O.K. everyone,
I have read most of the comments on the new Wattage MicroFlyer. What is the final verdict? Are they worth the money? Do they last more than a few minutes before they break? Would you recommend one to a friend who is just starting out? Which mail order houses have them in stock? (Don't mention Hobby People, they never have anything in stock!)
Thanks
Jim

I think they are worth it, that is if you can disect one and solder!! I got 2, one of each channel. on the 27mhz one the motor ran backwards! And the Radio is not so good, but I tried my old airtech, B-2 radios and the work the micro and have better range. I flew the first one w/out the landing gear, and the CG was off. So I'm trying to move some weight to the nose without adding any. My wife crashed it into the grass at the park several times and no damage at all.

I am returning my second unit to the factory as the range as been very short 3m since I got in trade for my first unit which the actuator failed in the first week.
They have problems to work thru in manufacturing this is not uncommon and they are breaking new ground in technology which is often full of problems.
I am not sorry I bought mine and I am eager to get a working unit returned to me soon. I loved the first one until it failed, hopefully they will get the bugs worked out and we can enjoy a revolution in flying toys.

The one I bought 2 weeks ago is still going strong. the only adjustments i made was to to the thrust line to get it to fly straight under power. Most of the time I fly in a park so i leave the landing gear off which makes it a little more unstable so I can do loops and rolls with it.

Soar Dude

I normally hang out in the parkflyer area and am looking for information on the Wattage micro flyer as a Christmas present. After a few searches and a lot of thread reviews, it turns out that fellow modelers who hang out on the Indoor and Micro Flyers forum are just like everyone else in the pursuit of perfection. And that the release of another model is just another reason to experiment, kit bash, and try to improve the flying characteristics for the betterment of humanity.

However, I do have a simple question; would the micro flyer make an acceptable Xmas present for the uninitiated?

As they come out of the box they are erratic and don't have very good (if any) quality control. It would be virtually impossible for a brand new flyer to successfully fly it.

If they enjoy a few erratic flights with not much control it will be fine. I bought one, won't buy another.

I know theres a big thread about it but I didnt really get a sense of whether people actually think its any good.

I saw someone had sliced theres apart.

I really just want it to fly around car parks while my wife is in a store.

I'm a beginner so I figured it might be a fun way to increase my skills on days I cant make it to the field. I know its not the same as flying my 30" 3ch plane but I thought it would be fun.

So would it be any good for me ?

Hey,
I just got mine earlier this week, and it looks like most of the original faults must have been corrected in a later batch (it has about 1 degree down thrust and 2 degrees right) but the design is a little wobbly (the tail fin is a little to small and to close to the wing) but for $40 its a pretty good little plane. Just try to get it from your LHS, because a few seemed to be really messed up, and its alot easier to return it in person (just in case)
Most of this is judt what i picked up from the big thread, its still been too windy to fly mine, but when i do, ill let you know.
good luck!

EDIT: Just got back from flying this afternoon. Flew reallly well, the prop came off once, but i replaced it with a GWS 2X3. Flew a whole lot better. Still smiling from it . I Now i think its worth every cent, but it seems that getting a good one is pot luck given some of the other responces.

The first Wattage RTF Micro Flyer thread has gotten huge. I've closed that thread to new posts and have started this thread to continue the discussion.

Gordon

I posted a couple times in the large thread about how I like the WMF. I originally inhereted my first, and when they were on sale I bought a spare for me and another for a friend. My buddy set his up so his 5 year old daughter can fly it (throttle on and auto left turn). Eventually the friend that "loaned" me his plane for repairs got a new one as I couldn't part with "my" MF.

The only major problem that I have experienced is the actuator wires breaking right where they duck out of sight at the tail feather. A preemptive fix before having to solder is to add some glue to the vertical tail surface (rudder) where it meets the fuse. On some hard impacts I have had the wires (re)break and the tail fin fly out. Obviously I didn't use enough glue! I like to use Liquid Nail's "Perfect Glue #1". It is like shoe goo but doesn't eat foam. It stays rubbery but is strong.

Also my first planes prop has taken a beating, been twisted for more and less (and then some more!) pitch for testing. It still is snug and has just some stress marks around the hub from HARD impacts. Now my new one broke its prop after the fifth crash of it's life. It broke cleanly up the middle of the hub, right through the shaft hole. I will try Transistor's idea of the GWS prop, but a four pack of new wattage props are on their way.

There are alot of "hacks" using the WMF's parts and electronics, but I hope this thread can stick to just the Micro flyer with it's (good and bad) traits.

Justin

You can easily repair the prop if the hub splits. Just pry the black rubber cone off. It's glued on. CA the prop back together. Then get some sewing thread and wrap it around the front of the prop hub for reinforcement and CA that. I glued the cone back on with bathroom caulk, so it can be easily removed if needed. I am still flying with my original repaired prop.

I neeeeed step by step by step instructions for some modifications of the wattage microflyer-from taking the gear out of the plane to flying the new one.. crazy crazy thing to ask but, is anyone willing to do something like this for a sad pathetic noob?

Lol. That is what I've been using until the repalacements arrive! I used dental floss as the thread I have actually has some elastic properties and never pulls tight. I've had to re-CA it three times, but the last has been good for over ten hard landings (OK crashes). Thanks Kwok Yu!

Justin

Anybody else have the front case come off? Mine always seem to come off. Is there a spring in there behind the pinion gear?

Thanks,
BC

I disagree with the above. I hand mine over to kids and others who havent flown RC and they dont have any problems. Easy to fly.