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 My next venture into RC helicopters (after the DuBro Tristar) came about a decade
later when I bought an Ikarus ECO 8 electric chopper from Hobby Lobby
(circa 1998). It was pretty lam in performance with the stock motor and a
very heavy NiCad battery pack. At least there were no clutch problems to
deal with. This time I had a heading hold gyro for the tail rotor and I
was actually able to somewhat fly the thing.
After losing patience with
the lameness of the power plant, I sold it on an AOL bulletin board to
some guy in Florida. It had not suffered any damage beyond a slight dent
in the tail boom where one of the main blades slapped it on a
less-than-soft landing. No doubt it would have been an entirely different experience with one of
today's brushless motors and some LiPo batteries.
 Hobby Lobby still sells the Eco 8 after all these years.
My next attempt at RC helicopters would be in 2006, when I purchased an
e-Flite Blade CP.
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