Air HOgs Aero Ace

[stevem]

now I know this is not an R/C forum and I hope this isn't too far off TRF topics.

There is a thread in Midpower about Rocket Gliders that references the Air Hogs Aero Ace R/C Airplanes.

I have always been interested in R/C flying but after several unsuccesful attmepts several years ago I gave up. I got tired of the mess (glow fuel) and having to glue balsa pieces back together. Then I got into rocketry 3 years ago and eventually wound up with an Edmonds ARCIE II R/C Rocket boost glider that I simply love!! I started to get the itch to give R/C another go.

After reading the Rocket glider thread I decided to give the Aero Ace a try. Got a couple off ebay to start with and they were so much fun I went on a quest for more. I found a couple at Target and a couple at Wal-Mart.

I wondered how many of you rocketeers, after reading that thread, went out and bought one of these little buggers like I did.

They are soo much fun that my son and I now have 6 of them!!

Once you get these airplanes trimmed out properly they fly fantastic!

We are out in the yard flying every chance we get. My son has gotten so good at controlling his that he can do touch-and-goes on the grass!!

As stated in the Rocket Glider Thread - these things are just about the most fun $30 can buy

Anyone else got one (or more)? - what do you think?

I also have now purchased a Multiplex EasyStar (also referenced in the Rocket Glider thread) and am trying to get up nerve to have a go at that next.

 

[Bohica]

I don't have one but I too was inspired the the same thread...How much do they weigh approximately? I wonder if a kit bash would be in order???

 

[stevem]

they weigh about .6 oz if I recall - I'll throw one on my scale tonight and double check.

 

[Bohica]

At .6 oz that's just begging for a small booster motor...what kind of radio range do you have?

 

[stevem]

With new batteries in the transmitter and a full charge on the receiver I'm guessing we are getting about 150' max. Once the plane is out of range the motors will stop after about 2 seconds and it glides down.

 

[Bohica]

So in theory you could make a drop off booster pod and launch it. Then take control once it glided down into range....Hmmmm.....

 

[stevem]

possibly. the problem I see is that once you get it UP there you will have no control until (or IF) it comes back into range of the transmitter. If the thing glides off out of range you may never get it back.

one other issue may be the 'windmilling' propellors as it boosts.

The Edmonds ARCIE is really much more suited to this as it uses a more standard R/C transmitter and receiver with plenty of range to take control of the glider right at separation.

however, I would be the last to tell someone not to try it - ya never know till you try.

If nothing else, you wind with a very fun little R/C airplane

 

[GuyNoir]

Originally posted by Bohica
At .6 oz that's just begging for a small booster motor

I don't think these little airplanes are really suitable for rocket flying, even as a strap on glider to a big booster. While nearly indestructable as an RC plane, I'd have reservations about the wing and tail holding up to a rocket boost.

Also, the $30 price tag means you make some compromises on radio performance. You can read regular stories in rcgroups.com about people ending up too high, and having the plane fly away on them. Of the two I have, one has a range of about 150', but the other one is probably twice that. Perfectly OK for buzzing around the yard, but not the kind of reliability I'd want in a rocket boosted glider.

But, for $30 bucks, what the heck? Give it a go and let us know how it works

 

[astrowolf67]

I have been flying some of HobbyZone's planes for some time now. I started with the Outlaw, which was easy to learn with, almost too easy. Next, I moved up to the Firebird II, which I truely love. I finally went and bought a used three channel Aerobird, which I've had very limited success with. I've only flown it twice, the first resulted in a perfect landing 50 feet up in a radio tower. The second, just a land and flip in the grass.

I did see the Air Hogs Corsair at a local Wal Mart, and wondered if it would be worth the investment though. Neat looking little plane, at least from outside the box.

 

[stevem]

from what I've been able to learn from various R/C forums is that the only Air Hogs plane worth its money is the Aero Ace.
Seems the other Air Hogs behave more like cheap toys than the Aero Ace.

Maybe someone else here has tried out other Air Hog R/C planes and can comment.

I had seen the Aero Aces in Wally WOrld for a long time and just dismissed them as being too cheap to be any real flying fun.

I was wrong and now I wish I had snapped up some of these before they started getting hard to find. I am not sure Spinmaster is making the Aero Ace anymore.

I agree with Narprez in that this thing probably is not suited for a boost glider.

If you trim one out for good flying then you will most likely have to have the tail surfaces in some type of 'up' config. This will most certainly affect the stability of a vertical launch. Also the angle of incidence between the main wings and the tail surfaces is not conducive to vertical launch.

However, the Aero Ace is a lot of fun just as it is.

Any of you other guys tried these out? whaddayathink?