Recreation Aviation Blog

Radio controlled aircraft are so much fun to play with. Be it an airplane or helicopter, it is truly amazing for both young and old enthusiasts but did you know that there are also radio controlled blimps for hobbyists like you and me? Yes, they also make radio controlled blimps. Comparing them to RC airplanes and helicopters, these things are much slower and less maneuverable but that does not make them any less interesting. In fact, there are so many things that you can do with an RC blimp.
 
A blimp is an airship, dirigible or a self-propelled aircraft capable of being steered by using rudders or propellers. Blimps are lighter-than-air (LTA) aircraft because it weighs less than the air it displaces due to the [...] Continue Reading…

RC airplane aerobatics is both fun and challenging. After you’ve mastered your basic flying skills, you are now ready to try some basic aerobatics. [...] Continue Reading…

The RTF RC airplane is the recommended airplane for the beginner. It is simple to setup and ready to fly out of the box. Learn the basics to enable you to move forward and join the large community of RC airplane hobbyists out there. [...] Continue Reading…

Every now and then your RC battery is going to die. Instead of worrying about what happened your power source, it’s usually more efficient and inexpensive to purchase a replacement. A few years ago batteries were expensive, but in recent years the cost has come down considerably. When  in need of an affordable, high-quality solution here’s where I go.

CheapBatteryPacks.com: The name says it all. There is a wide selection of RC battery packs available and I’ve never experienced a problem with service. My destination for RC batteries.

PriorityElectronics: When I need a laptop or cell-phone battery, this is my first and final destination. Incredible customer service and on-time delivery is what I’ve come to expect. I was even able to find a 312-0416 Dell laptop [...] Continue Reading…

Keeping our skies blue is one of the primary concerns of many eco-friendly pilots. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as seeing your rc airplane fly against a clear blue backdrop. For those of you pilots interested in protecting our environment long term, here are a number of websites that can help.

EPA.gov: The United States Environmental Protection agency works to protect human health and the environment. They are involved with mandating a variety of government regulations and increasing awareness about threats to our planet.

Nelliefay.com: Involved in raising awareness about organic products. They also distribute clothes, pet toys, and other all-natural products through their website.

DefendGreen.com: Regularly updated blog providing information about green products and news.

The next time you go flying, remember to keep in mind the [...] Continue Reading…

I came across an intriguing find on a few different RC related websites: attaching a camera to your rc airplane. The idea of taking a few aerial snapshots caught my attention and I decided to pry into the topic further.
Attaching a low-cost digital camera to the rc plane seems to be the most popular way to get flight photos. One option is the Pentax Optio S4 which can be triggered to take a picture with an infrared remote. You can order something called a PRISM switch from HExpertSystems.com that take advantage of the shutter function and plug straight into the receiver. The great thing about the Pentax Optio S4 is that it weighs roughly 4 ozs. Most of the reviews I’ve found online claim [...] Continue Reading…

I picked up the FERALBEAST RC Apache helicopter replica from HobbyTron.com this past weekend. First off, this chopper is more difficult to fly than I had anticipated. Be sure to sit down with the instruction manual to get an understanding of the rotation, directional movement.

After a few hours I was able to get a better understanding of the 4-channel helicopter. I started out by testing it in my living room. With a bit of practice the FERALBEAST RC was able to navigate my apartment, but was unable to safely travel down the hallway. As my confidence grew, I decided to take it outside.

If the wind outside is blowing over 15 miles per hour I wouldn’t advise taking your Apache RC outdoors. It just isn’t [...] Continue Reading…

Last week A Main Hobbies introduced their portable RC protective solution called the ProTek R/C P-8 1/8 Scale Buggy Super Hauler. Ok, so technically this product was intended to protect RC cars, but it could be used to store small-scale RC airplanes as well. The bag has space under the top cover to store tools and extra batteries while the insulated plastic lining defends your investment anywhere your flight takes you.

What do you use to protect your RC airplanes on the go?

The choice between gas or electric power rc planes is one of the most common decisions an rc pilot will make. If you’re living in a suburban area an electric model might be the right choice for you. It will create less noise and no gas odors. On the other hand, gas models can generally fly further, faster, and longer than the electric alternative. In this post we will examine the pros and cons of the classic gas vs electric decision.
Electric RC Airplanes
There used to be very short flight times associated with electric rc airplanes. Since the 90s, however, this is no longer the case. As a result of the improvements and lowered cost, these planes have experienced increasing popularity. Many new electric airplanes [...] Continue Reading…

Development kits are a great alternative to building an rc from scratch. In fact, I’d suggest starting out with a kit. It will save you a lot of headaches your first time around and provide some invaluable information on how rc aviation works. With that in mind, the NexSTAR Select EP is ready to fly straight out of the box. This airplane is a good choice for beginners learning to operate and build an rc aircraft. All you need to get started are battery packs, a charger and screwdriver. Recreation Aviation gave this rc a test run and here’s what we found out:

Hobbico is the manufacturer of this aircraft that’s sells for about $400 from most retailers I     found. As you can [...] Continue Reading…