Can't beat an Align SuperCombo Kit, for the Money
Virtually everything you need to fly, in the box. I personally, aside from the chrome, find the Align pipe to be just as powerful as the OS Powerboost - but ONE thing I REALLY WISH was optional is the HZ-R regulated OS rather than the HZ Hyper non-regulated. It is MUCH MUCH easier to tune, runs more efficiently and less adjustment is needed. I'd easily pay another $100 for that option. The carb is around $170 to purchase separately. I don't know if you can just add a regulator and the longer fuel input line where the regulator goes - and it would be the same? That would be much cheaper - but if the Main, Idle, and Mid jets are different size/tapers or the carb internals changed for the reg, then that'd be a no. I can't get a definite answer. Anyway - aside from that the servos in the kit are MSRP $180 a piece, and they work great and last long. All my 600XN servos (my first full size kit, 3 years ago) are still working (through at LEAST 10 crashes). It only cost me $300 to fully rebuild my 600XN head, tail, transmission, bearings, gears, canopy, etc. Everything in stock still. So you will always have parts for this kit. Cheap and easy to get. The design looks killer. The canopy SUCKS. Always have, apparently always will. I was very disappointed that it is just as bad as the 600XN was. It is made of tissue paper. XL Power could give them a lesson. I know its a nitro but come on. 2 days - max, before you will see paint chip and cracking. I love that the starter has a built in one way - IMO every nitro should come standard with one. I can start my aligns with my M12 Milwaukee drill no problem, the M18 isn't even needed. SAB you better have your one way starter wand on your grounded. They fixed the biggest gripe with the 700XN - the transmission. The belt drive is perfect. I'm fine with the TT tail. Less drag in Auto's, I always worried about the gears being an issue but they've held up just fine and the 600XN did too will smaller ones. I have landed in tall grass plenty of times and not broken a tooth (not like, tall thick soft cushion grass, but like enough that the blades had to chop it away, in that situation yeah the belt is gonna fare better), only time ever was when the one way bearing seized solid in flight, somehow on spooldown the tail blades dug a good 1/2" into dirt and stripped. Bottom line - Nitro helis I like to be TT, just less drag. Gears look to be fine. The 800E has plastic gears. A Nitro 700 will be just fine, way less torque. Design is sleek and looks good. Align and Microbeast have a partnership someway - so a different FBL I doubt will ever be kitted - but the MB to me is far outdated. iKon2 is so far superior in setup, rescue, telemetry, integration, user interface, price, flight quality, etc. I have 4 MB laying around from Align kits...I sold 2 of them off for a Spirit GT. Love it - highly recommend it. The Align regulator/BEC is a solid working kit - I've never had an issue w it and I like the glow start pushbutton and not needing my glow stick. It's not the XGuard elite, but again, your talking closer to $3k to double the price of this kit to piece your own together. It was a straightforward fun build. I gave my friend my extra iKon2 for now. He'd never have gotten back into heli's if it werent for this kit - everything is here and it was simple to order, just sent him the link, and went through the electronics setup and helped him maiden it. Added the X guard RC Backplate gov to the ikon. FrSky X20S to TDR6 receiver. Telemetry and signal all over FBus. No problems. Rescue/Stabilization work fine. Fun build, great value for what you get, got me into the big heli's (600XN) when everything else priced me out at the time. Recommend getting the computer interface USB for the MB if you aren't experienced with FBL. Makes setup much easier. People complain its just a prettier 700XN - and thats fine by me. They hit what needed improvement, and left what didn't alone. Aligns been in the game a long time and it shows. Canopy bugs me. HZ-R should be standard. Other than that 4.5/5 stars!!
