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Beginners Corner > What is up with the Blade 400?

Dilbeck
Veteran
Location: Springdale Arkansas

Ive got a blade 400 and i will give it away, you just pay shipping, Its an unstable pick-nick table to say the least, Oh wait the girl friend just walked in and has that look on her face like i sold her nick nack thing off the shelf. I may have to wait till she goes home to finish up the deal...

If it doesn't fly sell it!

04-28-2008 10:34 PM

speeddemon370
Senior Heliman
Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada

I'll take you up on that in a hearbeat. I won't even resell it. I'll fly it like my own and love it and care for it and let it run and play with all the other heli's on a big farm. Oh please mister, can I keep em'? I promise I'll take real good care of it and play with it every day.

Sorry, couldn't resist the free to a good home parody. Seriously though, I would love to have it. I'll pay shipping too.

with 2 ears and 1 mouth you should listen twice as much as you talk

04-28-2008 10:58 PM

HOMEPAGE

Dilbeck
Veteran
Location: Springdale Arkansas

Dont fret as soon as she leaves i will some how get it out the door. She cant even fly it, She flys my hawk and raven but for some reason has become attached to it like it broke her cherry or something! Ill tell her the dog ate it!!!

If it doesn't fly sell it!

04-28-2008 11:13 PM

TJinGuy
Key Veteran
Location: Socorro, NM - USA

Put in the lottery for that B400 too, I have wanted one to play with for a while now.

- Chris

I own the King of helis! And a Mini too!
TAKE OFF AND LANDING CHAMPION SUPREME

04-28-2008 11:33 PM

SolarXtreme
Veteran
Location: Arroyo Grande, CA

I have been flying my new Blade 400 and I freaking love it. Why do I love it so much? It's simple to repair and cheap to fix. I.e: Zero pucker factor. Yes the percision is not fantastic but it is damn good for an inexpensive and extremly fun to fly helicopter. If I want a precision flying machine I go fly my 90's.

The Blade 400 is a perfect fit for my limited flight time during the week. With it's simplistic design and agressive 3D flight right out of the box I was sold right away. I can actually say after a good 30 flights the heli still is flying like it was brand new. My only complaints about the heli in stock form are the limited flight times on the stock battery (hard 3D only lasts about 5 minutes), the stock wood blades and the flimsy tail blades.

I had a Trex SE V1 and after crashing it once due to unpreventible mechanical failure (faulty tail pitch slider) I fixed it and sold it. After which bought and flew a Blade CP Pro with much success and "hard flying" although it did lack the agressivness of a 3D machine in it's stock form.

It's easy to compare the Align to E-flight right now but think back to when people thought Align's were the biggest pieces of sh!t on the market. They were constantly falling apart but thats how they became what they are today. Much customer "beta-testing" and constant complaints made the Trex what it is.

I picked a hell of a day to quit drinking

Avant EFX
Freya EVO

04-28-2008 11:34 PM

HOMEPAGE

speeddemon370
Senior Heliman
Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada

No way man, you're rippin on the b400 the whole time and now you want one?! Traitor

with 2 ears and 1 mouth you should listen twice as much as you talk

04-28-2008 11:36 PM

HOMEPAGE

TJinGuy
Key Veteran
Location: Socorro, NM - USA

Hey I never said it was a bad heli!

My real beef is with the whole RTF factor. Make it a bare bones kit and I might own one

- Chris

I own the King of helis! And a Mini too!
TAKE OFF AND LANDING CHAMPION SUPREME

04-29-2008 12:24 AM

2old2fly
Senior Heliman
Location: Mill Creek, Wa.

Hey, I'm a newb, and would LOVE a B400!
It has to be a better place to learn than a Walkera 4#3 which is what I'm learning on now!

But.. the budget is what the budget is. I'm building a house, and THAT is consuming ALL available budget for the next year.

Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission.

04-29-2008 12:31 AM

2old2fly
Senior Heliman
Location: Mill Creek, Wa.

As far as a Newbs viewpoint on the B400/T-Rex 450 debate:

In my eyes, most newbs get intimidated by the Trex.
The B400 is plastic, and in a box, all ready to go.
Folks will buy that for the same reasons the ARF airplanes are now so popular, when a few years ago, they were scoffed at by the fixed wing crowd. The ease of just take it out of the box, charge the battery, and fly appeals to a LOT of people, and the LHS's are having an easy time selling them.
It's hard to sell a person a complex kit when:

a) they don't know anything about helis, and are only curiosity buyers.
b) They don't know how to fly, but this one in the box isn't like buying a "serious" heli.

The new heli buyer going into the LHS isn't doing the math on upgrades, and fixes, etc., he's looking at the cost of a ready to fly box, vs a box full of parts that he then has to build (if he's able), and then go buy a buncha MORE stuff for, etc.

To a person walking in knowing no better at all, the B400 is a VERY easy sell for the LHS. To a person that knows a LOT better, it's not such a good deal. But by the time you know that much about this hobby, you're not really a perspective customer for a B400 anymore.

JMHO-YMMV

Having said all of that. If someone were giving away a B400, I'd certainly stand in line for it at this point.

Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission.

04-29-2008 12:57 AM

OK HELI
Senior Heliman
Location: Enid,OK-USA

I would give my vote to giving it to 2old2fly.
hell if anyone has one to pass down I would say give it to him.
I have followed his posts since he got on RR and I believe he would benefit the most from a good heli.
I know first hand how much it sucks to really want to get into this hobby but the cash flow prevents it. I just lucked out with my income tax so I was able to get one and now I have a second job to keep paying for it and that only leaves me with one day (Sunday) to fly.
give it to 2old2fly and ill pay the shipping.

Raptor 50 Titan with DX7, GY401, and TT Redline 53 is Awsome!

04-29-2008 01:08 AM

OK HELI
Senior Heliman
Location: Enid,OK-USA

oh and I didn't mean to make it sound like you don't have the money. I understand that some priorities are more important.

Raptor 50 Titan with DX7, GY401, and TT Redline 53 is Awsome!

04-29-2008 01:14 AM

smokin3000gt
New Heliman
Location: Estero, FL

speeddemon hit it on the head. No one would be driving if they had to build their first car. The 400 was my first heli (I don't count the CP or CX). I've never built a heli, and wouldn't know where to start with setup of the radio, the pitch or anything. The 400 got me into the air, flying around the soccer feild and into the hobby. Now I have understanding of the bird and the components on it. Not to mention, it's less intimidating to smash a $200 bird into the ground instead of a trex. Now I would love to build a trex instead of be afraid to do so.. Maybe a 600? Sweeet...

Keep 'er in the air!

04-29-2008 01:29 AM

2old2fly
Senior Heliman
Location: Mill Creek, Wa.

Quote

Dude... I'm . . Humbled

But hey, I just did another flight with the Lil Wanker. I'm actually getting the hang of that thing. My flights are staring to average around a minute now! Still just hovering, but I'm stoked!
Eventually, I hope to transition into FF, but for now... hovering....

Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission.

04-29-2008 01:41 AM

2old2fly
Senior Heliman
Location: Mill Creek, Wa.

Quote
No one would be driving if they had to build their first car.

FWIW: That's exactly what I had to do.
My parents bought me a 1957 Chevy Wagon.
It didn't run.
We went to the wrecking yard, and found an engine, and trans for it.
My dad helped me get it home, and set it on the garage floor.
He said: "When it runs, it's yours"

I had a happy teen time driving my 1957 Chevy Wagon!
I was always amazed when I'd run into people who DIDN'T know how to work on their own cars! I thought it was a requirement to being a good driver.

Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission.

04-29-2008 01:44 AM

fenderstrat
Elite Veteran
Location: Aston,Pa

Quote
It's easy to compare the Align to E-flight right now but think back to when people thought Align's were the biggest pieces of sh!t on the market. They were constantly falling apart but thats how they became what they are today. Much customer "beta-testing" and constant complaints made the Trex what it

many people seem to forget this fact...they think the t-rex plopped out of the sky in its current form...but this is like the 12th version of the t-rex...it took them YEARS to get to where they are at.....which is a moderately good heli...that is WAY over priced and ENTIRELY OVER HYPED.....I hate it when every single heli is compared to a rex.......ALIGN has had years of upgrading and devolpment /troubleshooting to refine this heli....and every new heli is compared to it......have you seen the FIRST t-rex ever put out?????they didn't exactly get it right the first 10 times...why should anyone else

Quote
Not to mention, it's less intimidating to smash a $200 bird into the ground instead of a trex.

what 200 dollar heli are we talking about??because the last I saw a BLADE400 was close to 450-500 bucks...and I have to agree with the argument that buying a RTF because you dont want to or dont know how to set up is the answer........that first crash comes fast so you need to learn set up anyway so whats the difference.....but in all fairness.....the BLADE400 is not recommended or advertised as a beginner machine...it says clearly on their web site and advertising that it is meant for the intermediate to advanced pilot who wants a 3d machine right out of the box....so it is getting used for something it was not meant for....just like the CP and CPPro...they were never meant to be a learning heli...they got adopted somewhere along the way.....as a heli they are OK...as a first heli...THEY F'in SUCK...HORRIBLE...they problably drove more people to quit the hobby than they helped get in it..........so take the 400 for what it is......but I honestly think E-flite was under A LOT of pressure to have this heli out by CHRI$TMAS...people were freaking out for it and were getting impatient....so I think they skimped a little on electronics to make the quick $$$$$$$.....but thats e-flite way.........make a little money on the sale...and KILL you with upgrades/replacements

TT MINI TITAN,HBK2,Futaba FASST, NO T-REX.... QUIT CRYING AND START FLYING

04-29-2008 02:59 AM

speeddemon370
Senior Heliman
Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada

Well then Mr. Everything is crap. What would you reccomend as a beginner heli? Are you seriously getting as worked up as you sound just because someone likes a different helicopter than you?

with 2 ears and 1 mouth you should listen twice as much as you talk

04-29-2008 03:29 AM

HOMEPAGE

fenderstrat
Elite Veteran
Location: Aston,Pa

what heli did I say was crap????..the t-rex is a good heli just expensive....and the 400 is ok just not for a beginner....the Blade CP...same thing....I said its a good heli just not durable enough for a beginner thats crashing alot........if you want a GREAT beginner heli...the HBK....cheap,built like a tank,and flies great

everyone else is giving their 2c...why cant I???

actually now that I think about it...I was defending the 400....I was saying it is being used for something it was not designed to do...by a beginner...that was not e-flite's intention so it is not far to judge it as a beginner heli

I also said its not fair to compare the 400 to a t-rex as the trex is far more expensive and has had YEARS of R+D and been through many upgrade/versions...and this is e-flite's FIRST attempt at a 450 size heli....so I dont know what the big deal is...I was trying to say that the 400 is its own heli..and the comparisons are not fair

TT MINI TITAN,HBK2,Futaba FASST, NO T-REX.... QUIT CRYING AND START FLYING

04-29-2008 04:12 AM

SilverBullet
Senior Heliman
Location: Bentonville, AR USA

I have not been impressed with the Blade 400. My father bought one after trying to learn on a Blade CP. His first crash with the Blade 400 cost almost $200 to fix and that was from an altitude of about 10 feet. It seems if you sneeze you strip the gears in the servos. I tried replacing the gear sets in the servos only to find out the shaft was bent. The gyro does not hold well.

I started on a Blade CP and went to a MX400 Pro. What a world of difference flying my MX400 Pro compared to his Blade 400. He has wanted to work his way into a nitro, and thought the Blade 400 would be easier to learn than the Blade CP. Now I wish I would have just given him my Raptor 30V2 to learn on.

04-29-2008 04:36 AM

fenderstrat
Elite Veteran
Location: Aston,Pa

thank you ...my point exactly......the 400 is not a good beginner heli...its not durable enough to survive crashes....it was meant for someone that already knows how to fly and wants a 3d capable heli they can step out their back door and let it rip....and my point about electronics...also noted...cheap servos and gyro

TT MINI TITAN,HBK2,Futaba FASST, NO T-REX.... QUIT CRYING AND START FLYING

04-29-2008 04:41 AM

sinte
Heliman
Location: tacoma,WA

stop crying and start flying

.....sold his soul for flip and roll.....

04-29-2008 05:32 AM

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Beginners Corner > What is up with the Blade 400?

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