The Venture™ 50 3D ARF is the latest addition to JR's growing helicopter line. It follows the same basic format as its smaller brother, the .30-size Venture CP. When designing the midsize 3Dcapable heli, JR wisely decided to stick with a simple, proven format. Following the current trend in helicopters, the Venture 50 uses a 3-servo, 120-degree cyclic/collective pitch mixing system (CCPM) and a belt-driven tail rotor. These two features and a low parts count exemplify the Venture's simplicity. And in its almost-ready-to-fly (ARF) format, the Venture 50 can be completed in an afternoon. When the guys at JR® say this heli is an ARF, they aren't kidding!

WHAT YOU GET

The included header tank not only increases flight time, but it's also a visible fuel gauge.

Before I installed the tail fins on the model, I applied the decals to them; it's easier this way.

The horizontal stab mount is an integral part of the boom supports and adds a lot of strength.

When you open its large box, the Venture already looks like a elicopter. This is an encouraging sight for those who have never built a helicopter; it removes the "How am I ever going to put this together?" factor. The main rotor head comes completely assembled, and it features an aluminum center hub, two ball bearings and thrust bearings to support the heavy-duty feathering shaft, 3D dampers and the blade grips; all of these were designed to handle the rigors of hammering 3D aerobatics.

The chassis is the same as the one on the Venture 30 except that it uses a longer tail boom to accommodate the required 600mm main blades. The tail boom supports are stronger to withstand the stresses of 3D aerobatics. The heli also sports a new, sleeker canopy design. The fuel tank holds 320cc (10.8 ounces) of fuel and is mounted forward of the engine. This seems a little small for a .50-size engine, and JR addresses this by including a 2-ounce header tank in the kit. This is a first, as no other heli manufacturer offers a header tank as standard equipment.

The kit also includes a durable plastic canopy that's trimmed and installed on the chassis. Curiously, though, the windshield needs to be trimmed and screwed to the canopy. The decals are very colorful and provide good orientation during aerobatics. The included manual is one of the best in the business, and it's worth reading before starting the assembly. It explains how to build the heli (what little there is), what CCPM is and how it works. It also explains how to install and set up the radio with parameters for basic and 3D flight modes for four models of JR radios (XP662, X-378, XP8103 and PCM10X). The manual is simple, so if you've never dealt with CCPM, or if this is your first heli, you'll be able to follow the instructions with little fuss. The kit also includes heavy-duty servo arms for JR servos, a longer 3D flybar and paddles.