Latest S107G: January 2012

My newest copter is another great SYMA product: the new Lime Green S107G.

The gyro action is really good on these latest copter models. This is one of the best 3-channel copters to get.

Get yours at: Hobby-eStore.com

Lowest Price 4-Channel Copter EVER

Start counting components- two things are evident: There are few of them, and they are tightly arranged.

I have seen F14 avionics parts that were not packaged this well. Just look at how all those wires flow together, and how cable routing was obviously designed in.

Consider this: the head can be entirely assembled to the drive, before being installed in the Helizone Thunderbird metal chassis. This forward-think saves lots of time and error in the assembly phase.

You can bet that I'll be building a small fleet of this model as I move on from 3-channel after 3 years.

More pics to follow, for now, head over to Hobby-eStore to get the specs on this stellar craft.

Helizone Thunderbird Chassis Shots

My Helizone Thunderbird 4-channel has really impressed me.

I crashed it, really, really hard a few days ago and nothing broke.

Simply amazing durability in a $50 helicopter.

You can't get a good 2.4 Ghz radio for $50, and here's a whole quality helicopter for the price.

Get this great copter at Hobby-eStore.

More pics in a jiff.

Hot Blue Barchetta

Blue firebird.

One of the best-looking 3 channel copters there is.

My Helizone Firebird is nearly two years old, and still flies.

Few 3 channel micro helicopters last a week, in comparison.

The Helizone RC Firebird is from Hobby-eStore dot com.

Helizone's Thunderbird, unwrapped.

This is the new HelizoneRC Thunderbird with the canopy off. I couldn't wait to see what's inside this great-flying thing.

Super-tiny parts, that's what! I'll have more pics up in two shakes, still processing them from the camera.

My New Thunderbird Helicopter from HelizoneRC and Hobby-eStore

Here's a few more pics before we tear it down for an autopsy. Check out all of those gold-anodized parts in the Helizone Thunderbird.

I was finally able to take one of my small copters out in the yard (even with a mild side-wind) and just bomb all over with it. What a BLAST this new copter is to fly around. It's so nice to land where you wanted to, not where you ended up.

I was surprised at the range I had with the transmitter that came with the Helizone Thunderbird. But then again, it's a Giggy-hertz radio, so that really shouldn't be surprising. I think the IR-controlled copter days are about over.

 And at  just $49, the Helizone Thunderbird will be a huge factor in proving me correct.

See my huge copter collection HERE.

More Helizone Thunderbird

A few years back, I'd imagined that this copter would show up. This is your familiar 3-channel metal airframe, with incredibly tiny servos added for swashplate control.

Unlike those IR-controlled 3-channels, however, this puppy flies outdoors just fine.

This is about the same size as the pricey micro-helicopters you've seen, but the durability is very high in comparison. The Helizone Thunderbird 4-channel is a very rugged helicopter, based on proven components.

The gold and gloss black treatment reminds me of those hot Yamaha Specials from the 1980's. Gorgeous.

See my huge copter collection HERE.

Helizone RC ThunderBird Helicopter 4-channel is all-new

The new Helizone 4-channel copter is here, and it's a fantastic example of a micro 4-channel helicopter.

The styling is sharp, but look past that, because this model is packed with advanced-helicopter features that even discerning pilots will like.

See my huge copter collection HERE.

Bladerunner Interceptor Copters Just Will Not DIE?

These low-cost 3 channel helicopters from the grocery store have really turned out to be incredible values! It's now been a year since I bought four of them, and the three that I still own (gave one away in a contest) still recharge and fly beautifully. Simply amazing, the quality I found in these $29 helicopters. This year, I got the Swann Micro Lightning they were selling at Costco, and I do hope it turns out to be as reliable. If you found one of these at Radio Shack, it is indeed WORTH paying what they are asking!
 See my huge copter collection HERE.

S006G Copter Maiden Flight Video

The helicopter Zooming about in high speed mode.The S006G Syma is a really good looking copter with few flaws. I like how it handles- the gyros that are built in are getting better and better.

My S006G in its first flight, fresh out of the box.

Fun copter, kinda fast for its size! This is the low speed mode here. Three channel copters are a lot of fun, and most of my own indoor copters are infrared remotes. I prefer to fly indoors with small copters, where the only wind is my AC unit.

See my huge copter collection HERE.

S107 Heli Throttle Spring Mod

How to stop the dreaded copter-drop act: yank that throttle spring out.

The S107 3 channel helicopter is a winner in every respect. If you happen to get a hold of an older model, this short video shows how to remove an S107 helicopter throttle spring, easily. Once you have the spring out of the S107 copter's transmitter, be sure to stow it as shown, in case a future user needs it back on. Akso, take care not to pinch the wires in the TX casing. 

Now, you can fly your S107 copter with one hand, and snap shots with the other.
 See my huge copter collection HERE.

Classy 3 Channel Firebirds

Two stunning Helizone Firebird helicopters in a fitting studio, a German automobile.

Fine leather and upholstery make a great backdrop for these high-end 3 channel helicopters. The Firebird is the best of the best, and I consider it the best 3 channel copter you can get, at any price. They really fly well! The Firebird helicopter looks almost exactly like a Syma S107, but is made to higher standards. The fit and finish are high, and online forum readers rate them as outstanding. With the proliferation of S107 clones on the market, that are truly horrible, it makes good sense to purchase a Helizone Firebird, and know what you are getting.

 See my huge copter collection HERE.

S006G Helicopter Gold Model

S006G Helicopter Gold Model.

One beautiful helicopter. this model comes out of the box ready to please. The gorgeous finish really sets this one apart from the crowd. Get a set of spare motors for the Syma S006G if you order one. The airframe on this three channel copter is rugged, and is one that will stand up to many flights. It is available in other colors, but the Syma S006G looks best in the gold, I think.

 See my huge copter collection HERE.

Double Horse 9104 Video 

This is one of my latest helicopter goodies, the Double Horse 9104 3 channel, single rotor helicopter. IT's the first 3 channel with a working swashplate, and a standard, faces-sideways tail rotor. It is 100% authentic, and a very nice display model, too.  Single-rotor 3 channel copters always drift- the tail rotor is always moving them to the left, so you must compensate, and hovering is only possible against a slight wind.

This is the 9100 model noodling around here, I have them both. I found it to be a really fun trainer, and it also helps you gain more understanding of how a swashplate, flybar, and tail rotor work together. It actually increased my knowledge, as well as kept me busy adjusting for a few days.

 See my huge copter collection HERE.

S107 Tear-Down Video 

This video shows a Syma 3 channel helicopter being torn apart for no reason other than to show the sequence in which it comes apart. I have many of the small copters by Syma, and they usually do not have to be worked on. 

But if your copter needs a tweak or a repair, it may look like a hopeless pile of parts if you get ahead of yourself. NOTE, that all parts are bagged and tagged upon removal, with their srews. Most copters have as many as five DIFFERENT SCREWS holding them together. Be sure they get back in the locations they came from on the 3 channel helicopter, as you put it back together.

See my huge copter collection HERE. 

Syma S031, S032, S107 Compared

I'm lucky enough to have many, many 3 channel copters. Once I started writing reviews on online forums, they started showing up almost daily. Most are poo, those are never seen or heard from again. If you think you can tell a good copter from a bad one on sight, you are wrong. Some of the worst-looking things have turned out to be the best indoor helicopters. I fly only 3 channel helicopters for a reason: I don't like wind, and it is always windy here, especially this time of year.

The Syma 3 channel family of indoor copters is growing! I made this short video to show people what the most popular Syma copters look like side by side.. 

 See my huge copter collection HERE.

Blue Firebird Helicopter

My Blue HelizoneRC Firebird helicopter stars in a prepared promo vid. This is just a test video, no captions were added. I'm slowly teaching myself video production. 

The Firebird looks like a repainted Syma S107. That's true, but my own experience (I own 4 Helizone birds) is they are made separate from the Syma production, and it shows in a higher quality build. From the sharply screen printed flames on the canopy to the crisp metal frame parts, it appears that top-shelf components were selected for these throughout. Clearly, SYMA respects HelizoneRC, because this is literally unthinkably high quality for a small indoor helicopter.
 See my huge copter collection HERE.

RDJ Sim Walkera Blades

NOTE: These are not my videos, and this is not me- These are the Seller "Skoaler"'s videos from youtube.

I ordered a set of these

From "Skoaler" on RCGroups.

RDJ SIM WALKERA 400 REPLACEMENT BLADES

-PRODUCT WARNING-

 

Please know that they appear to be cut from ordinary, thin-wall plastic plumbing pipe, not properly formed nylon, as all plastic blades should be. Their individual weights vary greatly; a good three times the weight of originals, and sure to result in an imbalanced copter. My guess is flying with them would make a nice copter into a shabby copter (I didn't try, but see his copter, below).

 

In my opinion, RDJ Sim Walkera Blades, sold HERE, are Highly Dangerous to use.

 

And HEAVY- they will likely burn out your motors right away, if indeed you fly without crashing long enough. These blades are NOT factory-balanced like virtually every single other blade set offered for this model.

 

Bottom line?

 

Look at his copter!!! If these are SO good, why is his hapless copter so beat up? Or, why hasn't he replaced it with money from sales? I think the answer is pretty clear.

See RCGroups Member pics of the blades, HERE

I'm quite sure that the weight is why he recommends a short flying time- Probably some history behind that, ya know. Cooked motor? Two?
(but it has cooling fins added for that...)
Aside from that, DRAG has got to be silly, with the chopped, rough edges.
(it has cooling fins to help do that..)

If any of this was "Good Idea" we'd have seen it already.
These cannot be "20% stronger" than stock. Stock blades are nearly shatter-proof, Lawyers made sure they were, long ago.

"Polyvinyl chloride" is White PVC Drain pipe.
This poor guy is working like a dog to cut these out from it, and then making zip on his labor.
This could be helpful on your next project.

All, please take a lesson or two here:
A copter blade is a precision item, and many have devoted every waking moment of their lives to developing them. Indeed, some have given the actual life itself. -Please, study the science in detail, then go about an 'improved re-design'.

We are all accustomed to seeing crisp, refined products. Hand-made items are few in today's market. Only the very best of these are accepted by the public, which can be merciless in opinion.

This has been interesting to see demonstrated, but I sincerely hope not at the expense of life or limb.

This vendor let you KEEP those blades?!?!?!?

Liability, with a capital "L"
Suppose you hand them off to the neighbor kid, and he plants half of one in Gramma?

BE SURE TO READ THE COMMENTS ON THESE. 

 See my huge copter collection HERE.