Archive for July, 2009
If you’re new to RC, it may be difficult to choose your first RC car, airplane, helicopter or boat. You should research different brands and products before making a decision. One good brand to start out with is Megatech, as its products are both high quality and easy to use. In fact, it’s so well-known for quality that there are many imitation products on the market, so you should make sure you only buy Megatech products from a certified dealer in an RC store or online.
Megatech products are sold as part of different series, and it’s important to know the difference between them. It’s best to start out with products in the Big Fun Series, which are designed for those who are new to RC. They feature simplicity of operation and either come ready-to-run or only require very simple assembly. The High Performance Series is the next step up, with products that feature professional grade multi-channel radios; gyroscopic flight stabilization; the latest advanced battery technology; and the highest performance electric drive systems. Finally, the IQ Series features products that are designed to be educational as well as fun, including informational booklets about the history of flight, for example. Free-flight models are designed to illustrate the basics of aerodynamics and why an airplane flies. No matter which Megatech product you choose, you can be sure it will run great and you’ll have lots of fun!
I love flying RC electric airplanes and over the years, I have discovered a few things that have saved me a lot of money on repairs and replacement planes. Be forewarned, if you are a beginner, you will crash more often than you can control, so be prepared. Here are some tips to help you get airborne and with practice extend your flying enjoyment with this fantastic hobby.
- If you can’t locate a RC airplane airfield then find yourself an open field. Local parks, school yards, football fields and soccer fields should be your prime targets. If you don’t fly in an open field you risk crashing into obstacles such as tree branches, buildings, towers or the pavement below. All of these things are very destructive to a plastic airplane.
- Windy days are not for flying! Stay on the ground and await a better day. The best days to fly are when there’s little or no wind at all. Wind affects smaller planes more easily than larger ones.
- Never fly directly into the sun. You will in most cases lose sight of your airplane.
- Let your RC airplane climb a good 40-50 feet before executing turns. When you make turns the plane may lose altitude that will not allow you to pull up in time to recover air speed.
- Don’t fly your plane over rooftops or trees until you have the experience to do so. Judgment comes into play here. You may think you are high enough to fly over them but you are not! The distance your airplane is away from you will make it harder to judge how high you really are.
- A RC airplane will not respond to your turn controls instantly. Give it a few seconds and then it should start its turn.
- Make sure you have plenty of space to take off or land. It does take distance and time for a plane to take off or land safely.
- As always, I recommend getting lessons from an experienced RC pilot or instructor. If you can locate a RC air club, you will find experienced pilots that are more than willing to help you learn and experience the enjoyment of flying your RC airplane.
When I began talking about RC Stadium trucks and their performance, some of my newbie RC hobby friends seem puzzled as if to say what the heck are you talking about? Well for those of you that share the same question, here is my take! A RC Stadium truck like the Traxxas Nitro Sport 2wd Stadium Truck is really a cross between a RC buggy and a RC monster truck. The good news is the stadium truck gives you features of both! You get fast buggy speeds and monster truck toughness. Designed for jumps the stadium is tough enough to handle rougher terrain than most buggies.
Most Stadium trucks are 2WD, and like a 2WD buggy, have rear tires that are spiked for traction on dirt and ribbed front tires for steering. The suspension arms are extended so that the tires are completely outside the body, not underneath it. Why, well this helps to keep the inside of the chassis clean while the wide stance gives you better control and stability. Shocks on these trucks are longer, for maximum dampening. Chassis of a stadium truck are usually aluminum on nitro-powered trucks and composite/plastic for electric powered trucks. You can expect to find most stadium trucks (not all) in 1:10 scale. Average speeds are between15 to 50 mph depending on the trucks performance level. These trucks are durable and fun with a great speed. No matter your driving skill beginner or old pro a RC Stadium truck can handle the ride.
Looking for a powerful RC Nitro truck with a winning history, then look no further than Team Associated RC10GT2RS. This truck was built for nitro fan looking for a powerful ready- to- run RC nitro truck that is ready to go on arrival. I purchased my first RC10 GT last summer and it still blows my mind with its power and speed. On the track you will experience a very fast truck. Sometimes I take out the carb resistor and have fun riding wheelies until all of my fuel is gone. Truly, the GT2 is as advertised the best of everything since the original GT.
The GT2 comes with many new design features, making for a higher level of performance, better durability, and all in all, a package that is easier to maintain. I love the transmission with its amazingly low center of gravity. Where does all that power come from, well the 4.09:1 ratio produces the ultimate in torque with demonstrated ability to transmit all the power to the ground. I can assure you that you will get awesome speeds not usually seen in RTRs. This RC nitro truck is easy to work on and which in my opinion makes it extra special. Check it out and you will be impressed with its great features and the price is right for the excitement you will get from this two-wheel-drive, gas-powered daemon. Wanna Race?
The Traxxas Slayer Pro 4WD Short Course Race Truck is my choice for realism, speed, and competition with its 4-wheel drive, nitro-burning performance. Right out of the box, this brute is capable of top speeds in excess of 50 mph plus it delivers the raw sound of nitro burning horsepower and speed for of wheel-to-wheel rally competition. We are talking the ultimate in realism in off-road racing that makes R/C racing feel so alive and on stage.
The Slayer has a full time 4- wheel drive that provides track gripping traction while maintaining the tight control RC racers demand. The chassis is 3D semi-monocoque formed from 3mm 6061 aluminum that T6 hardened and titanium-anodized for uncompromising strength. The compact throttle servo mount rigidly ties into its chassis protecting the 4-channel 2216 micro receiver box and supporting the air filter. The integrated battery box, which is usually sold separately, uses either a 5 cell rechargeable battery or 4 AA batteries. The Traxxas Slayer Pro 4WD has a TRX 3.3 racing engine that is protected from rollover by the integrated roll hoop that doubles as a carrying handle. This is a high performance nitro engine with a composite slide carburetor, blue anodized cooling head, and IPS crankshaft with muli-port rear exhaust. This special exhaust includes a mirror polished dual chamber aluminum pipe. I really like the Traxxas EZ-Start electric starting system it is as easy as pushing a button. The Slayer Pro is built to withstand even the roughest racing. If you are looking to get into short course RC racing, take a winner with you to the track and show off the power and dominance of your Traxxas Slayer!
Generally, the emergence of an RC plane is credited to Alphonse Penaud, a Frenchman who is said to have created a plane dubbed a “planophore.” This model was debuted in 1871. It was hand launched, and the first flight was witnessed by a group of witnesses in Paris. Its wingspan was 45 cm, or roughly 18 inches, while its total length was 50 cm, or 20 inches.
Coming in at a meager 15 grams, the plane was powered by twisted rubber bands. Its initial flight took it 130 feet in 11 seconds. While this wasn’t technically an RC craft, it certainly laid the groundwork. As such, RC airplanes today undoubtedly have far superior technology, but they can credit that advancement to the original work of Penaud.
If you are into indoor RC airplane flying or thinking about it, you have to get a Megatech Avion RC airplane. I purchased one for my nephews 12th birthday present and once again was delighted with a Megatech product. Megatech’s Avion will make you think twice about indoor RC airplane flying. This is a high performance, precision controlled airplane that has outstanding maneuverability, comes ready-to-fly and proved itself to be very easy to fly. After opening the package and reviewing the excellent written instructions my nephew, who had no flying experience was able to quickly pick up how to makes the Avion fly and how to make adjustments to improve its flight quality.
The Avion can turn within three feet, bump a wall and keep on flying. We flew it in his mom’s high ceiling living room which holds her prized chandelier and other touch me not’s and avoided a tongue lashing during our flight experiences. Not breaking anything during your indoor flights is a good thing! The Avion is very precise and gentile which enable easy flying for RC airplane novice looking to learn more about flying. The plane charges from its transmitter and within10 or 15 minutes you are back in the air. Being the RC nut that I am, even I was very impressed with the Avion. Try the Avion; I think you will agree its sweet!
The Venom RC Ozone 3 channel R/C RTF Helicopter is my choice for an easy to fly beginner R/C RTF Helicopter. Well, I found the Ozone RC helicopter to be really durable and able to fly another day after a low or medium height accident. This RC helicopter is ideal for pilots with minimal flying experience. Here are a few tips to get you up to speed with your first Ozone helicopter flights.
Practice hovering in place and be sure to set your Yaw trim. These are the moveable portions of RC helicopter that, you moved into specific positions, causing the airplane to move in a certain direction. They are called control surfaces. When you are comfortable hovering start working on forward and reverse flight. When flying indoors turn off your ceiling fan, a draft will cause the Ozone to drift a modest breeze may prove too much for the helicopters controls. Of course this can be fun when flying around high ceilings. With a few flights, practicing level flight circles and landing, you should be able to land anywhere with enough surfaces to protect your blades. The Ozone will allow beginners to master the basics of helicopter flying, more advanced pilots; get the chance to fly your helicopter when you can’t get to the field. Doesn’t matter, the Ozone 3 Channel Helicopter is fun to fly. Oh, by the way, Venom Group International provides all the replacement parts you will need for maintenance and op’s that inevitable crash landing.