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Century Hawk - Falcon - Raven - Predator > Raven 50

Cambo
Senior Heliman
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

I baught a hawk pro to get into nitro helis. What a sweet flying machine. However, after about 10 flights the counter gear broke and got caught between the main shaft and the frame. Well you can imagen the damage. I was really angry. Century said they wouldn't replace the parts and the total repair cost was going to get close to the cost of a new heli. I said screw century and baught another cheap heli. Gohbee stinger 50. Big mistake. The thing fly's well but has had is share of quality problems. Parts have poor fits, and it just doesn't seem to have the power i expected with the .50 hyper. Similarly, it has a small vibe in the tail that is just driving me nuts. So i am going to sell the gohbee and maybe buy a new Raven. It looks really sweet and the new price is really tempting. I am hopeing this counter gear problem has been resolved. How does it flip and roll. What head speeds are we running. I really like the higher gear ratio. The 8.5:1 in the gohbee just doesn't seem that good. You really have to make the blades screem to get the engine into its powerband.

I would equip it with

3x s3050
gy 401
9254
hyper .50
hatori pipe
Sayno SubC 1900 mah reciever pack
futaba HD on/off switch
ar7000

04-02-2008 04:19 AM

the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

""You really have to make the blades screem to get the engine into its powerband.""

well a screaming engine is something all newbies have to get used-to, it took me 2 years,, it was just 4 years ago that a HS of 1850 was the big thing,, now guys are up to 2100/2200, but it's just not needed for 90% of the guys out there !!!!,,

the Raven's gearing is 9.06 stock that's a HS of 1875 at a 17000 engine speed, and there is a Gray Speed-Up gear that get's it to 8.73, that's 1946 at a 17000 engine speed,

personally I think the Gohbee is geared a bit to fast for the average newbie, it's HS must be somewhere around 2025 at a 17000 engine speed, again NOT needed for you I would say,,

with the Raven you could run stock gearing with an engine speed of 16000 with a HS of 1765, that is plenty, and your engine would still be in it's power band so it would pull good,,

I don't know what happen to your counter gear but I can tell you the Raven is a tough bird, the Raven's counter gear is held on with screws, not many complaints about it and there are many good flyers out there that like it..

hope I have helped

Jim
the wife wont let me get a Monkey !!,,, damm, can't have anything

04-02-2008 06:53 AM

az_heliguy
Senior Heliman
Location: Florence, AZ

id agree with the counter gear issue on the raven being more durable for sure. that counter gear shaft on the hawk that only has the in in it is crap in my opinion, lol... i run the gray speed up gear on my raven, dont really notice that much of a difference and im running a 1900 hs

04-02-2008 08:28 AM

HOMEPAGE

Cambo
Senior Heliman
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

I actually ran it at 2000 for a while with a gov. It still didn't seem to be that impresive. I really felt like the engine couldn't handle the blades at that speed. Maybe it was the heli, i don't know, but the helis i have seen with higher gear ratios seem to bog alot less at the same rpm.

04-02-2008 02:23 PM

oldfart
Elite Veteran
Location: Vancouver, Canada

az-heli,

Actually the counter shaft on the current Hawks and almost all of the past Hawks are very good. Unfortunately, Century had a production run of some Hawks, a year or so ago, that had sub-standard shafts supplied by the steel supplier.

They had posted a recall on their web site and advised their us and other dealers and distributors as soon as it was confirmed. Consequently they included the proper shafts in all the kits they had in stock and replaced those from fliers who requested them.

We have not seen any more of them since then.

As for the Raven - everyone knows how big a fan of that heli I am. It has proven itself over many years and has always had features that others are just now starting to "toot" theirs have as if they where just invented.e.g. CNC clamping main rotor hub, 4 mm flybars, heavy duty flybar yokes, cnc machined swashplate, triple bearing tail rotor blade grips, steel tail rotor hub, heavy duty wide stance landing gear, etc.

Phil Noel
LEISURE-TECH Products
Century-Canada

04-02-2008 05:26 PM

the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

Phil,,

1) I still remember reading the specs of the older Hawk SEv2 before I bought one, that was after my __ptor blew apart on it's 3rd flight just hovering, I was impressed with the SEv2 specs, as you said, all metal swash, triple bearing tail grips, bellcrank bearings come stock while others didn't, driven tail, self aligning clutch, carbon blades,, that was in 002, and today with some 40 updates later, I still fly a Raven..

2) as I know you have heard me say I have a friend that has been flying RC helis since 1973, he has said many times he does not care for the extra 2 transmission gears, but he has no complaints about the heli as a whole, it simply holds up very well and flies fantastic..

Jim
the wife wont let me get a Monkey !!,,, damm, can't have anything

04-02-2008 06:52 PM

oldfart
Elite Veteran
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Hi Wasp,

Part of the reason why you can say..."it simply holds up very well and flies fantastic." is because of the great two stage power system that your friend may not like.

A two stage system has so many advantages that IMHO, I would like to see it in all Century helis - 30 to gasser....simply because it is NOT as clutch/fan drive alignment critical, it is NOT as clutch/fan drive component balance critical, it is NOT clutch/start shaft run-out critical. Because of the more efficient gear meshing that result because more teeth surface on each gear meshes with their counterpart. Consequently they transfer power more efficiently and last a LONG, LONG time.

My first experience with a two stage system, was in a Robbe/Schluter Futura and the Vario helicopters many years ago. I remember thinking that it would be great to have this two stage system but engineered without the belt. Then I saw the one in the Hawk/Falcon and thought how well they accomplished it using gears that eliminated the belt.

In fact, a top (and very expensive) heli has used the belt type of two stage system for over 15 years - The $3000.00 Kyosho Caliber 90.

04-02-2008 08:52 PM

the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

and because of the larger clutch bell gear and large counter gear the system has more Flywheel effect, which stabilizes the system more, or is that what you said LOL

Jim
the wife wont let me get a Monkey !!,,, damm, can't have anything

04-02-2008 09:38 PM

Cambo
Senior Heliman
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Really sounds promising everyone. I think i am going to go with a Raven. Looks like there is alot of bang for your buck and if it is anything like my hawk pro i will be happy. I am going to wait until tower gets them back in stock. I would like to take advantage of there discounts and get the raven for around 270. They say they are expecting them for early april so hopefully pretty soon.

04-04-2008 03:22 AM

Cambo
Senior Heliman
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Oh, guese tower has them back in stock. Hopefully the stinger sells soon so i can grab one.

04-04-2008 03:24 AM

DJDAZ
Veteran
Location: Perth Western Australia

What you have to remember with the countershaft (which is the same on the Raven as with the Hawk) is that even in the manual it recommends a tiny amount of loctite on the shaft to make the bearings do their job and stick to it. The shafts seem to cut themselves in half because the shaft spins inside the bearing.

Follow this step and your counter shaft will be fine.

My Raven with the grey speed up gear fitted and a non hyper OS50 running 30% nitro - absolutely cranks! It will flip and roll with ease, piro rate is fantastic etc.

I run 9252's, GY401/9254, 4.8V power. Fibreglass main blades, carbon tails, full metal head, hot dog paddles. It's a great birdy!

04-04-2008 03:39 AM

Cambo
Senior Heliman
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Everything is looking really promising. If the raven flies anything like my late hawk i will be happy.

04-04-2008 09:22 PM

the Wasp
rrProfessor
Location: Vt

""If the raven flies anything like my late hawk i will be happy""

well be prepared to say WOW !!

but keep in mind the Raven is setup to have a quicker cyclic than the Hawk, so unless your use-to a quicker cyclic you may want to add 25% or 30% expo for your first Raven flight..

Jim
the wife wont let me get a Monkey !!,,, damm, can't have anything

04-04-2008 10:37 PM

Dilbeck
Veteran
Location: Springdale Arkansas

On your first flight give it 35% expo and 75%D/R and it will hover and fly soooo smoooothe. adjust after that a little at a time to fit your fingers. You will be amazed of how stable it really is.

If it doesn't fly sell it!

04-04-2008 11:34 PM

centuryman
Veteran
Location: deerriver,mn usa

I have three ravens. Great birds, Can be tuned for docile and stable all the way up to crazy fast. Persanally i like mine crazy fast.Very durable, except for the tail gears. The tail gears and cold weather don't go together.I fly in sub zero temps and the steel gears are a must .Never had a problem with the plastics in the summer.Also make sure you get the dog bones engaged all the way in the tail shaft and put in a screw to keep the boom from slideing out the back.It's amazeing the problems that sub zero temps can bring out.

04-04-2008 11:53 PM

Dilbeck
Veteran
Location: Springdale Arkansas

Yes I was instructed after much difficulty that the dog bones will not engauge property unless you bottom out the boom then tap it with a rubber mallet to get it all the way in. It feels like its all the way in but its not, theirs a burr that keeps it out 3/8in and will slip later on.

If it doesn't fly sell it!

04-05-2008 12:37 AM

oldfart
Elite Veteran
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Dilbeck,

I have never experienced your "burr" problem, and have NEVER had to use a mallet to seat the dogbone in MANY Raven torque tube drive I have assembled over many years. Nor have anyone I know (and I know many) that use that drive system ever had to do so either.

I think if anyone had to do that, then they are very few and far between.

04-05-2008 01:32 AM

Dilbeck
Veteran
Location: Springdale Arkansas

I may have not been clear, I was not using the mallet to seat the dog bone rather it was to seat the boom all the way into the main frame. It feels smooth going in then you can feel it bottom out but it was still 3/8 in from being all the way in. The burr is not on the boom itself rather inside the main frame within the mold some where. I had this problem on 2 occasions in the past. Not a problem really, just make sure its all the way in the main frame.

If it doesn't fly sell it!

04-05-2008 01:42 PM

Cambo
Senior Heliman
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

How did you like the blades that come with the Raven. I know they are not full carbon fiber. Do they handle most moves well. I am not a crazy 3d person but was kind of getting into some 3d with the stinger.

04-05-2008 03:31 PM

Dilbeck
Veteran
Location: Springdale Arkansas

Actually their just as good as my NHP blades. Their just a little wider. The only thing i don't like about them is the color silver.

If it doesn't fly sell it!

04-05-2008 04:43 PM

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Century Hawk - Falcon - Raven - Predator > Raven 50

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