Radio Control Hobbies

In this episode, host Chris Chianelli visits Speedzone Raceway in Athens, Tennessee. This dirt-oval track hosts several national competitions with multiple RC buggy classes being run. The latest craze sweeping the RC off-road enthusiast a vehicle that goes by the name truggy. Truggies are a hybrid with RC buggy transmissions and truck bodies. The frames are lowered for some fast-action laps around dirt oval tracks.

In this episode, host Chris Chianelli visits Bardstown, Kentucky for the Bardstown jet rally -- an annual event that brings in some of the best RC turbine jet pilots from around the country. This is not a competition but rather a chance for these ace pilots to show off their stuff. Chris visits with and showcases some of the pilots in attendance at the Bardstown Jet Rally. Among them is Dustin Buchere and his turbine Blue Angel Phantom. Also Chris stops by and talks to Jeff Meanor, and experienced RC pilot but new to turbine-powered jet airplanes. Chris also visits with Bob Violett, owner of BVM Jets -- the leading manufacturer of high-end turbine jets. Some of the scale-model jets Bob brought to this rally include the F-18 Super Hornet, F-100 and F-86 SkyBlazer. And he talks with pilot Paul Blancher about his super-fast Lockheed F-104. Finally, using a turbine trainer jet and ""Buddy Box"" radio system, Bob Violett instructs Chris in how to fly turbine -- for the first time.

In this episode, host Chris Chianelli visits a unique RC track just outside of Greensboro, NC. This is no ordinary road race track, but a 1/10th scale drag strip. Radio Control Hobbies is there during the weekend of International Model Drag Racing Association's (IMDRA) ""Showdown Nationals."" RC drivers from all over the country are gathered here to compete with some of the fastest RC cars in the world. Look fast. These super-fast racers are there, and then they're gone!

Chris Chianelli, host of DIY's Radio Control Hobbies, visits the Academy of Model Aeronautics in Muncie, Indiana. This is the site for the International Radio Control Helicopter Association (IRCHA) annual Jamboree. Helicopters represent one of the fastest growning segments of the RC hobby and, at the IRCHA Jamboree, more than 500 RC helicopter pilots from show off their birds and their flying skills. Chris demonstrates the basics of flying a helicopter and showcases some of the more popular RC helicopters on the market today. He also talks with IRCHA president Ron Kummer about some of the more popular helicopter RC models and introduces the concept of 3D flying -- the highest level of helicopter piloting around. He meets 12-year-old helicopter prodigy Zak Johns and other practitioners of 3D aerobatic flying. Finally, he talks with pilots who fly meticulously accurate scale replicas.

In this episode, host Chris Chianelli visits Bellingham, Washington for the annual Foss Cup--an RC tugboat competition that brings in top RC tugboat pilots from all over the country. Along with covering the actual event, Chris Chianelli also gets to board a real tugboat docked on the coast of Washington state just outside of Seattle. Chris also shows how the beginner can get into this fascinating branch of the hobby with a ready-to-run RC tugboat.

In this episode of Radio Control Hobbies, host Chris Chianelli proves that you don't have to have access to a neighborhood track for some weekend on-road racing competition. All you need is access to a parking lot and some basic track components, and you can start your own RC race club. Tips and techniques for parking lot racing are featured, and Chris demonstrates how to lay out a basic parking-lot track using readily-available materials-like traffic cones and manufactured corner markers. To add a high-tech element to weekend racing, Chris shows how to incorporate computer-based lap-counting system. Chris also talks with an expert on lap-counting systems specifically designed for this type of competition.

Electric-powered flight is quickly becoming the future for RC aircraft. In this episode of DIY's Radio Control Hobbies, Chris Chianelli visits a flying field just outside Chattanooga, TN for a look at some of the latest technologies in electric powered flight, including out-runner electric motors. These high-powered motors are reliable, quiet and just as powerful as those used in nitro- or gas-powered airplanes. Chris takes an in-depth look by examining recent trends in electric motors and lithium batteries. Combining these advances in RC motors and batteries has changed the outlook of electrically powered flight. Just a few years ago, a simple, electric park flyer could fly for only about five minutes at a stretch. The new advances allows some aircraft to attain flight durations of more than 20 minutes.

In this episode, host Chris Chianelli visits the Academy of Model Aeronautics in Muncie, Indiana. The AMA has over 1200 acres and multiple flying fields--the perfect venue to demonstrate basic aerobatic maneuvers. Learning to fly aerobatics is not that difficult with some basic training. Chris demonstrates the basics to get the beginner started.