Thursday, December 29, 2011

Giant Scale 14' Wingspan RC Airbus A400M - With Paratroopers!

Nearly 14' Wingspan RC Airbus A400M - With Paratroopers!
Courtesy of AirPigz.com


 This amazing and very large (1:10 scale) Airbus A400M RC model has been around for a while but there's so dang much cool stuff on the interwebs these days that sometimes it takes a while to find the must-see items. With a nearly 14 foot wingspan, a little over 90 pounds, and with 18 servos operated by two people with two radios, this is one complex RC model. And, as this video shows, it has video cameras mounted in the cockpit(!), under the belly, in the tail, and one pointed out the back of the cargo area. That last one is especially cool since it gives us the chance to see the cargo doors open from the inside while in flight, and then we get to see some little paratroopers exit the aircraft! (doors opens at the 3:10 mark)
 The model is from France and took 6 years to build. In addition to being large and complex, this A400M appears to be a great flyer. You even get a bit of a scale-like sound out of it at times given that it has some pretty massive electric power. The flight props in the video are just two bladed but the Facebook picture gallery from Millenium Modélisme in France shows the scale 8-bladers that are also fitted. I'm assuming they are static display only... but wouldn't it be awesome if they had airworthy super screws for this thing!

Video screenshot of the huge and awesome RC A400M in flight
 You can learn a bit more from this Millenium Modélisme blog post , otherwise there doesn't seem to be a lot of additional info on the model to be found. Hopefully we'll see more great videos of this amazing beast in the future!

Monday, December 26, 2011

PUSH THE ENVELOPE with a CRASHPROOF PLANE!

COURTESY OF KILLER PLANES!

With our planes you'll stay IN the air and OUT of the workshop!  How? With the
BEST CRASHPROOFING IN THE WORLD!

WIN A FREE HAWKFIGHTER ON THE KILLERPLANES YOUTUBE CHALLENGE!


We'll be uploading our hundreds of planes and other products over the next few weeks, when our grand opening happens! (Hang in there!) Until then, click on "PLANES" on the right for the ones you can purchase now. Yes, you'll find the AMAZING HAWKFIGHTER there. HALLELUJAH!

If you’re a beginner, you'll LOVE this.
If you’re an experienced flyer, you'll probably love it even more.

Here at Killer Planes we’ve got loads of GREAT planes and accessories, and the most important aid you'll ever find for keeping your plane in the air-
!! THE BEST CRASH PROOFING IN THE WORLD !!
Our Carbon Fiber CRASHPROOFING KITS, with our unique CFF (Carbon Fiber Framework) design,  are available for every plane we sell, as well as some popular planes sold elsewhere. This is the CUTTING EDGE of RC aircraft protection, giving you the peace of mind only available to pilots with NO FEAR! Want it in milspeak? We're the "premier mechanism for avoidance of traumatic deconstruction of aircraft due to aggressive decelleration events". Sounds like music to a defense contractor, don't it? Check out this video and become a believer!
Let’s face it: your flying skills may lapse sometimes, but gravity ALWAYS works. CRASHPROOFING is the only thing that lets you do “wacky flying” without fear of excessive damage. Your plane belongs in the air, not on the workbench! After you get used to it, you’ll find yourself laughing when you snag  a wingtip in the grass and do airplane cartwheels.
The only way to achieve this state of bliss is CRASHPROOFING. Anybody that says a foam plane without it is “crash resistant” is from another universe. Where you and I come from, foam needs some help, and we STRONGLY recommend installing a CRASHPROOFING KIT in ALL of your planes.Want to know how the planes perform with Crashproofing installed? Better. Why? The more rigid your airframe, the better control you have, period. Crashproofing adds 10% weight to gain 500% strength - it's like you putting on 15 pounds and then being able to do a bellyflop from the roof - and walk away laughing. Every plane you see us flight test has one installed! To see more about this, click on CRASHPROOFING

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas from Paul's Hobby Hangar!

We have all heard that song.. 'Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reigndeer! But Santa ran over by an Airliner??? Wonder what ATC would say about this? Merry Christmas!

How to make your holiday flights jolly

From 'On The Go With Amy!

Long lines, lost luggage, storm delays-flying during the holidays can quickly turn you into Scrooge. But if you follow these tips, you'll still be in the holiday spirit when you arrive at your destination.

Lose the layovers Avoid stopovers, especially in airports such as Denver, Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis where weather delays are common. If a connection is necessary, fly through a Southern hub such as Dallas, Charlotte, or Phoenix, where you can at least eliminate the possibility of weather being a problem.

Check in at home Most airlines' Web sites now make it possible for passengers to print out bar-coded boarding passes at home.

Beat the traffic If you live far from an airport and have an early flight, stay at an airport hotel the night before; some allow you to park your car at the hotel until you return. Check www.bestwestern.com.

Reserve parking During the holidays, airport parking lots fill up fast. Luckily, you can reserve spaces ahead. Even better, ask a neighbor to give you a lift or arrange for a shuttle.

Avoid gift glitches Leave the presents unwrapped because security measures may require wrapped packages to be unwrapped. Another option: To avoid gift wrapping late into the night after your arrival, mail gifts ahead.

Carry on some fruitcake—and a sandwich Food is nonexistent on most flights these days so bring a sandwich from home and a holiday treat to keep yourself in the spirit.

Entertain the kids...or just yourself Play holiday movies such as Polar Express and Elf on the DVD player; bring paper, stickers, and crayons to make holiday cards; and pack travel Scrabble but play with new rules—holiday words only.

Spread the joy Pack a box of chocolates to pass out to other passengers, or bring a treat for the flight attendants.

Bedeck your bag The last thing you want to deal with is a piece of lost luggage so tie a red ribbon around the handle.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Awesome Electric Indoor RC Dyke Delta! (Video)

From AirPigz.com...

 You had me at Dyke Delta... seriously, that's all it took to get my mouth watering. This recent video is from the Texas Indoor New Year (TINY) event that featured all kinds of cool and unusual indoor electric aircraft. The video is from youtuber sr71afan who might know is the guy with the too-cool-for-words 10 foot span (5.4 pound) C-47. And the Dark Delta VTOL video too! These guys do really cool stuff : )
 The awesome model flying in this video is patterned after John Dyke's very unusual delta shaped homebuilt aircraft from the mid 1960's. The real Dyke Delta could never dream of doing those wildly tight inside and outside loops like this model, but it still was a truly fantastic achievement from about every angle. Even tho only about 50 have been built over all those years, it's regarded as a great airplane with a realistic ability to carry 4 people and cruise at about 180 mph on 180 hp. Those numbers are great even by today's standards which tells you how far ahead of its time this little flying machine was. Plus, the pilot in front and three seats behind him cabin arrangement meant that most of the pax were very close to the CG. This also means that the two outside pax have amazing leg room! One other unique feature is that the wings were designed to easily fold flat over the fuselage allowing the airplane to be towed down the road.
 The forward-thinking and overall versatility of the Dyke delta is just awesome... I think this little gem of an airplane needs to gain some modern-day popularity. Maybe this little video can get a few more mouths watering!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Win a FREE 13 Piece Precision Knife Set by New Years!

You can Win a FREE 13 Piece Precision Knife Set by New Years!

These Knife Sets sell fo $3.99 plus $6.99 flat rate shipping minimum at Harbor Freight and up to $17.00 (believe it or not! ) on EBay.

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Description:
To Qualify for the Drawing:
1) While you are visiting our blog, check out the 'Blog Archive' and view all posts... decide which post is your favorite.
2) Leave a message in the 'Leave us a Message Box' on the right margin indicating which post was your favorite.
3) Email us at paulshobbyhanger@gmail.com  (note the spelling of hanger in the address) and indicate that you have left your message on the blog with your favorite page and you would like to enter the drawing on New Years Day! AND... You are entered!!!

Contest Rules:
We reserve the right to refuse any entry and end the offer at any time. In order to qualify to for an entry you must complete the required steps. Drawing will be made on New Years Day 2012 and the winner will be notified by email. The winner will also be posted on the blog.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Dynam A-10 'Crash Proofed' by Killer Planes

The Dynam A-10 is the A-10 we've picked for wheels down takeoff and landing AND hand launched flying. It has a solid belly that supports skid plates (the wing pods in ALL other EPO A-10s are hollow), it's nicely balanced for a handhold, and it only needs a decent toss to get airborne. Of course, the Killer Planes Dynam A-10 is available with our famous custom Crashproofing Kit. The kit for the Dynam A-10 includes 4 piece custom skid plates (for the handlaunch belly landings) and a carbon fiber framework (for the high speed unplanned landings), and even includes an extra set of landing gear, because the front gear of our test plane broke after a bunch of smackdowns. With the skidplates installed, you can even put the removable wheels on for runway flying. Like the rest of our kits, it has instructions that are written in American English by a competent, knowledgeable craftsman - that's right - ME.
We have a Dynam A-10 in our shop that we've been test flying for over a year, and you wouldn't believe the stuff we've crashed into with it, not to mention how fast it was going when it hit said stuff. The record is over 75 MPH into a steel support cable on a phone pole (don't ask). That crash required a new motor assembly, but, out of about 25 crashes, it's the only crash that required any new plane parts. (Some of the crashes didn't even get a crack). One head-in high speed crash shattered the carbon fiber rods, so we replaced them. Other than the motor assembly, our much abused test plane has ALL the original parts except for the front landing gear, which needed replacing after about 20 of those smackdowns I mentioned. This plane even survived a 4 x 8 of plywood falling on it without any damage- it's a BEAST with Crashproofing! The EPO foam is a completely different material from what you think of as styrofoam- it's AMAZING stuff. With the addition of the carbon fiber Crashproofing Kit it becomes nearly indestructible - think "styrofoam from Krypton".
Just so you don't think I'm a nutcase on a wrecking rampage, I should mention that the Dynam A-10 has EXCELLENT flight characteristics, climbs like a bat out of hell, and looks really good- even after it's been as beat up as ours! It does all the requisite fighter maneuvers like rolls, loops, inverted flight and the rest with EASE- after all, it's modeled after the vaunted A-10, and it flies like one! I should also mention the steerable front wheel- it's always good to keep the plane on the runway, right? The flight controls are throttle, elevator and ailerons, like all the other A-10s we've tested. I personally don't miss the rudder when I'm yankin' and bankin' this baby. (In reality, it's more like bankin' and yankin' but who am I to stand in the way of poetry?). AND- one of the greatest things about it is the size of the battery compartment - you can EASILY fit a 3000 mAh battery and more,  and the plane can handle the weight no problem. (I think more weight makes it even more stable than it is) One note of warning- there's always something, right?-  the Dynam A-10 is sensitive to the CG balance, but if you follow our directions you won't have any problems.
The RTF Dynam A-10 comes with a 2.4Ghz transmitter and receiver, 2200 mAh LiPo 3S 20C battery, charger with AC adapter, glue, decals and instructions,  and requires only 8 AA batteries for the transmitter. It's got twin 30A speed controllers running the twin 64mm fans that get you up to about 65 MPH, and It's guaranteed to supply you with LOADS of hot-flying fun! The PNP version has everything but the Tx/Rx, battery and charger. So what are you waiting for?  Contact Kiler Planes at http://www.killerplanes.com/

Monday, December 12, 2011

Dynam Grand Cruiser RC Airplane w/servoless Retracts and Nav Lights / Twin engine / PNP or 2.4ghz 6 Channel RTF

 

Another Dynam home run! This is a GREAT trainer-type plane- steady, smooth and responsive, even in wind. Check out it's flying performance in this video!
The servoless retracts are really sturdy and dependable, and it's "flap ready" with the new Dynam "extended flap' design. This means that the hardware for the flap system is included with the plane- all you need is our Killerplanes flap kit to finish the job off- all the necessary other parts are in there (servos, wires, adapters, reversers, control rods and horns, everything but the hot glue!), ready to hook the flaps up to your 6 channel Transmitter/Receiver. A word about this new Dynam flap design- it's an AMAZING piece of engineering. Flaps on foamies are usually supported by the servo, meaning that the "lift" provided by the flap portion of the wing is constantly pulling on the servo arm, putting a load on the servo the entire time you're flying. This new design is clever in the extreme, and the flap fits up into a "pocket" that supports it. The supplied flap hinges include a hidden control horn, and the control rod is buried in the wing. VERY intelligent and elegant, and it's just another of the many design elements that make me LOVE these new Dynam planes!
Our Crashproofing/Airframe support system once again gives the plane 9 lives, and keeps your wings from snapping when pulling out of a steep, fast power dive (should you find yourself in that position somehow...) Don't fly without Crashproofing! Once you try it (and especially once you NEED it) you'll be hooked- it's the least expensive way of keeping a plane in the air!
The Dynam Grand Cruiser RTF version comes with the fabulous Dynam 5 channel Transmitter/Receiver (my favorite inexpensive transmitter- check out it's operation in our Youtube video "My Three Planes"), a 2200mAh 20c 3 cell LiPo battery, and a balance charger. Did I forget something? Oh yeah- the PLANE, decals, pre-installed retracts and servos, LED navigation lights, and loads of guaranteed FUN! The PNP version has everything but the Tx/Rx, battery, and charger.
The last word- now that I've made the video, I'm going to paint mine black, with some blood-red accents on the top. Batplane, here we come!

Friday, December 9, 2011

Hobby King Offers Contest and Club Event Support Kit, FREE!

Are you planning to host a club event with more than 30 people?
Are you looking for prizes or a way to promote your event?
The hobbyking.com Club Event Support Pack includes trophies, oversize gift certificates and a large 1500x750mm banner to promote and improve participation in your club events.
The oversized gift certificates and extra-large personalised trophies will help create excitement and boost member participation. The trophies are personalised just for your event; you can have your very own 3D MASTERS or PYLON COMPETITION right in your own club!
Best of all, its free!

Heres how it works.Purchase the C.E.S.Pack and during your event take photos of the people there, the competition and the handing over of the awards. Email the images to us and we will reimburse you in full for the cost of the CESPack within 24hrs.

Included.1 X-Large Welcome Banner 1500x750mm (You personalise this yourself)
2 x Oversize Trophies 100mm Diameter (We laser engrave these with your own message)
2 x Oversize $20.00 Gift Certificates 230x500mm
1 x Oversize $50.00 Gift Certificate 230x500mm


Note:
A CSR from our team will email you within 48hrs of purchasing to confirm the text you want displayed on the trophies.
Photos of event must be clear and show the event, the people and the award giving.
Photos will be posted both in our website and on our forum. So dont be shy!
Your club event must contain more than 30 people. (Were not overly strict with the number of people participating. If we can see from your photos that your event has around 30 people then thats good enough for us!)
No, the gold trophies are not made of chocolate.
For details visit http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewitem.asp?idproduct=15425

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Additional Discounts for RC Universe Purchases!

Check out these products offered for sale on RC Universe!
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/searchResults.cfm?ListMemberID=184409




When you purchase one of these items, you can gain an additional discount by leaving us a message on the Message Bar in the right column! Once you have made your purchase and posted your message .. we will apply the additional discount to your order!
If you have any questions, contact us.

Flying Model Aircraft With Children



Written by Mom Most Traveled.

We have recently had an AMAZING opportunity to learn something new.
Do you know anything about flying model planes? Me either, but we are the proud owners of a Vapor by Parkzone.
I am excited by visions of spending quality time with my boys flying model airplanes, but I have never even seen anyone fly models in real life.

I asked Dave Mathewson, President of the Academy of Model Aeronutics (AMA) some questions about starting out.

Mom Most Traveled: “When is a good age for children to get involved with model airplanes and helicopters?”
Dave Mathewson: Model flying is for all ages - we’ve got members as young as four years old who enjoy model flying. It ultimately depends on the interest of the child and once you introduce a child to model aviation they tend to set their own level of involvement, just like other activities. It’s important to let a child learn at a pace they’re comfortable with which will make it more enjoyable for them.
MMT: “What is a good “starter” model for children who have never had a model plane before?”
Dave Mathewson: Many of the new slow, light-weight, electric powered models are ideal for learning to fly. They’re fairly easy to fly and in most cases resilient enough to take a pretty good beating during the learning process. A search on the Internet, reading almost any model aviation magazine, or a trip to your local hobby shop will help identify the different models that fit in this category.
MMT: “What advice can you give to parents for facilitating play and maximizing learning when introducing a model airplane to their children?”
Dave Mathewson: To help ensure that the child’s experience is a positive one, I would suggest locating a local Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) club in your area. (you can check out http://www.modelaircraft.org to find one).
Most have programs that teach newcomers to fly. A local hobby shop can also probably help identify an appropriate club or program. We’ve also found that children become and stay more involved if it’s an activity shared by a parent. We have many “model aviation families” within our membership. Many of us got our start in model aviation because it was an activity one or both of our parents enjoyed. Model aviation truly is a recreational and educational activity the whole family can enjoy.

Radio-controlled model airplane flying is making a come back!
The active, fun and challenging hobby allows kids to pilot their model planes through the skies while they stay safely on the ground.
The Vaporis an extremely light (called ultra-micro), relatively slow radio controlled airplane that is great for beginning fliers!
The Vapor comes already assembled and ready for action as soon as you open the box. The wings are about 14 inches across, and the plane weighs less than one ounce (about 12 grams).
It comes with a DSM2 transmitter, a battery charger and batteries. The battery is tiny, and recharges in only 20 minutes.

The Vapor is so light, small and easy to maneuver that you can actually fly it indoors without trashing your living room (turn the ceiling fan off first)!
You can control the throttle (for speed), the rudder (for steering) and the elevation.
Talk about fun! This baby flies like a humming bird!
Nothing will elevate your status of “hero” quite like your little ones catching a glimpse of you piloting a radio controlled aircraft!
The Vapor is easy to pilot and is suprisingly tough!
I thought because of the teeny-tiny size that it would be quick to break, but the carbon body will definitely survive those accidental crashes.
With practice, you can do cool tricks with your Vapor, like loops or flying it straight up and down.
Here is a YouTube video of a boy flying his Vapor RTF through the open window of an SUV. And crashing it into the camera man.
The AMA website has lots of inexpensive planes for beginners as well, including this neat rubber band powered plane that sells for $6.99.
I may be getting ahead of myself, but I’m dreaming about the fun we have flying model planes resulting in an interest in the science of how flying works, which in turn will inspire my children to reach great academic heights.
Even forgetting the kids; you know that Dad would love one of these for Father’s Day or some other gift-giving occasion. He would be the envy of the guys at work as he flies his Vapor around the office.
Flying model aircraft is a great activity for spending time outside together. The AMA website has lots of neat aviation-inspired activity items. This fun pocket kite is next on my list.

http://mommosttraveled.com/flying-model-aircraft-with-children/

Thanks to Mom Most Traveled!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Video: Amazing RC 3D Ballet Viewed From Quad Copter - Awesome!

I was sent a tip by AirPigz fan 'Eric' about this incredible video that's on the Hobby-Lobby youtube account (the RC Superstore, not the craft store) - wow this is great stuff! There are two elements that make this video so awesome. First; it's a really slick view riding on a Quad Copter. You see the grass flutter when we first takeoff, and then as we mosey about the RC model flightline you get this interesting view moving around and over the activities. It has a little of a Terminator feel to it... small VTOL robot scanning around the environs.
 Then there's element #2, the really cool part. It's shot during a Profile Brotherhood event (ProBro) in Nashville recently. The ProBro is a gathering of flyers with predominantly profile fuselage models with very high power to weight ratios. These guys love to fly 3D. If you don't know, RC 3D flying is all about doing cool stuff while hanging on the prop. The extra special part of this video is that there is a boatload of these models all flying at once, and we're moving all around them with this awesome camera view. It's like a freaky cool ballet of aircraft hanging on their props, and we're right in the middle of it! It's a little hard to explain, but I found it to be stunning. Watch it now!



THANKS to AIRPIGZ!  http://airpigz.com/