If you just want the facts, review the highlights of Sections I - VI (plus the bullets points) and maybe read the photo captions. Skip our expanded explanations because you'll get the gist of why a Pantera is better for you.

Here's the nickel tour . . .

I.  Background - How we got to where we are

PAB (plate-and-block) models are shiny and look great.  Conversely, they're comparatively fragile, complex to assemble, maintain, and repair, plus they're pricey.  Polymer models, on the other hand, are lighter, stronger, more durable, and less costly.  While polymer models are more sophisticated in design, quite frankly they aren't as sexy.  Which is better for you?  As always it depends but consider how law enforcement has moved from hand guns comprised of metal frames to handguns, which offer the same fiber-reinforced high-tech polymer frames for smilar reasons - lightweight, durable, and high performance - for a decent price!

II.  Features - Why we're better than the competition

• Removable Bearing Blocks - easier maintenance/repair
• 40% Bigger Bearings - a heavy duty foundation
• Larger Clutch - big enough to harness a 91-class engine 
• 4 mm Flybar - think pitbull vs. poodle
• Mixture-servo Mount - convenient in-flight needle valve adjustments
• Direct Servo Control - eliminate complex and sloppy linkages
• 90° Linkages - easier to build and setup
• 8 Servo Mounts - scale modelers rejoice
• Triple Bearing Tail Rotor Grips - silky smooth, high-precision, stronger 
• Dual Tapered-Collet Clutch Hub Mounting - minimize runout for smoother operation

III.  Options - making a good thing better

• 91-powered Pantera - simply wicked . . . an obscense amount of horspower 
• Output Shaft Stabilizers - crsiper cyclic response and longer servo life 
• Air Filter - increased engine longevity, or why even the space shuttle has them 

IV.  Extended Info - behind the scenes

• Better Than Sex - hmmm, not really, but close, really close 
• Paid Pilots - a matter of trust, or why what the big boys fly may not be right for you
• Overengineered - it didn't just happen, toughness is engineered into the Pantera 
• Proof of Concept Model - step 1, or carbon fiber and aluminum does have a place 
• CAD Refinement - step 2, add a little, subtract a little, making it perfect
• Alumium Positive - step 3, here's where it begins to get expensive 
• Create the Mold - step 4, finally ready to inject polymer for strong consistent quality

V.  Conclusion - is the Pantera the right heli for you?

If you value your time and money highly, if simple is better, or when pragmatic considerations like toughness, durability, and dependability trump glitz, and if quite simply, your first consideration is flying (versus showing off your latest upgrade), you're definitely looking at the right product!

VI.  Learn More - head-to-head comparisons

How does the Pantera stack up to the competition?  We don't hide from anyone . . . or more simply, why it ain't braggin' when you can back it up!

OK, we covered the highlights.  Some of you will be eager to get into the nitty gritty because the details are meat and potatoes for you.  Continue reading as we expand on the above briefing:

I.  Background - How we got to where we are

I.  Live and learn, or why repeating the mistakes of the past sucks:  Model airplanes have been with us seemingly forever - they actually predate manned flight.  Model helicopters, on the other hand, are a newer contraption.  From their inception in the early 70s and through the mid-80s, commercial model helicopters involved the tedious assembly of stamped aluminum side frames combined with aluminum blocks for the bearings and engine mount.  More tedious still, even a minor crash involves the complete teardown of the model to examine it for hidden damage.  Presently, these designs replace the aluminum side frames with composite materials like G10 or carbon fiber.  Nevertheless, sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Hang in as we explain.

Meanwhile, the market changed with the introduction of models manufactured of high-tech engineering polymers in the mid-80s.  In one fell swoop, uncounted thousands of modelers experienced the joy of flying without the hassle of aluminum.  Why?  Because unlike aluminum, which has three states, plastic only has two, e.g. either it's broken, or good to go.  Aluminum, as we all know, has a third state, e.g. it can be bent.

Take for example an aluminum blade grip, which can be ever so slightly tweeked in a crash.  Unfortunately, you may not realize it until you reinstall the part and get to the flying field because it looks good to your eye (jigs to determine integrity aren't offered).  This may lead to a model with the shakes, or which won't track, and this may well be why!  Moreover, aluminum may even have damage, which is invisible to the eye, e.g. a crack requiring dye-penetrant, or magnafluxing to identify . . . and since modelers don't have access to these expensive techniques the part may fail unexpectedly - ask any full-scale aviation mechanic if you doubt the veracity of this.

For this reason, despite the very high initial costs involved in making molds, we created the Pantera using fiber-reinforced engineering polymers. Granted, polymer parts aren't shiny like aluminum parts, but an equivalent polymer part is every bit as stiff, usually lighter too boot, and never stays bent - either it's damaged, or you may safely reuse it.  Moreover, polymers are superior to aluminum in many respects not just because they're safer but because they're corrosion resistant, tougher than aluminum, and 18% lighter.  Audacity Models offer model helicopters featuring safe, simple, durable, lightweight, and inexpensive polymer side frames.

Moreover, during the preceeding 35-40 years, a few things have changed, but by and large, improvements to both types of construction have been of an evolutionary nature.  For example, in the late 90s PAB (plate and block) designs switch to composite side frames because like polymers side frames, they also have two states.  The downside, of course, is how a set of carbon fiber side frames may cost in excess of $100 vs. $30 for polymer side frames.  Meanwhile, polymer materials have advanced as well and increased computational horsepower allows us to alter designs in real time resulting in significantly more sophisticated products since we can minimize weight and increase strength before we ever commit to making a mold.  Consequently, the strength or power-to-weight ratio of polymer parts are superior to aluminum parts.

Moreover, they both fly pretty much the same too because when the main rotor is turning at 2000 RPM, and the model's been setup with 11° of collective pitch and 8° of cyclic pitch, basic physics dictate the rotor disk really doesn't know - much less care - what materials are used to secure the servos and engine to the side frames, understand?  Naturally this may lead you to wonder, which is better for me?  As usual, it depends.

Ultimately, whether you prefer a carbon fiber model or a polymer model, it boils down to personal preference.  For example, PAB advantages chiefly include appearance because even we'll admit carbon fiber side frames 'are' pretty and polished aluminum is shiny, which combine for an attractive appearance - no question.  Polymers, meanwhile, are stronger, immensely less complex, safer and thus, more practical.  Moreover, ease of repair combined with the inherent toughness result in polymer models being the perfect choice for prudent modelers, especially when you're thrifty, e.g. watching every Dollar.

Disadvantages of PAB include increased complexity, and quite frankly, the fact they're somewhat fragile and can crack like an egg during a crash.  Moreover, repairs can be quite expensive, and of course time consuming because of their complex nature.  Whether this last point matters to you is a function of the value you place on your time.  E.g. if secure in your decision making ability and don't need to floow the lead of others, or even if you quite simply have other things competing for your attention, you're likely a candidate for a polymer model. 

Conversely, much as we may wish it were true, the fact is polymer models aren't perfect either because they're chracteristically rather subtle and low key (especially compared to a carbon fiber model) because they're not glizy and shiny.  For some this is an important issue and we recognize it.  Thus, which you prefer depends largely on either how you value your time, and/or your personality.  For example, if arriving at the flying field and one upping your pals by showing off your latest aluminum upgrade is important, we're probably not making the right product for you because we believe the most cost effective upgrade is burning more fuel.  Hence, you'd be well advised so look elsewhere.  No offense, but we don't try to be all things to all people.  

Anyway, this is the Overview section, which is where we point out Pantera features.  There are other places to learn about our product, e.g. print magazines, online sources, and fellow modelers.  Print magazines, which vet their authors before delivering advice are very good sources of information. The Reviews tab above has several magazine reviews of the Pantera.  Read them at your liesure and see what the pros think.

Meanwhile, online-information is seductively free, and forums are especially popular because you can ask an anonymous question without appearing stupid.  However, anonymous cuts both ways and hence, beware of keyboard-experts - typically some guy posting as chucklehead37 because sadly, he may seem expert to someone new at this, but until you know who's who, in reality he may simply run his mouth better than anything, e.g. he may only have 2-gallons of experience!  Finally, friends are good sources, but always remeber what's good for an expert modeler may not be smart for someone learning to fly, so parse their information with care.

Ultimately, you have to decide which side your bread is buttered on and evaluate what's important to you.  This is why there's so much information on this website.  Meanwhile, as experienced modelers, in creating the Pantera what was important to us were simplicity, toughness, ease of repair, impeccable handling, and a great price.  Read carefully, and don't let anybody (not even us) do your thinking for you.

How can you tell the difference, i.e. identify when someone is simply polishing a turd with cheap shiny aluminum upgrades?  For one thing, if the idea of needing to buy an upgrade aluminum head, or an aluminum cooling fan before you've even flown the model makes sense, you might be a candidtae for a composite model, e.g. we're not making the right helicopter for you!  If, however, this kind of thinking leads you to wonder what drives otherwise sane folks to buy models, which require an upgrade from the very beginning, you're not alone.  Remember, the very best bang for your buck is burning more fuel - not shiny parts!

Moreover, if our being blunt, e.g. speaking plainly and calling them as we see them offends you, tough because this is who we are.  Furthermore, we expect you to act in your self interests just like we're acting in ours by telling you about our product.  We know you need information to efficiently sort what's important to you and we figure you'll be visiting other manufacturer's websites, reading magazine reviews, and going online to see what others have to say.  The trick, as always, comes in separating the wheat from the chaff, or avoiding information overload.  If anything we say doesn't make sense, just pick up the phone and call.  We can take the heat and won't duck your questions because we're here to serve you!  We're a small company based in central Florida, and we've been called rednecks but being from the South means we've always figured it's not bragging if you can back it up. 

Finally, are upgrades bad?  No, not hardly, but when we set out to design the Pantera, our principal goal was to deliver a bird, which in stock trim would perform anything you're capable of - no upgrades needed!  For example, she comes with long-lasting urethane dampers, and instead of offering upgrade aluminum blade grips, we make the plastic grips strong enough to withstand the abuse.  Do we offer any upgrades?  Sure, but by and large they're real upgrades.  For example, the Pantera is the only 50 designed with a 91-class engine in mind.  While 2-gallon experts debate the relative merits of the latest 50-class engine du jour, the astute amongst you realize there's no substitute for cubic inches, so that's a real upgrade.  Similarly, we think it's important to filter the air goign to your engine so that it will last longer, which is why we're the only model in the class offering a custom designed snorkel and air filter element.  Now do you understand where we're coming from?  Ultimately a Pantera is unique for a lot of reasons, so consider all the facts as you learn more.

- Mid-way through a roll, as if on a string, the Pantera 50 handles as sweetly and honestly as a pattern plane!

II.  Features - the competition never saw us coming

Removable Bearing Blocks - easier maintenance/repair:  Sturdy removeable bearing blocks form the foundation of the Pantera 50.  In fact, the Pantera 50 is the only 50-class model crafted of engineering-polymer whose three main shaft bearings are carried in easy to maintain removeable bearing blocks!  The tail drive gear use a pair as well.  As any experienced heli pilot knows, it's a pain in the rear to split side frames to replace bearings, yet mainstream, old fashioned designs force this rigamerole on you - what a crock! Our removeable bearing blocks mean you can R&R (remove and replace) main shaft bearings following a crash in less time, and with less hassle, or if damaged, replace just the block instead of the entire side frame.  After all, what's your time worth?

- An axiom of engineering is "The structure's only as good as the foundation upon which it is built."

40% Bigger Bearings - a heavy duty foundation:  It's one thing to claim the Pantera 50 is heavy duty, it's a horse of another color to prove it.  Shoving a big engine into the Pantera was the easy part, making it live was the real trick.  Where some view the Pantera 50 as overengineered, astute modelers recognize our thinking of the future led us to engineer her with the BBC in mind from the begining.  Cast in this light, our using 40% larger bearings makes perfect sense!  Consequently, the Pantera 50 is more durable than an ordinary 50-class - and bigger bearings are part of the reason - but there's more.

- Bearings 40% larger than those used in competing models results in tremendous durability.

Larger Clutch - how-to harnesses a 91:  As you delve further into your research you'll encounter our competitive reviews.  One thing you'll see mentioned over and over is how the Pantera clutch is so much larger than competing designs.  Once again, it's because planning for a 91 colored our thinking!  Arguing which 50 makes more power simply isn't even germane to the discussion when you consider the horsepower of a 91, which was the task we faced.  So even if you never opt for the big block, you win because the bigger clutch is more durable and withstands more abuse.  Basically, the Pantera is built like a brick outhouse for a reason!

- Compared to competitive 50-class helis, the Pantera 50 clutch is huge!

4 mm Flybar - think pitbull vs. poodle:  If you wish your 50-class heli had that crisp locked-in feel of a 90-class heli, instead of being twitchy like the typical 50, then you'll appreciate how the Pantera 50 uses a 4 mm diameter flybar. It's 85% stiffer than the whimpy 3 mm flybar used on competing 50-class models.  But the real benefit is how much easier it is for you to fly the maneuvers with the same "snap" as the pros.  Granted, they have the advantage of being more experienced, but the Pantera 50 will help you grow to their level very quickly.  Moreover, the 4 mm diameter flybar opens the door to the many optional 4-mm mount flybar paddles (previous, the exclusive domain of 90-class birds).

- Versus the whimpy 3 mm flybar of this Hirobo model, our 4mm flybar is 85% stiffer - think pitbull vs. poodle

Mixture-servo Mount - convenient in-flight adjustment:  We've all had it happen; we discover the fuel mixture is too lean in flight. By the time we recognize it and land, the engine may be damaged. If you've ever had an engine go lean while flying you'll appreciate how easy it is to install a mixture servo in the Pantera 50 using the built-in frame-mount. At last, you can fine tune your engine's air-fuel ratio while you fly instead having to land to make adjustments!  Use an extra channel on your transmitter, or plug the mixture servo into the mixture port of your governor and its onboard computer manages both the RPM and fuel mixture for you!

- Adding a mixture servo to the Pantera 50 is dead nuts simple

Direct Servo Control - reduces sloppy linkages:  The Pantera 50 features direct servo control and as a consequence, there are fewer linkages to get worn and sloppy.  You gain a huge advantage - in both simplicity and precision - by eliminating the complicated and old fashioned, push-pull linkages found in competing designs.  While simpler is a no-brainer, eliminating a butt-load of linkages means it's easier to build your model too, and of course, reduced wear means your maneuvers are more consistent because you elimiate the slop.

- Just 3 linkage rods control the Pantera's swashplate while competing models frequently require as many as 12.

90° Linkages - easier to build and setup:  While it's easy to appreciate how all the extra linkages, bellcranks, bearings, and shafts of competing designs get sloppy as they wear over time, there's another issue.  Many competing models mount the servos in the very vulnerable nose, which results in expensive damage to the servos.  Worse, is how tedious it is to R&R all those servos and linkages because of the frequently broken servo sub-frame - get a life!  Moreover, in a crash, it's easy for linkages to get lost.  Frankly, direct servo control is a huge advantage for the Pantera 50 not just because it's simpler and more precise, but for one other reason, it's far easier to set up your model since all the linkages make a perfect 90° at the neutral position.  Moreover, better protecting the servos within the side frame wins points too!

- Easier to build linkages in a Pantera 50; just one from each servo, and they make 90° at the midpoint

8 Servo Mounts - scale modelers rejoice:  Whether it's the articulating horizontal stab of a Blackhawk, the retractable landing gear of a Bell 222, or the spot light beneath a police Jet Ranger, you'll appreciate how the Pantera 50 makes it easy for you to install as many as 3 option servos within the side frames for a total of 8 (3 plus the standard 5 servos used for flight).  Whether you're modeling a 15 million candle power Night Sun spot light of a police Jet Ranger, or aiming the 20-mm three-barrel GE cannon in the undernose turret of a Boeing RAH-66 Comanche model, we make it easy to unleash your creativity!

Moreover, it's a fact, the Pantera 50 is particularly well suited for scale use.  It's not just the extra servo mounts but attention to details like how the radio platform, because it merely supports the receiver and battery (which can be readily relocated almost anywhere within a cavernous scale fuselage), can be removed altogether without affecting the integrity of the model.  Unlike competing designs, which use a separate servo sub-fame, the Pantera 50 servos mount directly in the side frames!  Why is this important?  Because the eye is drawn to the cockpit of a scale bird, which means you can detail the cockpit area with instrument panel, seats, pedals, etc. to your heart's content!

- Everything forward of the bright green line of the Agusta A109 fuselage can be removed and relocated

Triple Bearing Tail Rotor Grips - silky smooth:  A steel tail rotor hub is an option for some of our competitors, yet it's standard on the Pantera 50. Worse, some competing designs use weaker 2-piece tail rotor grips, but we know the tail rotor grips see some pretty intense loads and hence, the Pantera 50 features one-piece tail grips - after all, you never see two-piece main rotor grips, right? Furthermore, believe it or not, some 50-class models (Kinetic) come with just one ball bearing in each tail rotor grip!  Others (Raptor) improve on this by using two ball bearings in each grip. Still others, improve it further by using one ball bearing and one thrust bearing in each tail grip (SDX). However, the Pantera 50, like high end 90-class helis, features two ball bearings and one thrust bearing in each tail rotor grip - a triple bearing set up! Which would you prefer?

- Triple bearings in the heavy duty one-pece tail rotor grips of the Pantera  50

Dual Tapered-Collet Clutch Hub Mounting - minimize runout:  Unlike our 50-class competitors, which feature a screw-on clutch hub resulting in no possible runout adjustments (basically you're at the mercy of whatever runout results when you assemble it), the Pantera is built like the big dogs.  Top of the line 90-class birds feature the same dual tapered-collet clutch hub mount, just like a Pantera.  Note the tapered collet (made of brass), then the hub slips onto it, and then the tapered steel engine nut, securing the hub between the two tapered pieces to self-center the assembly.  There are some places you just don't want to take shortcuts in manufacturing and this is one of them!

- Dual tapered-collets for mounting the clutch hub - just like high end 91-class helis

III.  Options - making a good thing better

91-powered Pantera - simply wicked:  If you live out west, in high country like Denver, CO you've experienced the huge power loss due to density altitude (i.e. +5000' vs. sea level). To overcome this the Pantera 50 accepts 91-class big block engine because there's no substitute for cubic inches when it comes to making horsepower. Moreover, she's designed with 620 mm blades in mind but can accept up to 640 mm without modification.

However, despite being primarily designed for a 50-class engine (or even the super economical OS 46FX-H with an optional short clutch hub), we knew guys living closer to sea level would enjoy the rush as well.  Here, at last, is the real reason for the general heavy duty nature of the Pantera 50.  You see, as a hotrodder at heart, the bigger engine was in our mind from the get go!  Meanwhile, we've also seen plenty of backyard engineering efforts (many of them superb) leading to home-brew 70-conversions of competitors 50-class models, which ultimately prove impractical for the same reasons.  E.g  they wore out quickly because the bearings were too small, the clutch couldn't handle the power, the fan couldn't cool it, the fuel tank was too small, etc.  Consequently, we engineered solutions to these issues from the beginning, i.e as part of the very foundation of the Pantera 50 so everybody could join the fun.  Some say it's sick, but a Pantera with a big block is a never ending rush, and yes, she's wickedly quick!

- The mighty YS91SR installed in the Pantera makes for an insane experience

Output Shaft Stabilizers - crsiper cyclic response:  During maneuvers, the feedback from the rotor disk may actually force the swashplate servos to give slightly on their rubber mounting grommets. If you spend big money for top drawer servos, you're wasting some of their capabilties because the flex in the servo mount makes it more difficult to be a consistent pilot. The Pantera's optional output shaft stabilizers (the bridge over the top of the three swashplate servos) gives you a tighter and immensely more controlled response.  Naturally, if you're just learning to hover it may not think it matters, but you benefit even then because the supports increase the life of the servos.  Plus, once you get into forward flight and 3D aerobatics, even average pilots feel the improvement.

- Replace the servo arm screw with our special output shaft, then slip the bridge with bearing over the servo.

Air Filter - increased engine longevity:  Have you ever seen the air filter on your car engine, or the one for your lawnmower? How about the air filter on a motorcycle, or truck? Even race cars and street motor cycles have them. It's pretty simple, an air filter increases the longevity of an engine.  Unless you think money grows on trees, this is important to you - especially during tight economic times - so unlike the competition, the Pantera 50 has an air filter available.  Enough said?  Not quite!

- Cooler, denser air delivered through the filter results in more fuel for the mix and thus, more horsepower

Some modelers actually believe their flying field is dirt free (yeah right).  But what about when you crash?  The fact is the Pantera 50 air filter really delivers the goods during a chicken dance. That's what we call what happens when a model crashes and the engine keeps running and basically, the model flops around on the ground until the fuel is exhuasted. Dirt goes everywhere, especially inside the engine, which ruins it!

- Straight from a chicken dance, the production snorkel is clear silicone and the filter is huge!

So just how good is the Pantera 50 air filter system at protecting your engine? Here's the money shot, i.e. where a picture is worth a thousand words . . . and more than 200 bucks for an engine! Note how clean the inside of the carburetor throat is?  Need we say more?

- Sand got everywhere "except" inside the carburetor, thereby protecting this engine!

IV.  Extended Info - behind the scenes 

Better Than Sex - hmmmm:  Model helicopters are more fun than sex! OK, that's an exaggeration. What's not an exaggeration is how exhilarating helis are to fly, even those from our competition! That said, we think a Pantera 50 is the best heli for your money . . . here's why.

- Pantera 50 captured in smooth, stable, slow forward flight

When you boil it down, Audacity Models have two types of customers. Those with experience, and those new to the sport. How do you make one model satisfy the requirements of both the beginner and the expert? As it turns out, it's pretty easy because when we set out to create the Pantera 50, our parameters were simple. It had to fly great, be durable, and inexpensive - in that order - because one thing is certain; regardless of experience, flash doesn't trump substance, nobody likes to waste money, and how it flies matters a lot!

"People who think for themselves realize good design, good performance, and good value never gets old."

- John Beech, Owner, Audacity Models, Sanford, FL

Paid Pilots - a matter of trust:  If somebody is flying one of our models, they bought it with cold hard cash.  The fact is the Pantera 50 has developed an impressive following, including some of the best model pilots in the world. This brings up the subject of "paid" pilots. Audacity Models doesn't pay pilots to fly our products, or say good things. Mostly it's because it sticks in the John's craw, but partly it's because it raises our costs (thereby making a product more expensive for you).  There's no such thing as a free lunch and if we were to pay people to say good things, like some competitors who employ top pilots and feed them what to say, we just have to pass the cost on to you, understand?

We couldn't say it better! So while we set out to make the Pantera 50 a best-in-class 50-powered model expressly for experienced pilots - and succeeded - we soon learned she's pretty good for beginners too. It's because learning to fly a heli isn't easy, and fixing it after a crash is part and parcel with getting into the sport. By the way, if it strikes you as odd we're talking about crashing while describing why to buy our product, it's because we don't believe in blowing smoke up your skirt. We believe you should know everything up front before you make your decision.

- Yee haw . .  live dangerously with a high speed inverted backwards hurricane!

Overengineered - it didn't just happen:  For example, part of what makes the Pantera 50 so good for the beginner is it's over engineered compared to an ordinary 50 basically because it may have to handle a 91-class engine.  As it turns out, this makes it tough and durable enough to survive the inevitable knocks associated with learning to fly too. Meanwhile, part of the reason we don't have to pay people to say good things about us is because of what our customers say about us . . .

Proof of Concept Model - step 1:   Super polymer?  Well, sort of because the Pantera 50 is largely constructed of a fabulous fiber-reinforced engineering-polymer material, which is so tough some call it super! This stuff is found in some interesting products because the tough, fiber-reinforced engineering-polymer material is so forgiving it often bends and flexes instead of breaking, which is a good thing when you hit the ground, right?  Moreover, it's why Austrian arms maker Glock pioneered its use for the frame of their superb handguns (used by cops around the world), which is pretty much the very same reason we use it for the Pantera 50 side frames, e.g. it's tough, lightweight, and high-tech! Frankly, it's the secret behind the Pantera 50, i.e. why it survives crashing better than fancy carbon fiber helis, which are fragile and may crack like an egg during impact.  In fact, it Timex wouldn't get mad at us, we'd swipe their slogan and co-opt - "The Pantera is so tough she takes a lickin' and keeps on . . .", but we digress.

Anyway, since we're talking about side frames and materials, have you ever wondered how a model comes into being? The first step is to actually prototype the side frames to establish basic layout. We use flat carbon fiber plate, some molded plastic pieces, and aluminum bits. Granted, it's relatively unsophisticated but it serves to get the thing into the air so we can develop it further. Amazingly, there are some manufacurers, which stop right here in the process.  However, in the picture below, note how this is only the begining of our process!  Why?  Well, first off, we'll acknowledge there are some advantages of using carbon for a finished product.  It's light, easy to change layouts (from a manufacturing point of view for prototyping), and looks great.  However, the disadvantages are it's time consuming to assemble (because it's tedious to align and requires expert technique, which many folks never acquire), and generally it's a pain in the rear to work on because it's more complicated, i.e. installing servos requires extra hardware beyond that needed with polymer models.  Also, edges can be sharp unless you take the time to sand them all down.  However, there's a dangerous aspect, which somehow never makes it into their sale literature, which is how the material can blank out RF (the radio signal from your transmitter) leading to a crash.  Worse, in the event of a crash, carbon fiber can be somewhat fragile and crack like an egg!  But what sucks is how a set of carbon fiber side frames can be 5X the cost of plastic! On popular imported products they can be as much as the cost of an entire Pantera 50 kit!  By the way, notice the weave in the side frames of the carbon pieces (below). Most folks love this look, and we agree it looks snazy, but ask yourself this.  Do the disadvantages of RF blanking, fragile, expensive, and complex outweigh the advantages?

Frankly, if you're prudent modeler, e.g. careful with your spending, the smarter choice is a model, which is both tough and inexpensive and thus, made of polymer.  Moreover, since carbon models in these larger sizes are not all that tough, and certainly not inexpensive, you may wonder why we use them for prototyping.  It's because it's very easy to whip out a changese and go test it.  Once we lock down the design, we're ready for the next step - computer modeling.  Below is an early prototype of the Pantera,  Yup, our first step in making a 50-class model involves making it of carbon fiber!

- Establishing the basic layout comes first. We use carbon fiber, plastic, and aluminum for the proof of concept model.

CAD Refinement - step 2:  OK, so after several prototypes we've established the proof of concept model by using carbon and some bits to get the layout right.  Our second step is via computer aided drafting and modeling, or simulation. This just means we're using software like CATIA, which is the very same sophisticated CAD (computer aided design) tool used by the likes of Ford and Boeing to refine the process. Here's where we really get sophisticated! The beauty of software is we can take what we learned with our prototypes and develop the model into a more elegant creation through the advantages of virtualization and simulation. Simply put, it means we can apply the power of a virtual engine and see how the model reacts. As a consequence, we can remove material where stresses are low (to make it lighter), or add material where the model needs it (to be stronger). By the way, for giggles and grins we doubled the typical 50-class engine's 2 horsepower and in the computer gave the Pantera 50 as much as 4 horsepower! We used finite element analysis and learned what it took to make the Pantera 50 handle such an obscene amount of horsepower (just an extra half ounce in the side frames).  Next, because occasionaly been accused of being more than a little power hungry said, "What the heck, let's do it!".  So we made the frame strong enough for a stout 91 engine, which approaches this kind of horsepower because we thought it would be a hoot to offer an option to slip a monster 91-class engine into the 50-class Pantera 50.  More later!

- Using CAD (computer aided design) results in sophisticated virtualization.

Aluminum Positive - step 3:  The third step is to make an aluminum positive. Remember, a mold is a negative so a positive is something, which looks like what we're going to get. In fact, if we painted it black it would look exactly what we'll end up with. Many expensive hours later, the CNC (computer numerical control) milling machine has carved out a set of frames using a solid billet of aluminum!  Why go to this trouble and expense? Simple, it's because we've found nothing beats having something you can actually hold in our hands into which we can fit the engine and the servo components, i.e. to see if what we virtualized in the computer holds up in the real world. This is how we ensure it's really right.

- Using a CNC (computer numerical control) mill, this is solid billet aluminum frame!

Create the Mold - step 4:  The fourth and final step is the actual molded product. In fact, fiber-reinforced engineering-polymer allows us to make intricate parts, which are both strong and light. Best of all, it means we create low-part count models with the advantage of stiffness, like a carbon fiber model, but without the disadvantage of being harder to assemble, fragile, and expensive.  Simply put, we leverage the inherent toughness of the polymer material and create a semi-monocoque design. Is it as sexy as the carbon fiber frame models?  No, but you benefit in the real world because the entire frame assembly is made of just two frame pieces, a left and a right side. Consequently, a very complex molded assembly comes together in minutes, and best of all, it's both extraordinarily rigid and light.  Moreover, it's tough, and inexpensive.  Think about it; would you rather pay 150 bucks for a set of side frames made of carbon fiber, or less than $30 for a set of ours?

- In the neutral position, all linkages make a 90° angle, which make life simple during setup!

V.  Conclusion - is she the right heli for you?

Savvy pilots allocate their money wisely.  They pinch pennies 'till they squeal so they can spend freely on their 90-class bird.  These guys fly a 50-class beater and rely on the savings in fuel and cheaper parts to refine their skills because they're flying it more frequently, i.e. to practice new maneuvers.  Before long they get to the point where they're flying without fear, which is the key to becoming a better pilot in the first place since it's nearly impossible to fly with courage when crashing a 90 can easily exceed 500-600 bucks, and result in weeks of downtime.  Meanwhile, the wannabes and 2-gallon experts, enthralled by what the paid pilots are flying instead of flying what makes sense, unwittingly complicate their lives with a high-maintenance 50-class heli - duh!  Subsequently, they find themselves flying a 50, which is complicated like a 90 (and takes far more time and money to repair) and before long (usually by the third crash) are actually regressing simply due to their quite natural fear for the time and money required to effect repairs - just like with a 90!  Is it just us, or does this strike you as odd behavior since it defeats the very purpose of a 50-class helicopter?      

Anyway, completing a Pantera 50 requires an engine and muffler, blades, 6-channel radio, gyroscope, and governor.  Weighing about 7-1/2 pounds ready to fly, balance how she goes a mere ounce more than a Raptor 50, a few ounces less than the Evo 50, a few ounces more than the T-Rex 600N, and about the same as the Vibe 50 against her heavy duty nature, which resulted from being designed to harness the power of a 91-class engine!  Furthermore, while the Pantera 50 is usually seen sporting 600mm main rotor blades, the fact is she's really designed for 620 mm blades, which deliver superb autorotations!

"I can fly anything I want but the Pantera 50 is my favorite for rolling circles and shooting autorotations."
- Ron Lund, Ron Lund's Heliproz South, Corpus Christy, TX

Later, when you're comfortable with what she can do, slip in the 91 big block and raise a little Hell while retaining the consistent handling characteristics, reliability, and inexpensive parts of a standard Pantera 50 without the crazy expense of a 91-class bird. Yup, it's easy to get the best of both worlds, which means you can really go from mild to wild with just one helicopter, the Pantera 50!

Ultimately, all the 50-class helis are about the same size, weigh about the same, use the same engine and rotor blades turning at about the same RPMs, and thus, fly similarly. In fact, though it pains us to admit it, there's really not a bad one in the group we compete against.

If you're new to helis, where the Pantera especially shines is when you're learning to fly because she's so stable in the hover.  Don't be intimidated, and trust you too can learn to fly with a model like this.  Later, after you're comfortable, you can tune her up for maximum performance confident she'll still be the same smooth, predictable, and easy to handle machine as ever, even in the wind.

If you're experienced, unlike a wannabee, you aren't sucked into shiny, gee-whiz, upgrades because they're available and pretty.  Your practical side comes to the fore because when you attend fun flies, you're prepared to show off your skills with your 90 because at your home field, you burned many gallons of fuel practicing with your 50-class beater - it makes perfect sense!  The Pantera is about competent, working-man values, not flashy in the hopes someone will notice you.  In fact, we've never quite understood what leads some guys to fly 50-class models, which are loaded with aluminum upgrades since these kind of defeat the very purpose of the 50.  We're hoping you select our Pantera as the right model for you because it makes good, sound, common sense.  Fortunately, she's one of those models, which makes you look like a better pilot, so whether you're a beginner or expert, once you compare the Pantera 50 to the competition, we believe you'll discover she's the right heli for you.

- Blasting through the arc of a tick-tock, the Pantera's manners are both impecable and predictable.

As for us, we're a small company so we can keep a tight rein on our costs.  This results in a great heli at a great price.  Best of all, you can always pick up the phone and talk to us (even John, the owner of the company) because we're in Sanford, FL so instead of shouting at the base of Great Wall of China in hopes somebody gives a damn, i.e. will deign to give you time of day, you can get prompt service and courteous answers!

While we could go on until we're blue in the face, quite often the best way to learn something about us and our models is to listen to our customers . . .

"Yes, there are a number of issues with the Pantera you need to know about. It is dirt cheap to buy, it's durable as a tank, and flies like you can't believe! You can set it up as a beginner's hovering machine in which case you won't get over how well it does that. Or, with no additional purchases, reconfigure the head for full on 3D."
- Marty Hammersmith, Lawrenceburg, IN

VI.  Learn More - head-to-head comparisons

Curious how a Pantera 50 stacks up in the 50-class?  We're not afraid to go head-to-head with anybody!

To learn what they don't want you to know, just select a tab like [v. Evo 50], [v. Raptor 50], or [v. T-Rex 600N] and discover where we kick some butt!

Other tabs include [Documents], where you can download the instruction manual, as well as [Accessories], [Articles] to read what the print magazines have had to say, [Tuning], and [Videos], which show you what even a bone-stoke Pantera 50 is capable of!

Thank you for considering our product.

John Beech - General Manager (and janitor)

Audacity Models

Sanford, Florida

Accessories

• 

  Air Filter Assembly

  
  Price: $29.99
  
  
• 

  Bearing, M5x8x2.5F (Set of 2)

  
  Price: $11.99
  
  
• 

  ProMuffler v2

  
  Price: $74.99
  
  
• 

  Rotor Hub, CNC Aluminum

  
  Price: $34.99
  
  
• 

  Seesaw Arm, 6061 Aluminum (Set of 2)

  
  Price: $34.99
  
  
• 

  Servo, Output Shaft Stabilizer (qty 3 servos)

  
  Price: $29.99
  
  

The following documents are available for your perusal. Please note that many of these documents will required Adobe Acrobat Reader.

The Pantera 50 has been the subject of several magazine reviews and articles.  Magazines take quite an interest in the integrity of their authors because it reflects on the magazine as a source of information in general.  Consequently, they very careful vet these authors, plus there's an editor looking over their shoulder as well, so these are a neutral and relatively unbased examination of our product. Each image represents the magazine cover of the pertinent issue and is a .PDF file.  Just click on the image and it will open a new browser window.  Alternatively, hover your mouse pointer over the particular cover, right-click instead and select, for example, 'Save Target As' to download the .PDF file to your own computer, or  select 'Print Target' if you'd prefer a hard-copy, which may be more convenient for reading and taking notes.

These reviews are in PDF format. You need Adobe Reader to view the files.
  Click to download this free program.

More ways to tune a Pantera 50 than you can shake a stick at - advantage or curse?

While learning to hover, the last thing a beginner wants is a nervous twitchy handful, which can flip in its own length.  Similarly, during a tail-first snake with the blade tips mere inches off the ground, a beginners soft response will promptly bury it in terra firma!  Unlike a model airplane where you first learn with a gentle high-wing trainer, then buy an intermediate trainer to learn some tricks, before finally graduating to a hot low-wing model, with a Pantera 50 you can have your cake, and eat it too.  Simply put, fine tuning your Pantera 50 for either extreme (and everything in between) is like having three models in one!  Best of all, it's easy . . . we start with the set up.

A well set-up and fine-tuned model lightens your work load because it's easier to fly, which makes you look like a better  pilot!

Set-up and fine-tuning are a series of interactive multi-step processes where adjustments are made, then based on how the model performs in flight, you go back and make adjustments.  The first step in the process is achieved on the workbench and deals with linkages and basic radio settings.  The second step is to make adjustments based on empirical results, i.e. after you fly it.  The third and final step is fine tuning your model to really dial it in to your tastes.  Inevitably, there's some blending of these steps as you go back and forth but ultimately you end up with a sweet flying model where you mesh together in complete synchronicity to become one.  We'll begin with setup.

Setup - Rule of 90°

Setting up your model begins with ensuring the linkages are perfectly balanced and the basic thrwos and directions are close enough to permit you to fly the model.  The first thing to achieve is connecting the servos and setting the direction they respont.

Adjustments -

Tuning

• Dampers - Soft vs. Hard
• Bell Ratio - Direct Input 
• Hiller Ratio - Hiller Input 
• Bell-Hiller Ratio - It's in the Mix 
• Flybar Length - Long vs. Short 
• Paddle Weight - Mellow or Aggressive
• Main Rotor Blades - Opening a Can of Worms 
• Tail Rotor Blades - Stock Works Well 
• Servos - Faster and Stronger vs. Your Wallet

Dampers - Soft vs. Hard:  The hardness of the dampers, which support the spindle shaft connecting the blade grips, have a profound effect on the personality of your model.  The hardness is measured using a durometer-rating (the higher the number, the harder the rubber).  Personal preference and the maneuvers you want to fly are factors to consider in making a selection.  For example, a soft and mellow handling machine, like the soft plush ride of a Cadillac, result from selecting the softest dampers.  Meanwhile, a harder damper is better for more aggressive flight for the same reason the taunt suspension of a Ferrari is better for getting around the track.  One of the least expensive ways to fine tune the handling of a Pantera 50 is via the durometer rating of the dampers.  There are three different dampers available for the Pantera 50.  Ranging from the softest, the AUD0017-1, which are black in color, through the AUD0017-2, which are translucent in color (these are the stock dampers), through to the AUD0017-3, which are yellow.  These are the hardest dampers we offer.

- AUD0017 Dampers, the soft -1 are black, the medium -2 are translucent, and the hard -3 are yellow.

For example, if your goal is to perform smooth and precise aerobatics, i.e. F3C-style maneuvers, or if you're learing to fly and want your model to be mellow in the hover, then our softest 60-durometer AUD0017-1 dampers are a great choice.  Like a Cadillac, these soft 60-durometer dampers are going to deliver a smooth and predictable ride (so to speak).  You'll get gentle, easy to fly, and very smooth looking maneuvers because the softer damper has a little bit of 'give' to ease the transitions as you move the stick.  The softness hides pilot imperfections as the model tracks through the sky making you look like a better pilot.  Consequently, if you admire an impossibly perfect hovering-M performed in a light breeze, an incredible huge and round loop, or a roll, which looks like it's on a string, odds are the pilot is relying on a softer than stock dampers because it hide the slight, almost imperceptible shaking in our fingers, which we all have as we fly.  By the way, the secret of sweet scale maneuvers are also addressed with softer dampers.  Hence, when a customer expresses an interest in F3C-style maneuvers, installing Pantera mechanics into a scale Jet Ranger fuselage, or in improving their hovering skills, the AUD0017-1 Dampers are the ones we recommend.  For sport use, the AUD0017-2, the stock dampers, are great.  They're made of long wearing urethane, feature an 80-durometer rating, and are a decent compromise between easy to hover and crisp aerobatic maneuvers.  However, for 3D maneuvers like tick-tocks, especially close to the ground, or a 300' tail slide into a gear ripping piro flip, you're going to want something harder because they react more quickly.  Your best choice in this case are AUD0017-3 dampers, which are yellow.  These dampers enable better control during harder inputs (while still delivering decent hovering characteristics) because of their 88-durometer rating.  There's no substitute for the control and quick reaction these dampers deliver.  Ultimately, whether your tastes run to a softer or harder damper, we're pleased to offer you choices.  Audacity Models offer three dampers to help you fine tune your model to suit.  Mellow handling call for softer dampers, and the hardest dampers are reserved for the hardest maneuver, i.e. the harder you fly, the harder the damper you'll require.

Sorry, but this page is . . .

Our philosophy is to do one thing and to do it well. For example, we offer just one nitro-powered heli, the 50-class Pantera 50. Why a 50-class model? Simple, in one great performing compact package you get both the low repair costs of a 30-class bird, with the superb performance of a 90-class helicopter.  Ideal for entering the sport due to its easy assembly, rugged construction, and gentle hovering nature, with a few adjustments she can go from mild to wild. An optional BBC upgrade conversion transforms her into a 91-powered beast without breaking the bank!

Pantera 50 in action . . . because seeing is believing!

Broadband or dial-up, we have you covered.  Right-click and select  'Save file as' to put the file on your own computer!

Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.
- Thomas Jefferson

These words by our 3rd president have never been more true, and if this product comparison, which I authored, is in any way unreasoned, unfair, or untrue then show me, and I'll change it!  In the meantime, especially during economic times like these, I believe folks simply need some facts to sink their teeth into.
- John Beech, Owner, Audacity Models

Pantera 50 vs. T-Rex 600N

What can we say? Align's T-Rex 600N is one of the most popular 50-class model helicopters on the market.  Deservedly so too, because it offers a carbon fiber and aluminum design for a price no American manufacturer can touch.  It's made in China, so consumers for whom a good deal is the most important consideration love them, especially because they're well designed and fly well too.  Factor in the backing of a huge consumer products division (they make vacuum cleaners), and this business behemoth (though headquarterd in Taiwan) is far and away the richest company in the model helicopter business.  In fact, they're so big they're vertically integrated too, which means they even make digital servos cheaply, as well as engines, governors, etc.  In short, they make good products and deserve their success, but the Pantera 50 is pretty good too.  In fact, the only place we feel they give us a whoopin' is with their money . . . not their product.  Simply put, they kill us in two areas; paid pilots and field reps. 

In short, they have the wherewithal to fork over piles of money to the best Americans pilots.  In fact, the Chinese fly these guys all over the country, i.e. for them to both demonstrate their product and say good things to promote it (even though these guys are so good they could fly a bar stool and make it look amazing).  Anyway, it gets tougher because of another business tactic their money can buy called a field rep program.  Here's how it works; they give a few local hotshots some product at a discount, or free (in effect seeding local flying fields with mouthpieces).  Multiply that times hundreds of club fields across America and it's no small wonder it's one of the top selling 50-class model in America.  Frankly, either of these programs takes far deeper pockets than we have so we'll readily concede we're the underdog, i.e. David vs. Goliath.  Nevertheless, on a feature-by-feature basis, the Pantera 50 matches up pretty well.  Consider these factors if it's on your short list;

• Weight - a Win At a Price
• Blocks and Bearings - Stiffer and Stronger
• Side Frames - No Respect
• Clutch - Bigger is Better
• Tail Case - Easy Maintenance
• 3 mm vs. 4 mm Flybar - 85% Stiffer
• Air Filter Assembly - An Ounce of Prevention
• Dual-bearing vs. Triple-bearing Tail Rotor Grips
• Mixture Control Servo
• Cooling Fan - Sophisticated Design
• Engine Mount - An Ounce Well Spent
• Screw-on Hub vs. Dual Tapered-collet System
• Fuel Tank - Under Pressure
• Big Block Conversion - A Sick Thing To Do

Weight - a Win At a Price:  To begin, the Pantera 50 is a little bit bigger model, so when you throw them on the scale, she gonna be a few ounces heavier (7 lbs 1 oz vs. 7 lbs 7 oz).  On the flip side, being physically larger makes her easier to see, which is really important when you get the model a little too far away and you're squinting to see it.  Bigger may mean the difference between orienting for the save vs. the expensive ignomy of a crash.  Nevertheless, in a horse race where the scale is the judge, the T-Rex 600N wins by a nose - but it comes at a price.  The price is paid in installments each time you crash because the cash registers sings ka-ching in synchronicity with your deflating wallet because, simply put, while it's lighter, it's also more fragile!  Thus, if  6 ounces (113 oz vs. 119 oz) means the world, the Pantera 50 may not be for you, however, for most folks 6 oz is much ado about nothing!  Let me show you what you get for your six ounces.

"My current 50 is a T-Rex 600N and I couldn't agree more with the comparison you've done against the Pantera."
- Spencer Drossos, Calgary, Alberta

Blocks and Bearings - Stiffer and Stronger:  Compare the size of the bearing blocks, which supports the main shaft.  The one on the right is ours and it's the very heart, the foundation if you will, of the Pantera 50 because the 'entire' main rotor system rotates within three of these bearings.  Our bearing block is shorter, thicker, and supports a bigger bearing so basically, it's stiffer, doesn't flex, and can handle greater loads!  Heck, our ball bearings are 40% wider too, which means you don't have to stay in a Holiday Inn Express to figure out which you want!  Nobody gives you anything in this business, so we earn our reputation day-in and day-out for making a great flying product, which is inexpensive, heavy duty, and fun!  The Pantera 50 withstands abuse better because we don't believe in short cuts, but larger bearings weigh a tad more; are they worth it to you?

- T-Rex 600N bearing block vs. Pantera's short, stiff bearing block, which features a 40% wider bearing

Side Frames - No Respect:  The T-Rex 600N uses carbon fiber for their side frames.  The stuff looks sexy.  We use fiber-reinforced engineering-plastic instead.  Not so sexy, in fact, we'll concede it's downright homely.  However, both work in the application and we feel the Pantera 50 kicks T-Rex 600N butt - right in their wheelhouse, especially amongst folks who value function above all.  When your model smacks terra firma at a rate of speed such that it breaks the side frames, our 2-piece design, is both easier to repair and far less expensive and fortunately, replacing them makes your model as good as new!  Consider these factors when selecting a side frame design.

RF blanking is real and carbon fiber can blank RF.  Get the model too far away and you may crash just because your system couldn't see the signal well enough for you to control it.  Sadly, the competition's models are usually demonstrated by experts flying within feet of themselves so the average Joe may blame himself for crashing (thinking it was too far away for him to see) when in actuality RF blanking was to blame.

Misalignment just means you don't have to be an expert builder to get a Pantera 50 built, or repaired, correctly because alignment is a non-issue.  Why?  Because Pantera 50 side frames self-align and lock together, which means alignment is automatic - no batteries required!

Vibration Dampening is another thing to consider with side frames.  It's much harder to dampen vibrations with a carbon fiber frame.  This may not be a major issue for an expert builder, or even a paid pilot who has a pit bitch building and maintaining his models, but for the average Joe it leads to more frequent servo failures, which are entirely due to the generally unforgiving nature of the material.

Cost is a no brainer.  We didn't want folks to say we're taking unfair advantage of the Chinese by immediately letting you know their frames cost 400% more than ours, so first we showed you 'why' our fiber-reinforced engineering plastic beat the tar out of them, especially once you consider factors like RF Blanking, Misalignment, and Vibration Dampening.  Once you factor in less than $30 a set, while the 3-piece side frames of the T-Rex 600N cost north of $150, it's game over . . . unless your money grows on trees!

Shiny carbon fiber weave makes some guys reflexively reach for their wallets because it's so pretty it easy to overlook the downsides of the material.  Ultimately  the unassuming appearance of Pantera 50 fiber-reinforced engineering plastic side frames makes them better where it counts, i.e. during the day-in and day-out abuse metted out by modelers.  Also, don't forget, Pantera 50 side frames don't have RF blocking issues, they're easier to assembly because they self-align, and they dampen vibration far better resulting in a smoother model with less effort.  Here's the deal, if you value looks more than performance, or if 150 bucks is chump-change for you, then we're probably 'not' making the right 50-class heli for you anyway.  However, if reflection and reason are part of your thrifty and prudent approach to selecting the right 50-class model for you, please read on.

- By shattering, these 3-piece T-Rex 600N carbon fiber frames cost more than half of what an entire Pantera 50 costs!

Clutch - Bigger is Better:  Here's another area where the Pantera 50 distinguishes itself as tough, i.e. that much tougher than the T-Rex 600N; our clutch can withstand more abuse because it's bigger.  To be blunt, we all know size matters and quite often, bigger is indeed better.  It's as true with a bigger clutch as it is with bigger bearings!  The Pantera 50 clutch, for example, is gi-normous, which allows it not just to withstand the abuse delivered by a rank beginner, but also lets it harness the nearly 4 ponies of a 91-class big block engine (if the itch strikes you).  When it comes right down to it, a Pantera 50 is a choice about practicality; think poodle versus pit bull and you begin to get the idea.  Frankly, we've always thought it kind of odd for folks to blow money on a 50-class heli when the very purpose of this kind of product is to be a daily 'beater', i.e. the machine you can abuse, wipe down at the end of the day, and throw in the trunk secure in the knowledge it'll be ready the next time with no fuss, no muss, and virtually no bother - enough said!

- T-Rex 600N clutch on the left versus Pantera 50 clutch on the right, wanna hazard a guess, which one's the pit bull?

Tail Case - Easy Maintenance:  What else makes a Pantera 50 tougher than the T-Rex 600N?  Well, when you compare the tail case of the popular Chinese product, you can see obvious differences in heft. Not to rub their noses in it (actually, yes, we are), but look how much more heavy duty the Pantera 50 tail case moldings are.  Also note how much larger the bearings, which support the tail output shaft are.  Both machines feature a 5mm dia tail output shaft, but our bearings are a lot bigger and stronger.  In the eyes of some, just the bearings serve as an example of why our product withstands more abuse, but once you eyeball the massive tail gear case, it's nearly game over because in the real world, bumping the tail getting a model into and out of the car is a fact of life, i.e. it happens and while nobody wants to damage something whilst transporting their model, it happens.  But there's more because we have a couple of design features playing a role as well.  To wit, it's one thing to claim our model is more durable than the competiton, it's another to back it up with proof you don't have to be an engineer to understand.  Hence, note how much further we space the bearings supporting the tail output shaft, i.e. about twice as far apart!  And there's no need for us to throw a bunch of math at you to prove why spacing the bearings further apart is better; instead we'll just remind you how stable you feel when standing in a small boat with your feet wider apart.  Anyway, while larger bearings, which are spaced further apart to better resist bending and twisting, as well as the tail case itself being beefier and more heavy duty are important,  there's a really nifty feature to eyeball.  The Pantera 50 tail case design features  a removable side plate for easier replacement of the output shaft . . . which plays into our theme of stronger, easier to work on, equals better value, and smarter decision!  By the way, this brings up an important point; we believe the fundamental building blocks of a successful business include honesty, responsibility, and accountability.  If this Pantera 50 vs. T-Rex 600N product comparison is in any way unfair, show us the error of our ways and we'll change it!

- Stout tail case + larger bearings + wider spacing = the formula for a long lasting heavy duty tail system!

3 mm vs. 4 mm Flybar - 85% Stiffer: The flybar on the right is 4 mm in OD and compared to the 3 mm unit for the T-Rex 600N, it's not only 85% stiffer, but delivers lightning quick cyclic response plus it allows you to fit any of the available 4 mm mount flybar paddles (what 60-90 size helis use).  Frankly, flybar paddles are kind of like pickin' a toothbrush, i.e. a highly personal decision, which is subject to lots of argument because it's a matter of taste.  Where there's no argument though is how more choices are better!  Anyway, this massive unit costs us an ounce, but we felt it worth the trade off because of the performance. 

- 85% stiffer for quick response, the 4 mm diameter flybar is more commonly used on the big iron.

- The snorkel draws cooler air into the engine, but following a chicken dance, the filter's like money in the bank!

Dual-bearing vs. Triple-bearing Tail Rotor Grips:  Let's eyeball the tail rotor blade grips because the T-Rex 600N uses a dual-bearing combo in the tail grip (single ball bearing and single thrust bearing).  The Pantera 50 features a triple bearing setup - just like a main rotor blade grip!  In short, you get two ball bearings plus a thrust bearing in each tail rotor grip (what you fnid on top of the range 90-class machines).  The resulting silky smooth triple-bearing setup really delivers the goods!

- The Pantera's triple-bearing tail grips are silky smooth under load!

Mixture Control Servo:  Attention to details, like how you can add a mixture control servo to your Pantera 50 side frames, is important. Use a spare channel on your transmitter, or plug it into a GV-1 or MultiGov Pro governor, thereby letting it control the mixture for you automatically.  We've all been there, your engine starts to run lean in flight and you have to land to adjust it.  At last, now you can do it on the fly . . . it's about time, eh?

- Control the needle valve with a mixture servo, and like all Pantera 50 links, neutral makes a 90° angle!

Cooling Fan - Sophisticated Design:  What about things not so easily seen? For example, look at these cooling fans, which in both cases are completely hidden by the fan shroud when installed. Even here there are details worth noting. Frankly, it may seem inconsequential, but we think it's quite telling how nearly everybody rushes out to buy an expensive aftermarket cooling fan for the T-Rex 600N (often before they've even flown the model) while nobody has ever felt a need to purchase an aftermarket cooling fan for a Pantera . . . even when we're cooling a 91-class engine! The fact is we expended a great deal of effort on making certain the high efficiency Pantera 50 cooling fan would be more than up to the task of cooling. If you're detail oriented you've already noticed how we designed airfoil shaped blades (for greater efficiency) while the T-Rex 600N unit uses ordinary flat plate blades instead.  It's because we envisioned our fan doing super heavy duty work in the hands of expert pilots.  Sure it would have been cheaper to mold a flat-blade unit, but we didn't think that was the right way to go about it. And by the way, the Pantera cooling fan has been tested hard too, in the environment of the desert southwest, where it's routine to see temperatures of 106°F, and higher.  No short cuts!

- Versus the T-Rex 600N fan (left), notice the efficient, airfoiled-blades of the Pantera 50 cooling fan.

Engine Mount - An Ounce Well Spent:  What about complexity?  Is there ever a case where 2 parts are better than 1?  Sometimes an argument can indeed be made in favor of more parts, but here's an instance where we believe more parts results in something less.  You see, in an endeavor to keep their product light, we think our worthy competitor outsmarted themselves, i.e. went overboard.  They elected to use a 2-piece engine mount.  However, by in effect using the engine as a stressed member, they put it a use not conceived of by the engine designers!  Not only does proper alignment play a huge factor in gear meash, but as a consequence, in a crash, the engine itself may break more easily (take a closer look at a previous crashed-frame photo where not just the frame cracked like an egg, but the engine's crankcase broke as well - ouch).  Moreover, an added benfit of the robust Pantera 50 engine mount are the five integral cooling fins (along the bottom), which aid in thermodynamic transfer (i.e. moving heat away from the engine via the crankcase itself).  The Pantera 50 engine mount is not just stronger, but doesn't overstress the engine, and it plays a role in cooling!  Ours weighs about an ounce more; is this an ounce well spent?

- The 2-piece T-Rex 600N engine mount saves weight at the expense of strength.

- Molded stiffening ribs and a nifty vent bump are features of the Pantera 50 fuel tank.

Big Block Conversion - A Sick Thing To Do:  Short and sweet, and frankly, it's almost not fair.  The Pantera 50 has a huge power advantage over the T-Rex 600N because we figured out how to shoehorn a 91-class engine into her (and make it live).  We've seen home-brew big blocks in T-Rex 600N models but they just don't last long before it starts falling apart.  The Pantera can handle it because we made the foundation strong enough, i.e. bigger clutch, bigger bearings, etc., etc., etc.  It's subtle when mounted, which means this wicked performer might go unnoticed - until you pour the coals to her - then you'll be the center of attention!  The big block is also part of the equation  in the flat lands because 4 ponies is really gonzo power n a 50, i.e. mucho overkill, but as they say . . . power corrupts!

- That OS91SX looks rather nice nestled there . . . kind of like we planned it, eh?

Output Shaft Stabilizers - Reduce Main Rotor Disk Feedback:  Available servo output shaft stabilizers make the Pantera 50 more precise because the considerable feedback from the rotor disk actually forces the swashplate servos to give slightly on their rubber mounting grommets.  The flexxing servo mounts acts just like a sloppy linkage and thus, you get less consistent maneuvers.  The output shaft stabilizers kit for the Pantera 50 (the bridge over the top of the three swashplate servos) gives you a far tighter, and immensely more controlled response, something even average pilots can appreciate.  They're available with a screw-in thread for plastic output gear servos like the Futaba S9252, as well as machine threads for metal output gears in both 2.5mm and 3.0 mm thread.

- Our CNC-machined output shaft replaces the stock screw securing the servo arm, and rides in a bearing.

Conclusion:  In the area of durability, the Pantera 50 earns her reputation for being able to handle abuse.  Sure she's six ounces heavier than the Chinese model, but three of those ounces are a direct result of decisions we made with respect to adding an air filter, a 4mm flybar, and the solid 1-piece engine mount.  However, bearings to downsize the flybar are available, you can leave off the air filter, and if you really want that ounce, you can hack the engine mount to reduce weight.  The other few ounces are in the beefy tail case, triple-bearing tail grips, larger main shaft bearings, larger clutch, etc.  However, once you factor in nifty things like the the mixture servo option, as well as the output shaft stabilizers for the swashplate servos, the superior fan design, the fact the fuel tank easily handles the pressure from YS engines, plus our triple-bearings for the tail rotor grips, then yit suddenly hits you . . .we're onto something.  After all, we may be a modest Mom-and-Pop operation from the deep South, but we're not stupid.  In fact, we confidently put our American jobs on the line with the Pantera 50 because we're certain she measures up not just to the best the world has to offer, but to your expectations!  When there are enough folks like you, i.e. guys who do their own thinking (instead of getting what everybody else has), and who do their own homework, we can make a living - even against the Chinese!

Ultimately, our philosphy is simple.   50-class helia are beaters in the real world.  E.g. where nobody pays you to fly, and you reach into your own pocket to make repairs!  In fact, we kind of wonder why anybody would want to complicate their life by flying a carbon and aluminum 50 since it defeats the very purpose of the 50-class, i.e. as an inexpensive, easy to maintain, and fun to fly model.  What's nice about the Pantera 50 is you can fly like you stole her and be secure in the knowedge a momentary brain fade isn't a gonna break the bank!  Here's what a customer recently had to say . . .

"Just wanted to let you know how happy I am with my Pantera 50. When I purchased it I was looking for something to replace my Trex 600N. While they fly good I just got tired of the parts and quality issues. I was especially looking for a "solid" dependable helicopter and I am very impressed with the tough construction because I just plowed the Pantera in doing inverted hurricanes today. It hit hard. The guys at the field expected to see a shattered heli when we got out to it. I'm happy to report no frame or head damage. Boom, skids, blades, a few lost links but that's it. Any other heli I own would have been totalled. Gotta love this super plastic!" 

Meanwhile, unless you've been living under a rock, you know the economy is in a tough place.  You can't eat helicopters so it's not exactly an essential purchase.  Fortunately, as things for men to waste money on go, model helicopters don't hold a torch to the classics, i.e. faster horses, older whiskey, and younger women, which is probably why your better half doesn't kick up too much of a fuss about your helis!  In offering the Pantera 50 as a durable, economical, high performance model, which is perfect for the role of everyday beater, we do it in the knowledge she represents a great value.  This is especially true since you can just about buy two Pantera 50 models for the the price of one T-Rex 600N.

Thank you for your consideration.

Every man has a right to be wrong in his opinions. But no man has a right to be wrong about his facts. If you get all the facts, your judgment can be right. If you don't get all the facts, it can't be right".
- Bernard Baruch

Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.
- Thomas Jefferson

These words by our 3rd president have never been more true, and if this product comparison, which I authored, is in any way unreasoned, unfair, or untrue then show me, and I'll change it!  In the meantime, especially during economic times like these, I believe folks simply need some facts to sink their teeth into.
- John Beech, Owner, Audacity Models

Pantera 50 vs. Sceadu 50 Evolution (Evo 50)

The venerable Hirobo of Japan created the market, back in 1985, for fiber reinforced engineering plastic model helicopters.  Prior to their Shuttle, dominant designs featured flat aluminum side frames attached to aluminum blocks, which is pretty much how the present day T-Rex 600N uses flat carbon fiber side frames attached to aluminum blocks proving the more things change, the more they stay the same!  Anyway, in the still ongoing battle between flat-plate frames vs. engineering-plastic, and figuring if it's not broke don't fix it, Hirobo's Evo 50 continues to use this incredible material (so does the Pantera 50).  However, while the Evo 50 is a well regarded model possesed of good flying characteristics complete with a loyal following, it's showing its age, which makes it easy prey for the Pantera 50.  Consider these factors if the Evo 50 is on your short list;

Differential Throw vs. Rule of 90°
12 versus 3 Or Why 400% More Is Less
Phillips-head Screws vs. Allen-head Bolts
Molded Seats vs. Removeable Bearing Blocks
40% Wider bearings
Screw-on Hub vs. Dual Tapered-collet System
Heavy Duty Main Rotor Grips
Dual-bearing vs. Triple-bearing Tail Rotor Grips
Mixture Control Servo
Extended Cooling Shroud
Air Filter Assembly and the Chicken Dance
3 mm vs. 4 mm Flybar
Big Block Conversion - The Center of Attention
Output Shaft Stabilizers - Reduce Main Rotor Disk Feedback
Boom Mounted Tail Rotor Servo - Oil, Oil, Everywhere
Customer Experience - No Dog In The Hunt
Pricing - It's a Horse Race
Replacement Parts - Comparable

Differential Throw vs. Rule of 90°:  At their heart, helicopters are controlled through their swashplates, and this involves linkages . . . in some helicopters, a butt load of linkages!  While we can't do too much (economically) with those north of the swashplate (flybarless gyro systems cost a pretty penney), we can do something with those south of the swashplate, i.e. those connecting it to the servos.  State-of-the-art designs feature linkages, which always form a perfect 90° angle at the neutral position because it ensures symmetrical control, i.e. equal throw in each direction.  By the way, this is called the Rule of 90°.  Sometimes, a designer can't easily make the linkage rod follow the rule of 90° resulting in the model handling differently, i.e. to the right vs. left.  This means constantly compensating for asymmetry-of-control, which even average pilots can feel. 

The swashplate converts linear motion from the servo-pushrods into 'rotating' linear-motion so the linkages north of the swashplate can rotate with the rotor head, i.e. it's the interface for pushrod motion.  Moreover, the swashplate controls the three-axis of motion; i.e. fore-aft, side-to-side, plus collective pitch, so if any of these linkages violates the Rule of 90° it's akin to building a house on a crooked foundation.  In the photo below, note how Pantera 50 control linkages form perfect 90° angles, which keeps the feel balanced and symmetrical, e.g. to prevent uncoordinated control-couplings in your maneuevers.  We think this is a big deal; end of story.

- Note acute angle at neutral in Evo's roll-linkage while the Pantera linkages all form 90° angles at neutral.

12 versus 3, Or Why 400% More Is Less:  Perhaps nowhere is the elegant design of the Pantera 50 more visible than in the simplicity of the direct servo control system.  An Evo 50 requires 12 individual pushrod linkages just to connect the servos to the swashplate while the Pantera just uses 3 pushrod linkages.  Hand-in-hand with employing a dozen linkages are the many, many intermediate levers, bellcranks, bushings, bearings, and screws, which over time wear and result in control slop.  Worse, because the Evo's servos are mounted in a separate sub-frame, which readily breaks in a crash, Evo owners 'dread' the time it takes to R&R (remove and replace) all these servos and linkages.  Moreover, because the servos and linkages are mounted in the vulnerable nose area of the model, i.e often the first to contact terra firma in a crash, it's easy for linkages to get lost in a crash, which sucks.  However, in fairness to Hirobo, they do offer the Evo 50 in an SWM version, which 'features' 9 linkages instead of 12.  It's an improvement, to be sure, because you only build 300% more linkages versus 400% more linkages - hmmm.

- With 12 inkages vs. 3 for the Pantera, the Evo 50 requires 400% more linkages to control the swash!

Phillips-head Screws vs. Allen-head Bolts:  If you prefer cheesy Phillips-head screws for assembling your model, you'll love the Evo 50 because it's loaded with them! The Pantera 50, on the other hand, features Allen-head bolts.  What's more, unlike the Evo 50 which uses el cheapo nuts, each requiring thread locker, the Pantera 50 features nylon-locking nuts instead.  Granted, it's one of those little things, but we find paying attention to the details wins customers.  Moreover, if we don't toot our horn, they sure won't tell you how Allen-head hardware is the only way to go!

- Phillips-head screws are used on the Evo 50 instead of Allen-head bolts - yuk!

Molded Seats vs. Removeable Bearing Blocks:  Just like the Pantera 50, the Evo 50 has three bearings supporting the main shaft.  However, only their lower bearing runs in a removable bearing block.  The other two bearings ride in bearing-seats molded directly into the side frame, which means if a bearing seat is damaged in a crash, or gets sloppy from wear, you have to replace the Evo 50 side frames.  Worse, unless your time is worth nothing, it's a tedious job because you basically have to completely disassemble everything!  Conversely, the Pantera 50 has individual bearing blocks for the main shaft (and tail pinion shaft).  You benefit because it's afrom the relatively quick and painless procedure (and you save money since frames are pricey).  Of course, if you have a money tree in your backyard, you only save time.

- Efficient design means four of five Pantera 50 bearing blocks use the same part number!

40% Wider bearings:  Moreover, Pantera 50 main shaft bearings are 40% wider than those in the Evo 50.  The wider bearings withstand greater flying loads as well as the everyday knocks imparted by beginners.  We don't believe in short cuts, and there are no two ways about it, wider bearings result in a more heavy duty model.  While most of us are ordinary pilots, it doesn't mean we'll be ordinary forever, and the Pantera 50 is ready for you when you take it to the next level.

- You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see the benefit of 40% wider bearings.

Screw-on Hub vs. Dual Tapered-collet System:  Another example where we believe the Pantera 50 trumps the Evo 50 comes from how the clutch/fan hub mounts to the engine.  Basically, theirs screws onto the crankshaft, which is cheap to manufacture.  However, it leaves you at the mercy of whatever runout you get because there's no adjustment.  Anyway, have you ever watched tires for your car being balanced?  The wheel assembly is secured between two tapered-collets so it runs true when they spin the assembly up to high RPMs.  This dual tapered-collet system  is exactly how the fan/clutch hub mounts on the Pantera 50 (and also how it's done on high dollar 91-class helis from the likes of Miniature and Bergen).  While we build the Pantera 50 for the most ferociously competitive segment of the helicopter market . . . beancounters don't make our engineering decisions!

- Evo 50 screw-on hub vs. Pantera 50 dual tapered-collet mount, where less runout means less vibration!

Heavy Duty Main Rotor Grips:  In the South, heavy duty is more than a catch phrase, so when we say the Pantera 50 is a heavy duty machine, we're not kiddin' with you.  For rotor blades, where the rubber meets the road is the sky.  Securing the blades to your model are the critical main rotor blade grips.  However, unlike ordinary 50-class helis designed around 600 mm rotor blades, we designed the Pantera 50 with 620 mm rotor blades in mind (and 640 mm blades will fit without modification).  Consequently, the grips are big enough to handle greater loads - no upgrade required.  If your engine has the cojones, the Pantera 50 main rotor blade grips can handle it because they're huge by comparison!

- The heavy duty Pantera 50 main rotor blade grips are . . . mo-betta!

Dual-bearing vs. Triple-bearing Tail Rotor Grips:  Let's eyeball the tail rotor blade grips because the Evo 50 uses 2-piece tail rotor blade grips while the Pantera 50 features more rigid, 1-piece tail rotor blade grips.  Ours more closely resemble miniature main rotor blade grips and unlike the single ball/thrust dual-bearing combo used in the Evo 50, the Pantera 50 features a triple bearing setup - just like a main rotor blade grip!  In short, you get two ball bearings plus a thrust bearing in each tail rotor grip (also like those found on top of the range 90-class machines).  Add in a steel tail rotor hub (standard equipment) and the resulting silky smooth triple-bearing setup really delivers the goods!

- Evo's dual-bearing 2-piece grips don't cut it vs. Pantera's triple-bearing equipped hefty 1-piece grips!

Mixture Control Servo:  Attention to details, like how you can add a mixture control servo to your Pantera 50 side frames, is important. This is "no can do" territory for an Evo 50 because there's no place to mount another servo - and wait until you see where they mount the tail rotor servo!  However, what's really nifty about a mixture servo is how you can control the needle valve with a spare channel on your transmitter, or plug it into a GV-1 or MultiGov Pro governor, thereby letting it control the mixture for you automatically.  We've all been there, your engine starts to run lean in flight and you have to land to adjust it - how lame is that?  At last, now you can do it on the fly!

- Control the needle valve with a mixture servo, and like all Pantera 50 links, neutral makes a 90° angle!

Extended Cooling Shroud:  Guess what?  There's a spot for a retract servo as well as a mixture servo, which you'll appreciate if you like scale models!  In fact, the Pantera 50 is so versatile you can mount as many as 8 servos directly into the side frames while the Evo 50 can only accept 4 servos.  And while you're admiring that nifty low-profile retract-servo just in front of the Pantera 50 side frames in the picture below, compare how much more of the engine's head is covered by the respective cooling shrouds.  When you fly hard, the engine is delivering more power, so it gets hotter and as a consequence, you had better be able to control engine temperatures.  With the Pantera 50, our extending the cooling shroud means keeping more cooling air from spilling out before it's done all it can, which is important when you're hammering on it!

- Paying attention to the details results in a longer shroud, so the Pantera 50 has better cooling, no question!

Air Filter Assembly and the Chicken Dance:  Why did the chicken cross the road?  While they may not have the answer to this question, country folks do know what happens to chickens, which are slow crossing the road.  I.e. it flops and thrashes whilst dying, which is an ugly mental picture, but it closely resembles a helicopter crash when the engine keeps on running (yes, it happens enough to justify a name).  So now you know the origin of the very apt phrase!  Anyway, because of the danger of getting near it, the model just keeps flopping and thrashing about until it runs out of fuel.  In the process, it digs a hole in the groud, raises an impressive cloud of dust, and frequently results in far more damage than the crash itself.  Sadly, while it can be costly to repair the model, what sucks (literally) is the engine just about always gets damaged as well.  Sometimes the damage is bad, sometimes it's almost unnoticeable, i.e. reduced horsepower from the resulting lower compression due to increased scratches in the piston/sleeve. 

The Pantera 50 is unique amongt nitro-powered helis for offering an available air filter option.  It sits on top of the snorkel leading to the carburetor and instead of reducing power, actually adds some because cooler air is more dense and thus, can accept more fuel resulting in more horsepower!  Moreover, while the air filter is great protection during a chicken dance, it really earns its keep in protecting the engine from the day-in and day-out injestion of highly abrasive clutch liner material particles (just wipe your finger on the inside of the cooling shroud of your model the next time the engine's out - yuk).  That plus airborn dust injested during the hover, are the leading causes of engine wear.

- The snorkel draws cooler air into the engine, but following a chicken dance, the filter's like money in the bank!

4 mm Flybar:  As compared to the Evo 50, the Pantera 50 is designed around a 4mm diameter flybar.  There's a tremendous benefit from upgrading vs. a 3mm flybar due to the 85% increase in rigidity.  This results in a model that rolls quicker, generally responds better, and accepts the wide variety of aftermarket 4mm paddles available for 90-size birds. Plus, and granted this is a stretch, but the 4mm flybar doesn't get tweaked as easily as the whimpy 3mm flybar when you bump your model getting it in and out of the car! Frankly, with a 4 mm flybar, the little rascal rolls quicker than a lot of 90-class birds!  Anyway, the Germans say the Devil is in the details.  We figure by paying close attention to the little things, the big picture will takes care of itself, and an 85% stiffer flybar is an important detail.

- The Pantera 50 features a 4 mm flybar, which is 85% stiffer than the Evo's 3 mm flybar.

Big Block Conversion - The Center of Attention:  There's more to making the Pantera 50 the best 50-class heli on the planet than just better features.  A substantial number of our customers live at high altitudes, like Denver, CO.  Consequently, we designed the Pantera 50 to accept up to a 91-class engine - bigger bearings, clutch, etc. remember?  Our plan is deceptively simple.  To overcome the density-altitude issue, we just threw more horsepower at the problem because an engine at 6000' makes about 3/4 the power compared to sea level and a good 91 makes nearly 4 ponies, or nearly twice as many as any 50 - yeehaw!  Anyway, some of us are flying these monsters in the flat lands, where the gonzo power is mucho overkill, but as they say . . . power corrupts.  Warning, sick amounts of horsepower lead to spontaneous outbreaks of the giggles.

- Some say shoehorning a YS91SR into a Pantera 50 is sick -  we couldn't agree more!

Output Shaft Stabilizers - Reduce Main Rotor Disk Feedback:  Available servo output shaft stabilizers make the Pantera 50 more precise than competitive CCPM machines like the Evo 50 SWM because they eliminate side-to-side servo-mount flex.  In short, they keep the servos from moving back-and-forth on their rubber grommets and thus, eliminate this form of slop, which results in a more precise flying machine.  Here's why; during maneuvers, the consderable feedback from the rotor disk may actually force the swashplate servos to give slightly on their rubber mounting grommets. The flex in the servo mount acts just like a sloppy linkage and thus, results in less consistent maneuvers.  You'll also find output shaft stabilizers like these for the Pantera 50 on top of the range 90-class products.  These output shaft stabilizers kits for the Pantera 50 (the bridge over the top of the three swashplate servos) gives you a far tighter, and immensely more controlled response, which means even average pilots can appreciate the difference.  We have them available with a screw-in thread for plastic output gear servos like the Futaba S9252, as well as machine threads for metal output gears in both 2.5mm and 3.0 mm thread.

- Our CNC-machined output shaft replaces the stock screw securing the servo arm, and rides in a bearing.

Boom Mounted Tail Rotor Servo - Oil, Oil, Everywhere:  Ask any experienced Evo 50 owner about the tail rotor servo being mounted on the tail boom and they'll mention it gettting covered in oil from the engine's exhaust.  Frankly, it's not just a pain in the rear to keep the thing clean, but woe unto you if the tail rotor servo either isn't sealed with o-rings, or has a damaged o-ring, thereby allowing oil to get inside anyway!  While the Evo 50 uses a tail boom-mount for the servo, the Pantera 50 gives you two choices of aft mounting locations, either on the left or the right, and both are completely within the protected confines of the frame itself.

- Boom mounting exposes the Evo 50 tail rotor servo to exhaust oil versus two protected mounts!

Customer Experience:  Look folks, don't get us wrong, there's a lot to like about an Evo 50; it's quite a decent model. However, the above factors, which result in the Pantera 50 having significantly better value, are entirely due to her substantial improvements.  Here's what a customer experienced with both models, i.e. somebody who doesn't have a dog in the hunt, has to say about his Pantera 50 . . .

"I can give you an opinion on the Evo 50 vs. the Pantera 50. I've flown Evos for a few years, and up until the Pantera came out, it was my favorite 50. They fly very similarly, but the Pantera is just a little bit better in the air. It has that same mellow hover that an Evo has, very similar to a 90 sized heli, but the cyclics are very, very fast, much faster than the Evo, even faster than the Fury I used to fly. Other than that, I find it flies very similarly to the Evo, has good hang time at the end of autos, tracks very well in fast forward flight with no pitchiness, and the head is harder to bog than the Evo. Dunno why, but the Pantera makes me look like a better pilot than the Evo.  Parts cost are pretty much a wash (I've crashed both helis multiple times), and the support behind both are fantastic. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but all in all, you can tell that the Pantera is a newer design that has learned some new tricks over the other 50s out there."

- Nick Crego, Ankeny, IA

- Ankeny, IA's Nick Crego kneeling next to his Pantera 50

Pricing:  The Sceadu Evo 50 often sells for a tad less than the Pantera 50, so if 20 bucks is a make or break proposition, we understand (but urge you to reconsider).

Replacement Parts Costs:  Moreover, we match up head-to-head pretty well with respect to replacement parts pricing (some say better), because we're both making very similar size products.  As you would expect, they win some and we win some.  That said, consider this when you compare the price of something, like side frames.  Don't forget to add in for the proclivity of the Evo's radio tray to break in a crash.  While you're at it, factor in the greater risk to your servos and gyro due to the vulnerable mounting location in the Evo's nose section, which often takes the brunt of impact - can we say big money? 

Clutch w/pinion 412-118 $50.41 VS. Clutch w/pinion AUD0026-2 $24.99
Clutch Shoe w/shaft 412-119 $38.72 VS. Cutch w/one-way AUD0038 $24.99
Flybwheel 50 412-122 $32.65 VS. Clutch Hub AUD0037-2 $31.99
Fuel Tank 480cc 412-201 $14.23 VS. Fuel Tank 500cc AUD0028-2 $13.99
Main Frame 412-218 $24.20 VS. Main Frame AUD0029-2 $29.99
Linkage set 412-223 $14.96 VS. Linkage Set AUD0025L-2 $7.99
Tail Case 412-236 $10.58 VS. Tail Case AUD0041 $12.99
Main DTDS Gear 1 412-169 $30.80 VS. Main Gear 1 AUD0031-1 $22.99
Main DTDS Gear 2 412-170 $26.40 VS. Main Gear 2 AUD0031-2 $17.99
Counter Gear 412-138 $22.70 VS. Counter Gear AUD1011-2 $14.99
Fin Set 412-154 $10.12 VS. Fin Set AUD0044 $8.99
Tail Pitch Plate Set 412-146 $23.50 VS. Slide Ring Assm AUD0009 $19.99
Tail Shaft 414-143 $9.68 VS. Tail Output Shaft AUD1004 $6.99
Tail Pulley w/shaft 412-145 $15.66 VS. Pulley w/shaft AUD0011K $15.99
Tail Pulley 412-139 $7.57 VS. Tail Pulley AUD0011 $11.99
Tail Boom 412-140 $10.13 VS. Tail Boom AUD1518 $9.99
Tail Housing 402-597 $10.47 VS. Tail Rotor Hub AUD0020-2 $9.99
Tail Pitch Lever 412-147 $10.12 VS. Tail Pitch Lever AUD0010 $3.99
Engine Mount 50 412-124 $35.28 VS. Engine Mount 50 AUD0034 $15.99
Wood Blades 412-109 $33.92 VS. Wood Blades AUD1519 $29.99
Seesaw 412-106 $6.51 VS. Seesaw AUD0048-2 $14.99
Center Hub 412-105 $15.66 VS. Center Hub AUD0005 $13.99
Yoke 412-101 $7.83 VS. Main Rotor Hub AUD0023 $8.99
Blade Axel 412-102 $5.19 VS. Feathering Spindle AUD0016-2 $8.99
Swashplate 412-001 $56.70 VS. Swashplate AUD0039 $39.99
Decal Sheet 412-229 $14.96 VS. Decal Sheet AUD0049-2 $9.99
Sceadu Manual 412-227 $18.48 VS. Pantera Manual AUD0050-2 $4.99
Main blade grips 412-103 $11.48 VS. Main Blade Grips AUD0046-2 $11.99
Mixing arms 412-107 $7.83 VS. Seesaw Arms AUD0055-2 $9.99
Stabilizer Control Arm 412-108 $9.15 VS. Control Lever AUD0024-2 $13.49
Washout arms 412-111 $6.51 VS. Washout Arms AUD1015-2 $8.99
Radius Arms 412-112 $2.55 VS. Washout Link AUD1001 $2.49
6mm Start Adapter 412-120 $6.51 VS. 6mm Start Adapter AUD0001 $7.99
Tail Rotor Pushrod 412-143 $6.51 VS. Tail Rotor Pushrod AUD1521-2 $5.99
Tail Housing Set 412-148 $44.12 VS. Tail Grip Assy AUD0042-2K $39.99
Tail Blade Grips 412-149 $6.51 VS. Tail Blade Grips AUD0042-2 $7.99
Tail Boom Brace 412-151 $11.35 VS. Tail Boom Support AUD1520 $16.99
Windshield 412-153 $18.30 VS. Windshield AUD1017-2 $14.99
Cabin (canopy) 412-152 $36.52 VS. Canopy AUD1016-2 $24.99
Canopy Mounts 412-166 $5.50 VS. Canopy Mounts AUD0019 $3.99
Fuel Tank Cushion 412-200 $4.32 VS. Fuel Tank Mounts AUD0053-2 $7.99
Cast Muffler 412-202 $22.00 VS. .50 2-piece Muffler AUD0051 $19.99
Skid Foot 403-254 $11.79 VS. Landing Gear Struts AUD0033-2 $11.99
Stabilizer 4mm Freya 414-306 $10.12 VS. Flybar 4mm AUD0015-2 $8.99

Conclusion:  Folks, the Evo 50 flies well, no question, but then again, the Pantera 50 also flies well.  The Pantera 50 is even a few ounces lighter than an Evo 50, though that really doesn't matter because while a few pilots claim to be able to tell the difference, by and large we just think they're full of themselves.  Furthermore, both models are made of fiber-reinforced engineering-plastic, which is both tough, and easy to accurately assembly or repair.  However, the state-of-the-art Pantera 50 trumps the Evo 50 because of its newer design, which bring some downright nifty features to the game, i.e. a far lower linkage count, Allen-head bolts, bigger bearings, removeable bearing blocks, dual tapered-collet fan hub mount, heavy duty main rotor blade grips, triple-bearing tail and beefy 1-piece tail rotor grips, mixture-control servo-mount, extended cooling fan shroud, air filter assembly, 4 mm flybar, big block conversion, output shaft stabilizers, two places to mount the tail rotor where it doesn't get covered in so much oil, plus a partridge in a pear tree.

OK, we're kidding, there's nither a partridge or pear tree involved!  Meanwhile, maybe you don't give a hoot about better features; after all, some people still buy Evos.  Nevertheless, one fact is indisputable; the Pantera 50 is quicker to build, maintain, and repair, which together may be the most important factor of all because the one thing even Bill Gates can't buy is . . . more time!  Anyway, along the way we've also joked about money growing on trees, but we know it really doesn't, which is especially true during difficult economic times.  Consequently, whlile getting a tough, heavy duty, 50-class heli is a smart, reasoned, and prudent choice, it helps the Pantera 50 is also one heck of compact and powerful package, which is both convenient, as well as economical to own and operate.  Add to that, she's loads of fun!  Finally, we're pretty confident the Pantera 50 is the best 50-class helicopter your money can buy.

We thank you for your consideration.

Pantera 50 vs. Raptor 50