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Ron’s HeliProz South . Century Helicopter . MTA Hobbies

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e-Minicopter Joker > Is the Joker worth the money?
 
 
Jos
Heliman
Location: Veghel, The Netherlands, Europe

Hello,

What is your opinion about the Joker? I really like the construction, and Gerd(the german designer) is extremely helpfull but I want to hear some opinions from people who build a Joker.

Is it worth the money? What are the pros and cons?

Thanks!

Jos
06-29-2003 Over year old.
 
 
twguns
Senior Heliman
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I've been flying/messing with these things (rc helis) since 1976... I've had many different brands of helis durring that time and I can tell you that the Joker is the finest helicopter that I have ever had or flown...

It is good enough that I have sold all of my "wet" helis and now fly only E stuff... Mainly the Joker... Many of the guys in the US buy two to have a back-up, but I don't think that there have been any crashes yet that have been very major in cost to fix... The MFS head (shared design/patent with Henslit) is simply awesome and is way smoother and totaly linear than any of the "conventional" washout type heads... I will do 3D maneuvers at considerably lower head speed than its counterparts...

All in all the Joker is awesome!!! No mess, no vibration, no fuel, no starter, no glow plugs, no noise... Only the sweet whine of the motor and beat of the blades...

Naw, I don't think too much of them... But that's just me... hehehe

bigTim
06-29-2003 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
Tyler
Key Veteran
Location: Chicagoland area

Waiting for more technology in the batteries/chargers.

I would buy one right now if 12 minute flights were common and battery packs were a little more affordable. I have seen the 16 minute flight of Alan Szabo Jr., but the price of the thunder power packs has yet to be announced. Chargers for these packs is another unresolved topic, to my knowledge.

My last concern is the danger/damage sustained in a serious crash due to the batteries. What happens when a fly bar or tail boom support pierces a soft lithium battery pack at 40 som volts and 8,000 plus mah?

Tyler

Airtronics, YS Power, Switchglo ignitors, Jersey Modeler filled with Magnum
06-29-2003 Over year old.
 
 
twguns
Senior Heliman
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Not 12 minutes but solid 8 to 9 with NiMh 3000's and 3300's... Takes less time to change a battery pack than fuel an IC heli... I have had a battery pack come apart in a crash but all cells were good, just put them back together and they werre ready to go...

As to the crash question, You don't seem to be concerned about fire when you crash your IC heli, do you??? Remember, it does happen... IRCHA last year... Whats the difference in in frying a battery pack and only hurting it or having a IC burn to the ground...

I really don't think the LiPos will be the norm till the price starts to come down... Example, I have 4 NiMh packs that cost about the same as the 1 LiPo that AS flew in the video... He got 17min with a short landing and then had to charge that pack for some time... I have 8 min. flights and less than 2 min. turn arround 4 times... 32 minutes of flying and some of the first packs are charging while I am finishing the round of 4 flights...

It's really a good system with none of the mess...

BTW, the thunder power pack like the one in the video is $800...

You can build 32 cell NiMh 3K + packs for just over $200...

bigTim
06-30-2003 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
East Coast Scale
Key Veteran
Location: Taxachussetts

I am getting 10 mins out of my 30 cell 3300 packs doing light aeros and flying around. With three packs at the field i am a happy guy.
Joe
06-30-2003 Over year old.
 
 
irq
Key Veteran
Location: San Diego, CA

These full sized electric helicopters are becoming a bit more interesting to me. I allready have a charger that I think would be fair, maybe not good, but fair for such an application, the Triton. Gyro/receiver/servos aside, how much would the motor/3 battery packs/speed controller/anything else I might need, like a cooling fan, cost? How much does a Joker go for? Just curious, thanks
06-30-2003 Over year old.
 
 
serious_sam
Senior Heliman
Location: New York

triton will not charge the 30-32 cell packs for the joker, unless you charge then in 2 packs of 16. the cheapest charger for this class of battery would be the astro 112D ($140 or so)

the current going rate for a joker with motor and ESC is around $1600. each pack of 32-celll is around $180.

is it worth it? for a die-hard glow flyer? probably not. for me who loves to fly in parks and backyards? definitely
06-30-2003 Over year old.
 
 
rcman
Veteran
Location: Logan, Utah

Is it worth the money YES If you want a elec. heli this is the best out there IMO It is a very well build chopper
Look at what all the other Wet helis guys are doing, They are spending this kind of money on there 60 size helis
It is a matter of what you want to fly Elec. or Gas
As for flight times, you will end up spending more money, and get the LiPo's to get the flight times of wet helis or like the rest of the guys have said buy more packs
But you need to decide if you want to fly good clean fun or that dirty wet stuff
Thats my two cents
David
06-30-2003 Over year old.
 
 
Cessna
Senior Heliman
Location: Tucson, Arizona

In your guys expert opinion, how does the Joker compare with the Logo 20? My buddy if flying one of those and it is very impressive!

Your comments and opinions are welcome!

Steve Cass
Tucson
06-30-2003 Over year old.
 
 
Eddi E. aus G.
Senior Heliman
Location: Gerlingen. Germany.

As to the LiPolys: there are some "crash test videos" (I came across them surfing but did not keep the link) on the web of the manufacturers, applying force in several ways to the cells, and to my knowledge none of the cells ignited.

As to flight time: I get 10+ minutes with my Silence (30 x Sanyo 2000 and Sanyo 2400, both take approx. 2.4 Ah from the charger), easy flying. So with 3300s you should get up to 15 mins easy flying, maybe 10 doing aerobatics. Take LiPolys and go for 30 mins. If there wasn't the charger thing: to charge 10 LiPolys at a time (which you need to reach the voltage of ~36 V you will need replacing 30 NiCds) you need a very rare and quite expensive charger

The Logo? Not the worst choice I believe from what I saw and read, but not a .60 size ...

When it comes to quality, the Joker or the Silence (modified VARIO SkyFox) are IMHO the ones to chose from. If you want to go 3D, it's maybe the Joker, since you'd have to change some parts on the Silence to make it 3D capable.

Not an expert opinion, but an opinion

Born to fly. Forced to work.
06-30-2003 Over year old.
HOMEPAGE  
 
 
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e-Minicopter Joker > Is the Joker worth the money?
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