Derek's Align Trex 500e FB Flight Log

[Derek]

This is my old reliable Align Trex 500e. It's flybarred. Although I'd love to do a DFC conversion to this helicopter, I can't justify it right now because it flies very well. If/when it crashes bad enough to damage the head, I'll upgrade then. In the meantime, here is a bit of video from today's outing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlcuiqzB_5U

[DamhDearg]

Nice big air flying Derek.
I haven't flown flybar in a while but I think it would be cool to keep your 500 flybarred, just as a comparison to your flybarless helis.
Whenever you fly the flybarred heli and pull off a new maneuver then move it to the flybarless it will be so much easier.

And lets face it none of us here can really do any maneuvers that really require a flybarless system to pull off.
Its just the perceived convenience of the flybarless system that makes it appealing.

[Derek]

Thanks Cameron! My 500 is a bit more than 3 years old and everything on the helicopter is stock except for the servos and the tail belt. Those have been replaced as needed. The flybar head is not stock. It's the all metal head. I bought it from the semi pro at my LHS. This helicopter has never been crashed and it just keeps on working. I did buy a slightly used Castle ICE 75 esc for it because I wanted all Castle esc's. My only reason for wanting to upgrade to the DFC head is because the DFC head has much fewer parts than the flybar head. That's really about it!

I love this helicopter! I just need to work out the trim issue with the elevator. It keeps wanting to drift backwards. I give it forward clicks on the trim switches but it still wants to drift backwards. I'm still working on it.

[DamhDearg]

Nice one, a fine example of an align, cheap, reliable, work horse helicopter to beat on. That's how I think of my Align 600 Nitro. Very fond of it.
When I flew flybared helis I tended just to fly around the non critical nuances, still do now on the flybarless helis.
I know what you mean about less parts tho. But since that's the only reason to change and you have never crashed, is it worth the $'s on the new FBL unit? lol
Imagine, one day that heli will be a classic, like the flybar 600 nitro's Bert Kammerer and Krause used to fly or even some of the hirobo, thunder tiger and Jr models of the 90's and early 2000's. lol.
Its helicopter history Derek, lol

[Derek]

You are right, Cameron! I think this particular helicopter has been discontinued for nearly two years...it's definitely a classic and it just works. I did replace the stock servo's, finally, just a few weeks ago. Can't believe I ran the original servos for nearly three years. I went from the DS510 cyclic servos to the DS515 servos and the DS520 tail servo to the DS525 servo. All are metal gear. Throughout the time that I've had this helicopter, I've probably changed the tail belt 8 or 9 times because it stretches.

As I stated, I'd love to upgrade to the DFC head because it has fewer parts but, as you mentioned, is it worth the $$$ right now? Absolutely not! The DFC head parts would cost me about $100 and then the Ikon would be another $224. That upgrade will take place when it's "needed."

[DamhDearg]

Very cool man, I bet it could tell a few story's if it could speak. Right there is proof align electronics can hold up just fine. That's some amount of flying to go though so many belts as well.
Hope you get many more years enjoyment from it.

[Tony]

Nice flying Derek, good control of the old bird. I never could grasp my FB heli... There again.... I struggle with everything... The fbl head is certainly much neater than the FB, and loads less moving parts to go wrong... Never crashed in 3 years, that's got to be some record, and a good sign of a perfectly maintained bird...keep it fb as long as you can mate..