The Spektrum iX20 Smart transmitter integrates the power of touch and voice interface capabilities with broad connectivity for control that goes beyond the luxury of its smooth hall-effect gimbals and the feel of a perfectly balanced ergonomic platform.

The Spektrum iX20 smart radio is our most powerful, feature-packed 20-channel air transmitter to date and host to a wide array of innovations and upgrades. It was designed to meet the present and future needs of pro pilots who want top-class features, easy programmability, and the capabilities required to fly high-performance aircraft.

The iX20 may be the most advanced intelligent transmitter available with an Android 7 touch-screen interface – but that doesn’t mean it’s hard to use. The giant 5-inch, 720p color touch-display makes working with state-of-the-art technology comfortable and exciting. All-new Spektrum AirWare firmware has been streamlined and enhanced to deliver an overall faster experience. When you delve into the details, you’ll see that the iX20 is much more than just our next intelligent transmitter.

It costs $1,399.99. For more information, click here.

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Get ready to fall in love with this micro model! From Horizon: Bold and immensely talented, Ernst Udet helped to close WWI as Germany’s second-highest scoring ace with 62 victories. Internationally accepted as the finest fighter of the era, one particular Fokker D.VII he flew boasted an inspirational color scheme designed to honor his sweetheart and taunt all in the sky who challenged him. The FlyZone® ultra-micro Fokker D.VII RTF beautifully replicates the historic masterpiece with an RC version that’s ready-to-fly and engineered so that even novice pilots can reenact missions indoors and fly daring patrols in backyard spaces.

The FlyZone® Fokker D.VII is a scale ultra-micro WWI model that’s fully factory-assembled and includes everything you need to fly right in the box. Engineered to be lightweight, its overall construction makes it possible to replicate intricate scale features, and deliver flight performance that’s ideal for enjoying small spaces like a gymnasium or large backyard. It excels at slow speed flight by offering docile characteristics and impressive maneuverability with simple three-channel control. In wide-open spaces, barrel rolls and loops are well within its capability. The electric power system recreates performance that’s better than scale with amazing efficiency for a tiny LiPo battery so light that it holds in place with magnetic contacts. The charger for the battery is built into the included transmitter that broadcasts on glitch-free 2.4GHz radio technology.

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The Timber is equipped with a combination of features and details that will satisfy intermediate to advanced pilots alike. Its lightweight design, combined with high-grade balsa and plywood construction, provides everything you could want in a giant-scale STOL model. The two-piece plug-in wings feature optional-use leading edge devices and operational flaps that make for impressive short field operation, even from less-than-ideal runways. The assembly is simple so that your time at the bench can be as brief and enjoyable as possible. The majority of the components bolt together, and the complete hardware package includes everything needed to finish the model. Out of the box; all control surfaces are prehinged (except rudder), while multiple hatches allow for convenient access to electronics and flight batteries. The all-wood airframe is finished in genuine Hangar 9 UltraCote^® covering which is well known for its durable finish, brilliant looks and ease of maintenance. The finished aluminum sprung landing gear and 7″ tundra-style tires complete the look of the Timber 110, and the Hangar 9 XCub 60cc sprung landing gear is a drop-in fit to finished the rugged looks with distinction. The Timber also 110 comes with optional-use lens covers to use with an LED light set (available separately).

The Timber 110 30-50cc is part of a complete line of top-quality Hangar 9 aircraft. All are engineered and crafted to exacting standards and feature the finest components and materials. Plus, every Hangar 9 product comes with the after-sale service and technical support you need to succeed.

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It’s almost time for the 3rd Annual Horizon Hobby RC Fest. There’s no other event like it. RC Fest is the largest gathering of radio-controlled cars, trucks, airplanes, helicopters and drones in the Midwest. Skilled modelers square off in thrilling competitions…vendors exhibit their newest and best RC merchandise…hobbyists and non-hobbyists alike enjoy an incredible variety of RC activities. Bring your own models if you wish for a weekend filled with fun, friends, and fastpaced, high-flying hobby excitement!*
*Please note: RC pilots must have a current AMA membership to fly their own planes.

RC Fest has something for everyone. If you’re already an RC enthusiast, imagine being
surrounded by bashing competitions, howling jets, scale warbirds, intense off-road
racing…everything that gets your adrenaline flowing, everywhere you look. At RC Fest the action is nearly non-stop. There are countless opportunities to watch thrilling RC demos and join in the fun. You won’t want to miss any of it!If you’re new to radio control, there’s no better time or place to see what all the excitement is about. Bring the whole family. All ages will enjoy driving or flying at our “Try Me” tents, where experienced modelers love introducing new people to the RC hobby.

Air Events Include:
• Night Air Show
• Ring of Fire
• Aerial Combat
• FPV Racing
• Jet Demos
• RC Flying “Try Me”
• Open Flying

Surface Events Include:
• TLR® Cup Race
• Bash Fest
• King of the Hill
• RC Pulling Competition
• Night Crawling
• RC Racing “Try Me”
• Monster Truck Freestyle

Also Scheduled:
• Air Camp
• Barrage Kit Camp
• Kids Activities (Games, Bounce House and More)
• Food and Refreshment Vendors
• Product Displays, Sales and Specials
• Drawings and Prizes
Family-Friendly

Horizon RC Fest information is available at www.HorizonRCfest.com.

The post Horizon RC Fest appeared first on Model Airplane News.

Key Features

• Incredible Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) plus 3D capabilities
• Enlarged and oversized control surfaces with double-beveled hinge lines
• Six durable and factory-installed high-torque, metal-geared servos
• High-power 3S and 4S compatible brushless outrunner motor and 50-amp ESC
• Spektrum 6-channel receiver with industry-leading DSMX® technology
• Unmatched stability and precision of AS3X® technology for smoother flight performance
• Easy to fly with optional-use SAFE® Select flight envelope protection
• Shock-absorbing landing gear with oversized tundra-style wheels
• Functional and factory-installed LED landing, navigation and strobe lights
• Lightweight yet durable composite-reinforced, hollow-core EPO construction
• Optional-use leading edge slats for improved STOL and slow flight performance
• Optional EDO-style floats (EFL5261, sold separately)

The post E-flite Timber X 1.2m appeared first on Model Airplane News.

The E-flite F-16 Thunderbirds 70mm EDF jet is a replica of the iconic aircraft flown by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Like the full-scale airshow thriller, this F-16 has an incredibly wide flight performance envelope—from slow and stable high-alpha flight to amazing high-speed and vertical capabilities. At its core is a 6S-compatible brushless motor and a 70-amp ESC that are matched to a 12-blade fan to deliver an abundance of speed, thrust and a turbine-like sound. Factory-installed electric retracts with shock-absorbing struts make it possible to take off and land on a wider variety of surfaces–including grass—while keeping ground handling smooth and delivering a realistic jet experience. The composite reinforced EPO airframe is lightweight yet strong, and the digital, metal-geared servos plus ball-link equipped linkages provide precise control. And it all combines to deliver one of the easiest to fly yet highest-performance and most capable F-16 models ever!

Key Features

• The easiest to fly high-performance F-16 EDF (Electric Ducted Fan) jet model yet!
• Scale replica of the iconic aircraft flown by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team
• 12-blade 70mm fan delivers excellent top speed and vertical performance plus turbine-like sound
• Factory-installed high-power 6S compatible brushless inrunner motor and 70-amp ESC
• Fast and precise factory-installed digital, metal-geared servos with ball-link equipped linkages
• Steerable nose wheel and electric retracts with shock-absorbing struts for operation from a variety of surfaces including grass
• Spektrum 6-channel receiver with industry-leading DSMX^® technology
• Easy to fly with optional-use SAFE^® Select flight envelope protection
• The unmatched stability and precision of AS3X^® technology
• Includes a decal sheet to choose and apply the Thunderbird number designation of your choice
• Easy final assembly with removable wings and a magnetically-secured nose cone
• Convenient top hatch with clear canopy, cockpit detail and a pilot figure
• Durable yet lightweight, composite reinforced EPO airframe

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Now your favorite flight simulator has Hangar 9, E-flite, Parkzone and other Horizon planes! Here’s the scoop from Horizon Hobby: RealFlight® is the #1 RC flight simulator in the world. It’s the best tool new RC pilots can use when learning how to fly. It also enables experienced RC pilots to practice new maneuvers and hone their skills so they can become even better pilots.

With 150 different aircraft to fly — including airplanes, helicopters, drones, and more — at over 40 different flying sites, plus the ability to edit aircraft and sites, there’s an almost infinite number of flying options available. Add in game-like challenges that make flight training fun, multiplayer options so you can fly and compete with other pilots online, compatibility with VR headsets, and many, many more features, and you have everything you need to succeed at the field — because you can “fly” and have fun at home!

This Horizon Hobby Edition of RealFlight 8 is what everyone has been asking and waiting for! It adds the exclusive technologies and some of the most popular aircraft from the Best Brands in RC to the #1 RC flight simulator in the world, to deliver an experience you simply can’t find anywhere else.

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“A bankruptcy court judge approved Horizon Hobby’s $18.8 million purchase of Hobbico’s remote-control business Monday, which means Hobbico employees must reapply for their jobs at Horizon before the purchase is completed Friday.

Hobbico’s more than 300 employees were made aware of this possibility last week, after Horizon was the lone bidder in a bankruptcy auction for Hobbico, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in January with the goal of finding a new buyer.

“As mentioned in yesterday’s Town Hall Meetings, Hobbico employees who are interested in being considered to work at Horizon Hobby are required to apply online,” Hobbico human resources manager Megan Huppert wrote Friday in an email obtained by The News-Gazette.

It’s not clear how many of the employees will be hired at Horizon, especially since the two Champaign-based hobby-product distributors perform similar tasks.

“Horizon and Hobbico have served many of the same retailers and customers for years,” Horizon CEO Joe Ambrose said when his company announced it would try to buy Hobbico’s RC units.

Horizon is buying Hobbico’s Great Planes and Tower Hobbies divisions, along with its Axial and Arrma brands.

Also on Monday, a bankruptcy judge approved a separate $7 million sale of Hobbico’s Colorado-based model-rocket subsidiary, Estes, to an organization called The Langford Group.

An auction for Hobbico’s remaining assets — including United Model, Revell US and Revell Germany — was temporarily suspended last week.

Hobbico employees will be applying for jobs in departments at Horizon rather than specific positions, and a temp agency is helping Horizon process the applications.

“Due to time constraints with hiring/reviewing/interviewing 300+ employees, Express Employment is assisting Horizon with the recruitment process,” Huppert wrote. “Employees who are selected to work in the Distribution Center could start on Saturday, April 7th through Express Employment.”

If employees apply by Friday, their seniority with Hobbico will be used to determine when they’re eligible for benefits.

However, “If you apply after the close of the transaction (April 6th), you would be considered a new applicant and treated like any other external candidate,” according to a document attached to Huppert’s email.

“We will review the applications and get in touch with candidates with whom we are interested in moving forward,” the document said, later saying: “We plan to interview as many people as we can, but given the short time frame prior to closing, we will not likely be able to interview everyone.”

A representative for Hobbico could not be reached for comment Monday, and a representative for Horizon said the company would issue a statement after the sale closes.

The two companies were both formed in 1985 and are among the top 25 employers in the county, according to the Champaign County Economic Development Corp.

Last year, Hobbico said it employs 415 people in the county, and Horizon Hobby reported 341 employees.”

The post Industry News: Horizon Hobby Buys Hobbico appeared first on Model Airplane News.

In the world of the First-Person View experience, ImmersionRC has lead the way with technology that’s easy to integrate with model aircraft. Combined with the great aircraft offered by Horizon Hobby brands, FPV is rising in popularity exponentially. The Blade® Vortex 230 Mojo BNF® Basic is another example of how a great partnership can showcase cutting edge technology to the RC community. Not only is the Vortex 230 Mojo BNF Basic the latest in mini-quad racing performance and convenience, it’s an adventure as close to climbing into the cockpit as it gets.

ImmersionRC introduced the original Vortex ARF when the FPV racing phenomena began. Now race seasoned experts across the globe have weighed in on how their power-packed little quad could be improved. Light, strong and powerful, the Blade Vortex 230 Mojo BNF Basic is the next-level ImmersionRC racer with the added benefits of Bind-N-Fly® so you can FPV race like a pro, right out of the box.

Bind-N-Fly® Basic Completion

Included and installed is a Spektrum 4648 DSMX Quad Race Serial Receiver for ultimate setup convenience. Now it’s possible to start enjoying high-performance racing virtually the moment you open the box. Just charge the battery, bind the model to your Spektrum DSMX® technology compatible transmitter and fly.

Fully Integrated

Fully integrated into this machine are the flight controller, full-graphic OSD, and 40-channel video transmitter.

Tough Construction

Built to survive attempts at cutting down virtually anything in its path, the Vortex 230 Mojo is built to take a hit and keep on ticking!

Seven 32-Bit ARM Processors

Not many mini-quads out there like the Vortex 230 Mojo racer can claim the cutting edge support of seven, fully integrated 32-bit ARM processors. There’s a dedicated ARM for the flight controller, another for the full-graphic OSD, another just for the programmable LED board at the back of the quad and one ARM for each of the four custom high performance ESCs.

Fusion F3 with BetaFlight

The highly integrated Fusion F3 flight controller is equipped with BetaFlight firmware pre-loaded, 32-bit processor, and 8kHz loop times for an out-of the- box control feel that seems almost intuitive. Plus, the software is future-proof with supporting updates easily uploaded via the robust USB port through-hole.

Dynamic Power Control

The Dynamic Power Control function of the video transmitter lowers power automatically when the Vortex 230 Mojo is disarmed or ready for a race to start so that interference from other racers on the line is minimized.

Integrated Leading-edge 5.8GHz Video Tx

The fully integrated ‘Tramp’ video transmitter has all the bells and whistles. Support for all standard FPV channels and power levels from sub-1mW to >600mW. Dynamic Power Control, introduced with the Vortex 230 Mojo, is taken to a new level, pre-take-off power level may be dropped to sub-1mW while waiting on the starting grid, saving precious battery power, and keeping temperatures low. After a crash landing the power level is dropped to a minimum to preserve battery life during the search and to help with localization using a directional antenna.

Integrated Touch-n-Race

A TNR (NFC) antenna integrated into the side of the quad provides full support for the ImmersionRC Personal and Race Director’s wand. The latter enables additional channels for events with special spectrum use permissions. Set your video transmitter frequency and power without touching the quad, greatly simplifying casual and race channel setup. No fiddly dip switches, no push-buttons and key-press sequences to remember and no guesswork.

PitStick Mode for Simple Channel Changing

When placed in this mode, the Vortex 230 Mojo will power up with the video transmitter disabled, and will only start transmitting when instructed to by a the R/C transmitter. The right stick is used to select channels 1..8 using the extremes of stick movement. Up for CH1, Up-Right for CH2, etc.

DSMX® Video Transmitter Control

Another first in the FPV world, Horizon Hobby has teamed up with ImmersionRC to integrate video transmitter control into certain Spektrum® radios. Quads using this feature power up safely in pit-mode, and after finding a free channel on the video goggles, the menu on the Spektrum radio may be used to select frequency band, channel, and power level.

ProTuned

The preloaded firmware has been ProTuned to make this quad fly like its on rails. You can explore other ProTune uploads and try out what some of the biggest names in FPV quad racing have shared so that the Vortex 230 Mojo can fit your exact performance needs.

Bright LEDs and Lost Model Alarm

A set of eight 24-bit RGB LEDs is protected between the upper and lower frames on the tail end. Through a dedicated 32-bit ARM processor, users can program a favorite color, brake lights, turn indicators or just about anything your imagination can conjure. Itegrated into the Vortex 230 Mojo is a lost model beeper that’s loud enough to be coined “ear piercing.” So if you ever cut loose, the ease of finding your Vortex 230 Mojo will help you get back into the game fast.

Full Graphic Display with EzOSD

The full-graphic On Screen Display (OSD) on-board provides in-flight updates of critical parameters. The EzOSD menu allows all options to be programmed in the field using the RC transmitter and a headset or monitor. Several OSD layouts are included. A real-time interface with the flight controller enables artificial horizons, fighter-jet style displays and an exchange of flight parameters. All OSD layouts include screen-center alerts for critical warnings such as battery voltage, EzUHF Link Critical and more.

Needed to Complete:

• A full-range 5+ channel, multi-function transmitter with Spektrum 2.4GHz
• SM2®/DSMX® technology
• 5.8GHz compatible FPV headset and/or FPV monitor
• 3S–4S 1350mAh Li-Po Flight Battery
• Suitable Li-Po battery charger

What’s in the box?

(1) Vortex 230 Mojo BNF Basic FPV Drone
(1) Spektrum 4648 Quad Race Serial Receiver
(1) 5.8GHz Video Transmitter
(1) Mini PDB
(4) 2206 2300Kv Motor
(1) F3 Fusion 32-bit Flight Control System with BetaFlight
(1) 30A ESC with Rotor Sense and DSHOT-600
(1) User Manual

Specs:

Completion Level: Bind-N-Fly Basic
Flying Weight: 480g
Height: 50mm
Length: 250mm
Recommended Battery: 3S–4S 1350mAh Li-Po (Sold Separately)
Width: 250mm

#BLH9260 – $399.99
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The post Blade Vortex 230 Mojo BNF Basic appeared first on Model Airplane News.

Read the article from the June 2017 issue of Model Airplane News, click here.

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