When someone mentions the word Cessna, my mind starts bringing up images of the 182. The Cessna 182, first produced in 1956, was created as a tricycle gear version of the 180. This new version went on to become one of the most recognizable private airplanes in history. Almost everyone has seen a Cessna 182 flying overhead, and been able to identify the airplane as such. Also, I find it important to note that the 182 was produced in several different variations including retractable landing gear, a turbo-charged engine, and the 182 is right at home with a set of floats under her as well!
Photo of a full scale Cessna 182 in flight
Park Flyers R/C has introduced a very scale looking model of the Cessna 182 in a small, convienient, ready to fly package that includes almost everything needed to get you airborne!
Channels Used: 4 total - Elevator, Aileron, Rudder, Throttle
Items Needed To Complete
8 AA batteries for the transmitter
The Park Flyers R/C Cessna 182 comes in an eye catching, colorful box. Upon opening the box, I found a styrofoam insert that is molded to cradle and protect the airplane. This box can handle a lot of abuse during shipping before there will be any damage to the contents!
While un-packing the Cessna, I was impressed to see a 2.4 Ghz radio system, a LiPo battery, and a cell balancing LiPo Charger. This complete package also includes a copy of the FMS flight simulator on CD, and a cord to plug into the back of the transmitter. The only extra item required is 8 AA batteries for the transmitter.
Manual
The Illustrated manual is easy to follow and the detailed pictures will guide you through any translation issues.
There is also a section at the rear of the manual that guides you through installation and set-up of the included FMS R/C flight simulator.
The longest part of the assembly process is letting the glue dry after the tailfeathers have been attached! The only step in this process that is remotely difficult is this: you must cut through the rear section of the tail before installing the horizontal stabilizer. I marked this cut by the arrow in the first picture. The manual walks you through this step very well.
Once the cut is made, sliding the horizontal stabilizer in place is easy by gently lifting up on the section in front of the cut. Gluing the horizontal and vertical stabilizers in place is very easy using the supplied glue. After the glue had dried, I connected the elevator and rudder pushrods to the pre-installed control horns. One item to note: the manual states the glue can take up to 12 hours to dry, but you may substitute epoxy to speed up this step.
Installing the landing gear is as easy as sliding the pre-formed main and nose gear assemblies into their respective slots.
The wing comes out of the box ready to install. It has dual aileron servos with a Y-harness attached, needing only to be plugged in to the aileron servo extension from the receiver. The wing is a tight fit on the fuselage, but the hold down pins will go in to the bracket, and then the nylon screws secure the wing at the rear.
With the LiPo battery charged, let's take the Cessna out into the sunlight and see what she's got!
All I can say is wow, this is one fun little airplane to fly! The evening I took it out was absolutely perfect. After checking to see that the control surfaces moved in the right direction, which they all did, I advanced the throttle and the Cessna leaped off the ground with very little rollout. One great part of flying the Cessna was knowing I didn't have to worry about anyone in the area turning on a transmitter and causing interference with the 2.4 Ghz radio system!
The plane flys where you point it, and with just a few clicks of rudder trim, it flew straight as an arrow. I was very suprised by the fact that the Cessna 182 flys great both fast and slow, with almost no sign of stalling.
After the initial flight trimming, I though I'd see what the Cessna could do for aerobatics, and it didn't disappoint! Rolls were done with authority, and there was plenty of power with the Himag 480 in the cowl to do loops, stall turns, and any other mild aerobatics I could throw at the airplane.
After I had had my fun, I brought the Cessna in to land. I was very pleased to see that this plane came down as well as it went up. I cut the power and it floated in and landed very scale-like before I had realized that almost 20 minutes had ticked away! The LiPo battery pack is definately a great battery choice for the Cessna 182.
Check out the video to see her in action!
ParkFlyers Cessna 182 RTF Or, Download the Video (15meg) CLICK HERE
I really enjoyed reviewing the Park Flyers R/C Cessna 182. From start to finish, this airplane was easy to build and transport, and it flies great! Park Flyers R/C really hit the nail on the head with their Cessna 182, especially when you consider that you are getting a four channel airplane that sells for $179.99! If you are looking for a scale looking Cessna that assembles very quickly and easily fits in the back seat of your car, look no further than the Park Flyers R/C Cessna 182!
Comments on RCU Review: Park Flyers R/C Cessna 182 Pro Deluxe RTF
There are no comments
The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review.
Email this Article
