Walkera e22 heli...opinions please

[Fats Flyer]

hi all,

im looking at buying a walkera 22E heli.

are these any good.

or what do you recommend for a budget of around £150.00.

thanks

vinnie

[whirlygigster]

Hi Vinnie,

FWIW* - I have been reading a lot of forums recently, and there seems to be a concensus that the Walkera helis are pretty bad; it appears that the electronics are not so hot, glitches and dropouts are quite common. But for legal purposes, I have to say I have no direct personal experience of this.

Having said that, I had a quick look at one (online) and it seems nice looking and extremely cheap...and I'm a cheapskate and I cant resist a bargain but I would advise looking for spares and seeing if they are easy to get and/or expensive or not. Sometimes buying cheap is not always advisable in the long run, but I'm sure you know that already.

 So, if you do go for it, I'd be really interested in what you find. The only direct advice I can give is read, read and read some more. This has already saved me hundreds of whatever your currency is. Millions if you're in Romania.

*For what its worth, means that I don't yet own a CP heli, I'm simulator training and flying my 'bargain basement' LamaV3 around my living room...so I hope maybe this triggers some response from someone more knowledgable than me, as I'm pretty much in the same situation as you, looking but not sure which way to go.

All the best

Jim 

[Fats Flyer]

hiya jim,

thanks for the response,your right about the cheapness, i have heard it from quite a few people i have spoken to and there are a few who own one and i have seen it fly,it's not that bad really.i prefer to buy a cheap one for now to practice on and then later get a decent machine,probably the t rex.

i will get a walkera and when i have flown it ,ill let you know how it went.

surely they can't be really that bad.

i know a few people reading this might say what a idiot,but as yet ,thats all i can afford for this year anyway.it's going to be a starter heli after my medevac,so the next step up really.

vinnie

[wlfk]

I can appreciate the finance thing... On the other hand, that would be 150 wasted if you don't get any good use out of it.

My flatmate bought a Walkera #4. I don't know how it compares to the #22, but I have to say I can fly my T-rex but I can't fly his helicopter (neither can he).

One way round might be to invest in a good sim and a decent transmitter this year, and buy a decent heli next year.

K

[Graham King]

I bought a Walkera 36 for my son last christmas. RTF?   they must be joking!   I spent hours and hours adjusting it !  I junked the brushed motor and fitted an inrunner brushless (3200kv) and it now flys superbly.  VERY stable in the hover.  My son (14 years old) can hover and fly around the field with no problems - not 3D yet, but who knows!   Sorted out, these Walkera's are really good value for money.  I have seen the Trex version at our field and it is no more stable than the Walkera (and they are 3 times the price)     For a first heli, I would recommend one to anyone. Get it adjusted correctly - read the forums on the internet for advice - and they will fly really well.  Spares are cheap too -   A few things have been broken during the "learning curve", but all parts are readily available.  I even bought a second one from a friend who had given up with heli's.  Another friend on mine was so impressed with my son's flying, he bought it off me for himself.  I agree the electrics leave much to be desired, and we have had 3 out of the 4 servo's fail , but 2 or these could have been damaged in crashes.  I have fitted Tower Pro servo's , a 30amp ESC and kept the standard receiver and transmitter and it is now a superb little heli.  Doesn't even mind a fairly brisk breeze.  

[Owen Hailey]

Hi thyere vinnie.

As Graham remarked walkera are very good value for money do look on ebay at the H K shops I would go for Walkera 60 top of range with brushless motor esc and lipo, not one with a tail motor the biger heli is more stable and longer lasting and can be found salling at £165 including postage and I have not ever paid eny tax as the dome mungers serjest so go on have ago.

happy flying 

[Jacko]

Hi all,

i have two 22e's and if you don't mind spending hours setting up and juggling with the trim you may get it in the air at some time. I have purchased mine direct from HK and all spares and like Owen not been caned for tax yet! If you go for the metal head set up beware the linkages are a bit slack and it amazing what centrifugal force can do and even more spectacular if it happens while airborne!!!! It has happened to me twice, and it costs in spares. I also have a highly modified Honey Bee (Esky) Fixed pitch,  which is now stable and great to learn on . With the 22e I have had a few glitches with the R/C gear but found that most of the problems stemmed from bad connections or failing batteries. A word of warning. Check every nut, bolt, screw and connector before you apply any power to your A/C. This will mean a complete strip down and Loctite on all threads including locking the bearing on the swash plate. I have replaced the motors with brushless and a 30A esc/bec  but it is still a struggle. I will get better with practice I hope. One Day!

Jacko

[Anthony Wood]

Hi Vinnie, In think you should take the advice from Wlfk ,Invest in a sim and a decent Transmitter and wait out.

[Fats Flyer]

Hi guy's

thanks for the advice, i suppose that the walkera' are a bit like skoda's eh,i shall wait for a porsche(maybe a t rex).

[Owen Hailey]

Hi All.

Every time we get the same old thing, blame the tools this is the odd thing when we cant make something work, it must be bad but if you cant fly then eny heli is not a lot of good, so stop saying is it good or bad and spend the time trying to learn this complex flying machine, do not think if I by a £600 heli that it will make the road eny less bendy believe me only stick time will stop you crashing through you not so endless bank balence. E Sky and Walkera will give you hours of cheap fun and when you get to the point where are totaly happy with your flying then maybe you can by that rolls royce.

happy flying Owen. 

[wlfk]

"do not think if I by a £600 heli that it will make the road eny less bendy"

I can fly my £600 heli quite well, but I couldn't fly my flatmate's Walkera #4. He bought it with the notion that as it was less complex, it would actually be easier to fly. It's a principle that works for some things, but not in this case.

When I spent a fair amount of $ on a nice camera, my pictures suddenly got a lot better. A bad workman blames his tools, but a good workman will want good tools nonetheless.

K

[Graham King]

just bought the new Twister 3D Storm.  After a small problem with a faulty gyro,( replaced by J Perkins without question)  its now fitted with an upgraded one and flys superbly.  I would add that no changes have been made to the factory settings. All linkages have been left alone as they are factory set.   A little experimentation with transmitter settings and by the second battery it hovers hands off.    this is one RTF that really is RTF!   Slightly larger than the Walkera 36 / 60 models and with a much better specification ( carbon blades, brushless motor etc)  the supplied liPo lasted just over 10 mins on first flight. They even come with a reasonable balancing charger.    Take a look at the Twister 3D Storm - its a really good alternative to the Walkera range.  the only extras you need are receiver and transmitter.

[Fats Flyer]

hmmm, food for thought,

i shall have a look

[David Sin]

i'm  on my second one.  the first one didn't even work out the box...the motor shorted out on my first push of throtle...second one burned out in the first 3 mins.  Don't get ripped off. 

[Fats Flyer]

 i have decided to get a belt cp for the long slog ahead, it looks a good all rounder with loads of upgradable parts and more imprtantly, available everywhere.

thanks guys for your imputs, keep em coming if you have comments about the belt.

vince

[stew lynskey]

The walkea 22e is a great heli for the price. The 3d flight conversion is great and i have mastered it. Most walkeras are bad but the 22e is well worth buying.

[Fats Flyer]

Thanks for all your inputs guy's, i have taken the plunge and bought a belt cp.....you know what...i love it, anyone thinking of upgrading from a coax heli, i can seriously say , get a belt cp.

there is the heliguy forum with loads of belt cp owners with years worth of experience and advice and very good it is too.

i have 2 belt cp's now , one standard and one fully blinged with cnc parts and the full modifications as well.If set up well(which they are )they hover beautifully and give you plenty of fun .

Also , buy a good sim like the phoenix, will help alot.

thanks again

vince