R/Cast

The Blade team is at it again, pushing the limits regarding what small helicopters are capable of. Mikel Graham from Blade joins us on this episode of the R/Cast to discuss the new Blade Nano CP X, the latest evolution from Blade. With its small size and aerobatic capabilities, the Nano CP X looks like it could possibly redefine what helis of this size are capable of. In addition, Seagull has released two new sport-scale models, and E-flite has recently announced a new sailplane too. Finally, the guys talk about the upcoming Air Meet and the 2012 edition of the Spektrum Electric Off-Road Championships. Check it out!

We had Bryan Spears from Parrot on the R/Cast nearly two years ago to discuss the original AR.Drone. Bryan is back to talk about the updated AR.Drone 2.0 and all the different software and hardware improvements that have been incorporated into this latest AR.Drone. John and Gary discuss the social aspects of the AR.Drone 2.0, how it flies, the new Absolute Control scheme and even more. John and Gary also discuss some of the newest releases from Seagull, Team Losi Racing, Parma, Team Orion and others.

We have a very special edition of the R/Cast for everyone this week. Winning one championship is hard. Winning back-to-back championships is even harder. This week we have invited 2011 and 2012 XFC Champion Seth Arnold in-studio to talk about his recent successful defense of his 2011 crown. John and Gary talk to Seth about the preparation before this year's event, some changes that he made from last year and a whole lot more. Seth also discusses how he was first invited to XFC, how the event works and some of the other finer details of the event. He even lets us know about his affinity for Bruno Mars! This is one episode of the R/Cast you're not going to want to miss.

Summer is here in full swing and it's time for folks to head to the water with their favorite RC Boats. The Pro Boat brand has long had some of the highest quality boats for a long time, and they have recently gone through and done a refresh of the boats and the brand. From a new ShockWave 26 and ShockWave 26 Brushless, updates to the Miss Geico and Impulse 31 to the new Blackjack 29, there's a lot to be excited about with the new Pro Boat lineup. Derek Wagner, Pro Boat brand manager, stopped by to discuss these refreshes, new 2.4GHz systems, new electronics and the new overall philosophy. We also discuss some of John and Gary's recent travels and adventures, and where they're heading to next.

Few could argue that many companies have had as huge an effect on electric 1/10-scale off road racing over the last 18-months as Team Losi Racing. Both the 22 and 22T vehicles have changed how people think when it comes to 2WD buggies and stadium trucks. One of the main people behind both of these projects is the man known as Dyno, Dan Hissem. While Gary was in California for RCX, he paid the TLR crew a visit and sat down with Dyno to find out how he got into RC, how he thinks about designing cars and more. Gary also recaps RCX, John talks about the new ParkZone F4U-1A Corsair and much more.

Who doesn't love fast cars? When it comes to cars that look great and go fast, you can't beat a funny car. Traxxas has a new partnership with John Force Racing that not only makes Traxxas the primary sponsor on Courtney Force's car, but also an associate sponsor on the other JFR cars of Mike Neff, Robert Hight and the king of the funny cars, John Force himself. Traxxas is building upon this partnership by announcing four brand new 1/8-scale models of these full-scale rockets. Peter Vieira is the Traxxas' Marketing Manager and joins us on this week's show to talk about these new rides and the new DTS-1 timing system. Also this week, John has just returned from Toledo and the annual Weak Signals show and recaps the goings-on from the OH-10. Oh, and you'll want to keep listening after the music begins to end the show. We've thrown an extra nugget in there for you that should make you laugh.

The Toledo Weak Signals show is one of the biggest aircraft trade shows in the USA. From airplanes to helicopters and more, some of the coolest gear for the upcoming flying season will be on display at Toledo. This week we have two big announcements to talk about as we bring you a rare 1-2 double R/Cast. First up is Blade Product Developer James Haley to discuss their new 130 X BNF collective pitch helicopter. The perfect heli between the mCP X v2 and the 300 X, the Blade 130 X brings collective pitch 3D flying to a new class and size heli. Also this week is ParkZone Product Developer Matt Andren to talk about an update to the popular Habu EDF. The Habu 2 features the same great construction and electronics as the original, but now features a new trim scheme and optional flaps and retracts. Whether you're into helis or planes, there's plenty here for everyone on this week's episode.

Many pilots out there have gotten their hands on the UMX Hyper Taxi, UMX Gee Bee R2 and UMX Beast 3D in recent weeks now they have started to ship. With weather getting warmer, we're chomping at the bit to get outside and get some flying in. AS3X technology represents a number of changes and improvements to the experience of flying an ultra micro plane outdoors. Seth Arnold joins us this week to answer questions on how to get the most out of flying these three new planes, especially with the outdoor season approaching quickly.

Losi has enjoyed a lot of success with their 1/24-scale Micro Rally and Micro Short Course Truck, and for good reason. They're a fast, fun and economical way to get into RC without breaking the bank, and their small size means you can drive them almost anywhere. Taking what they have learned from those two vehicles, Losi has released a third vehicle based on this platform in the new 1/24-scale Micro Truggy. Rich Trujillo calls into the show this week to discuss this new variant, how it performs, and provides an inside look at this cool little truck.

Blade helicopters announced several brand-new models at the recent Nuremberg Toy Fair: the Blade 300 X, Blade 500 3D and the Blade 500 X. These helis look to further advance Blade into the future with extremely capable and user-friendly helicopters. Add in the benefit of completely pre-assembled airframes and you have a number of very solid helis for the intermediate to advanced heli pilot. Mikel Graham was the man behind the 500 3D and 500 X, while James Haley brought the 300 X to life. Both of these talented designers join John and Gary in-studio for this week's R/Cast.

When it comes to the world of ultra micro airplanes, we've heard one request over and over: bring out an ultra micro jet. The folks at E-flite have answered the call with the new UMX MiG 15 DF. In what is sure to be one of the hottest ultra micros ever produced, we're just as excited about it as many of you are. David Payne has been the man behind this project from the beginning and joins us in-studio to discuss this amazing little plane. In addition to the UMX MiG, many of you know the Nuremberg Toy Faire is in full swing right now and both John and Gary discuss all the new goods that landed in Germany.

On this week's episode of the R/Cast E-flite Associate Product Developer Ryan Smith is in-studio with the guys to talk about the new E-flite Twist 480 3D ARF. This plane represents a scaled-down version of the wildly popular Hangar 9 Twist and provides a very similar flying experience. From the genuine Hangar 9 UltraCote covering, balsa and ply construction, dual magnetic hatches and more, this is one plane we're betting is sure to be a hit at the flying field. In addition to Ryan's visit, John Redman is back from the AMA show and shares some of his experiences. We?ll also talk about two new Dynamite chargers to get you up and running quickly and easily, as well as an exciting announcement regarding both the R/Cast and our On the Horizon videos. Check it out!

Happy New Year! 2012 is here and we're kicking it off in-style with one of the coolest helis we've seen in some time. Blade announced a new quad-copter last week called the mQX, and this is one interesting little bird. Utilizing AS3X Technology and featuring two different flight configurations, a lightweight design and more, the mQX looks to really change the landscape of helicopters. Brain Reed from Blade is in-studio with us this week to discuss this remarkable quad-copter. As the main man behind this project, he has worked quite hard to raise the bar and deliver an outstanding flying machine. With John Redman out at the AMA show, we also have John Diniz joining us this week to help keep Gary in-check.

Where did 2011 go? We've seen a lot of great gear this year, from a new Stryker by Quique Somenzini and two ultra micro collective pitch helis from Blade, to the TLR 22 bringing home a ton of hardware, Losi entering the 1/5-scale arena and 3 new ECX vehicles. And this doesn't even scratch the surface! John and Gary are here to recap what they thought the top cars, trucks, planes, helis and more for 2011 were. We've also asked our Facebook members (at Facebook.com/HorizonHobby) to provide their input as to what their favorites of 2011 were. Make sure you check out our final R/Cast of 2011!!

The Blade mCP X broke new ground in terms of size, performance and flight experience. Taking what they learned from the mCP X the Blade team is at it again with the Blade mCP X v2. Featuring a refined AS3X system, new tail rotor, higher C-Rated battery and more, this is one awesome ultra micro helicopter. James Haley from Blade joined John and Gary on the show this week to discuss the new mCP X v2. We also asked fans on our Facebook page to submit their own questions for James which we made sure to share with everyone. Finally we also recap the 2011 Spektrum Electric Off-Road Championships and give a young drive some very big props. Make sure you check it out!