Why not try an RC helicopter before time goes by even faster?
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Fun Tech 600mm 50-size
blades
• Align announces the T-Rex
500
• Miniature Aircraft’s hot, hot
Bandit Kyna Veatch and Andy Panoncillo on the flightline at the 2007 IRCHA Jamboree. Kyna
is the new team manager for Align USA, and Andy is an XFC competitor.
Fun Tech blades on the Knight 50 3D during an inverted hover.
This combination is stable and predictable.
A Fun Tech blade package comes with four plastic spacers, Fun
Tech decals, two tracking tapes, and two brass 4mm inserts.
HI, FRIENDS! I was talking with Michael
Ramsey, MA’s editor, a couple months
ago, and he told me I had just completed
my first year as the magazine’s helicopter
columnist. Wow! Life keeps going by
faster and faster, as my grandma told me it
would.
I was in my 20s when she explained
how fast times go as you get older, but I
did not think she knew what she was
talking about. After all, she would get my
name wrong a couple times before she got
it right, and sometimes she even called me
the dog’s name, so it made me wonder. But
all you over-40 types know exactly what
she meant.
As the actor in the TV commercial
says, “Life comes at you fast.” Maybe this
is the right time to quit procrastinating.
This year may be a good one for you to
give RC helicopters a go—or a whirl,
maybe.
You may have been flying airplanes for
a long time and have resisted the urge to
wrangle a rotor. Maybe you are starting
out with electric-powered park flyers, and
the thought of making things harder is
unappealing.
Grandma surely had it right; life goes
by fast. I think she was trying to impress
on me the notion of not letting time slip
away without going after what you want.
That is even more reason to get some kind
of helicopter this year if you have wanted
one.
In the olden days (as my kids say), you
had to have a degree from MIT and more
than a few loose screws to jump into the
helicopter side of the hobby. Things have
changed in a big way. It has never been
easier or more affordable to own a little
helicopter.
For $200 you can find out if rotors run
in your veins. There are several complete
RTF models for roughly that price. This
may be the year in which you cross over
to the “dark side.”
Let’s get right to it. Following is a look
at some new rotor blades for 50-size glow
and 600-class electric models, and I will
highlight a couple new products from two
of the top helicopter manufacturers.
Andy Panoncillo agreed to test the new
50/600 blades and report on how they
compared with other popular blades. He
wrote:
March 2008 135
03sig5.QXD 1/24/08 3:08 PM Page 135“In recent years there has been an
emergence of many gadgets for our helis.
Many cool new items such as regulators,
stronger servos, pre-painted canopies, and
a hoard of other made-for-heli inventions
are sprouting up everywhere.
“These new upgrades promise to either
improve the performance, or just enhance
the appearance of your helicopter. Many
of these items are just to satisfy your urge
for bling.
“Main blades are a different story
though. This is one area where you could
make a real difference in how your heli
flies. It used to be a challenge just getting
a good flying set of blades. That really
makes you appreciate the wide variety of
blades that are now on the market, and the
price is more affordable today too.
“I got a call recently from my friend
Mark Fadely wondering if I could help him
review a set of 50/600 size blades. The
blades he sent are manufactured by Fun
Tech and distributed in the US by HotHeli.
“Currently I have an Align 600 and a
Knight 50 3D. These are both 50/600-size
helis. These two machines will be the test
bed for the Fun Tech blades. This way we
can see how the blades perform on both an
electric and nitro heli. The helis’ set-ups
are as follows:
“Knight 50 carbon version: YS 50,
Align 50 pipe, Futaba 611 Gyro with 9256
servo, JR 8311 servos for the swashplate,
V-Blade Paddles.
“Align 600: 600L motor, JR 8311
servos for the swashplate, Futaba 611
Gyro with 9256 servo, Thunder Power
5000 series.
“The blades felt rigid longitudinally
and torsionally when I flexed them by
hand. I am not saying they are as stiff asV-Blades but they do feel more rigid than
most other blades. The white gel coat on
the leading edge creates a white disc
making it very visible in flight. The
review set weighed in at 128 grams.
“I flew them on both machines (600
and Knight 50) and they felt good. The
wider chord and thicker airfoil translates
into plenty of lift for fast climb-out
maneuvers and hang time for those who
like to do aerobatic autorotations.
“The overall flights were very
predictable. They are not quite as
aggressive as my Vs, but they will do any
maneuver and they cut through the air
very smoothly.
“I believe that the FUN TECH blades
can compete in terms of quality and flight
characteristics. We will have to see what
the price point is in comparison to the
other main blades on the market. Happy
flying and keep it safe.”
The Fun Tech carbon-fiber blades’
specifications are:
• Chord width: 57.5mm
• Root thickness: 12mm
• Bolt size: 4mm
• Weight: 127 grams
• Length: 600mm
Thanks for the detailed report on those
new blades, Andy. I appreciate your help
in checking these out. I am glad you
agreed to do the testing and unbiased
review.
I spoke with Kyna Veatch of Align USA
a couple months ago, and I asked her
what new things were coming to market
from the company.
“Funny you should ask,” she said.
“We are just announcing a new 500-size
helicopter right now!”
This new T-Rex will be midsize—
between the 450 and 600. The rotor
diameter will be 425mm. Early reports
are that this helicopter is much more
stable and capable than the 450 but not as
big and intimidating as the 600. This
looks like the ticket for pilots who want
the next logical step up from a 450.
Miniature Aircraft is making a new 450-
size helicopter called the Bandit. It is a
well-built little monster that is bringing
the company’s legendary quality to the
450-size market. When I use the words
“well built,” I mean it is strong enough to
handle a 4,000-plus-rpm headspeed.
Bandits took first and second place at the
iHobby Expo indoor 3-D helicopter
competition in October.
With that insane headspeed, this small
machine can overcome many of the
aerodynamic inefficiencies that are
related to its size. I look forward to
getting my hands on one of these models
soon.
That is it for this month. I am always
accepting information from manufacturers
for release in this column. Contact me by
E-mail and I can include selected
material. Thanks for reading. MA
Sources:
Align USA
www.alignrcusa.com
Fun Tech
www.fun-tech.info
HotHeli
(916) 281-8151
www.hotheli.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/03
Page Numbers: 135,136,137
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/03
Page Numbers: 135,136,137
Why not try an RC helicopter before time goes by even faster?
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Fun Tech 600mm 50-size
blades
• Align announces the T-Rex
500
• Miniature Aircraft’s hot, hot
Bandit Kyna Veatch and Andy Panoncillo on the flightline at the 2007 IRCHA Jamboree. Kyna
is the new team manager for Align USA, and Andy is an XFC competitor.
Fun Tech blades on the Knight 50 3D during an inverted hover.
This combination is stable and predictable.
A Fun Tech blade package comes with four plastic spacers, Fun
Tech decals, two tracking tapes, and two brass 4mm inserts.
HI, FRIENDS! I was talking with Michael
Ramsey, MA’s editor, a couple months
ago, and he told me I had just completed
my first year as the magazine’s helicopter
columnist. Wow! Life keeps going by
faster and faster, as my grandma told me it
would.
I was in my 20s when she explained
how fast times go as you get older, but I
did not think she knew what she was
talking about. After all, she would get my
name wrong a couple times before she got
it right, and sometimes she even called me
the dog’s name, so it made me wonder. But
all you over-40 types know exactly what
she meant.
As the actor in the TV commercial
says, “Life comes at you fast.” Maybe this
is the right time to quit procrastinating.
This year may be a good one for you to
give RC helicopters a go—or a whirl,
maybe.
You may have been flying airplanes for
a long time and have resisted the urge to
wrangle a rotor. Maybe you are starting
out with electric-powered park flyers, and
the thought of making things harder is
unappealing.
Grandma surely had it right; life goes
by fast. I think she was trying to impress
on me the notion of not letting time slip
away without going after what you want.
That is even more reason to get some kind
of helicopter this year if you have wanted
one.
In the olden days (as my kids say), you
had to have a degree from MIT and more
than a few loose screws to jump into the
helicopter side of the hobby. Things have
changed in a big way. It has never been
easier or more affordable to own a little
helicopter.
For $200 you can find out if rotors run
in your veins. There are several complete
RTF models for roughly that price. This
may be the year in which you cross over
to the “dark side.”
Let’s get right to it. Following is a look
at some new rotor blades for 50-size glow
and 600-class electric models, and I will
highlight a couple new products from two
of the top helicopter manufacturers.
Andy Panoncillo agreed to test the new
50/600 blades and report on how they
compared with other popular blades. He
wrote:
March 2008 135
03sig5.QXD 1/24/08 3:08 PM Page 135“In recent years there has been an
emergence of many gadgets for our helis.
Many cool new items such as regulators,
stronger servos, pre-painted canopies, and
a hoard of other made-for-heli inventions
are sprouting up everywhere.
“These new upgrades promise to either
improve the performance, or just enhance
the appearance of your helicopter. Many
of these items are just to satisfy your urge
for bling.
“Main blades are a different story
though. This is one area where you could
make a real difference in how your heli
flies. It used to be a challenge just getting
a good flying set of blades. That really
makes you appreciate the wide variety of
blades that are now on the market, and the
price is more affordable today too.
“I got a call recently from my friend
Mark Fadely wondering if I could help him
review a set of 50/600 size blades. The
blades he sent are manufactured by Fun
Tech and distributed in the US by HotHeli.
“Currently I have an Align 600 and a
Knight 50 3D. These are both 50/600-size
helis. These two machines will be the test
bed for the Fun Tech blades. This way we
can see how the blades perform on both an
electric and nitro heli. The helis’ set-ups
are as follows:
“Knight 50 carbon version: YS 50,
Align 50 pipe, Futaba 611 Gyro with 9256
servo, JR 8311 servos for the swashplate,
V-Blade Paddles.
“Align 600: 600L motor, JR 8311
servos for the swashplate, Futaba 611
Gyro with 9256 servo, Thunder Power
5000 series.
“The blades felt rigid longitudinally
and torsionally when I flexed them by
hand. I am not saying they are as stiff asV-Blades but they do feel more rigid than
most other blades. The white gel coat on
the leading edge creates a white disc
making it very visible in flight. The
review set weighed in at 128 grams.
“I flew them on both machines (600
and Knight 50) and they felt good. The
wider chord and thicker airfoil translates
into plenty of lift for fast climb-out
maneuvers and hang time for those who
like to do aerobatic autorotations.
“The overall flights were very
predictable. They are not quite as
aggressive as my Vs, but they will do any
maneuver and they cut through the air
very smoothly.
“I believe that the FUN TECH blades
can compete in terms of quality and flight
characteristics. We will have to see what
the price point is in comparison to the
other main blades on the market. Happy
flying and keep it safe.”
The Fun Tech carbon-fiber blades’
specifications are:
• Chord width: 57.5mm
• Root thickness: 12mm
• Bolt size: 4mm
• Weight: 127 grams
• Length: 600mm
Thanks for the detailed report on those
new blades, Andy. I appreciate your help
in checking these out. I am glad you
agreed to do the testing and unbiased
review.
I spoke with Kyna Veatch of Align USA
a couple months ago, and I asked her
what new things were coming to market
from the company.
“Funny you should ask,” she said.
“We are just announcing a new 500-size
helicopter right now!”
This new T-Rex will be midsize—
between the 450 and 600. The rotor
diameter will be 425mm. Early reports
are that this helicopter is much more
stable and capable than the 450 but not as
big and intimidating as the 600. This
looks like the ticket for pilots who want
the next logical step up from a 450.
Miniature Aircraft is making a new 450-
size helicopter called the Bandit. It is a
well-built little monster that is bringing
the company’s legendary quality to the
450-size market. When I use the words
“well built,” I mean it is strong enough to
handle a 4,000-plus-rpm headspeed.
Bandits took first and second place at the
iHobby Expo indoor 3-D helicopter
competition in October.
With that insane headspeed, this small
machine can overcome many of the
aerodynamic inefficiencies that are
related to its size. I look forward to
getting my hands on one of these models
soon.
That is it for this month. I am always
accepting information from manufacturers
for release in this column. Contact me by
E-mail and I can include selected
material. Thanks for reading. MA
Sources:
Align USA
www.alignrcusa.com
Fun Tech
www.fun-tech.info
HotHeli
(916) 281-8151
www.hotheli.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/03
Page Numbers: 135,136,137
Why not try an RC helicopter before time goes by even faster?
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• Fun Tech 600mm 50-size
blades
• Align announces the T-Rex
500
• Miniature Aircraft’s hot, hot
Bandit Kyna Veatch and Andy Panoncillo on the flightline at the 2007 IRCHA Jamboree. Kyna
is the new team manager for Align USA, and Andy is an XFC competitor.
Fun Tech blades on the Knight 50 3D during an inverted hover.
This combination is stable and predictable.
A Fun Tech blade package comes with four plastic spacers, Fun
Tech decals, two tracking tapes, and two brass 4mm inserts.
HI, FRIENDS! I was talking with Michael
Ramsey, MA’s editor, a couple months
ago, and he told me I had just completed
my first year as the magazine’s helicopter
columnist. Wow! Life keeps going by
faster and faster, as my grandma told me it
would.
I was in my 20s when she explained
how fast times go as you get older, but I
did not think she knew what she was
talking about. After all, she would get my
name wrong a couple times before she got
it right, and sometimes she even called me
the dog’s name, so it made me wonder. But
all you over-40 types know exactly what
she meant.
As the actor in the TV commercial
says, “Life comes at you fast.” Maybe this
is the right time to quit procrastinating.
This year may be a good one for you to
give RC helicopters a go—or a whirl,
maybe.
You may have been flying airplanes for
a long time and have resisted the urge to
wrangle a rotor. Maybe you are starting
out with electric-powered park flyers, and
the thought of making things harder is
unappealing.
Grandma surely had it right; life goes
by fast. I think she was trying to impress
on me the notion of not letting time slip
away without going after what you want.
That is even more reason to get some kind
of helicopter this year if you have wanted
one.
In the olden days (as my kids say), you
had to have a degree from MIT and more
than a few loose screws to jump into the
helicopter side of the hobby. Things have
changed in a big way. It has never been
easier or more affordable to own a little
helicopter.
For $200 you can find out if rotors run
in your veins. There are several complete
RTF models for roughly that price. This
may be the year in which you cross over
to the “dark side.”
Let’s get right to it. Following is a look
at some new rotor blades for 50-size glow
and 600-class electric models, and I will
highlight a couple new products from two
of the top helicopter manufacturers.
Andy Panoncillo agreed to test the new
50/600 blades and report on how they
compared with other popular blades. He
wrote:
March 2008 135
03sig5.QXD 1/24/08 3:08 PM Page 135“In recent years there has been an
emergence of many gadgets for our helis.
Many cool new items such as regulators,
stronger servos, pre-painted canopies, and
a hoard of other made-for-heli inventions
are sprouting up everywhere.
“These new upgrades promise to either
improve the performance, or just enhance
the appearance of your helicopter. Many
of these items are just to satisfy your urge
for bling.
“Main blades are a different story
though. This is one area where you could
make a real difference in how your heli
flies. It used to be a challenge just getting
a good flying set of blades. That really
makes you appreciate the wide variety of
blades that are now on the market, and the
price is more affordable today too.
“I got a call recently from my friend
Mark Fadely wondering if I could help him
review a set of 50/600 size blades. The
blades he sent are manufactured by Fun
Tech and distributed in the US by HotHeli.
“Currently I have an Align 600 and a
Knight 50 3D. These are both 50/600-size
helis. These two machines will be the test
bed for the Fun Tech blades. This way we
can see how the blades perform on both an
electric and nitro heli. The helis’ set-ups
are as follows:
“Knight 50 carbon version: YS 50,
Align 50 pipe, Futaba 611 Gyro with 9256
servo, JR 8311 servos for the swashplate,
V-Blade Paddles.
“Align 600: 600L motor, JR 8311
servos for the swashplate, Futaba 611
Gyro with 9256 servo, Thunder Power
5000 series.
“The blades felt rigid longitudinally
and torsionally when I flexed them by
hand. I am not saying they are as stiff asV-Blades but they do feel more rigid than
most other blades. The white gel coat on
the leading edge creates a white disc
making it very visible in flight. The
review set weighed in at 128 grams.
“I flew them on both machines (600
and Knight 50) and they felt good. The
wider chord and thicker airfoil translates
into plenty of lift for fast climb-out
maneuvers and hang time for those who
like to do aerobatic autorotations.
“The overall flights were very
predictable. They are not quite as
aggressive as my Vs, but they will do any
maneuver and they cut through the air
very smoothly.
“I believe that the FUN TECH blades
can compete in terms of quality and flight
characteristics. We will have to see what
the price point is in comparison to the
other main blades on the market. Happy
flying and keep it safe.”
The Fun Tech carbon-fiber blades’
specifications are:
• Chord width: 57.5mm
• Root thickness: 12mm
• Bolt size: 4mm
• Weight: 127 grams
• Length: 600mm
Thanks for the detailed report on those
new blades, Andy. I appreciate your help
in checking these out. I am glad you
agreed to do the testing and unbiased
review.
I spoke with Kyna Veatch of Align USA
a couple months ago, and I asked her
what new things were coming to market
from the company.
“Funny you should ask,” she said.
“We are just announcing a new 500-size
helicopter right now!”
This new T-Rex will be midsize—
between the 450 and 600. The rotor
diameter will be 425mm. Early reports
are that this helicopter is much more
stable and capable than the 450 but not as
big and intimidating as the 600. This
looks like the ticket for pilots who want
the next logical step up from a 450.
Miniature Aircraft is making a new 450-
size helicopter called the Bandit. It is a
well-built little monster that is bringing
the company’s legendary quality to the
450-size market. When I use the words
“well built,” I mean it is strong enough to
handle a 4,000-plus-rpm headspeed.
Bandits took first and second place at the
iHobby Expo indoor 3-D helicopter
competition in October.
With that insane headspeed, this small
machine can overcome many of the
aerodynamic inefficiencies that are
related to its size. I look forward to
getting my hands on one of these models
soon.
That is it for this month. I am always
accepting information from manufacturers
for release in this column. Contact me by
E-mail and I can include selected
material. Thanks for reading. MA
Sources:
Align USA
www.alignrcusa.com
Fun Tech
www.fun-tech.info
HotHeli
(916) 281-8151
www.hotheli.com
