Review for the All Paper Clock

Best Review on The Peace Tower Paper Clock

This kit of an All Paper Clock is very well prepared and really - all tools one will need - will be found in a common household. Work is proceeding fast; just depending on the type of glue one is using. The best is the suitable use of white (water based) glue for items that need some minutes to be aligned before the glue has settled and faster glues as the RC plane guys are using or superglue for the other elements.

The precision of the pre-cut cardboard pieces is excellent, resulting in perfect fitting. The instructions are very detailed, meaing that no cumbersome search for details should occur.

Personally I built this clock during a tour through the Nat`l parks in the West, starting with the as-bought box of the clock and some tools and ending up with a fully functioning wall clock.

A hint concerning the weights (hollow cardboard cylinders), driving this marvel: One may replace them by stones (giving the clock an anciant touch) or filling them with shot gun bullets (easily obtainable at your local weapon store). For the latter case: Ensure to build these cardboard weights VERY RUGGED with more than normally used glue - lead is heavy...

In a nutshell: This kit is suitable for beginners from some 8 years (with occational pa's or grandpa's assistance) up to infinity. Also ladies should not resist to build their own wall clock.

Once this little masterpiece is nearly silently ticking at the wall, everyone will be extremely proud of his/her work and it is real show-off, once friends are passing by.

But now I have to return to my current project - a working steam engine - also a cardboard model.

Dr. rer nat Volker Klein (physicist)

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Great RC Heli

Read First Before Buy 2 4GHz Single Propeller Helicopter V911

The WL Toys V911 is a 4 channel fixed pitch helicopter with flybar that uses a 2.4 Ghz remote control. It comes with the helicopter, two batteries, a charger, and the 2.4 Ghz Remote. It is a great choice for people who are starting out with helicopters and want an inexpensive starter helicopter to use outdoors.

Because the helicopter is a fixed pitch helicopter with a flybar, it is moderately stable but can fly very quickly. Because it uses 2.4 Ghz, it has a good range and will not suffer from interference from lights (like some IR controlled helis will). Because it has replaceable battery, when the battery dies, you can simply replace it with a charged one. Because it is 4 channels, you can fly forward and backwards, go up and down, spin left and right, and can slide to the left and right.

Be sure to buy extra blades and a screw kit. The blades tend to get damaged when they hit things. While the flybar won't get damaged, the screw that holds the flybar in place can become bent, and when that happens, the helicopter will lose some stability and may experience what is known as the toilet bowl effect. If you experience vibration, the screw that holds the flybar in place might be too loose. If you experience a toilet bowl effect, try loosening the screw that holds the flybar in place.

Quality control is an issue for this helicopter. The first one that I received had a bad gyro, and so it would turn to the right. Even the "good" ones have a slight tendency to rotate to the right, and it gets worse as the battery level drops.

The second and third one did not have the swashplate adjusted, and so the helicopter would tend to drift. If your helicopter drifts instead of hovering, determine which direction it is drifting (forward, back, left and/or right). Then while the helicopter is sitting on a table, move the remove control in the direction oppose of the drift. Watch which levers move in which directions. Then adjust the black plastic/silver control arms to move the swashplate in that direction by popping the black plastic control arms off of the black swashplate ball joint and then screwing or unscrewing the black part of the arm against the silver part of the arm to lengthen it or shorten it.

WL Toys offers no U.S. based support, but you can find parts if you want to try to repair the helicopter yourself.

It is not a toy and because the blades can cause serious eye injury, you should not fly the helicopter near anyone and should not allow children to operate it.

The helicopter is fun to fly, but as you lift off, be sure to move the right stick about half way to the right. These helicopters have a natural lean to the left to counter the force of the tail rotor and you need to counteract it at lift-off or the heli will veer off to the left and crash.

If you don't mind spending a bit more, you should consider these helicopters:

Blade MCX2- Coaxial helicopter, 4-channel, replaceable battery, 2.4 Ghz controller. Great for indoor use, but can be used outdoors if there is no wind. Still slow. U.S. based support and good quality. Around $120.00 with the controller (less if you already have a compatible controller).

Blade CX2/CX4- Similar to MCX2, but considerably larger and so it can be flown in very light wind outdoors. Around $150 to $200. U.S. based support and good quality.

Blade SR 120- Fixed pitch, 4-channel, replaceable battery, 2.4 Ghz controller. Too large for indoor use. Great as a park flyer even with some wind. Very fast. Around $160.00 with the controller and $130 if you already own a Blade compatible controller. U.S. based support and good quality.

----
Here's a summary of the different technology choices when it comes to RC helicopters.

Blade Systems

Coaxial- A coaxial helicopter has two sets of blades, one on top of the other. Coaxial helicopters are generally very stable and move fairly slowly. They are great for beginners and for flying indoors.

Fixed Pitch- A single set of blades. Not as stable as a coaxial helicopter, and can move much more quickly than a coaxial helicopter. A "FP" helicopter cannot fly upside down. Fixed Pitch helicopters are generally for intermediate flyers and are used outdoors.

Collective Pitch- A single set of blades whose pitch changes to raise or lower the helicopter. A "CP" helicopter can fly upside down. For advanced and expert flyers.

Stabilization Systems

Gyro- An electronic system inside the helicopter that prevents the helicopter from rotating in the direction opposite the blades. All modern helicopters have electronic gyros.

Flybar- Two weights that are connected together using plastic or metal and which spin around along with the helicopter blades. Fixed Pitch Helicopters that have a flybar will level off when you release the stick. Helicopters that do not have a flybar (and Collective Pitch Helicopters) will not level off when you release the control stick. Collective Pitch and helicopters without flybars are not suitable for beginners.

Control Systems

Infrared- Use infrared light to control the helicopter. Bright lights, sunlight, and TV remote controls will interfere with the operation of the helicopter. Not suitable for use outside during the daytime.

Radio (27 Mhz/2.4 Ghz)- uses radio waves to control the helicopter. Suitable for use indoors or outdoors.

Battery Systems-

Internal- a helicopter with an internal battery that cannot easily be removed. When the battery dies, the fun is over until you recharge it. Most helicopter batteries take about 30-50 minutes to charge and allow for about 5 minutes of run-time.

Replaceable- a helicopter with a battery that can easily be removed and recharged. When one battery dies, you just pull it out and put a fresh one in and continue flying.

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Better than Expected

Read First Before Buy Chain Camera Video Recorder Camcorder

Ordered five from Crazy Cart. Near as I can tell from the chucklohr site, these are #9, which is just as good as the infamous #3. I know another reviewer said #16, but #16 is an HD model, which this is not.

Having recently gotten a lot of #19 (different vendor), I can say the #9 is superior in nearly every way. It's easy enough to set the time date stamp, the response time of turning on, recording, etc are superb, and they not only charge fairly quickly, but the LED stays on once it's finished. Also (and this is critical for my intended use), the audio recording capability is quite excellent, and comparatively good quality.

As I said before, I ordered these from Crazy Cart and should I need more, I will gladly buy from again. Shipping was pretty quick too.

Don't let other reviews on the net fool you. They either got a bad variant or expected a top end Nokia in a $10 package. I'm sure there are some duds out there but I've now had 9 of the 808 cameras altogether and the only three I had a problem with were because they were #19 and therefore could not retain their date stamp between uses due to lack of RTC (real time clock) chip. Even that bad variant recorded acceptable video and audio though.

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very nice tool for $30

Read First Before Buy Ambient Weather HP816A Handheld Temperature

I fly rc model airplanes. Even tho the weather bureau states what they weather will be one never knows about wind conditions. If the wind blows too hard then flying is out.

A few weeks ago our group of local guys were flying and the wind came up. We all chimed in and said it would be nice if someone in the group had a wind meter. Well Pat steps up and states I have one. He pulled out his Ambient weather HP816A. We soon find out that the wind was blowing from 5 to 8 mph. Some of the flyers were trying out their new quad copters. Once they found out what the wind was doing they all cancelled out. It was nice of Pat to have his meter with him.

I told him I had one coming too. I now have mine and when I head out for a day of flying I can let all the guys know what is going on. I have been wanting one of these wind meters now for about ten years and now I have one.

These are a handy item to have and it fits in ones pocket very nicely. The price and the shipping were outstanding. I got mine in three days. Now if the weather would just cooperate. Many thanks to Amazon for carrying this product.

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flying high

Best Review on 2 Channel Super Sonic Control Airplane

My dad and I have a checkered history with RC planes - one has never lasted more than one flight with us. Last Christmas I bought this because it was super cheap (~$30 with shipping) so we wouldn't have to worry if we broke it. Turns out breaking it was never a problem. The wings on the plane are set up to automatically lift relative to the amount of thrust - so the only thing you have to fool with on the plane is the throttle. This makes it much easier to control the plane than with the more expensive models. Turning is also easy, as is landing. Since the plane flies itself somewhat with the automatic forward-motion=lift wings, landings are never hard (landings with an RC plane are what always killed our previous ones), and the foam body is actually pretty durable.
The plane is subject to wind obviously as it's so light, as well it does not like to get wet so don't land it in dew (the water will both mess with the electrics as well as weigh the plane down enough so as to make flying difficult). The flight time isn't long but is longer than ten minutes, and since you can charge from the radio control unit very quickly, is not limiting. Because the plane is very basic, it's not like you're going to spend hours flying this thing, but for fun family outings I'd highly recommend it. We gave it to my 4-year old niece to play with (with supervision) and she did fine. Have fun out there, this really is a fun little toy for the family.

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Great starter plane for the hobbyist who has some experience with RC

Best Review on E flite E Flite EFL4225 Advance 25e

I started off with Short Course Trucks a few years back, and then my friend decided to get into aircraft, so I decided to get into it as well. I started with a simulator about 6 months before I began to fly real models (very good idea, its harder than you think if you have never done it before, it will save you a lot of money and frustration).

Once you have some experience with the electronic components and stuff like that, building this is relatively easy. They give you everything you need except the electronics (which is why I say you should have some experience beforehand). It does give you recommendations for electronics in case this is your first model experience though.

Took me about 2 weekends to build it at a casual pace. If you know what you are doing you can probably build it in about 3 hours or so.

Super easy to fly (this was my second plane, first being a micro foamie)

Some issues I ran into while building: The steering linkage is not designed very well, I ended up modifying it a little from the original spec to better align it; I grinded into it to move the set screw from its original location. The motor mounting process is kind of difficult, and not all motor mounts will fit. I ended up drilling my own holes to fit attach it, and used nuts as spacers to keep the prop from hitting the body.

It has been crashed at low speed from stalling twice now, with the only damage being a bent prop hub (couple dollars to fix), and the back tail popping off (glue it right back on and patch any tears in the monocoat! You will need a bit of space to fly this, the second crash was because the field was too small to fly at a good speed.

I attached my gopro to the bottom so you can see a birds eye view of the world. This plane can pull a good amount of weight.

This is NOT a toy though, you should not buy this for a young child who has no experience in the hobby, and one who does should be supervised while building and flying the model.

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Thunder Charger TP103CQ-ACDC

Read First Before Buy Thunder Power RC Ultra Micro Batteries

I got this charger because I have two RC planes that use little 1S 3.7v batteries and I wanted a good way to keep my plane in the air while cycling through batteries. This charger does the trick PERFECTLY. It comes with the AC wall adapter for charging at home, or via an AC adapter in your car, or you can go the route I do and use the alligator clips to hook it up to a 12v battery like those you'd find in UPS power backups. Using it that way, I can take a little 12v 7ah batterty with me to my flying field and use this charger to keep batteries for my plane filled up faster than I can use them.

The use of the unit itself is very simple! Just hook it up to a 12 volt power supply, plug your battery in, and wait for the light to turn green for the slot that your battery is plugged in to. It charges each slot individually so you can have three green lights, and one red light. Just grab a green light battery to swap out into your RC plane (or whatever you're using the batteries in) and put your spent battery in the slot and wait for it to turn green again.

Bottom line: If you want an inexpensive simple unit to charge up to 4 batteries at a time, independently, this is perfect. I strongly recommend it.

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Comically Fast, Wicked Fun

Read First Before Buy Aquacraft Revolt Brushless Radio Controlled

I bought this for my son's 10th birthday. It's our first real boat. Folks, this is not a toy in the traditional sense. He's also learning to fly RC planes and has been having trouble with left/right as the plane is heading towards us. One of the club members suggested a boat or car to help get him acquainted. Might have gone a bit overboard but when we took it out for the first run, we couldn't believe how much fun it was. This thing is fast.

We followed the instructions for the best battery hook-up and went with a single 14.8V 5000maH connected direct with bullet connectors. We also added a strip of Velcro to keep the battery from sliding in the tray even though Aquacraft provides enough tie downs that you could tow a car if you needed! The workmanship is fantastic and the paint is fabulous. I put a coat of high-quality car wax on it and it simply looks stunning.

We bought the Rx-R version which I confused with RC plane that typically use RTF for "ready to fly". But Rx-R means "Receiver Ready" so we bought a Futaba 3PM, wrapped the receiver in high-quality latex and encased in a ziplock back. We just tucked it up along the right side next to the batter and extended the antenna toward the bow. Worked perfect.

Back to performance - as this is a race boat, I'm sure hardened hobbyists would say it runs pretty good. As for me an my son, we were absolutely stunned. Not only does this thing rocket to top speed (estimated 35-40 mph) in seconds, it will turn on a proverbial dime. It's actually hard to keep up with but you can slow it way down and just have fun too. The battery lasted us a good 10 minutes the way we ran it and on returning to shore, the motor and electrics were lukewarm. As we get more used to it, I'm sure we will run it harder but we had plenty of straight-run full throttle sprints in the mix.

If you are looking for a high-quality rc racer that is an order of magnitude jump from the stuff you might find at an electronics toy story, just get this thing. Order two of the big 4S Lipo's and some tape for the lid and you are set. The Futaba radio we bought worked fine out to about 100 yards but then you really need to be a few feet up in elevation for best reception. But that is far enough anyway.

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Phenomenal plane

Best Review on UMX MiG 15 DF BNF

Despite its small size, the UMX MiG 15 is probably the nicest RC plane I own-- it sounds great flying over head, is really easy to see because of the red colouring, and flies like it's on rails thanks to the built in gyros. It's fast enough to be thrilling, but also slow enough that you can fly it just about anywhere; a small soccer field is more than enough room.

It's pretty tough as far as store-bought RC planes go, and extremely tough as far as the UMX series go. Rough landings aren't a problem for this plane at all. The nose is structurally quite thick and, unlike most of the other UMX planes, the landing gear is very solid. I've landed it on pavement, snow, and grass without any real damage. That said, it does go fast enough to destroy itself should you inadvertantly fly in to something.

I would definately recommend this plane to anyone who wants to get their feet wet with a jet, or who wants a really fun and convenient plane to fly in a parking lot or a playground. I would NOT recommend this plane to a beginner-- it's too fast.

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Great Plane only if you have a programmable radio

Best Review on E Flite UMX Gee Bee EFLU4580

I bought the Gee Bee after owing the UMX Beast and UMX Carbon Cub, which are both fun planes. When it went on sale for a $100 from $169 I couldn't resist giving it a shot. At $100, its definitely a great value compared to the other micro planes that I own in the same price range, such as the Micro T28, Mosquito, and Pole Cat. First off, at $100 your getting a brushless motor that is faster and batter then the other micros that come with brushed motors at the same price, and it has the AS3X which automatically helps in windy conditions.
Now, to my review, its a very agile plane so any small movement on your controller will result in extreme movement by the plane in the air, and it can get hairy real quick causing you to have a crash. I gave it five stars ONLY if you have a spektrum DX6i programmable radio or higher that has EXPO. Let me explain, the higher the EXPO the less sensitive the transmitter becomes, so small movements on the transmitter means only small movements by the servos controlling the plane. Without EXPO, this plane is too agile and any small movement from the transmitter will require quick reactions and an experienced pilot to control because it can really move. I set the elevator and rudder at 40% expo, and ailerons at 70% due to its short wings and it has really tamed the plane down, so now I have smooth flights and I control when I want the plane to roll and due stunt moves as opposed to the plane doing it for me every time I touch the controls and having to react and overcorrect. Its a beautiful plane and a great flyer if you have a programmable radio, the only negative is that its almost impossible to land without it tipping over due to its design and small wheels, so if you buy it don't count on nailing the landings every time. As long as you slow down to a crawl on the landing its designed to not be damaged on front rollovers (pieces of plastic set on the plane to not get damaged at points that plane hits the ground on front tip overs during landings). If your going to get one UMX plane with AS3X technology I recommend the UMX Carbon Cub, but its way overpriced at $169, so this Gee Bee at $100 is a great buy.

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Fun! Small, pretty good video

Read First Before Buy Polaroid Extreme Waterproof Mounting Included

The Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition is the perfect camera for the active person. For its size, the benefits of buying one are demonstrated in the shear quality of the footage captured. Polaroid has really created much deserved excitement about this camera.

Durability wise, Polaroid has created a well-built camera. Designed for use in extreme sports, the camera can go anywhere including underwater (waterproof up to 30-feet). Good slim design, combined with balance of light weight and rugged durability make it most desirable.

In the package you will find a number of accessories: mounting kit for a bike, mounting kit for a helmet, adhesive pads and more. This camera uses the same mounting hole as most digital point and shoot and DSLR cameras making it great for use with any tripods you may currently use for photography.

I really like the specs on this camera. You can independently slide switch on the back to change from High Definition (HD) recording to Full HD recording. Within the camera's settings software you can adjust FHD between 1080P and 960P and HD between 720P @ 60 FPS and 720P @30 FPS. This camera can also take pictures in 16MP, 5MP, 3MP, or VGA quality. You can also have the photos taken in single shots, bursts or time lapse (time lapse supports 5, 10, 30 and 60 second options).

All of these options can be adjusted within the included software. After plugging a microSD into the camera and then hooking the camera up to your computer, you can run the Polaroid.exe file to adjust the settings, no software installation required.

This camera does lack a video display, but has a rated battery life of nearly 2.5 hours. The lack of an LCD display certainly is what adds to the extended life of this camera but can be both a mixed blessing. The camera does have a mini HDMI port on the back, and included in the accessories, you will find an HDMI mini to HDMI cable so you can hook it up to a TV or other video display.

Overall, the Polaroid XS100 Extreme Edition is a rugged video and static image camera designed for the extreme sports minded. This makes it a superb option for capturing your extreme sports activities or just an afternoon with the family in the backyard. The extended battery life and waterproof design will allow for nearly unlimited uses, making it a great choice for an active lifestyle.

Disclosure: I received a sample product from the manufacturer for the purposes of providing this review. A review in exchange for the review sample was not promised. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the manufacturer or vendor.

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Most Excellent

Read First Before Buy Raptorjet Chanel Control Helicopter Protocol

Not for Kids!!! Must have good hand eye coordination and understand air flow, gravity, and be able to perceive distance and speed. This is the 1st remote control toy I have purchased in 25 years and it is FANTASTIC!!!! It will fly for about 10-15 minutes on one charge which takes about 2-3 hours. Keep track of the flight time otherwise a crash from 150 feet will break something. It will fly in light rain (it always rains in Seattle) however it will not fly into a head wind and be prepared to increase the power to full on a down draft to prevent a hard landing. After 2 days of hover practice I can fly it indoors and keep it in a 3 foot by 3 foot box pattern at 4 feet. You can find the same model at retail outlets for less. I bought mine for 49.99 @ Marshall's a week before x-mas.

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Very fun plane

Read First Before Buy E Flite EFL2250 Mini Ultra Stick

This is one of my favorite planes. Although designed for thermal soaring, and it certainly performs well in that area, it also makes a great trainer because it's big and can fly slowly, both are qualities that greatly reduce the chances an inexperienced pilot will lose orientation. It also is very stable when the wind is calm, and can carry weight, which make it a good platform for aerial video and photography.

Once you have some experience, you'll find that flying the Radian is very relaxing. That's partly because it's silent while gliding, and quiet while under power, but also because it's gentle on the pilot and so graceful in the air. Its quietness allows it to be flown in locations where noisy aircraft wouldn't be welcome. It is a large plane, so I recommend a large field for the initial flights, but with experience it can be easily flown from smaller spaces, such as a baseball diamond or soccer field.

Because it's optimized for gliding, the Radian doesn't fly as well while under power. It climbs rapidly, which gets it up to soaring altitude immediately, but it pitches up abruptly when throttle is applied, a trait that can surprise an inexperienced pilot. Also while under power, the control surfaces become more sensitive because there's more air moving over them. After a few flights, all of this will be anticipated by the pilot, so not a problem.

This is a very popular plane and many enthusiasts have made modifications to their Radians, as have I, but it flies great out of the box, so none of these modifications are required to have a good flying experience. One modification I made to mine, to make it even more beginner friendly and eliminate its pitch changes when throttle is applied, was to install a Eagle Tree Guardian 2D/3D Inertial RC Stabilizer. The other modification I made was to install permanent magnets where the wing halves meet to reduce the chances of shedding a wing during flight. The friction fit wings fit tightly when the model is new, but loosen with use, the magnets keep them snug together.

The DX5e transmitter that comes with the RTF Radian is a good, simple 5 channel transmitter with plenty of range.

Overall, I highly recommend this powered sailplane, it's inexpensive, parts are readily available, and the manufacturer has excellent customer service. Most importantly, it's a joy to fly.

Get your E Flite EFL2250 Mini Ultra Stick Now!

This thing is a blast!!!

Read First Before Buy Blade BLH3100 NEW 120 SR RTF

This was my first R/C helicopter. I see a lot of reviews that say not to start out with this model, but to start with a CX2 or CX3. While this is not bad advice I would like to add that I believe the 120SR can be your first heli. If you start out with the CX2/3 you'll want more very quickly. Unless your in to collecting you'll wish you'd skipped right to this model. Having said that I'll warn that younger kids might not do so well with this as a first. If you are experienced and careful, however, you will do just fine with the 120SR.
This heli has been very forgiving. Because it is light, it can take some fairly decent falls without breaking.
First thing is do your homework. Read and study about how R/C helis work and in particular how the 120SR works. If you can, upgrade your radio so you can tweak the settings. I use a DX6i.
Next, if this is for a youngster, the adult should learn the heli first and then help teach it to the younger. My 12 year old flies this fine. I will say that that he did have practice on a CX3 first, but I think he would have done fine going right into this 120SR.
Also, fly outside in the grass where you will have soft landings. If you fly inside or around hard surfaces you will break things quickly. Blades will break on walls and furniture, landing skids will break from hard landings or the body will break on rocks or concrete. If you stick to the grass you'll save money, time and frustration.
One last tip that has saved me breakage is whenever you see your going to crash, kill the throttle and just let the heli crash. You'll break less blades and save the motor.

Get your Blade BLH3100 NEW 120 SR RTF Now!

Great Powered Sailplane.

Best Review on ParkZone Radian RTF

This is one of my favorite planes. Although designed for thermal soaring, and it certainly performs well in that area, it also makes a great trainer because it's big and can fly slowly, both are qualities that greatly reduce the chances an inexperienced pilot will lose orientation. It also is very stable when the wind is calm, and can carry weight, which make it a good platform for aerial video and photography.

Once you have some experience, you'll find that flying the Radian is very relaxing. That's partly because it's silent while gliding, and quiet while under power, but also because it's gentle on the pilot and so graceful in the air. Its quietness allows it to be flown in locations where noisy aircraft wouldn't be welcome. It is a large plane, so I recommend a large field for the initial flights, but with experience it can be easily flown from smaller spaces, such as a baseball diamond or soccer field.

Because it's optimized for gliding, the Radian doesn't fly as well while under power. It climbs rapidly, which gets it up to soaring altitude immediately, but it pitches up abruptly when throttle is applied, a trait that can surprise an inexperienced pilot. Also while under power, the control surfaces become more sensitive because there's more air moving over them. After a few flights, all of this will be anticipated by the pilot, so not a problem.

This is a very popular plane and many enthusiasts have made modifications to their Radians, as have I, but it flies great out of the box, so none of these modifications are required to have a good flying experience. One modification I made to mine, to make it even more beginner friendly and eliminate its pitch changes when throttle is applied, was to install a Eagle Tree Guardian 2D/3D Inertial RC Stabilizer. The other modification I made was to install permanent magnets where the wing halves meet to reduce the chances of shedding a wing during flight. The friction fit wings fit tightly when the model is new, but loosen with use, the magnets keep them snug together.

The DX5e transmitter that comes with the RTF Radian is a good, simple 5 channel transmitter with plenty of range.

Overall, I highly recommend this powered sailplane, it's inexpensive, parts are readily available, and the manufacturer has excellent customer service. Most importantly, it's a joy to fly.

Get your ParkZone Radian RTF Now!

AWESOME

Read First Before Buy Propel RC Gyropter Channel Helicopter

I have tried other mini helicopters, such as an Air Hog version, and they were all pretty bad. My mom bought this for my 5 year old for Christmas and I had my doubts. I tried it first and struggled, but then I took things one step at a time. A slow hover, then mix in a slow rotation with a hover, etc. Then I let my 5 and 7 year old try in a similar fashion. A first, this thing took a huge beating, but NEVER broke. It has been crashed more times than I can count. In just over a day my 7 year old can successfully hover, go forward and reverse, turn, etc. My five year can hover, do small turns, and move a little bit forward and back. They each have about 15 flights on it and I have less than 10. The battery lasts about 6 minutes with the lights off, 5 with them on. I am extremely impressed with the durability and ease of this copter. But REMEMBER to take things one step at a time. It was bought from Costco for Christmas, and I am going back to get another for my seven year old and possibly one for myself to play with the kids. They are very fun, and if you take it one step at a time, the learning curve isn't that bad.

Get your Propel RC Gyropter Channel Helicopter Now!

COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!

Read First Before Buy Wireless Color Camera Complete Package

I bought this (April 2013) mainly for the controller. The FMS free downloadable software isn't even available for download anymore. So I downloaded Clearview SE (free) at [...] and paid $3.99 for my Blade MCPX heli. It took me a while to figure out how to calibrate and set up this USB controller to Clearview SE, but I finally figured it out. Here's how I have this controller set up on Clearview:

Select PPM as the controller

Throttle: (Reverse) Z Axis
Rudder: Z Rotation
Aileron: X Axis
Elevator: Y Axis

Enable Stick Auto Centering when model is reset to initial position.

IdleUp/Flaps Off Y Rotation Off Y Rotation
Throttle Hold/Gear Off X Rotation Off Button 0

Set the Gyro switch towards you and the Mix switch away from you, and turn the Gear knob to halfway on this controller.

After making these selections, be sure to Calibrate your controller, with right stick at middle and left stick all the way down for heli.

Enjoy!

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awsome worth everg penny

Read First Before Buy Happy Bytes LLC Absolute Simulator

I bought this (April 2013) mainly for the controller. The FMS free downloadable software isn't even available for download anymore. So I downloaded Clearview SE (free) at [...] and paid $3.99 for my Blade MCPX heli. It took me a while to figure out how to calibrate and set up this USB controller to Clearview SE, but I finally figured it out. Here's how I have this controller set up on Clearview:

Select PPM as the controller

Throttle: (Reverse) Z Axis
Rudder: Z Rotation
Aileron: X Axis
Elevator: Y Axis

Enable Stick Auto Centering when model is reset to initial position.

IdleUp/Flaps Off Y Rotation Off Y Rotation
Throttle Hold/Gear Off X Rotation Off Button 0

Set the Gyro switch towards you and the Mix switch away from you, and turn the Gear knob to halfway on this controller.

After making these selections, be sure to Calibrate your controller, with right stick at middle and left stick all the way down for heli.

Enjoy!

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Fun!!!!!!

Best Review on S108G Infrared Controlled Marine Helicopter

This is my third indoor RC helicopter, all purchased within a month of each other and finally submitting to the urge to own one. I received my BS in Aerospace Engineering almost 20 years ago which included a technical elective in helicopter aerodynamics and design so I have always loved helicopters and been hesitant to jump into an RC one for the reason that the only ones with reasonable levels of control were prohibitively expensive. That has changed. My first two were an Airhogs Twin Vortex (fun but still too little control I found) and a U809 Cobra (very similar to the SYMAS108G but launches missiles). The SYMA S108G wins for pure flyability. This thing rocks and while not as fast as the U809 is far easier to control and much quieter. The detail of the airframe is also impressive.

Like most of the counter-rotating coaxial helos out there this one has no ability to move side to side. You control power for altitude, Yaw (turn left/right) and a small vertically mounted tail rotor pitches the helo forward or back causing it to move in that direction. That is not the mechanism used to control a real Cobra but it is plenty for this RC aircraft and to include that level of control would add significantly to the complexity and cost.

I was shocked at how little tuning this needed out of the box. A little power and it hung there in front of me almost perfectly still. This is a light helo though and any breeze is going to be an issue. Even getting into a tight space may result in the blast from the rotors coming back to buffet your helo. Another important thing to understand is GROUND EFFECT!!! When close to the ground the air moving off the rotor blasts directly off the ground significantly increasing the effective force. This has two notable effects:

1. Close to the ground you can continue to hover with less power, especially when the battery is almost dead.
2. A slight bit of forward or backwards pitch will send this helo flying easily 5x faster than when higher off the ground. The acceleration is sudden and impressive. To avoid crashing and breaking just kill the power and you should harmlessly plop to the ground from the couple inches you were in the air. Regaining control at that speed and altitude without dropping is not easy!

Another big plus over the U809 is the rapid availability of spare parts! Until you get the touch down to controlling this you will find yourself pinning it to the ceiling before it drops uncontrollably to the ground and has something break off. Small drops and bumps isn't a problem but this is not a toy you set an 8 year old loose with.

I purchased a 110 converter/charger for this helo for $5 and love it. I find my self swapping from one helo to the other while charging.

If I could change one thing it would be the power control lever on the controller. It is spring loaded to drop to zero power. I may open the controller and remove the spring. This will allow one to hover without fighting the spring in the stick.

EDIT: In reading the many negative reviews for this helicopter they all seem to go right back to the fact that this is NOT A TOY FOR CHILDREN. Seriously, you need to have very fine motor control skills. The majority of kids and a fair share of ham fisted adults jam the throttle all the way, crashing into the ceiling, then floor, or bounce it off other objects in their household. If it no longer flies right after having flown fine it is BECAUSE YOU CRASHED IT. Look at the rotor linkages to see if they have broken or separated. Spares are available. Kids today are raised on video game controllers where lack of finesse results in restarting their level. That doesn't apply here. If the helo is very unstable or you notice the blades flopping about rather than spinning smoothly odds are you did something to cause it.

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Great Value When Used With (free) ClearviewSE

Read First Before Buy Simulator Control Software Helicopters Airplanes

I bought this (April 2013) mainly for the controller. The FMS free downloadable software isn't even available for download anymore. So I downloaded Clearview SE (free) at [...] and paid $3.99 for my Blade MCPX heli. It took me a while to figure out how to calibrate and set up this USB controller to Clearview SE, but I finally figured it out. Here's how I have this controller set up on Clearview:

Select PPM as the controller

Throttle: (Reverse) Z Axis
Rudder: Z Rotation
Aileron: X Axis
Elevator: Y Axis

Enable Stick Auto Centering when model is reset to initial position.

IdleUp/Flaps Off Y Rotation Off Y Rotation
Throttle Hold/Gear Off X Rotation Off Button 0

Set the Gyro switch towards you and the Mix switch away from you, and turn the Gear knob to halfway on this controller.

After making these selections, be sure to Calibrate your controller, with right stick at middle and left stick all the way down for heli.

Enjoy!

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It's more than you're paying for

Best Review on F645 2 4GHZ Single Helicopter Colors

This is a fast fun to fly durable heli. I have had this for a month now and so far it has performed well. I have even flown it with snow on the ground. On one of the heli forums there is a thread about this model that have over 7 thousand posts! On Youtube there is a video that will show you how to modify this heli to get the most out of it, and to help it to last a long time.

It took me a while to figure out the Transmitter, it can do quite a lot including switching your sticks so the throttle can be on the left or right, and you can also choose which side you what to control the turns and the sways. You need 4 AA batteries for the transmitter.

It comes with an AC charger, extra main blades and tail blade. Outstanding heli and I'm glad Amazon is selling it. I must prefer to buy through Amazon than through the Chinese store. It looks like most of the helis are being sold by manufacturers in China. It can take a month to get your order from there and if something is wrong, well it can be a mess returning.

Hope to see many more 4 channel selections of quality helis like this one being sold by Amazon.

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Great little bird

Best Review on JXD Indoor Infrared Gyroscope Helicopter

I have been looking at purchasing a remote control helicopter for a long time, but had too many hobbies that came before R/C products. I bought the jxd drift king as an entry level helicopter, before moving on to bigger helicopters. I knew nothing about functionality or durability with any of the small indoor copters, but I finally flew a friend's drift king. For the price, I thought that I had nothing to lose. It was easy to fly right out of the box, considering the last time I controlled a moving object by remote was a toy remote control car from the 80's. I learned to fly this copter very well within 4 or 5 flights. It is very easy to maneuver and fly into tight spaces around the house. As far as durability, I have crashed the living (fecal material) out of this helicopter. I have flown it into the wall, dropped it from every bit of my 12 foot cielings, crashed it into furniture, and had my 2 year old grab it by the tail rotor and sling it across the room. The only damage is a few dents in the plastic blades. It comes with an extra set, but I am waiting until the damage on the current blades causes poor flight. This thing just keeps flying. Other reviews give it less stars for flight performance issues, but I don't know enough to complain about how it flies. I just bought one of the big double horse copters, and it is easy to fly due to my practice with the jxd drift king. My drift king will fly for about 10 minutes on a single charge and takes about 30 minutes to recharge. The 4 channel allows you to make sharp turns at high speed, once you get the hang of sideways flight. I could go on and on. For the expert, you may be bored with this little copter, but for the beginner, get one.

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Another great copter from Syma

Read First Before Buy Syma S023G Apache Military Helicopter

I loved this heli ... because of all the pretty blinking lights ... unfortunately it would not fly. The printed circuit board was defective, and would not make contact with the transmitter.

I really hated to return it, but if it did work and I'm sure it is capable of working, I would say it's a good heli. The only problem with this size heli is you get one of the 27Mhz transmitter and it is constantly losing the signal with the heli, where it will drop from the sky, it would be a 5 star heli, if not for that, and the fact I was unlucky in receiving a defective model.

I may give this another try, because I really like how it looked ... I can modify the transmitter and give it more voltage, which will help with the signal cutting ... it won't solve the problem but it will help. If you don't mind tinkering this will be a good heli as long as will work.

Sometimes we get lemons ... but the S023G is capable of being a good heli with the right modifications.

UPDATE 15 FEB 2013
I decided to try again ... I was a bit apprehensive at first because I read all of the bad reviews and a few said they got a bad one the second time around. Well sir I'm happy to say I got a good one this time!:) It flies just fine. I wasn't really happy with the S113G as a replacement even though it is just like the S023G in appearance but, it is so much smaller. Also the S113G will lose the signal at times, but not the S023G, and the S113G doesn't have the pretty blinky lights like the S023G. I have a modified transmitter with a 9 volt battery to help reduce signal lost, and the S023G works well with it.

THIS HELICOPTER IS NOT FOR A NEWBIE!!! If this is your first purchase of a RC heli don't get the S023G you have to have some experience with 3 channel helis in order to fly it. Each time you first start off you have to gun the throttle to get it into the air and back off enough in time so you don't hit the ceiling. If you don't give it enough throttle it will simply go to the side. You have to be on the stick right away because it has a tendency to go backwards when it first takes off. You have to know how to get it under control so you can adjust the trim. If not you will only keep crashing. Once the trim is set it flies beautifully. I don't leave the antenna wound up ... I let it hang free for good contact with the transmitter.

If you are a tinker then you may want to modify the tail rotor blade. It doesn't seem to be big enough to give good forward speed. If you got a bad one before like me, but really like the model ... then give it another try, you can luck out and get one of the good ones. It's worth it.

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Great bearing... but easily lost.

Read First Before Buy Blade Tail Motor Protective Sleeve

I guess you have to realize what you are getting with this item. It's a $65 remote control helicopter made in China that is 27-inches long and about a foot high. It's designed for stability and easy to control, indoor flight. It delivers. If you plan on flying the S033g outdoors, you will either need a completely windless day or the willingness to make a few very easy, almost no-cost modifications. The two modifications I prefer are:

1) Snap off the cover, and move the battery as far forward as you can. This will require two 8" cable ties, as you have to cut the existing ties to re-position the battery. Doing so gives the helicopter a little more weight over the nose and helps lean the S033g forward more readily.
2) Using a 3/16 x .115 x 1 nylon spacer (available at Lowe's in the hardware area for about $0.50) you can very easily attach the supplied, spare tail rotor to the S033g thereby giving it 4 blades instead of 2. Again, this allows more forward pitch to fly in slight breezes.

Using those two mods, neither of which require doing any harm to the helicopter, the S033g is a pretty decent little backyard chopper. Of course if you want something that will aggressively fly outside, you're probably better off investing in something like the Blade 300X ($320 plus $130 for the radio control). At $65 you just can't beat this heli, but you should also understand it has some limitations.

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Nice product

Best Review on UPG GP1272 1272 BATTERY 7 2AH

This plane is by far the easiest and coolest flying machine I have ever owned. After several flights, I decided to get risky, which resulted in a full speed crash straight into a wall. We are talking full blown crash and burn, no chance of survival type of crash. Not only did the plane survive, all I had to do was reinstall the "pop-off" wing and i was flying again. The rubber nose must have absorbed the majority of the crash. 10/10 tons of fun. The battery lasts a lot longer than 10 minutes. Casually flying with the engines at ultra low speeds (just before stalling) you can fly for at least 45 minutes. People line up to watch this thing fly. I was doing loops and barrel rolls on my first flight. Super easy to land, as the onboard computer basically glides it to the ground for you.

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Excellent trainer

Read First Before Buy HobbyZone HBZ7700 Firebird Stratos RTF

This plane is by far the easiest and coolest flying machine I have ever owned. After several flights, I decided to get risky, which resulted in a full speed crash straight into a wall. We are talking full blown crash and burn, no chance of survival type of crash. Not only did the plane survive, all I had to do was reinstall the "pop-off" wing and i was flying again. The rubber nose must have absorbed the majority of the crash. 10/10 tons of fun. The battery lasts a lot longer than 10 minutes. Casually flying with the engines at ultra low speeds (just before stalling) you can fly for at least 45 minutes. People line up to watch this thing fly. I was doing loops and barrel rolls on my first flight. Super easy to land, as the onboard computer basically glides it to the ground for you.

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GREAT HELICOPTER!!!

Read First Before Buy S033G Channel Helicopter Colors Yellow

I guess you have to realize what you are getting with this item. It's a $65 remote control helicopter made in China that is 27-inches long and about a foot high. It's designed for stability and easy to control, indoor flight. It delivers. If you plan on flying the S033g outdoors, you will either need a completely windless day or the willingness to make a few very easy, almost no-cost modifications. The two modifications I prefer are:

1) Snap off the cover, and move the battery as far forward as you can. This will require two 8" cable ties, as you have to cut the existing ties to re-position the battery. Doing so gives the helicopter a little more weight over the nose and helps lean the S033g forward more readily.
2) Using a 3/16 x .115 x 1 nylon spacer (available at Lowe's in the hardware area for about $0.50) you can very easily attach the supplied, spare tail rotor to the S033g thereby giving it 4 blades instead of 2. Again, this allows more forward pitch to fly in slight breezes.

Using those two mods, neither of which require doing any harm to the helicopter, the S033g is a pretty decent little backyard chopper. Of course if you want something that will aggressively fly outside, you're probably better off investing in something like the Blade 300X ($320 plus $130 for the radio control). At $65 you just can't beat this heli, but you should also understand it has some limitations.

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best gift ever!!

Read First Before Buy Electric Infrared Control Biplane Airplane

Ok, so on Saturdays, I sometimes play Airsoft with a few of my Marines. This battery was a FANTASTIC choice. It has high output, and lasts for about 3 hours of continuous use. Although, with most everything there are Pro's and Con's

Pro's: Extremely high output, able to perform under high and low temperatures, without fail. Battery life was perfect for my needs.

Con's: Requires an extra cable to charge, unless LiPo specific. Charging duration has to be specifically a set amount of time to prevent over-charge. You CANNOT let this completely drain. Like most LiPo batteries, you must charge it when you know it's ABOUT to die. It is also bigger than most LiPos. You must have enough space for it's dimensions. Tenergy products have always been quality, yet you have compromise for the size.

Overall: Great product for power demanding platforms. Great for Airsoft. Even fits in my RC plane. I cannot complain too much about this product at all, except for maybe it's size.

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Lots os fun

Best Review on Double Horse 9101 Electric Helicopter

Seriously, this helicopter is worth every penny, if you want to try it without spending a lot of money. During first test flight I noticed it going backwards on lift off, now not being an expert in this I assumed this was not normal, so I simply moved the battery forward a bit to remedy that. Now it lifts straight up, directional controls all work fine; have not tested range yet. I started flying indoors first (I have a cathedral ceiling that gives me about 17ft of height, and it fly's great.

After that I took it outside and it got away from me and went into Tree, mostly my inexperience and possibly too windy (est. 10+ miles per hour), It dropped from tree about 20+ feet high and canopy cracked; glued and put electrical tape on and I'm back in business, when I started it back up it started to shimmy on lift off, I then noticed that crash also bent balance bar, I replaced that with parts kit I also bought at same time(also recommend to buy), and I'm back in business.

I'm going to continue to fly indoors until winter wind dies down before going back outside. I'm hooked!

P.S. when I'm not flying this helicopter, I'm practicing on simulator app; found one free on apple app store (same one is also on google store), app is called absolute rc heli... I do not work for any of these product vendors, I'm a consumer who always wanted to fly helicopters and these products have given me the chance to do that, thanks Joe

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Nice intermediate heli

Best Review on Eflite Blade CP Pro Helicopter

I am very pleased with this heli. I have owned it for over a year and I have only had to replace a couple of items totalling less than about $12.00 which were normal wear and tear anyhow.

With additional flybar weights moved out, it slows the response time enough to teach people how to fly helis without the danger and expense of a large gas heli. I have taught both of my sons to fly rotors with this.

3d high performance maneuvers out of the box, you betcha! I spent the first charge of the battery just hovering and trimming it to my preference (22 minutes) which it really didn't need - I could have flown it right out of the box but I wanted to be careful. The next 4 charges were hovering inverted, LARGE loops, high speed passes, flying sideways, reverse, lazy-8's, and lots more.

There is no other heli that will give you the bang for the buck like this one.

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Best price for a lipo out there.

Read First Before Buy Tenergy 11 1v 1600 Airsoft Battery

Ok, so on Saturdays, I sometimes play Airsoft with a few of my Marines. This battery was a FANTASTIC choice. It has high output, and lasts for about 3 hours of continuous use. Although, with most everything there are Pro's and Con's

Pro's: Extremely high output, able to perform under high and low temperatures, without fail. Battery life was perfect for my needs.

Con's: Requires an extra cable to charge, unless LiPo specific. Charging duration has to be specifically a set amount of time to prevent over-charge. You CANNOT let this completely drain. Like most LiPo batteries, you must charge it when you know it's ABOUT to die. It is also bigger than most LiPos. You must have enough space for it's dimensions. Tenergy products have always been quality, yet you have compromise for the size.

Overall: Great product for power demanding platforms. Great for Airsoft. Even fits in my RC plane. I cannot complain too much about this product at all, except for maybe it's size.

Get your Tenergy 11 1v 1600 Airsoft Battery Now!

The practice without the cost

Best Review on Happy Bytes LLC Absolute Simulator

I'll never forget crashing my .049 Cox model airplanes on their first flights when I was a kid. As traumatizing as losing a pet! About ten years ago I thought I'd like to get back into planes, and checked out the latest at a hobby store. $400 to get back in with a nitro plane, plus a transmitter, plus you need to find someone at a flying field willing to put in the time to train you. I backed off. Fast forward to last October, I looked into the state of the hobby, and found that a revolution had taken place, with lots of cheap, well-designed electric foam trainer planes on the market. I bought the Champ and the Aerofly simulator, and now wonder how the heck anyone managed to get into all this before. This has been the perfect trainer plane, though the sim made a huge difference, and putting in a good 8-10 hours really paid off. I've crashed the plane dozens of times (mostly on grass, except when I get cocky at a local parking lot), with no damage that I couldn't repair in thirty seconds with scotch tape. It has been my little buddy I carry around in the back seat of my truck and pull out whenever I pass a park and have a few minutes to kill. So fun. Also, the batteries are really cheap, so get three extras (if you can find them, seems like everyone sold out for Christmas).

Because the Champ is 3 channels (throttle, rudder, elevator), you should practice on the sim with the model that most closely matches that config. You will probably want to take the smallest cub-type plane, hopefully electric, and disable the ailerons. Even though in real planes and models it is mostly the ailerons that are used to turn (in the air anyway), you don't have them on the Champ, so you should start sim training without them. Later it will be easy enough to re-learn the proper way when you get a four channel plane.

Expect the sim to be hard at first, especially landing. Practice landing as much as you can. It takes a while to get used to controlling the plane when it's coming toward you. One note regarding this: as it's turning toward you, in order to level, turn the steering stick in the direction of the wing that is dipping down, which will straighten the plane. This advice helped me get the hang of it.

When you fly for the first (and if possible any subsequent) time, go to as big a space as you can, with grass. You can launch by hand if there's no asphalt. My first flight I got stuck in a tree, and it was a real chore to get the sucker back. Stay as far from trees as you possibly can. The Champ is very sensitive to wind, so go on calm mornings. Take it really easy at first, and take advantage of the little trim adjustment buttons on the controller, so that if you let the steering stick go neutral, it will fly straight and level.

As soon as the batteries go weak (or momentarily stop), bring it in as soon as possible. These lipo cells don't like to be completely discharged, and you don't want to lose control when it's really high.

This plane is a fantastic bargain, and prepared me for my second plane, the ultra micro T-28, which is the perfect next step.

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808 #19 Keychain Camera

Most Popular on Car Alarm Remote Keychain Camera

This Air Hogs set is a blast. Play solo or play with a friend. Let your imagination fly with this fun set.

The hardest part is learning to fly the copter. It's tricky, but not impossible. The copter is surprisingly rugged. It's crashed and dropped from tall heights a lot and is still working fine. The copter has a mini-rechargeable system that receives its charge from the remote control (take 6 AA batteries). Each charge only last a few minutes, but those will be full of silly fun. My 9 year old giggle bunches learning to fly the copter then shooting the soft yellow discs. That copter shoot so fast, you can barely see the yellow disc! But it doesn't hurt if you get hit by it by accident.

The Battle Tracker is the best. The computer voice is reminiscent of the robots in Dark Colony game. It can be put on automatic or can be manipulated by remote. The foam tubes it shoots are harmless, it doesn't hurt if you or a pet get hit. It, too ,shoots very fast.

This Air Hogs Battletracker set is a lot of fun.

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A Joy to Fly

Best Review on Hobby Zone Champ RTF

I'll never forget crashing my .049 Cox model airplanes on their first flights when I was a kid. As traumatizing as losing a pet! About ten years ago I thought I'd like to get back into planes, and checked out the latest at a hobby store. $400 to get back in with a nitro plane, plus a transmitter, plus you need to find someone at a flying field willing to put in the time to train you. I backed off. Fast forward to last October, I looked into the state of the hobby, and found that a revolution had taken place, with lots of cheap, well-designed electric foam trainer planes on the market. I bought the Champ and the Aerofly simulator, and now wonder how the heck anyone managed to get into all this before. This has been the perfect trainer plane, though the sim made a huge difference, and putting in a good 8-10 hours really paid off. I've crashed the plane dozens of times (mostly on grass, except when I get cocky at a local parking lot), with no damage that I couldn't repair in thirty seconds with scotch tape. It has been my little buddy I carry around in the back seat of my truck and pull out whenever I pass a park and have a few minutes to kill. So fun. Also, the batteries are really cheap, so get three extras (if you can find them, seems like everyone sold out for Christmas).

Because the Champ is 3 channels (throttle, rudder, elevator), you should practice on the sim with the model that most closely matches that config. You will probably want to take the smallest cub-type plane, hopefully electric, and disable the ailerons. Even though in real planes and models it is mostly the ailerons that are used to turn (in the air anyway), you don't have them on the Champ, so you should start sim training without them. Later it will be easy enough to re-learn the proper way when you get a four channel plane.

Expect the sim to be hard at first, especially landing. Practice landing as much as you can. It takes a while to get used to controlling the plane when it's coming toward you. One note regarding this: as it's turning toward you, in order to level, turn the steering stick in the direction of the wing that is dipping down, which will straighten the plane. This advice helped me get the hang of it.

When you fly for the first (and if possible any subsequent) time, go to as big a space as you can, with grass. You can launch by hand if there's no asphalt. My first flight I got stuck in a tree, and it was a real chore to get the sucker back. Stay as far from trees as you possibly can. The Champ is very sensitive to wind, so go on calm mornings. Take it really easy at first, and take advantage of the little trim adjustment buttons on the controller, so that if you let the steering stick go neutral, it will fly straight and level.

As soon as the batteries go weak (or momentarily stop), bring it in as soon as possible. These lipo cells don't like to be completely discharged, and you don't want to lose control when it's really high.

This plane is a fantastic bargain, and prepared me for my second plane, the ultra micro T-28, which is the perfect next step.

Get your Hobby Zone Champ RTF Now!

Strictly an indoor toy; any slight breeze scrambles it

Read First Before Buy Air Hogs Battle Tracker Helicopter

This Air Hogs set is a blast. Play solo or play with a friend. Let your imagination fly with this fun set.

The hardest part is learning to fly the copter. It's tricky, but not impossible. The copter is surprisingly rugged. It's crashed and dropped from tall heights a lot and is still working fine. The copter has a mini-rechargeable system that receives its charge from the remote control (take 6 AA batteries). Each charge only last a few minutes, but those will be full of silly fun. My 9 year old giggle bunches learning to fly the copter then shooting the soft yellow discs. That copter shoot so fast, you can barely see the yellow disc! But it doesn't hurt if you get hit by it by accident.

The Battle Tracker is the best. The computer voice is reminiscent of the robots in Dark Colony game. It can be put on automatic or can be manipulated by remote. The foam tubes it shoots are harmless, it doesn't hurt if you or a pet get hit. It, too ,shoots very fast.

This Air Hogs Battletracker set is a lot of fun.

Get your Air Hogs Battle Tracker Helicopter Now!

Syma Helo

Read First Before Buy Syma Channel Remote Control Helicopter

I had a Syma S107 and enjoyed it for indoor use. This S800G is almost built like a hobby grade heli. It has a swashplate linked to servo arms with additional holes to adjust pitch and roll. It flies better than Syma's traditional horizontal tail rotor used on three channel units. I have several other high performance helicopters and they all need repairs. The S800G is much more stable, durable, easier to fly, and more enjoyable for my level of experience. I also like the controls of this 4 channel, mode 4, compared to the standard mode 2 in the US. I hope Syma continues in this direction and offers a fixed pitch for outdoor use. My opinion of the controller: It's fine, a little small, which is not a problem. For this price I couldn't expect more, however as much as I like this Heli I will say the servo response is not great. The throttle servo is extremely sensative through the first half of stick movement, than from midway through full upward position there is no change. Full throttle is midway. The pitch control servo is this way also. Ultimately this is a great heli, even at double the cost. Highly recommended, this one should be an awsome first heli for most and has features of more advanced units. One more thing....This is a ridiculous price for this package, I bought a second one.

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Very Fun and Durable

Most Popular on Double Horse 71Cm 3 5Ch Helicopter

First of all, I must say its a bit of a challenge to fly this thing. You have to make adjustments which are determined by the environment you're in. Right out of the box and after a couple hours of charging, it was ready to go. Take off was no problem. Small tweeks to stabilize the helicopter was easy. However, I had to make some more adjustments to gain the ability to fly forward. This was my biggest problem. It took some time of taking off, landing and make an adjustment. This was done 5 or 6 times. I finally got it though. Now this was on a calm day with minimal wind when there was some. It all came down to adjusting the swash plate too and trimming it out. So just take your time and play with it till you achieve what youre needing. I seen a review that wraps up what it is to fly these things. You have to remember....this is a hobby. Dont expect the helicopter to come straight out of the box and fly perfect. Making the adjustments is half the fun. Taking it apart is easy when making these adjustments. Dont be overwhelmed by how the helicopter looks. Everything will come apart and back together with ease. Again, just take your time and enjoy it.
All in all, this helicopter is a blast. Educational value...I dont know. But the fun factor is way up there. I love this thing and will be purchasing more in the future. Enjoy it and have some serious fun.

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tough as nails

Read First Before Buy Rescue Helicopter Infrared Controlled S111G

I own all the Syma Mini Military helicopters. Here is my review for all 5.

1. S108G Cobra. By Far the fastest and the most aggressive of the helicopters. This one takes a little bit of time to get used to and is for the more experienced flyer. Its super fast and super durable.

2. S109G Apache. Another good helicopter from Syma. Runs the same as the Cobra. Fast and swift.

3. S026G Chinook. A good beginner helicopter. Very stable in flight. It can be fast if you want it to be or it can be slow. This is one of my favorites out of the series.

4. S102G Black Hawk. My brother has the S107G and this flies just like it. This is probably the best helicopter that syma makes. Extremely stable and can take a serious beating. (But so can all the others.) It will fly at the speed you want it to from slow to fast and takeoffs and landings are extremely smooth.

5. S111G Coast Guard Rescue. This too is a fine product from syma. Super smooth flyer and very stable when hovering. And yes, this one wins in the looks battle. It works just like the S102G Black Hawk.

6. And last but not least, the S023G Big Apache. This is a massive outdoor version of the S109G Apache. But this one is meant to be used outdoors. This one is not infrared like the little ones but is a 27mhz radio control helicopter. This guy has some serious power to it and boy does it fly. Very fast and extremely stable are how I would describe it. It is also very easy to control.

All in all, Syma gets a 20 out of 10 stars on their helicopters for the price. And when you do buy one from them, MAKE SURE IT HAS A G AFTER THE NUMBERS. LIKE S109-G-. The G stands for Gyro. The Gyro makes it twice as easy to fly.

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Better performance than SYMA S107

Read First Before Buy Viefly Channel RC Military Helicopter

Bought this $29 Viefly after terrible experience with $17 Syma Apache, and I've been thoroughly delighted with its performance. It flew right out of the box. With a tiny trim adjustment it stayed stable throughout the five minutes I flew it, and the battery didn't run down. I've had it a month with no problems. Undocumented extra: it comes with a USB cable that fully charges the helicopter in about 5 minutes rather than the half-hour or more that it takes from the RC box, so time-per-flight isn't an issue. Incidentally, the same cable works with the worthless Syma product.

As to durability, I've crashed it many times on rugs and ceilings and hardwood floors with no ill effects on anything except my pride.

So do buy one Viefly helicopter instead of a bunch of the half-price zero-value Syma product.

Of course there's always the chance that I randomly got the one good one in a bad batch. I'm buying 2 more as gifts and will post again if there are any problems.

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Totally Awesome

Most Popular on Blade BLH7500 BLADE mQX RTF

I have a handful of electric R/C airplanes and helicopters, so when people started talking about quadcopters I took the plunge and bought the little Blade mQX just to see how they fly. You should try one of these. The mQX is so light and has such low mass that it is practically indestructible. It's much more fun than I expected. It's a great indoor machine because you can hit furniture and even yourself with no harm. My other aircraft have to be flown outside, and it seems I'm always spending money and repair time keeping them in the air. Compare that with the mQX, where sometimes you might have to straighten out a bent prop or push a motor back down to mesh with the gears. I live at 7,000 feet, and the bird doesn't do so well outside in a breeze, although my son has pretty good luck with it. He says you can't hover well and have to keep it in forward flight at this altitude when it's breezy. At this altitude it doesn't have enough reserve power to successfully carry a keychain camera, but I've made a few short, wobbly flight videos with the 808 #16 keychain camera. The mQX can carry about an ounce. You really owe it to yourself to pick one of these mQX's up. They are inexpensive, and you'll be surprised at how much fun they are.

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