Room Flyers
by Frank J. Mandriota
Room flying is a fairly new RC category that stems from the success of indoor and slow flyers. Two main virtues of the little gems are that beginners will find some of them easy to master and that dedicated experts can indulge in a flight virtually anywhere at a moment's notice. There is no reason not to fly every day at home—unless you live in a closet.
This article covers a broad range of model types and costs. They are made from balsa, plastic, foam, and carbon combinations and range in price from less than $50 to approximately $300.
These airplanes were first flown from an armory-gym drill floor with at least a 50 x 50-foot space. Pylons were set in a 25 x 10-foot rectangle for measuring flight speed and turning radius. On one visit, an Army helicopter pilot who was there became intrigued and ordered a model that night.
I report specifications and comments about each aircraft, then add my experiences with the group from the point of view of an RC pilot with intermediate skills.
Our Experiences
Working with, flying, and reviewing these 11 aircraft has been extraordinarily enjoyable. My use of the words "we" and "our" refers to those who joined me in the armory.
The biggest variation from my expectations was that these models are not as easy to fly in a household as implied in literature and articles. The transition from a gym or armory to a living room is a large step. The Plantraco instruction booklets do suggest practice in a larger space, and our experience suggests that several sessions in a space that is at least 25 x 25 feet are needed.
It is interesting that full-scale pilots don't seem to do any better with these models than novice RC pilots. The skills do not transfer, although cautions about stalls are present and helpful in the learning process.
Experienced RC pilots were able to fly all the airplanes right away. Two members from the local electric club flew the Plantraco Carbon and Butterfly and the ParkZone Vapor in a roughly 10 x 10-foot space in a gym. The Plantraco P-40, Revell Piloto, and ParkZone Citabria required something closer to a 20 x 20-foot area.
Depending on a pilot's skill, several aircraft can be used as room flyers. The easiest to fly is the blimp, then a helicopter, and an airplane is the hardest. The BP Hobbies Tomitech is easy to fly, but control is limited to tight turns. Straight flight is a challenge and can be achieved by applying rapid back-and-forth full rudder.
When flying these models, it is a good idea to have on hand foam-safe cyanoacrylate adhesive, Duco Cement, Scotch Tape, and modeling clay. I put a roughly 1 cc ball of clay on each transmitter to have handy for weight and balance adjustments. I also carry a dab of Vaseline to lube helicopter rotor-bearing surfaces.
Learning Room Flying
The following comments refer to airplanes. To learn about aircraft you can fly immediately—not necessarily well—in a living room, skip down to the helicopters and the blimp.
If you have access to an RC simulator, check it out and look for your type of aircraft. Plantraco models come with an appropriate simulator that uses your transmitter. Practice until your skills level off. Plantraco's website and those of many other manufacturers have useful videos and tips.
New to RC: you can start your RC career with a room flyer, but it will probably be easier and more fun to begin with a slow park flyer and get help from an experienced friend or club instructor.
Wherever you practice, use a model with wheels so you can master small turns coming toward you while taxiing. This is difficult; turns away from you are natural, as in a car.
Intermediate and practiced pilots should find a good indoor space, such as a gym or armory, and practice progressively tighter turns and exceedingly slow flight until they get the flight space down to room size.
The following aircraft are suitable for room flying and are presented in the order of ease of flying, from easiest to most difficult.
- Plantraco Carbon: It has a somewhat delicate covering. Be careful with the magnetic battery; it can easily drop off when the model strikes something, as it will in training. This applies to all of the company's room flyers. Plantraco uses 900 MHz radios. It is advisable to glue the propeller hub as suggested in the instructions.
- E-flite Blade mCX: Available with or without a DSM2 transmitter. This coaxial helicopter almost flies itself but is fragile. Helicopters used to be hard to fly, but now machines such as the mCX are easier to learn to fly than airplanes.
- ParkZone Bind-N-Fly Vapors: Bind-N-Fly models from ParkZone can be used with any radio that employs Spektrum DSM2 systems. Weighing a mere 15 grams, the Vapor can fly for at least 10 minutes. The Mylar film is durable, as is the carbon-fiber frame.
- Plantraco Butterfly: Reminiscent of a Pennyplane, the two-channel Plantraco Carbon Butterfly has a flight duration that exceeds five minutes. The Butterfly is the lightest of the group and has adjustable wing and fuselage-length features.
- Plantraco Kolibri: A pocket plane that comes apart to fit in a slim box. The transmitter is small enough to fit in a pocket, so you can carry the means of room flight anywhere.
- ParkZone Vapor: Although not as light as the Plantraco models, the Vapor is an extremely slow flyer because of its large wing area. The elevator permits level speed control. Its 3-foot turn radius makes small-room flight a snap with some practice.
- BP Hobbies Tomitech Aero Soarer: This little airplane is essentially a toy but is fun for several flights and can be handed to kids and bystanders for initiation to room flying. It charges in about 40 seconds for flight times up to around 30–45 seconds when optimally charged. There is no battery in the airplane; a capacitor stores the power.
- Revell Piloto: A good compromise for a beginner who could train in a large yard or gym and ultimately try room flight. Its roughly 2.6-minute flight time is short but adequate. Full throttle is required to maintain level flight; its turn radius is roughly 4.5 feet.
- ParkZone Micro Citabria: A micro-size yet powerful version of the classic aerobatic Citabria. Its oversized horizontal stabilizer makes it a relatively slow-flying aircraft (roughly 4.5 mph), but its 5.5-foot turn radius makes flying difficult in smaller rooms.
- Plantraco P-40 Classroom Fighter: A relatively fast model (typically 6–7 mph) and difficult to fly in a room. It has a nearly 4-foot turn radius and is best in a gym or outdoors. The thin profile permits easy bending; check for straightness if you have uncommanded turns.
- Revell Fire Strike Pro and E-flite Blade mCX helicopters: The Fire Strike Pro can be challenging for beginners but withstands drops and crashes well. The mCX is maneuverable and relatively easy to learn; it is somewhat delicate and benefits from small trim-weight adjustments such as a bit of clay on the nose.
- Plantraco Blimp: The easiest to fly once set up, filled, and balanced. It requires helium and practice to master throttle and directional control. Flight time varies roughly 5–8 minutes depending on buoyancy and configuration.
Living Room Speed Limit
Models: Carbon, Butterfly, Kolibri, Vapor, Tomitech, Piloto, Citabria, P-40, Fire Strike Pro, mCX, Blimp
- Duration (minutes): Carbon 10.5; Butterfly 11.5; Kolibri 8.0; Vapor 12.0; Tomitech 0.75; Piloto 2.6; Citabria 12.5; P-40 6.0; Fire Strike Pro 4.0; mCX 5.0; Blimp 5.0–8.0
- High speed (mph): Carbon 2.5; Butterfly 2.7; Kolibri 2.7; Vapor 4.0; Tomitech 3.0; Piloto 6.0; Citabria 5.5; P-40 6.0; Fire Strike Pro 0.75; mCX 1.0; Blimp 1.7
- Low speed (mph/hover): Carbon 2.5; Butterfly 2.7; Kolibri 2.7; Vapor 1.8; Tomitech 3.0; Piloto 6.0; Citabria 4.25; P-40 6.0; Fire Strike Pro hover; mCX hover; Blimp hover
- Turn radius (feet): Carbon 3.5; Butterfly 3.0; Kolibri 4.0; Vapor 3.0; Tomitech 3.5; Piloto 5.5; Citabria 5.5; P-40 4.5; Fire Strike Pro axis; mCX axis; Blimp axis
- Weight (grams): Carbon 3.4; Butterfly 3.6; Kolibri 4.9; Vapor 15.4; Tomitech 2.6; Piloto 12.6; Citabria 21.0; P-40 3.9; Fire Strike Pro 33.0; mCX 26.0; Blimp 12.0
Note: Speeds are measured in mph. "Axis" in turn radius indicates on-axis rotation/hovering rather than a conventional turning radius.
The Carbon is the easiest Plantraco model to fly in a room at 2.5 mph. I like wheel takeoffs and landings. I use a large dining room table (at one end of a long living room) for the Carbon (and the Kolibri) and can sometimes even land on the table. My wife's tolerance for seeing these airplanes land next to china-table objects is a testimonial to their lightness. Check the adjustable-wing feature if you have trouble attaining level flight.
The Butterfly's adjustable wing-and-fuselage-length feature is handy. Consult the supplied CD and instructions to learn how to make modifications. The fuselage stick behind the length-adjustment tube is delicate and likely to break if bent. When gluing during repairs, be careful not to seal the tube. Since this flyer has no wheels, you need to master hand launches and room-size turns in a larger space.
The Kolibri is small, portable, and delicate out of the box. It flies much like the Carbon and the Butterfly.
The Vapor's elevator permits level-speed control. I learned that it takes a while to master the elevator setting for hand-launch flight. Taking off from a smooth surface is easier but not always available in a typical room with furniture. With the Bind-N-Fly version, use dual rates on the transmitter for beginners.
The Tomitech's instructions are mainly pictorial; pictures and the few words of English are adequate. After charging, run the motor for a few seconds and then charge it again to boost battery output; this tip boosted my flight times from about 10 seconds to roughly 45 seconds. The Tomitech climbs slightly under full power and will porpoise unless you have the right throttle setting; a tiny lump of clay on the nose helps stability. Two units advertised as able to fly together may conflict (infrared control interference).
The Piloto is a versatile flyer that is easy to adjust (with clay and/or elevator bending) for level flight. Full throttle is required to maintain level flight. Instructions are clear, but there's no obvious indication of the airplane's on-switch direction; I marked the on position as a reminder.
The Micro Citabria is a natural for flying indoors and permits multiple airplanes in the same space thanks to 2.4 GHz radios. Its oversized stabilizer makes it slow but its 5.5-foot turn radius still requires a large room.
The Revell Fire Strike Pro is agile but challenging for beginners. Trim for nonaxial-rotation flight, learn to hover a few inches above a table, and note throttle positions for consistent hover. The aircraft withstands drops and crashes reasonably well. Provided batteries get low after about 10 flights.
The E-flite Blade mCX uses DSM2 technology and can be purchased with or without a four-channel transmitter. A 3.7 V, 110 mAh battery charged in roughly 20 minutes gives about a five-minute flight. The mCX is maneuverable due to variable swashplate mixing but is delicate; minor repairs with cyanoacrylate and epoxy were effective. Trim carefully and consider a small clay weight in the nose to achieve straight hover.
The Plantraco Blimp, once properly filled and balanced, is straightforward to fly. Helium is not included; party-store disposable tanks cost about $30. The blimp loses enough helium in about three days to need more. Adjust weight using the provided magnets and ballast (coins taped on work well), and remove them as helium is lost. Flight duration varies roughly 5–8 minutes depending on configuration and buoyancy. Turn off helium tank valves after filling to prevent leakage.
Room flyers are well worth investigation; they often appeal to nonfliers and make good trainers and conversation pieces.
Tested Models' Specifications
Plantraco Carbon Butterfly RTF — $299.99 + S&H
- 7.5-inch wingspan
- 0.38-gram, two-channel receiver
- GB05 4 mm 5:1 gearbox
- Carbon-fiber construction
- Mylar covering
- 0.22-gram HingeAct actuator
- Built-in low-voltage cutoff
- Aluminum carrying case
Plantraco Butterfly Livingroom Flyer RTF — $179 + S&H
- 6.5-inch wingspan
- 4-gram, two-channel receiver
- GB05 4 mm 5:1 gearbox
- Balsa stick construction
- 0.22-gram HingeAct actuator
- Colorful tissue covering
- Built-in low-voltage cutoff
Plantraco Kolibri Pocket Plane — $79.99 + S&H
- 8.6-inch wingspan
- 0.38-gram, two-channel receiver
- GB05 4 mm 5:1 gearbox
- Balsa-and-foam construction
- 0.22-gram HingeAct actuator
- Multiple color schemes available
- Built-in low-voltage cutoff
Plantraco P-40 Classroom Fighter — $89.99 + S&H
- 10-inch wingspan
- 1/48 semiscale profile foam construction
- Screen-printing with graphic detail
- 0.38-gram Micro9 two-channel receiver
- GB05 gearbox
- 0.22-gram hinge actuator
- Strong paperboard box for portability and storage
ParkZone Vapor — $129 + S&H (with transmitter), $99 + S&H (without transmitter)
- 14.75-inch wingspan
- 15.25-inch overall length
- 0.5-ounce flying weight
- Three-channel 2.4 GHz Spektrum DSM2 technology
- 3.7 V, 70 mAh Li-Poly battery
- DC charger
BP Hobbies Tomitech Aero Soarer — $34.95 + S&H
- 7.75-inch wingspan
- 6.5-inch length
- 3.8-gram weight
- Capacitor power
- Flight times up to 30–45 seconds (optimal charge)
- Infrared control
- Geared 4 mm pager-motor propulsion
- Proportional throttle, magnetic turn actuator
- Charger built into the transmitter (transmitter uses three AA alkaline batteries)
Revell Piloto — $69.99 + S&H
- 8.5-inch wingspan
- 10.75-inch length
- 3.7 V Li-Poly battery
- Two-channel controller with built-in charger
- 0.25-ounce flying weight
- Requires six AA batteries for controller (depending on kit)
ParkZone Micro Citabria — $119.99 + S&H
- 16.5-inch wingspan
- 13.25-inch length
- 0.7-ounce flying weight
- 2.4 GHz three-channel transmitter and receiver
- Micro 3.7 V, 70 mAh Li-Poly battery pack
- 5.28:1 motor gear ratio
- Display stand and charger (15–20 minute charge time)
Revell Fire Strike Pro RTF — $79.99 + S&H
- 9.0-inch length
- 2.7-inch width
- 4.7-inch height
- Three-channel controller, charger, battery included
- Choice of two color schemes
E-flite Blade mCX RTF — $129 (with transmitter), $99 Bind-N-Fly + S&H
- Micro size, ~1 ounce
- Coaxial, counter-rotating rotor-head design
- Four-channel 2.4 GHz DSM2 transmitter with digital trims, dual rates
- 5-in-1 control unit
- Fully proportional servos
- 7.5-inch rotor span
- 3.7 V, 110 mAh battery (about 5 minutes flight)
Plantraco Blimp — $129.99 + S&H
- Micro blimp gondola
- 900 MHz transmitter with Li-Poly charger
- Li-Poly battery
- Balloon and ballast
- 20-inch diameter
- 10–12 gram weight
- Requires helium and four AA batteries for the transmitter
Plantraco Notes
All Plantraco model packages in this article include:
- HFX900 four-channel transmitter with six user-selectable frequencies
- Built-in Li-Poly Bahama charger (22-minute charge time)
- Ability to connect to FMS flight simulator
- 900 MHz ISM band (USA), 868 MHz (Europe)
- Requirement of four AA cells for the transmitter
- CD-ROM with freeware for FMS flight simulator
- Instructional videos and manual
- 30 mAh, 0.9-gram Li-Poly Bahama battery
- FMS computer interface cable
Additional aircraft are compatible with the HFX900 transmitter. Spare batteries are $14.99 each. The transmitter and battery are compatible with many airplanes (Carbon Butterfly, Butterfly, Kolibri, and P-40). The blimp requires a different charger or a transmitter equipped to charge the larger 90 mAh battery.
Airplanes can be purchased without the case; the transmitter and batteries can be purchased separately. The carrying case is handy for transporting multiple models synchronized to one transmitter.
The HFX Air Model 2 Transmitter is built for Plantraco 900 MHz airplane receivers. A 5 mm Bahama charger connector is available for $59.99. Replacement LP30 (30 mAh) batteries are $14.99.
The Piloto is a good, versatile flyer that is easy to adjust for level flying. The Micro Citabria is the only other scale aircraft in the group besides the Revell helicopter; its charger doubles as a display stand.
The Fire Strike Pro is agile but can be hard for beginners to trim. The mCX lives up to advertising as relatively easy and fun for beginners, though it can be delicate and benefits from small repairs and a bit of nose weight for straight hover.
The Plantraco Blimp should be filled amply, balanced with coins or small ballast, and adjusted as helium is lost. Helium tanks have fill valves that must be turned off after filling to prevent leakage.
Room flyers are well worth investigation and can appeal to nonfliers as well as experienced RC pilots.
— Frank J. Mandriota [email protected]
Sources
- E-flite: (800) 338-4639 — www.e-flite.com
- BP Hobbies: (732) 287-3933 — www.bphobbies.com
- Plantraco: (306) 955-1836 — www.plantraco.com
- ParkZone (distributed by Horizon Hobby): (800) 338-4639 — www.parkzone.com
- Revell (distributed by Hobbico): (800) 833-3570 — www.revell.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
