RC Plane Lab

Ron and Dave return after a summer break to talk flying, family updates, and shop projects. They highlight five new or reissued RC airplanes and touch on the science of wing loading. The episode wraps with Dave’s $50 swap‑meet Beaver restoration. 

 

Freewing JL‑8 80mm EDF Jet

Durafly Curtiss P‑40 Warhawk V2 (Aleutian Tiger)

Freewing Eurofighter Typhoon V2 90mm EDF Jet

Skynetic P‑47 Thunderbolt “Passionate Patsy” 750mm

HobbyKing Kitfox Sportplane (Plug & Play)

Ron, Tom, and Dave cover extreme summer weather, camping with RC rock crawlers, a new UMX‑sized OV‑10 release, their local club fly‑in recap, and a deep dive into how each of them sets up their vehicles for hauling airplanes.

The guys are back together — sort of — and this week they dive into one of the most common listener questions: How should you assign switches on your radio? After some classic RC Plane Lab banter (Tommy’s “witchy” mic, canceled night flying, and Ron rediscovering his forgotten UMX Viper), the crew breaks down how they each map flaps, gear, lights, rates, gains, and AS3X functions across their transmitters.

They compare Spektrum iX setups, talk about why consistency matters more than “the right way,” and share lessons learned — including how Ron’s F‑18 crash came down to one simple gain‑tuning mistake. Whether you’re new to programming radios or just want to refine your habits, this episode is packed with practical, real‑world insight from three pilots who definitely don’t always do it the same way.

Tom makes a surprise remote return to the show from his extended deployment in the U.S. Southwest desert. The guys catch up on flying, mishaps, new airplanes, swap meets, repairs, and the ongoing saga of Reggie’s questionable preflight habits. Ron shares the dramatic loss of his X‑Fly Hornet, Dave talks about resurrecting and repainting an F‑16, and Tom confesses to “Tomming” his Turbo Timber into the gravel. The crew also dives into gliders, paramotors, truck upgrades, and future flying plans.

A couple of new releases hit the RC scene, and a day at the field turns into a mix of flying, tinkering, and trailer‑powered success. With a few maiden flights, some quick repairs, and plenty of hangout time, Episode 210 is all about enjoying the hobby and the moments that come with it.