Can't remember who it was...
Need an opinion on a Gaui 550 before I buy it.........
I'm thinking of getting an Eflite Blade 400 3d, which compares well to the 550 and is a bit cheaper I think.
You can get them for $449 complete with radio and servos in Perth.http://www.ozshops.com/cgi-bin/RT_Resp.cgi?application=radio
As far as I can tell if money is no object then the choice heli is the 550. All the forums seem to rave about them. And their size makes them nice and stable.
How much are the Hurricanes?
The Blade400 is a wicked first CP heli after you have flown a coaxial for a while. I have mastered the CX2 so want to get a Blade400 or even better a T-Rex450. Trouble is with the Blade they have really poor servos.... not only do they strip the gears in a crash they sometimes strip in normal flight (!!!) therefore initiating a crash. Perhaps they offset the cost of the awesome Tx by usng cheap sh!t servos. So really a Blade400 IS in fact a $600 proposition.
The Hurricane 550 is way more expensive (but cheap for a 550 size)... with over a metre in main roor diameter they are big BIG........ so I can see where the stability comes from! Big downside is the power needed to run the thing....... $180 ish for a battery that gives you 8mins max.....
I am finding it hard to decide between a 2nd hand Hurricane 550 which is really cheap but I'd have to spend $300 on a Tx, making it a bit more expensive than a Blade400. Obviously it is a sh!tload more heli ...almost twice the size.... but I worry about spending many hours putting it back together and checking pitch etc, and then programming the Tx at great length and having trouble because I am in the country and can't just take it to the shop for advice. Hmmmm
Blade400: straight of the box and flies. Hurricane 550: lots more work, 2 months waiting for maiden flight but better in the end MAYBE if a 2nd hand one is not all busted up and needing parts.....
I'm in exactly the same boat as you Mark.
I got a CX2 and am getting a bit bored of flying it. I got a big back garden and fly it out my balcony and whiz it around. It's really sensitive to the slightest gust though.
The thing that attracts me to the Blade 400 is that, like you said, you can fly it straight out the box. It's small enough to fly indoors, for me anyhow, and apparantly its pretty good in breezy conditions. Have you seen this guy flying one?
I used to have a Hirobo 555 and 505 many years ago. They were the big 10cc models similar to the current raptors. One thing I really wished I had back then was this simulator. It would have saved me hundreds in broken blades while I was learning 
The larger models in the simulator are quite similar to my old choppers.
www.rcflightsim.com/help.html
Yeah grinch I am set on a B400 now... the 550 had no gyro so there is at least 150 for that, plus 150 for a batt. And then there is Tx / Rx and so on.
I will get a B400 very soon. Only problem is the cheapo servo's in them, so I'll buy a set of Hitecs (metal geared) on ebay, $100 for 3 so not too bad
I've seen so many 3D videos lately and I'm on slowband so I won't watch yours sorry
I'll check that link cos I have not seen them for 449 anywhere.
The $$ is so strong now maybe you will see them at 400 soon. 
Sounds likeyour best option
You can always use the 400 Tx for your next model.
On the subject of simulators i've had a look at Refex which seems rather decent. Hopefully the B400 tx will be compatible to it.
I'm off sims. I downloaded RcHelisim and FMS. Bought a cable from eBay which works with JR and Spektrum etc, intending to use my CX2 Tx with it.
Plugged it in, the alkaline batt's in my Tx got really hot and the PC (or the program) didn't detect the Tx was plugged in.
Apparently you need a stereo 3.5mm jack for the Spektrum TX but most of the cables have a mono plug, and sometiems theywon't work in the USB port.
Then I find out I may need to make a serial port interface etc myself. What a load of BS, you think by now there would be plug in and go systems which don't need you to buy stuff at Dick Smith and solder all afternoon.
I can do it but can't be bothered. I can't believe you need to know all this computer speak to do it also.... PPM and CCPM and port interface protocol w^nk w^nk
After 4 hrs reading geekspeek on the net I gave up.
Far out!! I just bought a $20 game controller. 
Just so long as you have 2 joy sticks its close enough to train your brain what to do when a gust of wind catches it.
