What new Heli would you like Century to make

[karl k]

Originally Posted by distructor

If century was to come with an E640 V2, I would like to see a wider battery compartment with a deeper recess in the electronics mounting tray to give more battery options. Looking through battery specs, a few mm would make a big difference. 4500ma 10s would be nice. Maybe bling out the tail mechanics for metal grips.

I second the bigger battery compartment. If there was more room to the point where a single 6s5000 would fit, making it a 550 would be as simple as swapping out tail boom, torque tube and tail control rod. If it was big enough to fit 2 6s5000 packs, a 700 conversion would also be super simple.

I would also like to see some tweaks to the bellcrank cross brace so 49mm diameter motors will fit properly with a 10 tooth slant pinion. Also, give us an 11 tooth slant pinion. There's a big gap in the gearing with the current lineup of pinions.

[Dennis P]

To make a good performing Radikal 550 it would have to go on a diet I think.The E640 is a great heli as is in most areas.I agree they need to make a new bellcrank brace that will fit the same size motor as the frame does without alterations.I never had belt issues on a heli until I owned a Logo 500SE and as far as I am concerned I really really like TT tail drive.It is funny how the trends go .Some with push pull are going to direct servo and some with direct servo are going back to push pull and the whole DFC thing seems to be a little bit of a wreck for allot of manufactures such a Sab. They have made a new head to get away from it and all new kits have what they call there precision head or something like that.Anyway it has a follower setup rather than DFC. Any crash I have had with a direct to servo setup has cost me servo gears and I have never lost gears on a push pull in a crash (yet!) so I am kind of fond of the push pull linkage.We all have different wish lists but so far a 550 seems to be on several people list.

[Dennis P]

Originally Posted by distructor

If century was to come with an E640 V2, I would like to see a wider battery compartment with a deeper recess in the electronics mounting tray to give more battery options. Looking through battery specs, a few mm would make a big difference. 4500ma 10s would be nice. Maybe bling out the tail mechanics for metal grips.

I agree with you on the electronics mounting tray .I really have wondered about it and thought why? There would be no issue with 12s 4000's and several other options if the tray was designed to be a little lower for the batterys to slide into it.Why make the frame part as big as they did and not allow the packs to come forward.Plus my leads have a tendincy to get caught against it will sliding my packs in. With that being said most other 600 class heli's do not fit very big packs either as most are desinged for 2 3300mah 6s packs.

[Furious Predator]

I recently saw a 500 size heli with an OS37 nitro motor. I think its make by Gui or something.

It is a bit smaller then a 30 machine, and retarded light, but it has the 30 size nitro motor.

I would love to see Century come out with a sub 30 size nitro!

[Ontaeronut]

Originally Posted by Furious Predator

I recently saw a 500 size heli with an OS37 nitro motor. I think its make by Gui or something.

It is a bit smaller then a 30 machine, and retarded light, but it has the 30 size nitro motor.

I would love to see Century come out with a sub 30 size nitro!

It's a Gaui NX-4.Awsome lil machine and will quickly replace my hawk if and when it dies a quick death . I agree I would love to see century come out with something along that line.

[907Heli]

I would like to see a smaller Radikal E550 and N550 to replace the Swift and Hawk. I love my Hawk Pro but it is very outdated and i'd really like to see it come with CCPM. Even if it kept the flybar to keep costs down for beginners, the CCPM would be much simpler to set up and have a lot lower parts count. Keep the torque tube and the gentle extra stable flight characteristics that I love about my Hawk and add the CCPM with a low price point and you have a winner. Also, make more parts so it's easier to get them. I think that selling the current N640 with an engine or with servos is good but a super combo with engine and servos and a decent gyro would be even more appealing to new pilots.
I really like the 550 size because it's the first big heli. It's waaay bigger than a 500 and not much off a 600 and it has the big heli feel.

Oh, and make sure that everything new has the constant drive tail. Beginners shouldn't have to worry about losing tail authority when learning autos.

[Furious Predator]

You could always use the Raven 50 setup for the swash. It is a direct connection between servo and swash, so super easy setup and low parts count. Could also use the Raven 50 / NX50 tail drive for constant tail drive in auto's.

Would be nice if that came in the box, but it can easily be done if someone wishes.

But I agree, a little Radikal 550 or 500 N and E would be nice

[907Heli]

Originally Posted by Furious Predator

You could always use the Raven 50 setup for the swash. It is a direct connection between servo and swash, so super easy setup and low parts count. Could also use the Raven 50 / NX50 tail drive for constant tail drive in auto's.

I see that Century has a constant drive tail kit for the Hawk Pro.
As far as the Raven 50, could you use that to swap the Hawk over to a nice setup and would it be any better than the ccpm conversion kit that Century offers?

[Furious Predator]

Think of the Raven 50 as a fully upgraded Hawk. If you can, it would be easier/cheaper to just try and get a Raven 50 kit, or a used air frame and take what you want off it, or swap your equipment over to the Raven. You would then also have a pile of exchangeable parts.

Your going to spend around $150 to upgrade to those two options, your getting close to the cost of a Raven kit, and still don't have the heavier duty head and tail.

[907Heli]

That sounds decent but I can't find a Raven kit except for ebay and a couple odd shops here and there. Century doesn't carry it anymore but they do carry the Hawk. I guess the Hawk still sells better. I hope they aren't getting ready to discontinue my Hawk.

I find that it's very difficult to find parts for .30 size heli's these days. I can't find anyone who carries any of the quiet pipes or any after market pipes that might also be quieter. Seems like the industry has shifted towards the .50's being the beginner helis and the .90's the advanced helis and the .30's are just fading away. If that's the case, then I guess the current 640's really do fit the bill size wise. I just wish there was a slightly better equipped low cost nitro heli. If they just updated the Hawk to ccpm and a better head I would be happy, IF they could keep the cost down by using parts from something else.

Just looked around for a new .30
Thunder Tiger - .50 and .90
Align - .50 and .90
Compass - .50 and .90
Gaui - Has the NX4 as their only nitro model. 500 size, .37 engine. Looks really good actually.
http://www.gaui.com.tw/html/shopping...rea=87&cat=315

Maybe the Gaui is a good enough reason for Century to make a 550.

[karl k]

Following the Gaui lines, a 550mm or 520mm blade heli with a .50 or .55 in it would be awesome!

[907Heli]

Exactly. A lightweight 550 with a 55 would be an awesome machine. I really think they have all the high performance stuff covered though, what I would like to see is more of a beginners machine, something cheap yet decently equipped.
Mostly I want to see a decent quality low price machine with the same types of controls that you would find in a larger heli. That way a beginner can learn how to set up a heli properly and he/she moves up to a larger heli, all the same setup rules apply. Plus I've found that these days, with almost every heli being made with ccpm, getting help learning how to set up my hawk correctly has been difficult as most people have never seen one before.

[karl k]

What about a 550mm blade machine with mounting and gearing choices to be able to run a .37 at a lower head speed or put in a .55 and larger pinion to crank it up.

[907Heli]

That would be cool, but someone needs to start making more stuff for the .30's to support them before I'd buy another. Hopefully the .37 will stay in production and century will make a 550 and it will be super popular and people will start making pipes again.

[Ontaeronut]

I don't think OS will stop making the 37, since Gaui is using it in their NX-4. Plus if your looking for a pipe, they make one for the 37 as well. here is a link that shows them both and some other gems.


http://www.rotorquest.com/index.php?cPath=38_956_1460

[karl k]

How about a 550mm gasser that uses the new OS 15cc engine?

[907Heli]

I don't know, they keep saying that it fits .90 size helis. A 550 might be a bit small. Makes me wonder though, if a 231 is Century's normal .90 size engine, how is OS claiming that a 15cc is also appropriate for a .90? They do get a lot of power out of their engines, but that's almost half the size.

[Dennis P]

I think the OS gasser would be great in a N640 with 640's Century should look at a motor mount option ect to see if it can be done as that would probably make the N640 sell like hot cakes
I do not think there is much to worry about in the Hawk disappearing as it is used in allot of the scale fuselages.I agree that coming with ECCPM would be a nice modernization item.It is a proven simple platform that has worked well for along time.I say leave it going and maybe update to ECCPM ect but make a 30 size performer that is more along the lines of a shrunk N640 style (N550) with a electric version (E550) also

[907Heli]

You just created my ideal heli.

G640. Bigger motor mount, geared for the gasser. 640 blades, I'm in love with it already. It would have to be cheaper than a G30 and would probably perform as well as a G20. I youtubed the OS15 and it seems a bit anemic in a 700, good for mild 3D but I bet in a lighter weight 640 I think it would kick ass.

As far as .30's, it seems like they've gone the way of the dinosaurs. I was surprised to find the Gaui, but that's the only one I came across. There are so many downsides to getting a .30 vs. a .50, mostly less aftermarket options, fewer blade choices, fewer vendors that carry your items etc. Buying a .50 makes more sense these days. Last time I was in my LHS they didn't even have any .30's. I can't say it enough, if they're going to sell a .30 size successfully then it has to be a good value. Cheap, significantly less than a .50, but it still has to be quality.

[john kan]

Hopefully Century would come out again with a heli for 4 stroke engine. Would love to get my hands on one if they ever do again