550+ (you can pay $ 500 for a Scorpion alone !)
Not much more for gas power. (borrow 100 from below)

3 sets of batteries - 6 x $ 110+ = $ 660
How much gas fuel and oil can you buy for this ?

Gasser air frame cheaper than X7

15 minute flight time on 3 sets of batts. (charge, sit, wait ......)
15+ minutes on one tank.

Going to show the wife this calculation immediately !!

[jharkin]

Originally Posted by Dawiev

3 sets of batteries - 6 x $ 110+ = $ 660
How much gas fuel and oil can you buy for this ?

I did some math. About 2,500 15 minute flights worth.

[niget2002]

Originally Posted by Dawiev

I haven't done this until your post prompted me :

X7 power train - Xnova + CC 160 = $ 550+ (you can pay $ 500 for a Scorpion alone !)
Not much more for gas power. (borrow 100 from below)

3 sets of batteries - 6 x $ 110+ = $ 660
How much gas fuel and oil can you buy for this ?

Gasser air frame cheaper than X7

15 minute flight time on 3 sets of batts. (charge, sit, wait ......)
15+ minutes on one tank.

Going to show the wife this calculation immediately !!

Now that's an argument to show the wife!

[rcnut]

I've been lurking here in the shadows for quite some time, watching the many interesting topics about building gasoline-powered helicopters. As a result of my research, I have come to 2 conclusions: (1) gasser helicopters are extremely fascinating, and (2) gasser helicopters are extremely expensive!

My question to all you gasser fanatics (and I know the answers will be 100% biased) is:

"Do you regret the time and expense of building your gasser machine?"

I have spent the past several years developing my skills, both 3D and sport flying, and now feel ready to move into a larger machine. I'm very confident that I will NOT be purchasing a large electric heli, in spite of all the compelling reasons that just make sense. Nitro is pretty awesome with all its raw power and smoke trail, but the cost of fuel and the mess leaves me thinking twice about that power option...

I've been in this hobby over 31 years and I've tried everything except for turbine helis. I was excited to try gas as an alternative to nitro...and electric. Nitro is my first love so the cost doesn't bother me as much compared to electrics, but it does matter. I did break into electrics as something new and it was a blast until I got into the 700 size. Then the cost went up more than nitro helis, mainly due to buying all your nitro all at once...LiPos.

At the start of the electric era, LiPos were very expensive. I paid $375 for a 6s 5000mAh pack, and that was on sale! But the prices have come down considerably. But then there's the cost of the support equipment; charger(s), power supplies, generator & gas, cabling, and so forth.

Now a nitro flight can last up to 12 minutes. Electrics, 5 minutes depending on how hard you push it, then less time. Gassers can get into 20+ minutes per flight! Now that's intriguing!!! However, gas helis are heavier and move slower then nitro or electrics. However, the gas motors have come a long way in power. I fly my gas Goblin fairly hard as if it was one of my nitro helis. I even impressed Doug Darby with the way I was pushing it (well, what really impressed him was my 30 foot sliding autos!).

I have 2 Goblin gas helis and 2 Whiplash gassers. When Miniature Aircraft went out of business, I switched to the Goblin electric and converted it to gas with a conversion kit. The cost was higher due to buying the full electric heli, then the conversion with motor/muffler and electronics. MA sold the Whiplash gassers as a gas only heli, not a nitro or electric with a conversion kit.

I like the way my Gobby flies now, now that it's tuned to my likings. It took a little while to get there...breaking the motor, finding the right muffler (Carey Shirley's RJX style muffler), blades, and radio tuning. It comes close to flying like my Synergy N7, but there are maneuvers it will never do because of it overall weight...14 lbs.

A gas heli will teach you a good deal of control, slowing you down to learn the maneuvers thoroughly. You will gain more collective management. And not to mention blowing your mind being in the air for over 10 minutes!

Overall, a gas heli will help you a great deal with your skills. And in time you will smacking it around like that of a nitro! There are days I pull out my Goblin gasser and burn a gallon or two and it only cost me $11.00 - $16.00. Oh, I run Colman fuel through my gas helis, gasoline smells too much for in the house.

So to answer your question...do I regret trying gas helis? Heck no!!! Do I want to hang myself for doing it? Nope, I want more! Was it a fad thing? No way!

I chose...

(1) "This thing is freakin' awesome! Can't believe I waited so long to build one..."

The only problem we have with gas heli, is no one really makes a gas heli kit. There are a couple of companies that make gas helis, but the kits are questionable and the fate of those companies are in question. Now Miniature Aircraft (MA) is making a come-back, but that won't happen until sometime next year.

So if you are still interested, Carey has Goblin "gas" kit available. Everything needed except for motor/muffler and electronics. Check it out!
http://store.gas-powered-helicopters...ph-ld-1000.htm

I hope this helps...some...

[rbort]

Option #1 for sure. I sold my Concept 30 back in 1997 and bought my first gasser and never looked back. Since then I have put over 8000 gasser flights and don't regret it at all, in fact its been the best thing I ever did. I have flown nitro (hate the fuel/support cost and the mess) and electric (hate the short flight times) and nothing beats a gasser.

Just think about it, your gasser, a gas can, and the TX case and you can fly a whole funfly without any other support equipment -- not even a charger if you get a solar panel on your TX case and install an on-board generator in the model.

-=>Raja.

[rhodesengr]

In the first year I was borderline #3. Part was because I bought my first one used and it had tons of problems. Then i bought a Whiplash and it turned out to have a serious design flaw despite (the OWB issue) all the threads about how great it is. The i bought a new 700N DFC and conversion so everything was new but I still found some build (conversion) issues along the way.

Now I have two gas powered 700N HB conversions and they have been perfectly reliable for over a year. Seems that I have worked through the issues. I also have a 700L electric which never had any issues, much less angst. For some reason, I just like flying the gas powered ones more. No, you can't throw them around willy nilly but I like the sound, I like the long flight times, and I like the intangibles.

So now i am closer to #1 but "freaking awesome" might be a little strong. Maybe if i got a tuned pipe

[T-bone-1]

sold all my other heli's!!! built the gobblin 700 gasser with trm 300tt, best thing I have ever done put a raja jen on fly forever lol you will love a gasser

[uh1medic]

Thanks to all for your helpful input. To my chagrin, I have decided to move ahead with a gasser build. I was really hoping to be deterred, but the result of the poll was expected.
Just ordered the SAB Goblin 630 competition airframe and will be taking my time researching and piecing it together. If any of you gasser 'Freaks live in the Greater Seattle region, I would be interested in networking as the build progresses. Just send me a PM...

Thanks again

[FrankFuss]

Originally Posted by uh1medic

Just ordered the SAB Goblin 630 competition airframe and will be taking my time researching and piecing it together.

The Goblins go together easier than you might think. I ordered a Goblin 500 electric a couple months ago to be my winter project. I finished it in about 4 weeks and with the good weather I have had it in the air already. Since I don't have anything for my winter project, I ordered parts for a Goblin 700 gasser. Hopefully, I can start breaking it in by the end of January.

[T-bone-1]

you are going to love the 700 gasser

[trillian]

For me it's a solid #1.

This is my second go-round with gassers. I started with nitro in the beginning but also loved the idea of the whole gasser thing so I had a Century Predator SE that I got 2nd hand. When I first started flying it I was just doing circuits and the odd loop now and then and at the time I was quite happy with how the Predator handled. But as I flew nitro more and more and then moved into electric, I flew the Predator less and less.

On top of this was the factor of parts getting harder to find etc. so when a chance to sell the airframe came along I let it go. This was a couple years ago.

After that I got to where I was pretty much only flying 700 size electric. Then just around the beginning of this year someone I know was selling a Helix 700 ready to fly so I jumped back into the gasser world and really liked it.

Then some other friends were developing a conversion for the Raptor E700 (called the RMJ gasser conversion). So I got one of the first kits, rounded up a donor airframe and took my time doing the build and it was one of the most enjoyable builds, I really enjoyed the whole process. Unfortunately I haven't done too much flying with it due to travelling and then a long run of very poor weather.

Anyway, for my flying style ('big air' and a bit of F3C) I find that the gassers pretty much replace nitro, for me anyway. I get that whole combustion engine living breathing sensation but without the cost of nitro fuel and without having to lug around a big starter etc. I also like the look of them, there's something really 'over the top' about such a big engine and pipe crammed into a helicopter airframe :-)