RC Plane Lab

Tom is home and back in the studio with Ron and Dave—but only for this episode during his brief visit. Tom’s wife, Lori, is also there and briefly joins the conversation to settle an argument about exactly how Ron was persuaded to take a day off for their trip to Dynamic Balsa.
The episode begins on a personal note as Dave discusses the loss of his wife earlier that morning. He explains why he still decided to record with his friends and reminds everyone how important it is to spend time with the people closest to them.
Ron recaps his visit to the Illini Jets event at Eli Field, including the strong turnout, impressive turbine aircraft, a massive twin-turbine F-14, and some of the best food the guys have ever seen served at an RC fly-in.
The guys then examine the new Skynetic F-35C Lightning II Micro 30mm EDF Jet. Although its flight performance appears promising, they have plenty to say about its molding, oversized panel lines, painted canopy, unusual underside, and price.
They also preview several upcoming Illinois RC events:
Horizon Hobby RC Fest — August 29 at Eli Field in Monticello, Illinois
Streator Fall Scramble Warbirds & Classics — September 10–12 in Streator, Illinois
SIRS Vintage Fly-In — September 12 near McLean, Illinois
Illini Warbirds and Classics — September 24–26 at Eli Field in Monticello, Illinois
Finally, Ron and Tom recount their visit to Dynamic Balsa. Ron went looking for servos and a SIG Kavalier, forgot the servos entirely, and came home with an unidentified vintage glow-powered airplane. The guys inspect its K&B engine, old 72 MHz radio equipment, unusual appearance, and chances of successfully returning to the air.
Tom also adds a Slow Ultra Stick to his hangar, while Dave discusses his BluFo, Yak 55, Blue Max, Goldberg Cub, and the restoration of Reggie’s older E-flite Ultimate.
The episode closes with an important maintenance reminder: inspect the nylon clevises, snapper keepers, and other plastic control-linkage components in your airplanes. Heat, age, and dry storage conditions can make these parts brittle enough to fail in flight.
Timestamps
00:12 – Tom is home and in the studio for one episode
04:04 – A personal update from Dave
07:56 – Ron’s visit to the Illini Jets event
16:10 – The Skynetic F-35C Micro EDF
24:36 – RC Fest and upcoming Illinois RC events
35:59 – The SIRS Vintage Fly-In
40:17 – Ron and Tom’s trip to Dynamic Balsa
47:31 – Ron’s unidentified vintage glow airplane
01:01:42 – Tom buys a Slow Ultra Stick
01:03:44 – Dave’s building and restoration projects
01:06:33 – Inspecting brittle nylon control linkages
01:07:34 – Illini Warbirds and Classics at Eli Field

Ron and Dave catch up after a busy stretch and dive into a surprisingly full evening of RC activity. Ron rediscovers a long‑forgotten Carbon‑Z Yak in his basement and gives it a modern electronics refresh, while Dave wraps up his Beaver build and deals with a paramotor battery that’s well past retirement age. The guys recap a night‑flying session filled with great flights, blinding LEDs, and an unbelievable swarm of moths. They also talk about upcoming events, new gear—including Ron’s Losi NASCAR—and walk through how each of them powers and controls lights on their aircraft, from commercial setups to Dave’s homemade servo‑based switches. A relaxed, fun catch‑up episode with plenty of RC tinkering talk.

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.

In this episode we talk about the sudden closure of WACO Aircraft Company and what it means for full‑scale aviation fans. Ron goes over the latest trailer upgrades, including the rooftop AC and the new Spektrum S450 charging setup. Dave makes progress assembling Ron’s RACores Yak‑55, and we wrap up with an update on the new Beginner’s Lounge on RCPlaneLab.com.
Head over to https://beginnerslounge.rcplanelab.com!

Tune in to hear how the 2026 Toledo RC Swap Meet and Expo went for the guys!

In this episode, Dave kicks things off with the story behind his April Model Aviation article, “From Trash to Treasure,” and finally shares the full tale behind the project that inspired it.
From there, the guys dive into a wave of new releases hitting the RC world:
Dynam’s E‑2C Hawkeye with its rotating radar dome
E‑flite’s latest lineup — Beechcraft D18/RC‑45J 1.5m, V1200 1.2m, 2m Conscendo, and the new HobbyZone Trojan
Motion RC’s Flightline P‑51
HobbyKing’s Tundra TPX 3D profile plane and the Durafly Brewster F2A Buffalo V2
Banana Hobby’s massive JetRuler 1/9 F‑22 Raptor 2.1m composite turbine jet
The conversation takes a reflective turn as the crew talks about Dumas closing its doors after 75 years — a tough loss for the hobby, especially for fans of their classic rubber-powered airplanes and iconic boat kits.
Then it’s on to swap‑meet season. The guys recap the Eli Swap Meet and why the small shows still deliver some of the best surprises and deals. With Toledo right around the corner, Ron shares the fleet he’s bringing to sell — from the V‑22 Osprey and UMX Beast to the Freewing F‑35, FMS Explorer, and more — and debates whether it’s finally time to pull receivers now that prices have dropped again.