Product Spotlight-2013/04

CAN A WALRUS
FLY? MAYBE!
Entertain the youngsters in your life
and help out AMA by downloading an
e-book onto your mobile device. The
Basement, an Indianapolis digital design
company, has created a children’s e-book
that can be downloaded for devices such
as the iPad, iPhone, Nook, Kindle, and
Android mobile devices.
Between March 1 and June 1, for each
app downloaded, $1 will be donated
to the AMA to aid in developing
AeroLab2, which is a hands-on, inquirybased
workshop that supports Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math
(STEM) education.
The e-book, titled Every Walrus
Can Fly, is the story of a walrus pup
named Royce who dreams of
fl ying. Readers can follow the
loveable walrus as he overcomes
many obstacles in his quest to
achieve his dream. It is written by
Brian Phillips and produced and
illustrated by The Basement.
This story, created for kids ages
three and older, teaches youngsters
about curiosity, perseverance, and
the power of the imagination. The
playful cadence and the beautiful
illustrations make this tale nearly
come to life at the touch of a fi ngertip.
The best part of the story is that it
introduces kids to RC airplanes! Maybe
it will ignite the little pilot in a child you
know.
Here’s an excerpt from the story:
Royce noticed a plane and he  gured
out why. He said, “I’m going to give
imagination a try.
“I’ll learn how to  y without leaving
my feet and show all my friends that my
dream is complete.”
Check it out at www.everywalrus
canfl y.com. The app can be
downloaded through the Apple
iBookstore, the Amazon Kindle
bookstore, Barnes & Noble’s Nook
bookstore, and the Google Play books
at a cost of $3.82.
The Basement designed the
AMA Flight School online learning
website, launched in 2012 (www.
amafl ightschool.org) and the company
won an American Advertising
Federation ADDY Award for its work
on this project.
AeroLab2 will be an online teaching
curriculum for middle school and early
high school students. Plans call for it
to be available to use on tablets and
iPhones as well as online. AeroLab2 is
expected to be available for download
for the start of the 2013-2014 school
year.
The Basement: 9130 Otis Avenue
Second Floor, Indianapolis IN 46216;
Tel. (317) 352-5848 website: www.
everywalruscan y.com
ROUND ABOUT
STORAGE
No matter what your hobby is,
the need for effi cient storage and
organization is a must. Modelers
typically amass a large number of
replacement parts as well as various sizes
of hardware. Storage solutions for these
items can range from masonry jars to
tackle boxes or parts bins.
Jim Snyder saw a need for a storage
option that allowed quick access to
stored items, with the fl exibility to be
used in the shop or in the trailer, and
came up with the Round About Storage
Container.
Constructed of aluminum with highdensity
end caps, the mounting frame
requires two screws (not included) to be
attached to your surface of choice. The
knobs on each end allow you to adjust
the tension so that it can be locked in
place or spin freely.
Sixteen 14-ounce, quarter-turn plastic
cups are included and provide easy
identifi cation and access to your items
stored within. It costs $119.95 plus
shipping.
The Round About Storage Container
Reviews
garnered much attention with people in
the office spinning it and talking about
which items they would store in it.
Several of them have used the storage
unit and the cups have continued to be
hassle free and provide secure storage.
Jim shared with us that it has proven
popular for use in car trailers.
Round About Storage: Box 301,
Pipersville PA 18947; Tel. (267) 261-
0070; website: www.roundaboutstorage.
com
ProTek
Helicopter Servos
Heli pilot Greg Alderman helped
us with the review of the ProTek R/C
Digital Ultra Hi-Torque Metal Gear
helicopter servos from A Main Hobbies.
Here is what he had to say:
I had the opportunity to try the
new ProTek R/C 250T Digital Ultra
Hi-Torque Metal Gear Helicopter
Cyclic Servo and its matching ProTek
R/C 250S Digital Ultra Hi-Speed
Helicopter Tail Servo, available from
A Main Hobbies. I originally saw the
A Main Hobbies team flying these
servos at the 2012 International Radio
Controlled Helicopter Association
(IRCHA) Jamboree and was impressed
with the performance. I became
interested in trying a set for myself.
The first thing you notice when
removing the servos from their
shipping box is that these are not your
ordinary, plastic-cased servos. The
entire case is made out of aluminum! It
is nice looking and serves as a heat-sink
to keep the coreless HV servo motor
cool during operation. Also included is
a metal, clamping-style double servo
arm, which allows you to precisely
align the servo arms without using the
transmitter’s or flybarless
unit’s subtrim feature.
Although these ProTek
servos are nice to look
at, a good servo needs to
have the muscle and speed
to control today’s highperformance
flybarless
helicopters. The ProTek
250-series servos shine in
this category. The 250T
cyclic servo produced a
respectable 0.09-second
transit speed, 299 ounce-inch of torque
at 6.0 volts, and an insane 0.07-second
transit speed with 369 ounceinch
of torque at 7.4 volts.
The 250S tail servo is
equally impressive with a
rating of 0.04-second transit
speed and 103 ounce-inch
of torque at 6 volts. It is only
rated up to 6 volts, so if you
are using it in a high-voltage
setup, don’t forget to use
some kind of a step down
or dual-power bus voltage
regulator to limit the 250S to
6.0 volts.
These servos are the standard
40mm size and I installed them in my
Outrage Fusion 50 electric helicopter
that I often use as a test model. I am
comfortable with this heli and have
had many different brands of servos
installed for testing, so it would be a
good comparison with other servos I
have used in the past.
After installing them in the Fusion
50, it was time to set up the servo arms
at 90°. This went quickly with the
double metal arms. All I had to do was
align the arms 90° with the bellcranks,
tighten the cinch bolt, then install the
set screw for added security.
In less than 5 minutes I had perfectly
aligned all four servos without having
to try multiple plastic arms or using
electronic subtrim. With the servos
installed and aligned, it was time to
go fly! What impressed me even more
than the speed of the servos was how
smoothly they moved and how little
backlash the gear train had.
I now have more than 50 flights on
the servos and they will not be coming
out of this heli.
The Outrage Fusion 50 had a
noticeably more “locked in” feeling in
flight because of the small amount of
backlash and the great centering of
these ProTek servos.
Although not a performance issue,
the tail servo “buzzes” as the flybarless
unit initializes and occasionally when
setting powered up on the ground.
This is a normal reaction to servos
with small “dead band” percentage,
along with a small gear backlash. This
phenomenon can be greatly reduced
by electronically increasing the tail
servo dead band in the flybarless unit
setup (if this feature is available on
the flybarless unit).
Bottom line, with their good looks,
great specifications, and a street price
of $114.99 for the cyclic servos and
$85.99 for the tail servos, the ProTek
R/C Digital Ultra Hi-Torque Metal
Gear helicopter servos will surely
become popular!
A Main Hobbies: 424 Otterson Dr., Ste.
160, Chico CA 95928; Tel.: (800) 705-
2215; website: www.amainhobbies.com
Scorpion Portable Power Station
@ $56 + S&H from Innov8tive
Designs, 1495 Poinsettia Ave.,
Ste. 144, Vista CA 92081 Tel.:
(760) 468-8838; website:
www.innov8tivedesigns.com.
Innov8tive
Designs introduces
the new Scorpion
Portable Power
Station. Providing
back-up power
for portable
devices that can
be charged from
standard 5-volt
USB ports, it
features a 5200
mAh LiPo battery that can be charged
from any computer USB port or charging
cube that is used to charge a smartphone
or tablet.
The high-capacity internal battery can
charge an iPhone three times, and an
Android two times. Digital tablets and
small digital cameras can also be charged.
The Power Station works great for
single-cell 120 mAh to 500 mAh
LiPo batteries used in micro airplanes,
helicopters, and multirotors. The 120
packs can be recharged up to 40 times on
a single Power Station charge, while the
500 mAh can be charged up to 10 times.
A user manual and micro USB cable
are included in the box with the Scorpion
Portable Power Station.
Jeti Duplex R6L/R6i/R5L/R5i 2.4
GHz Receivers @ $65 + S&H from
Esprit Model, 1240 Clearmont St.
NE #12, Palm Bay FL 32905; Tel.:
(321) 729-4287; website:
www.espritmodel.com.
The Duplex R6L/R6i/R5L/R5i
revolutionary, fully digital 2.4 GHz
frequency-hopping
radio system
was developed,
designed, and
manufactured by
Jeti Model in the
Czech Republic.
All are full-range
receivers, but the
R6i and R5i are
intended for park fl yers, indoor models,
and 450-size helicopters because of their
shorter antennas.
Jeti R5 receivers were developed as
fi ve-channel receivers, with an additional
auxiliary port to be used as an add-on to
R18, R14, R11, R9, and R7 receivers, and
plugged into the SAT port. With R5L and
R5i, the modeler has two receivers in one,
which is an excellent value.
The line of Duplex receivers features
full integration with the Duplex
telemetry sensors. As many as 40
parameters can be observed in real time
directly from the transmitter. By using
the JetiBox Profi (sold separately), data
can be seen in parallel mode for valuable
information.
Synergy E5 550-class Electric
Helicopter @ $550 + S&H from
Synergy RC Helicopters; website:
www.synergyrchelicopters.com.
The Synergy E5 is one of only a few
“true” 550-class helicopters that can
swing 550mm blades right out of the
box. Its large disk size provides stability
for high-performance helicopters.
Designed for the budget-minded
pilot who wants options and to fl y how
he or she chooses, the E5 can easily be
reconfi gured from a 6S 550-class heli to
a 12S 550-class heli, or even stretched
out with existing parts into a 12S
600-class helicopter. The large battery
compartment handles nearly any battery
confi guration, and the motor mount
accepts a variety of motor sizes.
The E5 features 2mm carbon frames,
a 52mm inner frame width for multiple
motor options, and carbon-fi ber servo
arms. The washout arm mounting is
integrated into the head block, while the
helical main gear is precision-machined
Delrin Mod 1.
It features monster mod 1.25 bevel
gears and a counter-gear tail-drive system.
Additional specifi cations include a 10mm
main shaft and 8mm head axle, as well as
the lower motor shaft bearing block and
third main shaft bearing block.
The E5 is set up with direct servoto-
swash CCPM and the kit includes
breakaway canopy mounts and 12T and
14T pinions. Synergy RC Helicopters
are sold nationwide through dealers and
hobby shops. Visit the company’s website
for more information.
Leopard Brushless Motors
@ $28.99-83.99 + S&H from
Altitude Hobbies, 1630 Sagewood
Dr., Fort Collins CO 80525; Tel.:
(970) 412-7303; website:
www.altitudehobbies.com.
The new standard in premium RC
motor design, Leopard Brushless Motors
are constructed using the most advanced
components and top-quality, lightweight
anodized aluminum alloy. Built to last
and endure high-stress applications
from 3-D performance, Leopard motors
will greatly improve effi ciency and
performance, and require minimal
maintenance.
Built with premium imported bearings
and Neodym magnets, the Leopard
motors are highly effi cient with lowrunning
temperatures and a high overload
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capacity. Hand
wound with
precision, they
have excellent
heat dissipation,
and are designed
to endure the
most demanding
applications.
Leopard Brushless Motors come with
preinstalled bullet connectors and include
an accessory pack with matching female
bullet connectors for the ESC, and
X-mount plate. All motors also include a
bolt-on-style threaded propeller adapter,
except for the 2830- and 2835-size
motors, which instead come with a colletstyle
adapter.
Ares Gamma 370 Pro RFR @
$99.99 + S&H from HobbyTown
USA, 1233 Libra Dr., Lincoln
NE 68512; Tel.: (402) 434-5050;
website: www.hobbytown.com.
Modelers looking for smooth and stable
flight performance, as well as an aircraft
that is perfect for sport or aerobatic
flying, should look no further than the
new Ares Gamma 370 Pro RFR (readyfor-
receiver).
Larger than the typical micro- or
mini-class models, the Gamma 370 Pro
handles well in light wind. The durable,
lightweight EPO foam airframe is factory
assembled. With smooth and precise
aileron, elevator, and rudder controls, this
model is capable of all basic maneuvers,
as well as advanced four-channel
maneuvers such as four-point rolls, rolling
circles, and knife-edge. The steerable tail
wheel improves ground handling and
makes takeoffs easy and smooth.
The 370 brushless motor, 18-amp
brushless ESC, and three 9-gram submicro
servos are preinstalled. A fourchannel
or more transmitter and receiver
and a 2S 7.4-volt or 3S 11.1-volt 800 to
1300 mAh LiPo battery are required.
Two propeller options for use with
the different battery sizes are included
as well as an optional propeller saver to
protect the propeller, motor shaft, and
ESC.
Dualsky Hornet 460 Quadcopter
@ $299.99 + S&H from 2DogRC;
Tel.: (800) 517-3810; website:
www.2dogrc.com.
2DogRC announces its new
quadcopter, the Dualsky Hornet 460.
Right out of the box, this quad comes
90% preassembled with four premounted
200-watt Dualsky motors and four 22-
amp Dualsky ESCs already wired and
mounted. All the modeler needs to do
is plug in each leg to the control board,
plug in the flight controller wires to the
receiver, and he or she is set to fly.
The three-axes flight control system is
custom designed and optimized for the
Dualsky Hornet 460. The preinstalled
LED lights on the legs are different
colors on the head and tail of the quad,
making it easy to see when night flying.
More than 80 motors were tested before
finding the perfect combination for
power and longer flight times with the
four Dualsky XM2830CA-Hornet 830
Kv motors.
A transmitter, receiver, and 1700 to
3300 mAh 11.1-volt battery are required.
Tactic AnyLink Adapter Cable
for Spektrum with Deans Micro
Connector @ $2.99 + S&H from
Hobbico, 3002 N. Apollo Dr., Suite 1,
Champaign IL 61822; Tel.: (217) 398-
8970; website: www.tacticrc.com.
Many modelers know of the AnyLink
radio adapter, and how it enables the
transmitter to fly all transmitter-ready
(Tx-R) airplanes and most electric aircraft
equipped with a 2.4 GHz SLT receiver.
Tactic now brings to AnyLink an adapter
cable with a Deans Micro connector for
Spektrum transmitters.
The cable provides a Deans Micro
connector for two-cell LiPo or LiFe
batteries equipped with Deans Micro
connectors, allowing the user to choose
his or her favorite chemistry and capacity
and providing a more flexible and
affordable alternative to TACM0005
cables with built-in LiFe batteries.
Designed for DX4e, DX7s, DX8,
DX10t, and DX18 transmitters, the
adapter cable works with many other
Spektrum and JR transmitters.
ParkZone Ultra Micro P-40
Warhawk Bind-N-Fly @ $99.99
+ S&H from Horizon Hobby, Inc.,
4105 Fieldstone Rd., Champaign
IL 61822; Tel.: (877) 504-0233;
website: www.parkzone.com.
The P-40 Warhawk was an air combat
icon during World War II, playing an
integral role with the Flying Tigers.
Modelers can now recreate the legendary
exploits of this warbird with the
ParkZone Ultra Micro P-40 Warhawk.
Equipped with the AS3X (Artificial
Stabilization—3aXis) system, this Bind-
N-Fly aircraft features realistic details
such as molded panel lines, a three-blade
propeller, gun, exhaust, instrument panel
details, and a Flying Tigers trim scheme.
With a 15.8-inch wingspan, the Ultra
Micro P-40 Warhawk comes with a
preinstalled ParkZone DSM2/DSMX
receiver/ESC/AS3X, an 8.5mm brushed
motor, removable landing gear, and a
steerable tail wheel.
A 1S 150 mAh 25C LiPo battery and
one-cell DC charger are included. A fourplus
channel DSM2/DSMX transmitter
is required.
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