Lee Rice, RDS8000, Win at Texas Champs/Scale Masters Qualifier

Lee Rice, Airtronics Team Pilot, Sent in these stunning photos from his 1st place award winner!

Scale State Champion Lee Rice with His Bearcat Flying with the RDS8000!

See More Photos from Lee Rice and the Texas State Scale Champs (click here!)

Airtronics has a long tradition of supporting Scale Modeling  and Lee has shown how incredible flying scale models can be! And he’s done it all with an RDS8000! Not bad work for a 200 dollar 8 channel 2.4Ghz Radio!

Here’s the Specs on his AMAZING Bearcat:

Ziroli design modified
All built-up
86″ wing span weighs 32 lbs
Zenoah 445 twin using a zoar 23X10 prop
Gene Barton Scale Gear modified
Aileron servos 94452
Flap servos 94358
Elevator 94358 one
Rudder  94161
Tail wheel 94161
RDS 8000 with 92824 receiver

Here’s the Email I received from Lee:

Mike,

Attached is a photo of Myself and the winner of open novice class and the RDS8000 radio.

I won expert class and was the Texas Scale Champion flying the Bearcat using an RDS8000.

I also won team scale class flying the Fiesler Storch for Ed Newman.

Thanks for all the support

Lee Rice

Team Airtronics

Airtronics M11X – Associated Take 3 WINS at Roar Nats!

M11X TEAM DRIVERS TAKE HUGE WINS AT ROAR ELEC NATS – CONGRATS TO TEAM ASSOCIATED’S RYAN CAVALIERI AND RYAN MAIFIELD!

Craig just sent me this pic and email from Team Associated!

Ryan Cavalieri and Ryan Maifield Win ROAR NATS WITH M11X

From: Brent Thielke
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 9:50 AM
To: Kaplan Craig
Subject: ROAR Nationals

Just wanted to let you guys know that AE/LRP/Airtonics won the three
mod classes at the ROAR Offroad National. Cavalieri won 2wd and 4wd
and Maifield won truck. I will get both of you some photos within the
next few days.  They both used the SXX speed controls and M11x
transmitters.

Brent Thielke

Receiver Voltage

Maybe it’s that there are so many packs available, maybe it’s that wide-spread insanity has suddenly taken grip of the hobby. I’ve never seen so many insane questions about voltage for receivers…. OK, Here goes…. The Airtronics Receivers are designed for battery packs with a nominal voltage of 4.8 to 6.0 volts. Specifically, that is the voltage range of a 4-5 cell Ni-MH and Ni-CD battery. YES, these receivers are designed to be used with 4-5 cell Ni-MH and Ni-CD batteries.

Yes, I understand that a 5 cell battery peaks at a higher voltage. That is OK. The receiver is designed to work with these batteries.

If you use A123 cells which have a nominal voltage of 6.6v, you are at the very top of the voltage range for these receivers. The receiver as well as some servos are not designed for this voltage range. However, in most cases it works just fine. You will NOT destroy anything by using a voltage range of this type. BUT if any of the servos twitch or jitter, it may simly be you’re out of the voltage range. Not all batteries work exactly the same and not all servos can handle batteries with a nominal voltage of 6.6v

IF you are using a 2 cell Lithium Ion or Lithium Polymer pack (Li-PO), you MUST use a voltage regulator AND that regulator should be of the “switching type” and able to handle the current draw of your servos. So, there you have it… 4 and 5 cell Ni-MH and Ni-CD packs are perfectly fine. A123 2 cell packs are “on the edge”, and 2 cell Li-PO and Li-ION battiers REQUIRE a voltage regulator.

Note that the computer in our receivers does not “reset” until under 2.0V, thus you don’t have to worry about brown out because if you’re having brown-out from overloading your receiver, the servos will be the FIRST indicator because they will stop working. Most servos do not work much below 2.75-3.0v or so.

SD-10G is Exciting and New BUT… Remember for many sport pilots, the RDS8000 is an awesome radio and a great value…

We get caught up in the latest greatest…  and why not? New is cool… But Airtronics isn’t just making a 500 dollar 10 channel competition radio. The RDS8000 is a spectacular sport radio at a spectacular price. 8 channels for about 200 dollars. It’s light, versatile, easy to use, and reliable. Yes, this is a shameless plug. What can I say, I just really like this radio!

This post on our forum kinda’ reminded me about this. So I thought I’d share…

Neat! I flew five flights a few days ago and six this morning. This radio is a dream. I’ve owned a Futaba 2.4 six channel, I own a Spektrum 2.4 six channel and my Airtronics; it is undoubtedly the most versatile and easiest to program of any of them. Thank you for your gracious assistance.
Lloyd 

For the entire thread and/or to review the Forum, click here: Global Services Forum

Check into buying one, Click Here: BUY RDS8000

Mike Greenshields

Chris Fitzsimmons 1st Impressions – SD-10G

Chris with his SD-10G

Well, went to the field today in the 30mph winds. 4 flights on the SD-10 with perfect results. It feels fast!!!! This radio is very easy to setup, and very easy to use. It was very easy to make adjustments to my mixes at the field. I like that I can easily switch from mode 4 which I fly, to mode 2 so that others can fly my plane. This is the only radio that can do it this easily! It feels very good in the hands. It feels very comfortable. Like my Stylus, but with better switch placement. I like being able to get my fingers between the switches. I also like that I don’t hit my dual rate switch when I do a negative snap. Very well done!!!!!!!!

Thank you Mike!

Attached a pic from today at the field with the Sd-10 and my 2008 District 7 Masters Champion trophy.

Chris Fitzsimmons

Kfactor Editor

Team Airtronics

2008D7 Masters Champion

SD-10G – MORE Came in Today

We will cover all back orders this next week. So, if you want one now before we run out, better hurry! Meanwhile, anyone who had reserved one will get it. So those who were worried if we’d have them for the Nats do not have to worry! We’ve GOT’EM!

Tiffany Holding the SD-10G

For Review.. Why it’s AWESOME…

FAST

Custom Menu

Truly made for Helicopters, powerplanes, AND Gliders. I worry this is not clear enough. Each section of programming is optimized for the user. We didn’t do “gliders half-assed” because we don’t understand them or because we didn’t care. The radio truly excels in all categories. HELI GUYS… IT WILL WORK YOUR SWASHPLATE PERFECTLY!

Easy to use.. Everyone says this but truly, it’s amazing how little you’ll need the manual.

Compatible with a 2 cell lipo, no problem.

All the switches are assignable and all are 3 position!

Triple Rates and Triple Expo, individualized for each direction of travel too!

Smooth ball bearing gimbals.

IT’s the BEST VALUE for under 500 dollars… period.. Nothing touches it.

Speed Specs:

Airtronics SD-10G:

• Min: 7.36ms
• Max: 16.3ms
• Ave: 11.83ms

Futaba 10C (Futaba is a Trademark of Futaba Corporation and Dist by Great Planes):

• Min: 9ms
• Max: 29ms
• Ave: 19ms

JR 9303 & R1221rx (JR is a Trademark of JR Radios Japan and Dist by Horizon Hobby)

• Min: 25ms
• Max: 47ms
• Ave: 36ms

JR 12X

• Min: 21.5ms
• Max: 43.5ms
• Ave: 32.5ms

Cody Remington and SD-10G

Cody flew a new production radio this weekend at a local contest. 2nd place, challenging conditions, and he was impressed!

Cody Remington with his Espada and the SD-10G

From Cody:

After testing the SD-10G and getting confident with it I put it in my primary contest model, the Espada RL. The programming was fast & simple and I am able to have a more advanced program. I flew it in our club contest where the competition was tight and the conditions challenging. We had typical Colorado weather, which included everything from light lift to strong lift, no wind and lots of wind. So it really put the SD-10G to the test. I had the model far out in some rounds, low to the ground in others, and everything in between. The radio worked perfectly! It’s hard to really tell if a radio is good until you put it through a contest, and put it through the ringer. But let me tell you we have a real winner here. The feel, the programming, and the range are all perfect! I am now setting up all my planes on this radio in preparation for the nationals.

Cody and Skip Miller made a nice video about the radio. Check it out:

VIDEO of SD-10G

Heli Fun Fly – OCMA Field – Sponsored by Heli Freak

Farell Showing Off the New SD-10G

Last weekend we had the chance to get out and show off the new SD-10G at the 1st Annual Heli Fun Fly at the OCMA Black Starr field. This was a very well attended local event. Thanks to finlessbob and Heli-Freak for helping us get a space there!

Eric Pacheco flew the new SD-10G in a Cypher with some prototype option parts on it. The option parts are great, the heli is even more stable and predictable with these parts, and Eric did a great job with it. The heli was setup by Farrell on Friday with a brand new SD-10G that neither Eric nor Farrell had ever flown before, and yet they were able to get it hovered and trimmed on Friday and completely setup and flying in public on Saturday! It is amazing how easy the heli and the radio are to setup.

Eric flying the Cypher with the SD-10G (yes there's a tiny helicopter in the shot!)

Farrell manned the Airtronics Booth. He showed off the radio all day. Everyone’s feedback was positive. People said things like they were glad to Airtronics “back in the game”, that the new radio “felt natural and comfortable”, and that the feel of the stick were simply excellent. The radio easily setups up in and works great in helicopters. I think we’ve truly got a winner here. What a superb radio!

Dualing Helis...

The event itself was simply hours and hours of hot 3D flying, pretty much non-stop except for the demos and contest events like the drag race. It is amazing how proficient most people are today at flying 3D and how many people are wringing out expensive, high end machines, so close to the ground, all of the time. 3D heli pilots are definitely adrenhaline junkies!

Eric did great, the SD-10G performed flawlessly, and I’m sure Cypher owners everywhere will be excited to see the new Cypher Hopups.

THANK YOU to Farrell, Eric, and the 1st Annual Heli Fun Fly!

AC Glen – Report on SD-10G – 1st DAY

The Results Speak for Themselves – Here’s new commentary on the SD-10G from AC Glen.

Well guys I received my production SD-10G about four hours ago and I have
been playing with it non-stop. I must say this radio is everything that
anyone could ask for in a radio, of course it doesn’t play music or
anything like that  but for 500 dollars you really cant beat this radio period.

It has every function that a competition pattern pilot could want and need
in a radio. The ease of programming is amazing.  In four hours I have
programmed my number 1 pattern plane, a foamy, a Vanquish and a old Flip 3d.

I have began to do testing on the 10 channel receiver that comes with the radio.
This receiver and transmitter have been bullet proof so far in the three
airplanes that i have flown it in. (Flip 3d,Vanquish, and foamy) The radio
has 3 position switches on everything which allows you to use triple
rates on anything that is needed.

I have also ran the radio in the 8 channel receiver that comes with the RdS 8000. This radio is very fast..scratch
that..
faster then anything I have flown (Dx-7, 14mz with FASST Module, Jr 12x).

I believe that Sanwa tested the radio and the latency was at about 7.36
milliseconds which is by the book faster then anything out right now and
you can definitely feel it with you are flying the radio. My snaps took a
second to get used-to because I was under snapping the airplane because I
was not used to the speed and feel of the radio.

This is all I have right now. I will be doing alot more flying today
and tomorrow with all four airplanes that are setup and will relay back
my results as the time goes on.  I must say Airtronics is definitely back on
the scene and back with vengeance.

A.C. Glenn
Team Airtronics
Team Y.S. Parts and Service
Team Castle Creations
Team Hobby Lobby
Team 2Dogrc.com

SD-10G Info – For the Sailplane Crowd

Glider Guiders everyone, check out Skip’s blog. He and Cody give a nice and improptu video on the SD-10G

Check it

Video – Homepage of SkipMillerModels.com

10 minutes of features and info.

Mike