Fans of RC helis were in for a treat last year. The RCACF (Radio Control Association of Central Florida) put on a show for the ages last December with their inaugural fun-fly, and some of the sport’s best, brightest and boldest showed up to take advantage of the three-day event.

This year’s event will mirror last year’s, with the fun-fly taking place on the RCACF field.

Not only is the event the perfect opportunity for pilots young and old to showcase their talents, but Orlando offers up a picturesque setting, even in mid December, with sunny skies—sky willing—and plenty of that classic Florida heat to help melt away the wintertime blues.

The Orlando Helicopter Blowout will officially launch on December 11 and wrap up on the 13th.

This is one of the last major events to be held in the area before the New Year, and certainly some pilots’ last chance to dazzle the audience before the Christmas bells ring.

RCAFC prides itself on being spectator and family-friendly, and the location proved to be the perfect setting for a spectator sport when the Blowout went off without a hitch last year.

The field is in close proximity to many hotels and other shops, and, of course, Orlando is known the world over for being home to the famed Disney World.

But with the all-star list of pilots, watching the helis in action will provide just as many thrills as any roller coaster.

The event is scheduled to have a plethora of the sport’s top pilots, but this doesn’t mean that all pilots aren’t welcome. There’s a $20 landing fee for pre-registration, and a $25 fee for on-site registration.

But it’s not all fun and games.

Well, technically, it is all fun and games – but there is a first-place trophy up for grabs, and everyone would love some good mantle fodder forever proving their talents.

The non-sponsored pilot contest will judge flyers on choreography, placement, tech merit and originality. To the winner go the spoils.

The field opens up on 8am Friday, December 11th and the event will play on well through Sunday. All pilots are welcome to show up and participate, and like with any event, the more fans the merrier. Everyone’s welcome to participate in the Orlando Helicopter Blowout.

Who: The RCACF

When: December 11, 2009 – Opens at 8am

With the sport of RC Heli modeling literally taking off to never-before-seen heights, many new events are opening up all over the country.

From the northeastern to southwestern United States and everywhere in between, modelers are invited to showcase their skill-sets at any one of dozens of events annually.

Although many new and exciting Fun Flies are etching their mark into the event board, old favorites remain among the most popular.

The 25th Annual OK Sooner Squadron Fun Fly is taking place this April.

On Saturday and Sunday, April 4th and 5th, pilots from around the country will show up to let their helis loose in an unmatched display of aerial excellence.

The event takes place in Guthrie, Oklahoma on a beautiful and expansive field.

If the past events have been any indication, the skies will be clear and blue and the sights and sounds will draw in spectators from miles away.

Unlike many Fun Fly events on the circuit, OK Sooner Squadron is open for business all day. From 9 a.m. Saturday morning ‘til the wee hours of Sunday, pilots will be able to compete against one another and showcase their skills in the event. Sunday’s schedule also begins at 9 a.m. but ends at sundown.

AMA membership is a requirement for all pilots, and the fee to participate in the event is $20.

Demo flights will be held, raffles and other prize drawings are available, and if you have a hankering for a good old-fashioned cheeseburger, concession stands will provide the fuel for the battle-worn pilots and spectators.

Details about overnight camping on the field are vague at this point, but a list of the area’s best hotels is a warning that RVs may not be welcome to park overnight.

The Oklahoma location is huge and nearly impossible to miss from the highway. Simply take I-35 to Exit 151 (Seward Rd.), go east for around three miles, and you’ll see the entrance on the left.

Bring your camera and a few extra bucks for a burger. Oh, and don’t forget your heli!

Get driving directions in Google Maps:


View Larger Map

In order for a new product to qualify as “news” in the RC Heli world, it has to be fierce, competitive, and mind-blowing… and even that’s barely enough to catch someone’s attention. In order to be taken seriously, it has to be a big name in this increasingly big game we call RC modeling.

Is the T-Rex enough to get you focused? If not, you must have been hibernating for the past 5 years. The T-Rex has become an industry standard in RC Heli flying.

Jason Krause, a big name in the RC world, took the reigns for the redesign of an already classic copter model.

T-Rex has forcefully commanded the respect of RC modelers. Offering power, speed, maneuverability, and an all-around competition-worthy makeup, T-Rex stands in a category all its own.

The newly JK (Jason Krause) designed T-Rex 450 features single side frames on a very strong yet simply layout.

The servo and linkage layout is vastly improved from older models. The rotor head – one of the frequently lower-rated features on previous T-Rex models – was completely redone to ensure increased precision.

The new powerful tail design is counter-weight balanced with blade grips and reduced RPM in the tail. The one-piece carbon/plastic landing gear isn’t as attractive as previous models, but works to add stability and durability while decreasing overall weight.

The JK T-Rex 450 isn’t slated for release as a full kit yet.

Further details will be released as the model’s plans go forward, with an injection of future information expected to land in April. For current, up-to-date pictures and information of the T-Rex check with www.rchelimag.com

Ladies, gentlemen and heli-crazed fans of all ages, step right up and witness one of the sport’s most exciting and fun-filled tour stops!

The Phoenix Fun Fly, presented by the Arizona Rotary Modeler’s Society, is taking place over a 3-day span this year: February 27, 28, and March 1. The 13th celebration of the Phoenix Fun Fly is set to be bigger and better than the 12 previous combined.

With more pilots, more night flying, and better all-around competition, both pilots and spectators are in for a rare treat.

Addressing one of the crowd’s biggest concerns, unfortunately, the field – and surrounding fields – at the Fly In still do not allow overnight RV camping due to their proximity to flood zones.

Many modelers agree that staying overnight on the field is half the fun of the experience, but a small sacrifice can pay off in the form of big excitement.

If you’re new to the Fun Fly, rest assured that you will see some of the country’s best pilots make the trek and showcase their talents in the night flying, open flying, and various contests during the 3-day event.

The festival will feature on-site vendors and concessions for both spectators and pilots, and pilots will be able to meet each day in preparation for events.

The event opens at 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning (27th), and the registration for the Fun Fly’s many events – novice, intermediate, and expert – will require a 2009 AMA Card.

The Phoenix Fun Fly is set to hold raffle drawings, giving away everything from cash to complete RC Heli kits. Last year, a T-Rex 500 was given away.

The event will be held at the Sun Valley Fliers field in North Phoenix at N Cave Creek Rd & E Jomax Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85024

Get driving directions in Google Maps:



View Larger Map

For RC heli modelers, breaking news doesn’t usually involve a reckless driver veering off the road into a flooded river, prompting him to get out and try to walk across to safety.

Yeah, that one’s been on the “news” five times this year. Instead, interesting news to modelers has to do with who’s got the latest dish on the big event of the year, or when will Li-Po batteries be available with fly-all-day power?

Another type of interesting news has to do with who’s releasing the best products this year, and where can I get them?

E-flite, who is famous for their Blade CX heli, is set to release the newest version of this marvelously maneuvering monster, the Blade CX3. The CX stands for “coaxial,” and this model quickly flew off the shelves after E-flite’s original release.

The CX3 will still contain many of the great features that made the popular such a must-have, and will also include some new, never-before-seen features that will drive heli nuts crazy.

As a way to improve on their previous designs, E-flite has equipped the CX3 with a heading lock gyro that is now incorporated into the 3-in-1 control unit. Also, the officially licensed MD 520N canopy adds a scale look to the helicopter, bringing a more realistic approach to the design.

Instead of needing to know your way around a ridiculously small tool-kit, the CX3 will come out the box fully assembled and ready to fly, along with a DSM2 2.4GHz radio.

There’s also a “Bind-N-Fly” version that comes along with the CX3 that allows you to bind it to any other available DSM2 transmitter from E-Flite, JR, or Spektrum.

There’s only another month to wait for this highly anticipated release – due out in February – so be sure to cancel out your birthday gift for Abe Lincoln. The RTF (ready to fly) version of this heli will be on the shelves of your local hobby shop for around $200, with the BNF (Bind-N-Fly) version available for around $170.

As one of the south’s largest RC heli events, the Smackdown of the South as been turning heads for three years. Although it started out as a small event, showcasing the talents of mostly local pilots, the word about the event quickly spread, and today’s Smackdown is a relatively large event with an even larger following.

The event is sponsored by the Cobb Country Radio Control Modeler’s Club (CCRC), and the two-day event is a chance for pilots – wherever they may be located – to make the trek down south and compete for prizes while showing their skill-sets off to the spectators.

The 4th edition of this event will take place on May 23 and 24 of this year (2009), from 9 a.m. ‘til 9 p.m.

Since this year’s event is AMA Sanctioned, all pilots most currently possess an AMA membership to participate as a pilot. However, there’s no certification needed to simply watch the event from the grounds and have a great time.

In fact, it’s encouraged; the more the merrier. If you’re a pilot looking to stretch your wings, a landing fee of $20 is authorized, but a free lunch will be given out to pilots on the 23rd. Food and drink will be available via concession throughout the fun-fly event.

If you’re not familiar with the Smackdown of the South and what type of competition takes place there, you can find some vids on sites like YouTube that display the talent of these heli pilots and the types of contests held.

All told, over $500 in prize money is given away, and some of the events will even be held at night.

However, there’s no overnight camping allowed on the grounds, so be prepared to stay in a hotel/motel, unless you’ve brought an RV and have a permissible place to park it. The bright side here is that there are dozens of suitable motels located within a 10-mile radius of the grounds.

This year’s event is slated to be the largest yet. If you want to join in on the fun fly and enter the 4th Annual Smackdown of the South – as a spectator or pilot – simply show up at 2302 Pitner Rd. N.W. Acworth, GA, 30101.

Get driving directions in Google Maps:


View Larger Map