At last my local newsagent got the Feb issue of Q&EFI in. I'm sure the publishers won't mind me putting the review up for everyone to see - especially if I link their website too.

Quiet & Electric Flight International

A readable version can be seen on Facebook

I'll have to give it a look when I'm not on an iPhone. . Between this and the "Model Aviation" write ups, there's a lot of positive press.

Originally Posted by kalmon

New Twist on AS3X!! A custom software that allows independent incremental gain adjustment on each surface and (possibly) a way to enable and disable the gyros remotely using channel 5. Also stick override priority for each axis as well.

Software here. I am hosting this at my personal webserver. Files have been scanned with Kaspersky 2013 and clean of malware/spyware/virus.

-Brian

Update to my Microaces FW-190 antics with the AS3X Spitfire brick. I just tried this sofware on my UM Spitfire AS3X brick and this is what I have been waiting for. Works perfectly. Unlike Horizon's software I can independently adjust all the gains on each gyro as well as load the canned setups and you can turn the AS3X on and off using channel 5 on my transmitter. Awesome. Now I should finally be able to stop the wings rocking on my Microaces FW-190. Thanks.

Kevin

Finally got to read the new article. Poor fellow had a bad time with the assembly, but at least he know what to do to get his example to fly (unlike others who will remain nameless).

It's been either too windy or too wet to fly. Today: Windy. Oh, and when the weather has been nice, I've had to go to work, which is where I'm headed right now. Gotta support this habit somehow.

Just wanted to say that I was exposed to Micro Aces by the Flite Test video... Despite the poor ratings I wanted to buy a model... I went to the website and was disappointed by the lack of variety. I'm looking for a micro P-47, and will buy one as soon as you release it.

I'm sharing this bit of information because I want you to know that the YouTube video wasn't damning and I hope you don't get discouraged.

Intelligent RC enthusiasts will be able to see through someone's lack of flying abilities. Your 80% drop in sales might not have been from the video. Rather, it could have been that you've exhausted the 2D "profile" P-51/FW-190 market.

Your business caters to a niche. Most "kids" don't want a profile P-51 or Spitfire when they can get a full P-51 or Spitfire from Parkzone.

What you need to do is offer models that Parkzone is not offering. Flood the market with Micro Zeroes... Or, like in my case, P-47s!

I understand your fairly new... Thought I'd share my thoughts. I understand it takes time for you to develop and test your models. The fact that you take your time to test them instead of just pumping out models says volumes!

I eagerly await your upcoming models! Keep up the good work!

I don't understand why everyone thinks that the flitetest review was negative. I had never heard of microaces before watching the video, and that seems to be the case with most people. They showed two different opinions on the product and it was very balanced in my opinion. Some of the negatives pointed out were valid, and should be fixed, not covered up. One examples is how the stickers bind up the control surfaces. I also think that the lack of sales is due to a small market for very expensive micro profile planes. It's a $120 for a few pieces of foam board when you include the receiver, and not many people are used to that after buying from hobbyking.

With that being said, they do look very nice and would be extremely popular at a lower price point.

Originally Posted by Barrett_G

Just wanted to say that I was exposed to Micro Aces by the Flite Test video... Despite the poor ratings I wanted to buy a model... I went to the website and was disappointed by the lack of variety. I'm looking for a micro P-47, and will buy one as soon as you release it.

I'm sharing this bit of information because I want you to know that the YouTube video wasn't damning and I hope you don't get discouraged.

Intelligent RC enthusiasts will be able to see through someone's lack of flying abilities. Your 80% drop in sales might not have been from the video. Rather, it could have been that you've exhausted the 2D "profile" P-51/FW-190 market.

Your business caters to a niche. Most "kids" don't want a profile P-51 or Spitfire when they can get a full P-51 or Spitfire from Parkzone.

What you need to do is offer models that Parkzone is not offering. Flood the market with Micro Zeroes... Or, like in my case, P-47s!

I understand your fairly new... Thought I'd share my thoughts. I understand it takes time for you to develop and test your models. The fact that you take your time to test them instead of just pumping out models says volumes!

I eagerly await your upcoming models! Keep up the good work!

Barrett_G, you make a very good point here and I do think our future is definitely in exploring a much broader range of aircraft. It just takes time to develop these aircraft even though they are profile birds. Last year was all about getting launched and creating a viable business with a cohesive platform to work from. This year we will be concentrating our efforts in adding to our range.

I'm really happy with how the Curtiss P-6E Hawk project is coming along and the Mk1a Spitfire (I know, common as muck but we would be locked in the Tower of London if we didn't release it) will be launching shortly closely followed by a Bf109E - not too many of those around in micro.

Many thanks for your support and I will bump the Jug up a notch on the 'what are we making next' pile!

Some more unusual planes that parkzone doesn't make would be a great idea. Are you going to focus on WWI to WWII planes or will there be some more recent designs? I think micro pusher jets would be a huge hit.

I know you will never release it, but an XF-84H Thunderscreech would be amazing.

That Curtiss P6-E is certainly going to be a different subject.

Thanks for bumping the Jug up on the list!

I've been brainstorming some.. And I thought I'd post a couple more ideas I've had... But rest assured this will be my last long winded post

If you'll notice... When Parkzone released the spitfire... Everyone screamed that it was a 1s gearboxed/brushed motor.

Look at the newly released Warhawk thread... People are still in uproar that its another brushed "underpowered" platform. Many people claimed that they were going to hold out to see how it performed because they weren't happy with the Spitfire's performance. So far.. Judging from the stale thread.. Sales for the Warhawk must not be all that great.

It looks as though most people have moved on to the "beast guts" as the new standard of platform. A small brushless 2s motor. If the sales from the Warhawk are indeed not very good as the thread would indicate, I see Parkzone quitting the brushed set-up and moving to the brushless setup.

You may want to consider new models that will incorporate beast or Gee Bee guts as well.

Also, I purchased a Guillows 503 Hellcat kit as well as a Guillows 509 Avenger kit. Both are micro planes that Parkzone hasn't produced... so I've gotta do it myself. I've seen several conversion threads... but all have used balsa.. and all have used the brushed set-up... and all seem a bit heavy and underpowered.

I plan on using the balsa as a template to hand cut depron to make a foamy and use Beast guts to power it.... Though I'm a little unsure about skinning it as I've never done anything like that with tissue paper.

This is where I see your company flourishing.

Use your laser cutter to make precut depron kits much like the Guillows balsa kits. Make them accept beast guts. I think using stickers as skin would work, look much more attractive than tissue, and not be as intimidating to newer modelers such as myself.

Also... Your stickers are your major advantage over bigger companies like Parkzone. When they released the Corsair, they provided 2 sets or stickers so you could have 2 different planes. However, both were the standard blue corsair.

Your company on the other hand, uses the stickers as a whole airframe. So, say you release a P-47. You've only cut one foam kit, but can provide an OD green P-47, a Silver P-47, a Camo'd British Thunderbolt MKII, and the list goes on. I'm not saying provide all the stickers at once. Upon checkout you chose your paint-scheme and get one set in your kit. Usually company's like FMS may sell 2 different paint-schemes. You can offer many. And it doesn't cost your company until its ordered and you print it out.

Also, for an additional $1.99 (or whatever it costs) maybe you could provide a nose art sheet of stickers with a couple pin-up girls, some bullet holes, and maybe a few "kill marks" that people could stick to the side of their plane that will personalize it.

I think what your doing is awesome. Keep selling your current kits for beginning modelers.. As that's your whole purpose is to attract new modelers to the hobby, but also offer kits for intermediate modelers. The price of the kits wouldn't be much more, and I think people complaining about the price-point for 2d kits have no basis for argument for full fuselaged aircraft.

Anyways... Just some ideas I had... Take care!

Great food for thought Barrett_G. Funnily enough I've always seen the bigger airframes of the P47, Corsair, Typhoon, Dora etc as needing a 2S setup to provide a decent scale performance. Would certainly be in our interest to consider the Beast guts as a possible platform for them.

Thanks

Jon

Originally Posted by kovs

Some more unusual planes that parkzone doesn't make would be a great idea. Are you going to focus on WWI to WWII planes or will there be some more recent designs? I think micro pusher jets would be a huge hit.

I know you will never release it, but an XF-84H Thunderscreech would be amazing.

Wow - that is a craft and a half! That would be great slamming around the local cricket ground. I think once Microaces is more established it would be great to bring out a range of experimental aircraft that pushed the boundaries of aviation. It sits well in our 'Flying History' outlook and the challenge to design them would be fantastic.

As for the focus, we can really go anywhere. It's just time and resource that are restricting - but we're working on that too.

I'm a poor pilot so I tend to fly slow models that do OK on just one cell. However for a bit of performance I always go the 2-cell route. I'm not a bit fan of brick receivers so tend to mix and match components to suit the model. You get more choice in motors with a 2-cell setup and the equipment weight does not increase significantly over a 1-cell setup. The equipment price can actually be lower for a 2-cell setup.

Just bought a deluxe Black 8 and 3 lipos! Can't wait!

Latest build video posted up to YTube. I'll get it finished one of these days!

MICROACES - Assembling the Nose Part 1 (6 min 9 sec)