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RC-Direct . HeliDirect . PowerHelis

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e-HeliDirect HDX 300-600 > Your Thoughts on the HDX500
 
 
freakinnovice
Heliman
Location: Charlotte, NC

So a fellow ryder has offered to trade me a HDX500, but I don't know much about this heli. Can you guys give me some pro's and con's about this heli, and what parts can be interchanged with other heli's (ie. Trex 500 canopy). It would really help if I could see some pictures of how the masses have setup this bird (electronics, motors, etc). Is anyone out there running A123's on this 500, how does if feel?

Thanks,
D
11-11-2008 06:07 PM
 
 
freakinnovice
Heliman
Location: Charlotte, NC

Does anyone out there have any opinions of the HDX500?
11-12-2008 01:38 AM
 
 
Spitfire1
Veteran
Location: Perth Australia

Im still here.
11-12-2008 04:44 AM
 
 
Spitfire1
Veteran
Location: Perth Australia

Its a good heli, the main thing is if you can get parts easy.

I think the flip rate is too slow for 3d out of the box, it flips just really slow, need to try trex flybar to see how it is, havent got round to it yet.
Ive crashed my one maybe 20 - 50 times in a year or so and still flying ok.

I havent seen trex500 fly yet, all of the people I fly with have 600 trex, but Im sure the Trex 500 is heaps better, but twice the price also.
11-12-2008 04:50 AM
 
 
concept1
Key Veteran
Location: Youngstown, OH

I agree with Spitfire, the stock flybar and paddles are really only for a beginner! the Trex flybar and paddles are really a must have for this heli, also the metal tail case is a must have, the plastic tail is just too soft and is the cause of many tail issues, once you swap out those parts you have a great little heli. the trex 500 is still a bit quicker, but not all that much. if you want a all out 3D machine i would probably recomend the Trex, but the HDX is a great flyer the metal upgrades work very well and it is a very trouble free heli (once you ditch the plastic parts) the blades, flybar, landing gear, canopy are interchangable with the Trex, I would recomend just keep mast, and gear on hand in case of crash. I like the servo layout and the overall frame design, it flies nice on 4s, but 6s A123 really wakes it up. I believe this is a perfect platform for someone to get into A123's which is why I went with the HDX, I only use A123's. you don't see much info on the HDX and I beleive it is moslty because it really is a good little Heli and is pretty trouble free. the problems are for the most part no local parts support, but Helidirect has great service generally in 2-3 days
11-12-2008 02:50 PM
 
 
freakinnovice
Heliman
Location: Charlotte, NC

So I guess the next question is if you guys could do it all over would you buy your HDX500 today with all the 425 sized competitors on the market?
11-13-2008 05:08 PM
 
 
concept1
Key Veteran
Location: Youngstown, OH

Each of the 500's has their own benifits. I feel Flying style and wants really determine which 500 is best for you! If I stick with the 500, i would not even consider any other, But I fly only A123's and this is the best A123 bird in the 500's and I also like to be different! for the past 10 yrs I have driven a car that no one else in the area has, I have had 4 limited edition Saab's and Volvo's because it is a good car and I Won't drive the same car everyone else in town has! and the car must have good performance, room for my kids and other junk and dependability which is why I choose Saab, I have a Silver 4door sedan, a 9-5 Aero with limited edition BBS style wheels and other extra's, I have yet to see another like it! I can carry my heli's in the trunk the kids and still blow the doors of a heck of a lot of other cars on the street, but not all!
I take this same criteria to my heli choice it must perform well, but doesn't need to be the best performer. it must be cheap to maintain, with very little maintence!! etc.
with the HDX you must accept the fact you will need to order many parts, or keep them onhand yourself. really no big deal unless this is your first heli and you crash everytime you fly!
performace is their with the best of them, but the trex will be somewhat quicker.
it is very economical to fly ,on either 4s lipo, or 6s A123, you also need to accept the fact that more then likely local support will really only cover the trex! I like the HDX frame design better and i do like the aluminum parts look, but again this is a personal preference. you really can't go wrong with any of the 500s though!
11-13-2008 06:45 PM
 
 
Rototerrier
Heliman
Location: Fayetteville, GA - USA

I owned a HDX500SE and it was a total piece of garbage. I couldn't even sell the parts. I have a bag of HDX parts just sitting in a box. I very quickly ditched the thing for a Trex500 and it was not even a comparison. the T500, hands down, puts a smack down on a HDX any day of the week. Don't even consider the HDX. I am not preaching T500, just my experience of the difference between the 2. Get anything but an HDX. If you do go with the HDX, I have a complete head and a couple tail assemblies I can sell you

I kept the 500 for a good while and finally sold it, only to finance a 90 build. It was a great heli for me, and still is for the buy who bought it. Parts are cheap and the thing flies great.

Do yourself a huge favor and just put the HDX out of your mind and look elsewhere.

And, for those of you who swear by them and are reading this, PM me for a deal on some parts. I had them posted a while back over on HF but never listed them here on RR. I might relist them...but, if anyone is interested, just PM me. I can get photos and an inventory rather quickly.

Off the top of my head I have the A308XL 1050 motor, some main shafts, an entire head, 2 tail assemblies, paddles, nuts bolts, hobby wing programming card, belts, gears, etc.. Pretty much the entire airframe minus the frames.
11-13-2008 07:39 PM
 
 
Spitfire1
Veteran
Location: Perth Australia

Only thing with the Rex 500 is that you may as well get the Rex 600, the GF 600 is cheaper than its 500 counterpart.
Align`s 600 size heli`s are a bargain for what you get, but for 50 dollars more you get a smaller heli.

And as far as the cost of packs, just buy zippy`s and you will still end up spending less than if you bought 500 size f/power packs for $150.

Ive found that in reality these smaller heli`s end up costing more, my 500 is a money pit compared to my 600, I think Im just gonna use the money I spend keeping this 500 together on 6s packs from now on.
11-14-2008 01:39 AM
 
 
freakinnovice
Heliman
Location: Charlotte, NC

Well I hope everyone doesn't feel like Rototerrier does about their HDX500 . Please I'd like to hear some rebuttals.
11-14-2008 03:04 PM
 
 
Spitfire1
Veteran
Location: Perth Australia

If you can afford to go for a Trex, either 500 or 600.
I just cant say enough on how happy ive been with my 600.

If you want to save a bit of cash, the HDX is not a bad heli, It flies really nice FFF, Big sky f3c type stuff, If you want to 3d it wont do it out of the box, you will really need to go 5 or 6s and a upgrade motor, and change the head. (starts to get into the too hard basket.)
Maybe some more info, have long have you been flying helis if so what kind of flying you do?

Just For example, I really like my Trex 600 that I fly now, but I had an old JR airskipper clone that was much more fun to fly, really fast in straight line, heaps of momentum for big loops, where as my Trex is really agile for flips but its too slow in fff I find, I think for fast flying a bit of ballast weight is good, the HDX has plenty of it..
11-15-2008 03:34 AM
 
 
smcbmw
Veteran
Location: Louisville, Kentucky

I love my hdx 500.... Rototerrier, if you have spare parts to give away let me know!

10-8
11-15-2008 03:39 AM
 
 
Spitfire1
Veteran
Location: Perth Australia

Also I found out a few days ago that my Hdx 500 dont auto very well, it just came down like a brick and went thud.
11-15-2008 04:07 AM
 
 
Rototerrier
Heliman
Location: Fayetteville, GA - USA

Quote 
love my hdx 500.... Rototerrier, if you have spare parts to give away let me know!

Won't be giving them away, but I will sell them for cheap. They do still have some value to me Many screws and standoffs and things like that, are very usefull in other applications.
11-15-2008 11:57 AM
 
 
missle
Heliman
Location: West Chester, Oh

Like others have said, for 3D, I'd just kick out the extra funds and go with a 600 Rex (or 500 if your stuck on that size), but if your learning 3D (like myself) and your good with sport flying, then I'd definately go with the HDX (with upgrades of course). For me, I'm running a Scorpion 4036-1210kv on 6S 2500mah packs, e-Multigov with HS set at 2550rpm, Hitec HS-85 digi servos on cyclic/collect on 6V, Rex canopy, stock plastic head and tail (only cause I haven't found a good enough deal on a metal head/tail), 70mm tail blades, 401 and 9254, with a flying weight of 1698g.
She's actually a lot of fun to fly and I can go do nice flips but just not blistering flips (possibly due to skill level vs heli), inverted punch outs are nice but again, not blazing. When I go flying, I take my Rex 450, HDX 500, and my Rex 600 and rotate between all of them. They each have their own niche, but I do favor the 600 as I spend a good amount of time practicing inverted hover, punch outs, tic-tocs, ect...

WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!
11-16-2008 03:18 AM
 
 
freakinnovice
Heliman
Location: Charlotte, NC

I'm still a beginner, so sport flying would be great. I'm looking for something that can fly in the winter winds, but still give me a good platform to learn solid FFF.
11-16-2008 04:31 AM
 
 
Spitfire1
Veteran
Location: Perth Australia

HDX is good for FFF and winds.

I cant speak about the Rex 500, but Im finding my Trex 600 is not the best in FFF, I think because its a 3d machine by design it wants to do its own thing, and each time I have to make corrections to keep it in a strait line it slows down, maybe the 500 rex is also like this.
My HDX 500 handles winds better than my 600 e and flies in a straght line much better, makes me look like a better pilot, my trex makes me look really bad unless theres no wind.
11-16-2008 05:58 AM
 
 
missle
Heliman
Location: West Chester, Oh

freakinnovice, then you should definately like the HDX500 (like myself) cause it's superb in the wind and for flying around (as opposed to flipp on a dime). If your looking to buy one, there's a guy over in rcgroups who's got a super-super great deal on a HDX. I believe he's got two frames, two heads with one being aluminum, two tails with one being aluminum, as well as tons of spare parts. He's already got the upgrades on it (ie. Rex flybar, canopy, 130tooth main gear, ect...) so you'll definately be able to progress into some 3D stuff if you ever wanted to. I was going to buy it but I just didn't need more spares and frames, and all I wanted was the aluminum V2 head and tail. He goes by dragrcr on RCgroups and tell him missle sent you and he'll give you a super great price!

WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!
11-16-2008 01:32 PM
 
 
Blademan
Senior Heliman
Location: Morehead, KY. Home of the CRAM club

HDX 500 SAH

Well each to his owne, I guess I have the SAH, haven't got to fly it much yet. But what I have, it seems to be a very stable little heli. I'm running 4s 4000mah with a RCP 35/18/11 motor and a Align 60amp ESC. Climbouts are awsome, like a rocket For what its worth, I love mine

Cave Run AeroModelers AMA # 838863
11-18-2008 12:06 AM
 
 
freakinnovice
Heliman
Location: Charlotte, NC

Well guys my HDX500 should go out in the mail today so hopefully I out flying by this weekend. Why does this heli take such some cyclic servos? Don't most helis of this size have room for a 9650?

edit:
Strike that it looks like I spoke to soon, I think my trade just fell through. Thanks for all the advice guys it's really good to a group that really enjoy their heli's.
11-18-2008 02:28 PM
 
 
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e-HeliDirect HDX 300-600 > Your Thoughts on the HDX500
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