AVG, ever get an RC Cub flying?

[Rockin Robbins]

Just wondering if you continued to persevere and get your Cub into the air. I have a nice solution if you didn't that will get you in the air with a great-looking Cub in fifteen minutes after you receive the box.

[AVGWarhawk]

Actually, the outrunner is installed with some modification to the motor mount. I needed to get the proper thrust angle. I still need to order the lipo battery, ESC and charger. It is about $150.00 and not on the priority list when you have two kids and planning a trip to Disney World! If I got my thrust angle right she will fly. Hell, as strong as the outrunner is she will fly anyway. In fact, she should stand on her tail and fly like a helicopter! But no, she has not gotten off the ground as yet. The cub sits with a dust cover over the fuselage, wings removed. It is one of those retirement project. Unfortunate I got about another 25 years of work to go.

[Rockin Robbins]

Lol! That's how lots of things go. The entry cost to a great flying small Cub is $120.00. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ3900. This Cub has an 18" wingspan, flying weight 29 grams with battery. As a micro, it doesn't tolerate more than about 5 mph winds and should be flown first in calm conditions or indoors (a gymnasium would be incredible). It flies very well but like all Cubs has a possibility of a tip stall if you aren't careful at very slow speeds. It recovers very quickly, looks great in the air and gives you a lot of confidence flying it. The cost includes 2.4 gig computer radio that works very well, a charger for flight battery and the batteries for radio and charger.

This is something you can fly in minutes after receiving it, take just about anywhere, fly any time you have 5 minutes to spare. Parkzone really means it with their motto "Just Fly!" It's a box of instant fun!

[AVGWarhawk]

I had seen this one right after I purchased the one I have. By all accounts it is a great flyer. The one I have is very underpowered out of the box. I learned the hard way as my fuselage crumpled. There is just no recovery. Shame too as I made a parking lot take off. It was a thrill as the plane taxied into position. I throttle up slowly until the tail lifted and off she went. Straight out with a slight climb. I adjusted the elevator just a hair up so she would climb slowly. I pulled back the stick to get as high as the school building and that is when the sh!it hit the fan. Gust of wind and she pitched over heading for the school roof. I was able to get the plane away from the school and she went into a noise dive. Within 5 seconds you see $200.00 smash into the ground. If I had more power I could have recovered from the first roll over. At any rate, the one I have has aileron function. A bit more to deal with then the version you have there and truth be told that is the version I should have started with. My brother got me a similar RC plane and I did fine with it. So I thought to try something more advanced. I have found more power then you could possibly need is the best route to go. Hence the outrunner and lipo battery setup I modded to the plane. But alas, still need the ESC and lipo for the grounded bird. Maybe this spring!

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes, the Parkzone Cub is a great second plane and then you'd be ready to graduate to the four channel Mustang or P-40 with no problem. All of them are if anything overpowered and fly impressively well.

[Rockin Robbins]

I, however have just ordered the Parkzone Radian, a 2 meter electric powered sailplane with folding prop that wins contests against the big boys costing a couple of thousand dollars. I LOVE owning a giant killer cheap plane. Well, $263 including shipping isn't exactly cheap, but it's a bargain for what I'm getting.

[Rockin Robbins]

OK, my son took a crappy photo of me and my new plane:



This was my first flight. Don't I look confident? Don't I look eager? No, huh? Maybe terrified. I chucked it into the air with engine off and it started the nicest, flattest glide I've ever seen, so I hit the throttle and blasted off to about 100' for some orbits around my position while I got used to the controls and fine-tuned the trim. Wow! This thing flies almost straight up under power and reaches 500' in under 30 seconds at half to two-thirds throttle. You get about 10 climbs to altitude with a single charge and that translates into about an hour and a half flying time.

The next day I was flying at about twice treetop height when I caught my first thermal. After I had about tripled my height a couple of guys in a pickup drove over and wanted to talk about the plane because they couldn't believe how it flew. They thought I was some kind of expert and it was only my second day flying the plane! The plane is plenty docile and no stunter, but thermal hunting is a blast! This Parkzone Radian is a winner.