Product Reviews

Through the last two decades there have been many Extra 300s modeled, but there are only a few manufacturers that listen to their customers and refine their models. Aeroworks is one of those few! In its introduction of its .60/.90 size version, it incorporated the requests of its customers and added to its successful line of Quick Build series of aircraft.

In my 19 years of flying fullsize aircraft, I have flown three types of Cessna 182s: a squaretail model from 1958; a swept verticalfn model from the mid '70s and an R182 Skylane RG with retractable gear. All three were very stable and had a lot more get-up-and-go than the 172s I had flown. I always thought the 182 was a great airplane (even though it has a nosewheel) and would make a great RC model. Parkflyers.com has turned that thought into a reality with its nicely done, sport-scale Cessna 182 500-class brushless model.

Saito has a worldwide reputation for producing light, powerful, totally reliable 4-stroke engines ranging from a small .30 to a large 2.20 single (see November 2005 Fly RC review) as well as several multi-cylinder engines. The FG-36 reviewed here is essentially the FA-220A glow engine converted for gasoline. It is more economical to run, and the integrated spark ignition makes it docile and very userfriendly. The FG-36 incorporates Saito’s traditional one-piece head and cylinder and other family characteristics with a few innovative modifications required to run a gasoline and oil mix.

The new FunJET from Multiplex USA is the latest in their continuing line of smallish jet type models designed for all-out fun. The FunJET assembles from just seven molded foam pieces, and it can easily be completed in a relaxed evening. I spread it across two evenings to install the radio and to add the decals.

On any given weekend at my local airport I can count on there being a few different types of aircraft in the pattern during the day. One of the most recognizable is the Aeronca 7AC Champion with its yellow and orange trim. Most everyone refers to this classic as a "Champ", so I will too from here on out.

One of the most significant advances in RC over the last 10 years or so has been the remarkable melding of RC and computer technology to create the flight simulators we enjoy today. Many components of the dazzling performances we see from top aerobatic pilots flying both airplanes and helicopters are first worked out on a flight sim, for the same reasons why flight simulators are great for rank beginners. You can fly whenever you have a moment to sit down at your computer with complete disregard for the weather and time of day. The near-instant, costfree recovery after crashing a virtual model allows you to take great risks as well, advancing your skills without the threat of countless hours or dollars spent repairing crash damage between flights.

My relationship with helicopters has run hot and cold overthe years. Despite my lifelong passion for all things chopper,the choppers haven’t always had a passion for me. Seewhether this sounds familiar: I was an ace on the simulator, and Ilogged countless hours flying indoors with toys and larger RC coaxialships, but the moment I ventured outside with a collective-pitchmachine, my thumbs and the laws of physics aligned against me.

E-flite is well known in the electric aircraft arena for its many high-quality, great flying airplanes and helicopters. The Blade 400 3D follows that pattern. It is designed for intermediate and advanced pilots looking for a highly capable compact helicopter that they can fly almost anywhere. This is a high performance helicopter that can do more advanced maneuvers such as fast forward flight, loops, rolls, fly inverted as well as many gravity-defying 3D maneuvers.

Do you enjoy a good full scale air show where vibrant aircraft tumble from the heavens billowing thick tails of smoke while prop and engine noise shatter the atmosphere with the power of a thousand stampeding horses? Get the picture?

This awesome giant-scale F-86 was custom commissioned by Shailesh Patel, who hired master builder Joe Grice to build seven of these airframes. This Sabre weighs 52 pounds dry and has a length and wingspan of 96 inches (8 feet square).

“I’M BORED!” How many times does a parent get to hear those wonderful words? I know I must have heard them 1000 times or more this summer.

Regular Fly RC readers will recall the microflight milestones achieved by Martin Newell of San Jose, CA. We reported in the February 2006 issue that Martin was the first to break the 1-gram barrier for an electric radio-control model. At the 2006 NEAT Fair, Martin was at it again with his .695-gram model—the first under 700 milligrams.

Success and recognition can be challenging goals, especially when you are trying to escape the shadow of a more famous older sibling. Such is exactly the case for North American’s T-28 Trojan. Following the WWII-era T-6 Texan trainer—of which over 17,000 examples have served the armed forces of almost 50 countries— the T-28 had some pretty big shoes to fill.