Realflight

Best Review on GreatPlanes Realflight G3 5 Flight Simulator

I recently did a review regarding this Realflight compared to Clearview. At that time I supported Clearview due probably to my own ignorance. Shortly afterwards playing with the clear view I noticed some glitches with it and on maxed settings is was ok along with a few plane selections that were interesting. I then went to Hobbytown USA here in my home town and was able to try Phoenix 4.0 and Realflight 6.5. I was impressed with the graphics and format of both of these programs. I ended up choosing Realflight 6.5 that came with the mega plane pack and I also purchased Expansion pack 8. Expansion pack 8 features an F14 Tomcat that is very impressive. The schooling and realistic mode for models was quite impressive after playing with my Clearview. the Realflight Interlink "elite" made by Futaba along with spare connection cables so in the future when I am ready,I can connect my Spektrum, opened up my eyes as well. After I purchased the Realflight 6.5 ,I also registered online and downloaded several other aircrafts from the Realflight website. Of these aircrafts I managed to find some superb custom 3D models, Two beautiful FA18 Hornets,3 F15s that are superb. I enjoy these aircrafts and searching for cool custom aircrafts from some expert class pilots probably more so than the models in the regular package and many of these including the F18s were downloads from earlier versions of Realflight being 5 and 4 and even 3. I have no doubt that this Realflight RC sim will make all the difference in the world as an accurate tool to help develope myself so I can meet the challenge of flying at the field. I just felt like I should remove my review about comparing Clearview and the other flight sims for RC compared to the Realflight series considering all it's features and realism according to experienced, Master class and expert class RC Pilots who all swear by Realflight. I can feel the difference among the RC sims I was able to compare it to which was Clear view and Phoenix 4.0. They all have their place and are all useful.
I chose this one.
PS: The Models you can download free on the Realflight website are my favorite. Awesome flying fields in 6.5 to go with it!

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Great thoughts on Mark's Gospel

Best Review on Mark St Andrews Expositional Commentary

In the realm of teaching RC Sproul is at the top of the list. His Renewing Your Mind radio broadcast is a favorite of mine because of the clarity with which he teaches as well as the broad range of topics discussed. But does teaching ability translate into a good commentary writer. The answer in this case is a resounding YES! I have loved reading Sproul's work since becoming a Christian and I am happy to say that this commentary on Mark is a treat to read.

First off I do want to discuss the look of the commentary. I am reviewing a PDF, but have hard copies of others in this series. As a book lover I always enjoy a "good looking" book. This one does not disappoint. The dust jacket has a wonderful look to it and coordinates well with the rest of the series that's available. The layout is great too. Each chapter covers a passage of Scripture. The passage reference is right below the chapter number and title and followed by the entire passage that will be discussed. The passage is offset by using a different font so it is clear to see where Scripture stops and Sproul starts. In the chapter itself, any time Sproul references the text it is offset in bold. This is a great tool, especially if you just want to scan through real quick to find out what the author has to say about a verse or too and are not concerned with the entire context.

Next is the content. Sproul lays out each chapter in a straightforward and easy to read format. There is typically a small introduction, but sometimes he jumps right into the text. He typically gives a brief explanation of the text followed by some practical application of an example to help the idea behind the passage sink in. The chapter break down is handled nicely and makes it easy to read straight through if one would choose to do so.

This is the fourth of this series that I have and I am pleased to say that they have not disappointed me. One important note to mention is that is you are looking for a commentary that is highly technical and focusing on the languages and grammar. If you are searching for an expository sermon commentary, this is not it. Sproul carries the reader through the text step by step to better grasp the content and does a wonderful job for an expositional commentary. Reformation Trust Publishing will be sending me a free hard copy for this review, but in no way has that shaped my opinion. GO GET YOURSELF A SPROUL COMMENTARY!!!!!

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Go to standard servo

Best Review on Hitec 32645S HS 645MG Torque Metal

Apparently Fish Fun must have been doing just what their name states and they appear to have named this a Radio Ranger on their own. On the boat it proudly displays "First Grade Product" where a boat name might go and the Chinese website of Newqida. The boat also carrys the name of Speed Along" and the model number 757 and NQD. Fish Fun shows a white boat with blue pinstripe and it is marked white on the box. What shows up is a yellow boat with quickly attached pin stripping-and thats coming off anyway, so its not a problem. The web site clearly states that colors may vary - my fault. Apparently the white boat is one frequency and the yellow another. So if you get two boats it might be better to get one of each color to avoid a frequency conflict. The remote has some phony molded in dials that are for looks only so don't try to twist them off. Instructions are minimal, maybe a good thing due to the Chinglish. Apparently rudder is merely for boat trim and directional control is by motor control. Two motors, two props. Comes with two spare prope. Product was well packed and had no damage and will likely give me and my Grandson many hours of memories. And Hey, maybe I can spot the yellow better when I have to get out the jonboat to go fetch this thing. Get an extra battery to extend your fun. Amazon has lots of them but remember to get a 7.2v with a Tamiya plug, real common. Fish Fun has a good one that I'd bet they'd stand behind if you have any problems, but you might also check Amazon as there are many listed. I'd buy it all again even with the color and moniker mix up. As others have stated, with these folks you're not left high and dry and phone conv with them convinced me they will handle any problems.

Get your Hitec 32645S HS 645MG Torque Metal Now!

Outstanding Micro SDHC

Best Review on Transcend microSDHC Class Memory TS4GUSDHC6E

I had been looking for a cheap way to expand the memory on my G1 phone and I wanted the fastest micro SD card around and here it is - a Transcend 8g class 6 card. The 8gigs is plenty of room to hold my stuff and the price is at the inflection point on cost per gig for me (ie the 16g is too expensive for the speed and the 4gig isn't enough space).

I've been using this as my portable music player now for several weeks and all I can say is there hasn't been a hiccup. In fact, I think the card has also improved the speed of the camera (which is to say the camera is still horribly slow - but maybe just a tad less so on the writes). Additionally, I use the phone, mounted as a USB drive, to move files to and from work. In this, I've noticed that the transfers are much more snappy - always a good thing.

For 20$, this is a great way to expand the storage space on your G1, or on any phone, that sports a micro SD card

Get your Transcend microSDHC Class Memory TS4GUSDHC6E Now!

Excellent rc fishing boat, broken propeller.

Best Review on Radio Ranger Remote Control Fishing

Apparently Fish Fun must have been doing just what their name states and they appear to have named this a Radio Ranger on their own. On the boat it proudly displays "First Grade Product" where a boat name might go and the Chinese website of Newqida. The boat also carrys the name of Speed Along" and the model number 757 and NQD. Fish Fun shows a white boat with blue pinstripe and it is marked white on the box. What shows up is a yellow boat with quickly attached pin stripping-and thats coming off anyway, so its not a problem. The web site clearly states that colors may vary - my fault. Apparently the white boat is one frequency and the yellow another. So if you get two boats it might be better to get one of each color to avoid a frequency conflict. The remote has some phony molded in dials that are for looks only so don't try to twist them off. Instructions are minimal, maybe a good thing due to the Chinglish. Apparently rudder is merely for boat trim and directional control is by motor control. Two motors, two props. Comes with two spare prope. Product was well packed and had no damage and will likely give me and my Grandson many hours of memories. And Hey, maybe I can spot the yellow better when I have to get out the jonboat to go fetch this thing. Get an extra battery to extend your fun. Amazon has lots of them but remember to get a 7.2v with a Tamiya plug, real common. Fish Fun has a good one that I'd bet they'd stand behind if you have any problems, but you might also check Amazon as there are many listed. I'd buy it all again even with the color and moniker mix up. As others have stated, with these folks you're not left high and dry and phone conv with them convinced me they will handle any problems.

Get your Radio Ranger Remote Control Fishing Now!

Red lights incognito

Best Review on Hitlights Flexible Ribbon Adapter included

Lined my new R/C quadcoper with this, only needed about 4 feet, so we lined my buddies too. Wow, does it look incredible! I wish I could get a good video to post, night flying makes focusing a cell camera difficult! I have these connected to a JST connector which is soldered straight to my power distribution board and using a 3S (3 cell) Li-Po battery and I couldn't be happier with the results.

Can't speak too much as to battery consumption just yet, as I only have 3 flights under my belt, but I don't think I notice a difference between the 1 day flight and the 2 night flights.

I regret not getting the waterproof strip, but I figure I don't fly in the rain and when I do break the strip somehow, I'll have enough left from this roll to put it on again. Then I'll get the waterproof strip next time, it was less than $5 more when I checked.

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Extend flights for CHEAP

Read First Before Buy E flite 150mAh 1 Cell 3 7V Li Po

I have been playing with those $30 Air Hog planes for a couple years now. The Ember 2 is definitely worth the higher price. I became adept with it after only an hour or so. I can now do loops, fly it inverted, and land it gracefully. Having an elevator control means that I can get it on the ground when it encounters a strong wind at altitude. It is flyable in light breezes, unlike the Air Hogs.

Almost all my flying time with this one has been on rough gravel in the desert. I crashed it quite few times at first, including power dives into the rocks, with no real damage to the plane. When I crashed it upside down while flying inverted it broke the prop, bent the prop shaft, and--I thought--destroyed the rudder. As it turns out, it simply tore the hinge tape on the rudder. A quick trip to the local hobby shop got me a roll of hinge tape, a new prop, a bottle of foam-safe CA glue (just in case), and a new prop shaft, all for under twenty dollars. If I had needed a new tail assembly, they had them in stock.

I had a problem with the transmitter binding to the plane and called Horizon Hobby tech support. I left a message rather than sitting on hold. They called me back in a couple hours and walked me through the fix. I was very pleased.

Two years later: After two years of intermittent use, this thing is still great fun. I have broken no more parts, although I have gone through a few batteries. I have crashed it dozens and dozens of times. I like the challenge of flying it in light breezes, something I can't do with my RC helicopter.

Get your E flite 150mAh 1 Cell 3 7V Li Po Now!

Save money, stop throwing alkalines into the garbage

Best Review on Duracell Rechargeable Batteries Count Packaging

I have used 2300 mAH Duracell rechargeables for a long time, but now even higher capacity 2650s are amazingly long-lasting. Good for just about everything that needs AA batteries, including demanding devices if you do the proper things for initializing and charging the batteries.. that is. One thing most people don't understand about rechargeable batteries is that they need EXCELLENT CHARGERS to ASSURE EXCELLENT RESULTS! Don't use the cheap chargers that come with cheap lowered-capacity batteries. They will quickly ruin your expensive batteries by boiling them with too high charge currents and not multi-stage charge curves. Don't use chargers that group batteries in twos or fours so that it doesn't charge single batteries, it shows you that it isn't sensitive to the small differences internally present in every battery--differences that get worse over time and can cause premature battery failure if your charger is taking the same approach to charging every battery! Get an expensive recharger like those made by PowerEx or Maha that scientifically charge the batteries using sensors which are monitored by a computer processor running sophisticated charging programs which account for the actual capacity of the individual battery. Many rechargeable batteries of friends that used bad chargers were almost ruined but a sophisticated charger refreshed them and brought them back to life! I am still using the same rechargeable Duracell batteries I bought over two years ago and I use them every day! They have lasted hundreds of charges because the charger is careful to pay attention to each individual batteries needs.

Get your Duracell Rechargeable Batteries Count Packaging Now!

Great beginner plane

Read First Before Buy ParkZone Ember 2 RTF Aircraft

I have been playing with those $30 Air Hog planes for a couple years now. The Ember 2 is definitely worth the higher price. I became adept with it after only an hour or so. I can now do loops, fly it inverted, and land it gracefully. Having an elevator control means that I can get it on the ground when it encounters a strong wind at altitude. It is flyable in light breezes, unlike the Air Hogs.

Almost all my flying time with this one has been on rough gravel in the desert. I crashed it quite few times at first, including power dives into the rocks, with no real damage to the plane. When I crashed it upside down while flying inverted it broke the prop, bent the prop shaft, and--I thought--destroyed the rudder. As it turns out, it simply tore the hinge tape on the rudder. A quick trip to the local hobby shop got me a roll of hinge tape, a new prop, a bottle of foam-safe CA glue (just in case), and a new prop shaft, all for under twenty dollars. If I had needed a new tail assembly, they had them in stock.

I had a problem with the transmitter binding to the plane and called Horizon Hobby tech support. I left a message rather than sitting on hold. They called me back in a couple hours and walked me through the fix. I was very pleased.

Two years later: After two years of intermittent use, this thing is still great fun. I have broken no more parts, although I have gone through a few batteries. I have crashed it dozens and dozens of times. I like the challenge of flying it in light breezes, something I can't do with my RC helicopter.

Get your ParkZone Ember 2 RTF Aircraft Now!

Great Transmitter

Read First Before Buy Futaba 3PRKA 2 4G FHSS R203GF

When I got the Smasher, (which I call the "U.S.S. Smasher"), I was impressed with with how great it looked, but when I placed it in a lake to try it out it worked GREAT!!!! Even in rough and windy water the ship moved WITHOUT ANY issues! It crashed and turned through the waves like they weren't even there! The box said it takes 5-6 hours of charge time, (sucks it takes that long but I can deal with that), and that it has 25 minutes of play time, well I was able to use it for and hour before it started to even slow down at all! And I forgot the antenna for the ship BUT it still got a good 30-40 feet. I would HIGHLY recommend this R/C ship a 1,000 times over for anyone!

(Update as of May 22nd 2012) As I stated before this ship is spectacular in looks and functionality! I let my girlfriend's 6 years old daughter use is and she got the hang of it very quickly and had a lot of fun with it also. (The only downside I can think of that it only has one channel to work on so when I go to get one for her too it'll have to be one of a different frequency or multiple frequencies.) But as I have said before and again, it is a great R/C boat I will recommend to ANYONE a 1,000 times over! I also did a little work with it's paint job, (just to give it my own little touch). I painted the port holes along the hull black to make them stand out a little bit more, glued some American flags on the superstructure and helicopter on the back, and I painted the helicopter's windows silver to make them stand out more too. When I get time I'll paint the windows on the smaller boats on board too.

(Second update as of August-26-2012) I recently had a slightly longer receiving antenna put on to the Smasher and in combination with the longer one I put on the control this R/C ship NOW has a range of at LEAST 300 feet, (it may even go futher than that but when it gets that far out I can barely see it any more and I have 20/20 vision)! So the "5 star" recommendation on here is WAAAAAAAY too low for how much I think of this product!

Get your Futaba 3PRKA 2 4G FHSS R203GF Now!

Fantastic shoe repair

Read First Before Buy Shoe Goo Clear 3 7 Oz

I have used this stuff for years for fixing about everything. A few of the things I have used it for are; gluing china together, carpet that is frayed-I cut off the loose strands and run shoo goo along the edges and nobody can even see it (clear), a vacuum cleaner housing broke last week where the part the brush is in attaches to the rest of the vacuum-someone put a way to short of belt on so housing broke, right now I have a snow broom that is much to flimsy (especially when it is below 0 degrees) for cleaning off cars that handle broke off the broom part. It is drying now. I origionally purchased shoo goo to build up the heels of my shoes that had wore off. It works good for that as long as I get the heels real clean, it can't stick to dirt. In other words this stuff works to glue almost anything together (within reason). The list is endless of what I have used it for. By the way fixing stuff like the vacuum and broom just putting on the surface that is broken isn't strong enough you have to build a bit around them because there is so much stress on them. I have never seen it in black and not all hardwares carry clear. It will thicken so it's hard to get out of the tube after a few months and as it says in the instructions on the package it comes in, it is a good idea to run some vaseline or some other sort of petroleum jelly around threads of the tubes or it will be difficut to get the cap off the next time you want to use it.

Get your Shoe Goo Clear 3 7 Oz Now!

Great toy

Read First Before Buy 31 HT 2879 Destroyer War Ship

When I got the Smasher, (which I call the "U.S.S. Smasher"), I was impressed with with how great it looked, but when I placed it in a lake to try it out it worked GREAT!!!! Even in rough and windy water the ship moved WITHOUT ANY issues! It crashed and turned through the waves like they weren't even there! The box said it takes 5-6 hours of charge time, (sucks it takes that long but I can deal with that), and that it has 25 minutes of play time, well I was able to use it for and hour before it started to even slow down at all! And I forgot the antenna for the ship BUT it still got a good 30-40 feet. I would HIGHLY recommend this R/C ship a 1,000 times over for anyone!

(Update as of May 22nd 2012) As I stated before this ship is spectacular in looks and functionality! I let my girlfriend's 6 years old daughter use is and she got the hang of it very quickly and had a lot of fun with it also. (The only downside I can think of that it only has one channel to work on so when I go to get one for her too it'll have to be one of a different frequency or multiple frequencies.) But as I have said before and again, it is a great R/C boat I will recommend to ANYONE a 1,000 times over! I also did a little work with it's paint job, (just to give it my own little touch). I painted the port holes along the hull black to make them stand out a little bit more, glued some American flags on the superstructure and helicopter on the back, and I painted the helicopter's windows silver to make them stand out more too. When I get time I'll paint the windows on the smaller boats on board too.

(Second update as of August-26-2012) I recently had a slightly longer receiving antenna put on to the Smasher and in combination with the longer one I put on the control this R/C ship NOW has a range of at LEAST 300 feet, (it may even go futher than that but when it gets that far out I can barely see it any more and I have 20/20 vision)! So the "5 star" recommendation on here is WAAAAAAAY too low for how much I think of this product!

Get your 31 HT 2879 Destroyer War Ship Now!

LOVE THIS!!!!!

Best Review on Challenger Warship Aircraft Carrier Battleship

I got this ship only an hour before I had to leave for work but was EXTREMELY happy to see it does NOT run on the same frequency as the 31" R/C boat! It does lean a little to it's right side because of the superstructure's extra weight, (but that's probably the easiest thing to fix). (When I figure out the right amount of weight I'll post it here.) But till she has her "maiden voyage" I can't really get into many details on how it runs. When the "U.S.S. Challenger" has her maiden voyage I will write more on it. But so far I am VERY happy with it.

(Update as of 6/7/2012) Well I said yesterday about giving the "U.S.S. Challenger" her "maiden voyage" and that's what I did today. This ship performed EXTREMELY great! The lake I went to had choppy water and the ship handled the waves like they weren't there! I thought the ship had a list to it's right side but I noticed there are little vent like spots under the left side which I think let's a little water in to balance it out a little and the was no longer ANY kind of list. But as I said, the ship ran extremely well, (one motor seem to move faster than the other and it turns to one side but I can deal with it). But over all it is a great purchase and I will HIGHLY recommend this boat!

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Remote Controlled Flight Simulator

Best Review on RUNTIME RTM4000 Phoenix Simulator V4 0

This is an impressive program that is very realistic and helpful in improving your piloting skills for all sorts of model aircraft. I have used this to fly both power planes and Helicopters. I run this software on a Win7 system with no problems, it's smooth with no stutter. This software comes with a USB cable that allows you to plug directly into your Spectrum or JR radio. I have tested it with a DX7 and a JR 9503, both work great (I know it also works with a DX6). The cable has a circuit that verifies you have a valid license, and one really nice benefit is that for the years I've had this, I've continued to receive free updates. I originally purchased v2.5 a couple years ago and it's up to v4.0 now and I still get updates, support, and new models. Very nice! I know the competitors charge upgrade fees every year.

To use the software you setup a model on your radio specifically for the software. I called my "model" Phoenix. Then you go through a tuning process where you move the sticks and switches to show the software just what you have and how things work. Once you have the software and radio communicating well, it'll work very nicely. The setup process is simple and can easily be changed if you want to setup another radio.

I learned the hard way to fly via a very time consuming cycle of building for a month, flying a little and then building for days, weeks and months again. It was a difficult process and took years to actually learn to fly well. The good news is that I learned to build really well in that time! Due to my experience, I didn't have much faith in a simulator. My friends kept telling me to try a simulator and after several crashes that hurt my pocketbook, I decided to give this tool a try. I have been very impressed with this software. It works better than I expected and is a very useful and functional tool for improving your skills.

The software features include real flying sites that are actual pictures of real places. Very cool and impressive fields, dozens of planes, gliders and helicopters of all types. I like trying other models to see how they perform compared to the ones I fly. This software includes most of the Horizon Hobbies models which are nice to fly with since so many people are flying BNF models lately. I also like Flying the Align Helicopters since that's what I've been flying lately and they are here too.

To use this as a tool rather than a game requires you to focus as if it's a real flight and treat it like one. Since I'm currently working on Heli skills, I have it default to my current helicopter (Align 450 Pro, and now Gaui X5). I have the radio programmed so the functions, switches and actions simulate the model I will be flying in real life. I also use a watch timer and time my flights so that I'm simulating the timer on the radio and working to fly, not crash and then land all in a realistic situation. By treating it like a real flight and focusing I've seen and experienced real improvements in my heli flying. I've been able to practice difficult moves on the simulator and once I have them down and don't crash I've been able to take that to the real heli and fly those moves there.

In real life there are things that are more difficult than the simulator, for example tail washout or winds. Still the simulator gives me an amazing way to improve and is really beneficial during inclement weather.

I highly recommend purchasing this, especially if you already have a radio that will work with it. It's a valuable tool that will easily pay for itself in saved time and expense by avoiding crashes. Any of the Specktrum radios will work with this. I recommend a DX6 or better since you'll want to have the more advanced features as you move up through your models. The DX7 is a great radio for this, especially if you are flying helicopters.

5 stars, great simulator, and with free upgrades for years is an amazing value.

Get your RUNTIME RTM4000 Phoenix Simulator V4 0 Now!

Incredible helicopter for the price! - Don't mind the naysayers...

Best Review on Syma S107 S107G Helicopter Yellow

I had purchased one of these for my brother as a birthday gift and the entire family loved it. We're all adults and had a really great time flying it around the house, etc. The battery life is decent and charged quickly. So, as a result of the fun I had, my kids bought me one for Fathers day and it's been really fun. I actually brought it to the office and two other people have purchased them after playing with it. It's simple, lots of fun, and really durable. A great product for such and inexpensive price. The ONLY issue I've had is my fault as I pulled on the wires (on the charging cord) instead of the place where you are supposed to pull and dislodged one of the wires internally. Basically, I just pulled it loose. I open it, reattached and everything is perfect.

Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with this product.

Get your Syma S107 S107G Helicopter Yellow Now!

Floats add new dimension to the Super Cub.

Read First Before Buy Hobbyzone Float Set Super Cub

I own, build and fly RC planes have done so for 25 years, this little bird is one of the sweetest flyers in my fleet
It can easily fly inside a living room mine being 14' X 12' and it will fly in that space with no problems. I build small 1/72 scale planes that wont even do that. Its a nice slow flyer responsive and super durable due to its lite weight construction. I bounced it off evey wall and furniture item in my living room geting it trimmed up to my flying style and not a single scratch on it. I would highly recomend this plane as a next step up from 2 cha. planes as well as the seasoned vet like myself. You will love this little bird. I cant wait to get it to the GYM for some loops Yes it will also loop just not in my small room but its close if I had a 10' ceiling as apposed to the 8' I have it would be no problem.

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Cool red boat

Best Review on QUALITY Remote Control Police Boat

This morning I was out for my morning ride when it started to sprinkle. I turned around to head home and switched the function to strobe. It was a divided 4 lane street and when the light started to strobe, a truck passing in the opposite direction slammed on its brakes like I was a cop!
This light is simply amazing. Its so bright I mostly use it on the lower setting because that is plenty. It appears to be the same light sold on amazon for 2+ times the price. The only difference I see is that there are only 3 settings (retina burning bright, daylight bright, and strobe). I'm not kidding about the retina burning, I was playing with it when I first opened the box and accidentally shined it in my eyes and saw spots for about 10 minutes.
You will not be dissapointed with this light.

Get your QUALITY Remote Control Police Boat Now!

Fun indoor plane

Read First Before Buy ParkZone Mini Vapor RTF

I own, build and fly RC planes have done so for 25 years, this little bird is one of the sweetest flyers in my fleet
It can easily fly inside a living room mine being 14' X 12' and it will fly in that space with no problems. I build small 1/72 scale planes that wont even do that. Its a nice slow flyer responsive and super durable due to its lite weight construction. I bounced it off evey wall and furniture item in my living room geting it trimmed up to my flying style and not a single scratch on it. I would highly recomend this plane as a next step up from 2 cha. planes as well as the seasoned vet like myself. You will love this little bird. I cant wait to get it to the GYM for some loops Yes it will also loop just not in my small room but its close if I had a 10' ceiling as apposed to the 8' I have it would be no problem.

Get your ParkZone Mini Vapor RTF Now!

yes

Read First Before Buy CREE Bicycle Headlight Files Lumens

This morning I was out for my morning ride when it started to sprinkle. I turned around to head home and switched the function to strobe. It was a divided 4 lane street and when the light started to strobe, a truck passing in the opposite direction slammed on its brakes like I was a cop!
This light is simply amazing. Its so bright I mostly use it on the lower setting because that is plenty. It appears to be the same light sold on amazon for 2+ times the price. The only difference I see is that there are only 3 settings (retina burning bright, daylight bright, and strobe). I'm not kidding about the retina burning, I was playing with it when I first opened the box and accidentally shined it in my eyes and saw spots for about 10 minutes.
You will not be dissapointed with this light.

Get your CREE Bicycle Headlight Files Lumens Now!

my symax1 quad copter

Read First Before Buy Syma Channel 2 4G Quad Copter

The Syma X1 is an excellent entry-level quadcopter. It is durable (already survived 100+ crashes), relatively easy to fly, and an impressive value. It is suitable for indoors and outdoors use and I can't recommend it enough for any looking to get into R/C quadcopters or simply looking for something fun to try out.

Design/Build:

The Syma X1 is a very basic model - it has the four propellers, plastic frame, small electronics board, and a thin plastic cover (either a UFO, Bumblebee, or Spaceship - simply aesthetic). It is very light and the battery (included) clips into the undercarriage of the craft. I was surprised at how durable this quadcopter was - I've crashed it countless times into walls, ceilings, down the stairs, etc. Each time I cringe slightly at the sound, but the worst that has happened is the battery has popped out. Also, Syma includes an extra set of propellers in case you do damage any of them.

Remote Control:

Again, a very basic model - but it seems to work fine. The left stick controls altitude and bearing, while the right stick controls lateral motion (left/right/etc. sway). You can also bind other, more advanced, controls to the Syma X1 if you so desire. It takes 4AA batteries (not included).

Flying Experience:

Fun! It definitely takes a few flights to become moderately proficient, but once you get the hang of it, it really is very enjoyable to fly. One tip is to always remember the orientation of the craft - i.e. which way is forward pointing. This makes navigation much, much easier. The remote also has a flip button built in, and as long as you have enough altitude it will flip without a hitch.

Battery:

It ships with one 350mAh battery, which is enough for almost 10 minutes of flying. It can be frustrating to have to put it away after just ten minutes (and wait an hour+ to charge it), but to be fair, nearly all quadcopters have a similarly limited flight time. I'd recommend buying 2 or 3 extra batteries if you think you'll be using it a fair amount, or with multiple people. The battery charger is basic and only works with batteries that have built in over charge protection - so make sure you're buying the right ones!

Negatives:

There really aren't many I can think of, other than it is a very basic model. No video, no auto-hover, agility is somewhat limited - sometimes feels like there's a lag as you're moving back and forth. But given the price point, I didn't expect too much - and you can even add a small keychain camera to get some relatively decent footage later on!

Final thoughts:

If you're at all interested in quadcopters, go ahead and buy it! You really won't regret it - it is a ton of fun, a low cost way to try it out, and it is surprisingly durable. Have fun and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Get your Syma Channel 2 4G Quad Copter Now!

One propeller won't work.

Read First Before Buy Racing Electric Powered Control Cruiser

I did a bit of research before finally settling for this boat. I was looking for an inexpensive, reliable, and most importantly, fun r/c boat.

Let's quickly break down the pros and then do a quick rundown of the cons and possible solutions to shortcomings:

Pros:
1.) Fast.
2.) Easy to operate.
3.) Durable.
4.) Inexpensive.

Cons:
1.) Build quality could be better. It's clear the body is cast from two halves. It arrives with a red tape covering the "seam" where the two halves meet. I removed this and used some standard electrical tape to properly cover and seal the "seam". It has held up after heavy use and actually gives the boat a nice look.
2.) Battery. The factory battery is absolute crap. You won't get more than 10 minutes out of it. Fortunately, it uses the very popular Tamiya connector, so if you have other R/C toys, you might already have a higher capacity battery laying around. If not, a battery that will give you about 40-45 minutes of run time (with no overheating) will probably cost you an additional $20. Just search for a 3000 or 38000 mah, Tamiya type battery. It's WELL worth it.
3.) On board engines always allow a bit of water into the hull, so i place a paper towel under the rotor shafts to absorb any water that might get in.

Overall, you can't really ask for any more from a $40 R/C boat. People are marveled at it when they see it, and the few things you have to do to make sure it lasts are painless and well worth it. I've used it in both open water and lakes, and the damn thing is awesome to use and watch. My 4 year old son loves it and drives it without a problem.

Get your Racing Electric Powered Control Cruiser Now!

Perfect gift!

Best Review on Great Planes RealFlight Airplane Interlink

This expansion unit to the flight simulator allows the end user to fly what they cannot afford, nor have time to build or rebuild in my case. For myself the reason buying this particular software was flying the scale F-14A jet aircraft, complete with sweep back wings and retracts, [something I will never be able to afford nor fly in on the field]. In the simulator you can dial in the amount of realism and take off for an adventure, which for most of the time for me ends up in a crash. But no big deal just push the reset button and try again. As with all the expansion units it allows he end user to try before you buy, as most of the aircraft within the set are available to purchase and fly in real life. But importantly for me to keep my flying skills sharpened when I am away from the local field at the San Fernando Sepulveda Basin here in LA. So as you might have guessed I recommend this product without reservation.

Get your Great Planes RealFlight Airplane Interlink Now!

Awesome!

Read First Before Buy Car Alarm Remote Keychain Camera

This expansion unit to the flight simulator allows the end user to fly what they cannot afford, nor have time to build or rebuild in my case. For myself the reason buying this particular software was flying the scale F-14A jet aircraft, complete with sweep back wings and retracts, [something I will never be able to afford nor fly in on the field]. In the simulator you can dial in the amount of realism and take off for an adventure, which for most of the time for me ends up in a crash. But no big deal just push the reset button and try again. As with all the expansion units it allows he end user to try before you buy, as most of the aircraft within the set are available to purchase and fly in real life. But importantly for me to keep my flying skills sharpened when I am away from the local field at the San Fernando Sepulveda Basin here in LA. So as you might have guessed I recommend this product without reservation.

Get your Car Alarm Remote Keychain Camera Now!

Tenergy 3000mah

Read First Before Buy Tenergy 3000mAh Battery Tamiya Connectors

Great racing boat for a 6 year old and grown ups too! Easy to get the decorative stickers on it. Great support on line with Traxxus.com, they will tell you exactly how to get it on the water and you do need to take care of it with greasing and oiling. Bought an extra battery and charger for more play time. This boat is priced nicely and is quality, beware of boats with Chinese parts, you can not replace them. Traxxus has an easy ship plan and replacement for a part if it goes bad, not too expensive at all, like $10 for ship and the parts for this boat run about $15-$25. Take care of the boat and replacement parts can be avoided. Requires regreasing and oiling after use and dry it out, has a great stand to put it on. I am a grandmother, but I also read a lot of reviews on this boat, it is an excellent product at this price range...will go up to 20 mph., no salt water, pools, creeks and lakes.

Get your Tenergy 3000mAh Battery Tamiya Connectors Now!

Purchased this expansion pack

Best Review on Great Planes Realflight Expansion Pack

This expansion unit to the flight simulator allows the end user to fly what they cannot afford, nor have time to build or rebuild in my case. For myself the reason buying this particular software was flying the scale F-14A jet aircraft, complete with sweep back wings and retracts, [something I will never be able to afford nor fly in on the field]. In the simulator you can dial in the amount of realism and take off for an adventure, which for most of the time for me ends up in a crash. But no big deal just push the reset button and try again. As with all the expansion units it allows he end user to try before you buy, as most of the aircraft within the set are available to purchase and fly in real life. But importantly for me to keep my flying skills sharpened when I am away from the local field at the San Fernando Sepulveda Basin here in LA. So as you might have guessed I recommend this product without reservation.

Get your Great Planes Realflight Expansion Pack Now!

Great product, you can trust the quality of Traxxas like no other

Read First Before Buy Traxxas 3810 Blast Race Boat

Great racing boat for a 6 year old and grown ups too! Easy to get the decorative stickers on it. Great support on line with Traxxus.com, they will tell you exactly how to get it on the water and you do need to take care of it with greasing and oiling. Bought an extra battery and charger for more play time. This boat is priced nicely and is quality, beware of boats with Chinese parts, you can not replace them. Traxxus has an easy ship plan and replacement for a part if it goes bad, not too expensive at all, like $10 for ship and the parts for this boat run about $15-$25. Take care of the boat and replacement parts can be avoided. Requires regreasing and oiling after use and dry it out, has a great stand to put it on. I am a grandmother, but I also read a lot of reviews on this boat, it is an excellent product at this price range...will go up to 20 mph., no salt water, pools, creeks and lakes.

Get your Traxxas 3810 Blast Race Boat Now!

Nice Boat but Don't Use Hobbytron

Read First Before Buy Speed Cyclone RTR Electric Boat

Got this for my son on his sixth birthday. He absolutely LOVES it. Initially I put it on the limited setting (15mph) but since he had some experience running a Losi Micro DT that was overly cautious.

Being 6, he prefers huge jumps, donuts and demolition derby with his friends and I'm amazed how well it handles the abuse. I've tested it too and ran it full speed (about 30mph) into a metal pole - just a little scratch. Only damage so far (about 10 hour on it so far) is a small crack in the body, probably from getting pulled out of the bushes rather then a crash. The car itself feels well built while the radio is pretty poor plastic and the transmitter battery lid is already bent (without being abused). I.e. if the radio gives up I would replace it with something better. If I would replace anything for actual performance reasons it would be the shocks. They aren't great, definitely not good enough for racing against other more race inspired cars, but fine for bashing. Also, the rear axles seems like they will wear out fairly soon but the replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to find. Every store I've seen has them.

You will probably want either more batteries or a better charger. Or both. The included charger works but takes forever (good for the initial forming charge but then just annoyingly slow) . You can find 5000 mAh NiMH packs from $22 (LiPo is better but requires careful handling and a better charger) and a decent charger from $50 (although I'd recommend the Hyperion EOS0606i that can be had for about $110, especially if you go LiPo).

I should probably admit that it's a fun toy for adults too. To the point where I'm considering getting one more so we can race.

Get your Speed Cyclone RTR Electric Boat Now!

Fast & Fun

Read First Before Buy Arrma RC Raider Reasy To Run Off Road

I own several RC toys (mostly helicopters and planes), and just a couple of RC cars. I recently did the conversion since it's easier to teach my 3yr old to drive a car than to handle a complicated machine such as a helicopter and/or plane(and cheaper too).
This little car is really fast and enjoyable. I've run it in grass, wet grass, pavement and dirt, the speed you can reach is amazing (a respectable ~40MPH). It has long range and it's incredibly tough. I tend to abuse it a little bit when playing w/my 3yr old, but it's still up and running, all pieces are still together despite a few moderate speed crashes and unexpected jumps and harsh overturns. I have disassembled it a couple of time for cleaning, very easy to do. Overall, if you want an entry level all terrain this will do it (beware you may get suck into more powerful and expensive RCs, it's addictive!).

Get your Arrma RC Raider Reasy To Run Off Road Now!

Good parts

Read First Before Buy HobbyZone Main Wing Champ

From my understanding, I am writing a review of the Champ main wing, not the plane. But I would like to talk about flying the plane too. With that said, I am really pleased with this product.

The wing came in a white box that was packed with a filler brown paper and the wing was perfect and in mint condition. Although it is a darker orange than my original wing, it is more than what I was expecting. I agree with others that say it's a pretty steep price, but that's something to expect when you're really in the hobby.

Now, for those that think this is an "easy to fly" rc plane, it's not. Unless you live in nevernever land and there is NO wind, not even an occasional breeze, around your house or park or wherever you fly, it'll be quite an experience trying to learn to fly with no control. This is a light-weight, hobby grade, remote controlled aircraft. It requires a large area with no wind or a large gymnasium. The foam, remote, battery, and even the ultra-micro servos are high quality for the scale they're in. These components are legitimate and need to be understood before ridiculed.

As with every area of R/C, you will spend well over the original price of the product, some more then others. Something that doesn't leave the ground (such as remote controlled cars) requires less for repair finances. But, with planes and helicopters, a crash is a crash and 99% of the time you'll have to spend money to get back in flying condition. If you are going to really invest in learning how to fly, my advice to you is to be patient and don't expect to be an expert just because this is a learners' plane.

Although I own other R/C devices and have even built some myself, because of the small scale it is hard to fine tune this plane. I would suggest bringing it into a hobby shop and having a professional tune it for you. That way you aren't trying to fly something that can't even fly straight on its own!

All in all, I found this a good buy and I love flying this plane. Good luck on your future flights!

Get your HobbyZone Main Wing Champ Now!

Very powerful Boat.

Read First Before Buy PX 16 Engine Mosquito Racing Catamaran

Got this for my son on his sixth birthday. He absolutely LOVES it. Initially I put it on the limited setting (15mph) but since he had some experience running a Losi Micro DT that was overly cautious.

Being 6, he prefers huge jumps, donuts and demolition derby with his friends and I'm amazed how well it handles the abuse. I've tested it too and ran it full speed (about 30mph) into a metal pole - just a little scratch. Only damage so far (about 10 hour on it so far) is a small crack in the body, probably from getting pulled out of the bushes rather then a crash. The car itself feels well built while the radio is pretty poor plastic and the transmitter battery lid is already bent (without being abused). I.e. if the radio gives up I would replace it with something better. If I would replace anything for actual performance reasons it would be the shocks. They aren't great, definitely not good enough for racing against other more race inspired cars, but fine for bashing. Also, the rear axles seems like they will wear out fairly soon but the replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to find. Every store I've seen has them.

You will probably want either more batteries or a better charger. Or both. The included charger works but takes forever (good for the initial forming charge but then just annoyingly slow) . You can find 5000 mAh NiMH packs from $22 (LiPo is better but requires careful handling and a better charger) and a decent charger from $50 (although I'd recommend the Hyperion EOS0606i that can be had for about $110, especially if you go LiPo).

I should probably admit that it's a fun toy for adults too. To the point where I'm considering getting one more so we can race.

Get your PX 16 Engine Mosquito Racing Catamaran Now!

Traxxas slash 4x4. great R/C starting point.

Read First Before Buy Traxxas 2 4GHZ Battery Charger Styles

Got this for my son on his sixth birthday. He absolutely LOVES it. Initially I put it on the limited setting (15mph) but since he had some experience running a Losi Micro DT that was overly cautious.

Being 6, he prefers huge jumps, donuts and demolition derby with his friends and I'm amazed how well it handles the abuse. I've tested it too and ran it full speed (about 30mph) into a metal pole - just a little scratch. Only damage so far (about 10 hour on it so far) is a small crack in the body, probably from getting pulled out of the bushes rather then a crash. The car itself feels well built while the radio is pretty poor plastic and the transmitter battery lid is already bent (without being abused). I.e. if the radio gives up I would replace it with something better. If I would replace anything for actual performance reasons it would be the shocks. They aren't great, definitely not good enough for racing against other more race inspired cars, but fine for bashing. Also, the rear axles seems like they will wear out fairly soon but the replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to find. Every store I've seen has them.

You will probably want either more batteries or a better charger. Or both. The included charger works but takes forever (good for the initial forming charge but then just annoyingly slow) . You can find 5000 mAh NiMH packs from $22 (LiPo is better but requires careful handling and a better charger) and a decent charger from $50 (although I'd recommend the Hyperion EOS0606i that can be had for about $110, especially if you go LiPo).

I should probably admit that it's a fun toy for adults too. To the point where I'm considering getting one more so we can race.

Get your Traxxas 2 4GHZ Battery Charger Styles Now!

it's not you it's me.....

Best Review on Parkzone Ultra Micro F4U Corsair

This was my first aileron plane, but my 3rd plane overall. I got comfortable with a Night Vapor and a Ember 2 first.

It came with one prop angled further down than the other, and the wheels are drilled off-center. Other than that, it looked good, and I found that the defects caused no real problems.

For my first flight, I found the Mosquito to be too fast for me to react, and I crashed it soon after getting it off the ground. The horizontal stabiliser folded and I repaired it with packing tape.

I decided to get an Ultra Micro Trojan to train with, as I have heard that the Mosquito is not as tough as the Trojan, and that the Trojan is easier to fly. I did find the Trojan to be tough and it is easier to fly, though not that much easier. The tough part was important, as I crashed it due to the everpresent Cordelia wind, many times, with no real damage. The Trojan is also easier to land with landing gear, due to the tricycle gear, and lands at a slower speed.

After I had gotten comfortable with the Trojan, I returned to the Mosquito. I find that the Mosquito is smoother and less responsive in flight, than the Trojan, but it requires more speed and is faster than the Trojan. I find it to be easier to fly in wind than the Trojan with stock batteries, but the Trojan is easier to fly in wind than the Mosquito when using a 180 mah Hyperion.

The Mosquito will begin to settle toward the ground and stall at a higher rate of speed than the Trojan. I find it easier to do loops with the Mosquito, but the loops are bigger, as are turns. It also rolls slower.

Due to the wheel that is drilled off-center, it pulls to one side while it is on the ground, and the steerable tail-wheel does not stop the pull. Once it is moving quickly enough, the rudder becomes effective and stops the pull. I pint the plane to the right and give it throttle, which causes the plane to turn left to the desired heading, before the rudder takes control.

I really like the sound of the twin motors. The Mosquito has a great presense in the air, and I find it to be a beautiful aircraft. It gets lots of oohs and ahhs from family and friends. I have landed it in grass a couple of times, and noses it over once, with no further damage. The battery gets pretty warm in flight, since it has no cooling air. I usually fly it at 1/2 throttle, unless climbing or doing loops. I get 5 minute flights from the stock battery and have not tried other batteries yet.

I really like this aircraft, and would purchase it again.

Get your Parkzone Ultra Micro F4U Corsair Now!

Useful tool

Best Review on Pocket Fisherman Spin Casting Outfit

I've been a Titanic enthusiast all my life so when I found this R/C R.M.S. Titanic I jumped at it as fast as I could! I took her for her "maiden voyage" today, (and I'm pleased to say she did NOT have the same end result as the original Titanic did back in 1912). As a "Titanic enthusiast" I am pretty picky with details for ANY Titanic replica. While there are some inconsistencies with the details, (which I won't bother going into), it is a great R/C Titanic. (A friendly warning), if sailing her on a lake MAKE SURE it's one you can swim in. Because the range seems kinda short, (with the antenna that comes with the ship for the controller it's about 50ft maybe so I recommend getting a longer one which I did myself and the range nearly doubled), but it is a great boat and a must have. So I certainly DO recommend this ship for anyone! (And when I get the money I intend to order 2 more so I can repaint them to look like her 2 sister ships the R.M.S. Olympic, (in her WWI dazzle paint job), and the H.M.H.S. Britannic, (in her hospital ship paint job), just for fun.)
(And since the name isn't writen on the ship she can double as the R.M.S. Titanic's older sister the R.M.S. Olympic, before the Titanic sank that is.)

Get your Pocket Fisherman Spin Casting Outfit Now!

Ultra Micro Mosquito

Read First Before Buy Parkzone Ultra Micro Mosquito PKZU1380

This was my first aileron plane, but my 3rd plane overall. I got comfortable with a Night Vapor and a Ember 2 first.

It came with one prop angled further down than the other, and the wheels are drilled off-center. Other than that, it looked good, and I found that the defects caused no real problems.

For my first flight, I found the Mosquito to be too fast for me to react, and I crashed it soon after getting it off the ground. The horizontal stabiliser folded and I repaired it with packing tape.

I decided to get an Ultra Micro Trojan to train with, as I have heard that the Mosquito is not as tough as the Trojan, and that the Trojan is easier to fly. I did find the Trojan to be tough and it is easier to fly, though not that much easier. The tough part was important, as I crashed it due to the everpresent Cordelia wind, many times, with no real damage. The Trojan is also easier to land with landing gear, due to the tricycle gear, and lands at a slower speed.

After I had gotten comfortable with the Trojan, I returned to the Mosquito. I find that the Mosquito is smoother and less responsive in flight, than the Trojan, but it requires more speed and is faster than the Trojan. I find it to be easier to fly in wind than the Trojan with stock batteries, but the Trojan is easier to fly in wind than the Mosquito when using a 180 mah Hyperion.

The Mosquito will begin to settle toward the ground and stall at a higher rate of speed than the Trojan. I find it easier to do loops with the Mosquito, but the loops are bigger, as are turns. It also rolls slower.

Due to the wheel that is drilled off-center, it pulls to one side while it is on the ground, and the steerable tail-wheel does not stop the pull. Once it is moving quickly enough, the rudder becomes effective and stops the pull. I pint the plane to the right and give it throttle, which causes the plane to turn left to the desired heading, before the rudder takes control.

I really like the sound of the twin motors. The Mosquito has a great presense in the air, and I find it to be a beautiful aircraft. It gets lots of oohs and ahhs from family and friends. I have landed it in grass a couple of times, and noses it over once, with no further damage. The battery gets pretty warm in flight, since it has no cooling air. I usually fly it at 1/2 throttle, unless climbing or doing loops. I get 5 minute flights from the stock battery and have not tried other batteries yet.

I really like this aircraft, and would purchase it again.

Get your Parkzone Ultra Micro Mosquito PKZU1380 Now!

Fun Rc Boat

Best Review on RC RMS TITANIC BOAT Ready

I've been a Titanic enthusiast all my life so when I found this R/C R.M.S. Titanic I jumped at it as fast as I could! I took her for her "maiden voyage" today, (and I'm pleased to say she did NOT have the same end result as the original Titanic did back in 1912). As a "Titanic enthusiast" I am pretty picky with details for ANY Titanic replica. While there are some inconsistencies with the details, (which I won't bother going into), it is a great R/C Titanic. (A friendly warning), if sailing her on a lake MAKE SURE it's one you can swim in. Because the range seems kinda short, (with the antenna that comes with the ship for the controller it's about 50ft maybe so I recommend getting a longer one which I did myself and the range nearly doubled), but it is a great boat and a must have. So I certainly DO recommend this ship for anyone! (And when I get the money I intend to order 2 more so I can repaint them to look like her 2 sister ships the R.M.S. Olympic, (in her WWI dazzle paint job), and the H.M.H.S. Britannic, (in her hospital ship paint job), just for fun.)
(And since the name isn't writen on the ship she can double as the R.M.S. Titanic's older sister the R.M.S. Olympic, before the Titanic sank that is.)

Get your RC RMS TITANIC BOAT Ready Now!

Replacement airframe

Best Review on ParkZone Replacement Airframe F4F

The Parkzone F4F Wildcat is my first Parkflyer - I've been learning on Parkzone Ultra Micros (a T-28 and Mosquito) since last summer. The Wildcat is great fun, and relatively durable. I've had a few hard landings, and always managed to make repairs with either epoxy or foam-safe CA. A case of "dumb thumbs" brought my Wildcat in nose-first on a paved road, and that broke the firewall beyond repair. Finally time to replace the fuselage (the firewall is not available as a separate replacement part)! This airframe replacement kit is a great value, compared to the cost of all the included replacement parts - everything you need to build a completely new Wildcat (except for the motor, servos, and receiver)! I only needed the fuselage, but now have lots of other spares for future repairs. The packaging is similar to that for the original aircraft - everything's well protected by styrofoam inserts. It's too bad Parkzone doesn't offer similar airframe kits for more of their planes!

Get your ParkZone Replacement Airframe F4F Now!

Dremel Mini router table acessory

Read First Before Buy Dremel 231 Shaper Router Table

I own many RC boats in various sizes and styles and was skeptical about this purchase based on the low price. I was very impressed to discover internal props on the drive shafts to cool the motors.

When I first tossed this in the water I was very impressed with the speed but my I was totally sold watching how quickly it turned. This has the tightest turning radius of any of my boats and is the most fun to run.

One precautionary note: I had a collision right of the bat when testing this against a friend's boat and it knocked the battery loose. The shape of the batter is different than all my other boats and it seems top heavy. The battery flopped around the interior of the boat and broke those internal props that had so impressed me... so a little duct tape or quick check after a collision or jump might be recommended.

Get your Dremel 231 Shaper Router Table Now!

Good Batteries

Read First Before Buy 160mAh Batteries Micro Helicopters E flite

First of all, my background is that I started flying R/C planes back in the middle 70's, quit for awhile to have kids, then when the kids were older we all did the R/C cars together. Afterwards I raced nitro R/C boats, scale boats, and sail boats. So, I've tried a lot of different R/C machines and have been pretty proficient with them. I thought helicopters would be easy and indeed the coaxial types were easy but they got me hooked to try more. I now own six R/C helicopters ranging from the good ol' Syma 107G that started the fever up to a Hausler 450 T-Rex clone. I didn't have trouble like a normal newbie knowing my right and left when the model wass coming towards me. After all these years that is pretty automatic now. I could hover pretty well too. But I kept getting into side slips that caused a crash and I couldn't react fast enough nor did I even know HOW to get out of them. Even more so, I didn't know what I was doing wrong to get into them in the first place. After several crashes I was getting discouraged so finally I ordered this basic version of Real Flight. I didn't need all the extra games and stuff that the full blown version comes with, just something to use that I could crash over and over without having to keep buying and replacing parts. When I got it last Friday I installed it (it was very easy) and fired it up. I was curious how true this would feel so I loaded up a trainer airplane which is something I had flown over and over way back when. It felt just like it did for real. That was encouraging to know they had been true to the physics of the models. So I loaded up the trainer helicopter, practiced hovering just to trim it out correctly, and started flying. Sure enough I started crashing just like I had been in real life! There were the side slips I couldn't catch! Over the next two days I practiced many more times and learned what I was doing wrong. I also learned how to fly it in forward flight. Now hopefully I won't wreck tonight when I go out to try it for real but I was VERY impressed that the simulator replicated what I was doing in real life in the simulation. That tells me the skills you learn here on the computer will help when flying your real R/C helicopter. Oh by the way, the fake R/C transmitter that you use as a joystick feels pretty good in your hands but it does come with a ratchet throttle that can be removed pretty easily. There are several YouTube videos on how to reverse the ratchet plate inside the USB transmitter so that the throttle moves smoothly. As I said, as millions have told us newbies, this software pays for itself. They are right.... Get it....

Get your 160mAh Batteries Micro Helicopters E flite Now!

best rc trainer

Best Review on Great Planes Flight Basic Simulator

First of all, my background is that I started flying R/C planes back in the middle 70's, quit for awhile to have kids, then when the kids were older we all did the R/C cars together. Afterwards I raced nitro R/C boats, scale boats, and sail boats. So, I've tried a lot of different R/C machines and have been pretty proficient with them. I thought helicopters would be easy and indeed the coaxial types were easy but they got me hooked to try more. I now own six R/C helicopters ranging from the good ol' Syma 107G that started the fever up to a Hausler 450 T-Rex clone. I didn't have trouble like a normal newbie knowing my right and left when the model wass coming towards me. After all these years that is pretty automatic now. I could hover pretty well too. But I kept getting into side slips that caused a crash and I couldn't react fast enough nor did I even know HOW to get out of them. Even more so, I didn't know what I was doing wrong to get into them in the first place. After several crashes I was getting discouraged so finally I ordered this basic version of Real Flight. I didn't need all the extra games and stuff that the full blown version comes with, just something to use that I could crash over and over without having to keep buying and replacing parts. When I got it last Friday I installed it (it was very easy) and fired it up. I was curious how true this would feel so I loaded up a trainer airplane which is something I had flown over and over way back when. It felt just like it did for real. That was encouraging to know they had been true to the physics of the models. So I loaded up the trainer helicopter, practiced hovering just to trim it out correctly, and started flying. Sure enough I started crashing just like I had been in real life! There were the side slips I couldn't catch! Over the next two days I practiced many more times and learned what I was doing wrong. I also learned how to fly it in forward flight. Now hopefully I won't wreck tonight when I go out to try it for real but I was VERY impressed that the simulator replicated what I was doing in real life in the simulation. That tells me the skills you learn here on the computer will help when flying your real R/C helicopter. Oh by the way, the fake R/C transmitter that you use as a joystick feels pretty good in your hands but it does come with a ratchet throttle that can be removed pretty easily. There are several YouTube videos on how to reverse the ratchet plate inside the USB transmitter so that the throttle moves smoothly. As I said, as millions have told us newbies, this software pays for itself. They are right.... Get it....

Get your Great Planes Flight Basic Simulator Now!

Where have you been

Best Review on Dremel 575 Right Attachment Rotary

I own many RC boats in various sizes and styles and was skeptical about this purchase based on the low price. I was very impressed to discover internal props on the drive shafts to cool the motors.

When I first tossed this in the water I was very impressed with the speed but my I was totally sold watching how quickly it turned. This has the tightest turning radius of any of my boats and is the most fun to run.

One precautionary note: I had a collision right of the bat when testing this against a friend's boat and it knocked the battery loose. The shape of the batter is different than all my other boats and it seems top heavy. The battery flopped around the interior of the boat and broke those internal props that had so impressed me... so a little duct tape or quick check after a collision or jump might be recommended.

Get your Dremel 575 Right Attachment Rotary Now!

Good product and GREAT Customer Service!

Best Review on Balaenoptera Musculus Remote Control Racing

I own many RC boats in various sizes and styles and was skeptical about this purchase based on the low price. I was very impressed to discover internal props on the drive shafts to cool the motors.

When I first tossed this in the water I was very impressed with the speed but my I was totally sold watching how quickly it turned. This has the tightest turning radius of any of my boats and is the most fun to run.

One precautionary note: I had a collision right of the bat when testing this against a friend's boat and it knocked the battery loose. The shape of the batter is different than all my other boats and it seems top heavy. The battery flopped around the interior of the boat and broke those internal props that had so impressed me... so a little duct tape or quick check after a collision or jump might be recommended.

Get your Balaenoptera Musculus Remote Control Racing Now!

Flys best with no wind, try to keep it in range, and use on/off pulse throttle to dampen porpoising before steady throttle..

Best Review on Air Hogs Hawk White Grey

Like any thrust vector foam RC, dead calm is the best. In a light breeze you can spin it in the ground if your wings angle gets too far over while you are trying to fight the wind. It is best to static run the motors through 3 or 4 charge cycles to break in the motors before your first flight. First I got my miniusb charger, a coffee mug and had the plane nose down in it while starting at 1/4 full throttle, then up to 1/2 full throttle at the end of the 4 cycles to safely break in the motor brushes. For the best performance, do not try to gain altitude to quickly or you will just porpoise up and down before you eventually crash.
Quick clarification on turning. You will find you cannot turn at high throttle, cut throttle to 1/4 so steering motors will still work and use 1/2 second control pulse turns as you slow, then before you stall and dip down, quickly return to your previous throttle position to maintain level flight. At 0 throttle motors will not work even with full left or right. Two mods I have done is to remove the back and drill a small antenna hole above the 2.4 Ghz antenna, so the 31mm wire will point straight up instead of being curved into the case. For best results do not point your antenna wire directly at your model, keep it at 90 degree angle with the model in the horizontal plane perpendicular to the wire. The second mod is to carefully stretch the throttle spring, so it does not tire out my thumb so much. PS you will need to first on/off pulse control the throttle to dampen porpoising before you will be able to hold the throttle steady for level flight. Cut throttle to save the motors and reduce speed before you crash. Many crashes and no damage. When you get into trouble, try to level out the wings to avoid crashes with only 1/2 second left or right control pulses with 1/4 throttle. You may be able to recover or at least avoid nose dives into the ground. Yea, I missed the two spare props taped to the cardboard too and threw them away, oops. Before doing anything else, get your spare props and tape them to the battery cover on your controller. Dead calm flight 2 to 3 minutes, light breeze 15 to 30 seconds before relaunch needed. Well that just might be due to my piloting skills.

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A great plane when you have limited time

Read First Before Buy Parkzone Ultra Micro P 51 BNF

The P-51 Ultra Micro airplane from Parkzone is a real joy to fly. These great, compact little planes are the perfect size for playing around in a nearby soccer field or parking lot. The P-51 is a little trickier to fly than some of the other models in the series (like the J3 Cub or the T-28 Trojan), but it's still what I would consider a beginner's airplane. It is fast and agile and looks great in the air or on the ground.

Despite being made of foam, the frame is really quite resilient to crashes because it is so light. Unfortunately, this also makes it impossible to fly in all but the calmest wind conditions. Everyone crashes eventually and Parkzone offers replacement parts at reasonable prices.

My plane was sold as a Bind-and-Fly (BNF), which means you use your existing transmitter. I already had one from another model that came Ready-to-Fly (RTF) and it was a simple matter to bind the old transmitter to the new model. I would recommend the BNF model and a good transmitter, such as the Spektrum DX6i, if you think flying is something you will stick with in the long term.

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A ship that launched 1,000 smiles

Best Review on Storm Engine PX 16 Racing RC

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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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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Awsome

Read First Before Buy Tenergy Smart Universal Charger Battery

I upgraded to DSMX system because I wanted the extra safety that a DSMX radio provides over a DSM2 system. The DSM2 radio scans the band, picks 2 frequencies to use and then sends the data over those to channels to the receiver for the duration of the flight. While that is very nice, in a crowded environment you can have glitches (and unfortunately I've lost planes due to this). The DSMX system picks 10 free frequencies and splits the data over those during the life of the connection. This frequency hopping spread spectrum communication is about as reliable as possible with a RC system. Add to this the signal/antenna diversity you get by using the satellite antenna and you will have a very safe and secure connection with your flying craft.

This receiver is on I find works very well installed in 450 sized helicopters. The end connections work well due to the way 450 helis are laid out. This receiver is rated for park fliers and thus they don't claim the full normal distances for flying. I would use a larger receiver with a satellite for anything larger than a 450 helicopter. I've used this in several 450's without issue for some time now. I don't fly more than 150 yards away due to the size of the heli and the need to always see the orientation. If you are outfitting a larger helicopter or a plane that you would fly farther away than 150 years, I suggest you consider this receiver: Spektrum AR7010 7-Channel DSMX Receiver SPMAR7010

There are knock off DSM2 receivers which are ok to use in foamies and smaller planes, but for anything expensive that could kill someone if it hit them; I stick with the more secure and safe frequency hopping multi-channel systems.

One great benefit of using a DSMX transmitter is that it's also backward compatible with your DSM2 receivers, so they will continue to serve you until you can slowly upgrade the fleet to DSMX receivers.

5 stars, the DSMX system is very reliable and this receiver works great.

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totally awesome

Best Review on Inches Beautiful Looking Channels RC

First of all, this is not scrap wood. This is balsa wood which is intended for modeling, carving, etc. This wood is light weight for a purpose. I'm using this product to make my own modeled rc boat and the wood is very flexible to fit around the hull of my ship. I was speculating the quality of this product since I've seen many bad reviews of people who don't know the proper intended purpose of balsa wood. There are different objects in the bag for a purpose and if your expect the wood to be exactly measured to your convience and primed cut then your better off simply going to a hobby shop; these pieces can easily be cut to the demensions I need so that is definitely not a problem for me. The wood is soft and light weight containing about 25,5 by 3 1/2 balsa squares. About 4 stalks and 6 shorter stalks. A wooden cube that could be used for carving and overall this product fits my needs completely. This is not oak wood; this is balsa and it serves it's purpose completely. All of the negatvie reviews need to show some respect for their ignorance on purchasing wood online. I'm very pleased overall and hope to be buying more balsa from here.

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Excellent product

Best Review on Spektrum Ar6115E 6 Channel DSMX Microlite

I upgraded to DSMX system because I wanted the extra safety that a DSMX radio provides over a DSM2 system. The DSM2 radio scans the band, picks 2 frequencies to use and then sends the data over those to channels to the receiver for the duration of the flight. While that is very nice, in a crowded environment you can have glitches (and unfortunately I've lost planes due to this). The DSMX system picks 10 free frequencies and splits the data over those during the life of the connection. This frequency hopping spread spectrum communication is about as reliable as possible with a RC system. Add to this the signal/antenna diversity you get by using the satellite antenna and you will have a very safe and secure connection with your flying craft.

This receiver is on I find works very well installed in 450 sized helicopters. The end connections work well due to the way 450 helis are laid out. This receiver is rated for park fliers and thus they don't claim the full normal distances for flying. I would use a larger receiver with a satellite for anything larger than a 450 helicopter. I've used this in several 450's without issue for some time now. I don't fly more than 150 yards away due to the size of the heli and the need to always see the orientation. If you are outfitting a larger helicopter or a plane that you would fly farther away than 150 years, I suggest you consider this receiver: Spektrum AR7010 7-Channel DSMX Receiver SPMAR7010

There are knock off DSM2 receivers which are ok to use in foamies and smaller planes, but for anything expensive that could kill someone if it hit them; I stick with the more secure and safe frequency hopping multi-channel systems.

One great benefit of using a DSMX transmitter is that it's also backward compatible with your DSM2 receivers, so they will continue to serve you until you can slowly upgrade the fleet to DSMX receivers.

5 stars, the DSMX system is very reliable and this receiver works great.

Get your Spektrum Ar6115E 6 Channel DSMX Microlite Now!