My friend Christian reasonably bought a new transmitter as well. He also was deciding between the Aurora 9 and the Futaba 8FG, but unlike me, he chose the 8FG. This gave me and opportunity to really feel the differences “in real life”
From the left: Futaba 8FG, Hitec Aurora 9, Futaba 7C
The first thing that struck me was the size difference. The 8FG is smaller and has a shorter span between the sticks.
The 8FG has a gorgeous, super clear screen which is flush with the case. Which is nice as dust and dirt don’t have any corners to get stuck in. Programming is done by a single touch-wheel just like on an Ipod. A thing that I like is the placement of the trim-tabs, much easier to reach. The 8FG is about 100 grams lighter than the Aurora (Both transmitters equipped with the stock NiCd packs) but it also feels more “plasticy”.
I have pretty big hands and the Aurora fits my grip perfectly. The feel of the sticks on both the Aurora and the 8FG are phenomenal! Much better than on the “cheap” transmitters I’ve owned before.
The backsides of both transmitters. Aurora 9 on the left 8FG on the right.
The 8FG is equipped with two knobs unlike the Aurora which something like trim-tabs that are programmable. Don’t quite know which is “better”? Both transmitter has two sliders on the sides/back.
So do I regret my choice buying the Aurora instead of the 8FG?
-Nope.
I love the touchscreen and the ease of programming. I also like the telemetry and size/grip of the transmitter. I don’t think that I wouldn’t been satisfied with the 8FG but now that I’ve had the chance to compare the two, I belive the Aurora was the right choice for me.