There was a time not long ago when I was attempting to launch an online R/C business. One of the first things I did was to look at the ad rates here at RCGroups.

They are not cheap and for good reason: LOTS of people see them.

Those who do step up to buy ad space are supporting this site and therefore the hobby. Many of these same paying customers provide review samples on top of that.

If there is one thing on these boards which completely steams me, it's when some cheesy company starts posting ads here on the blog space.

That tells me they are willing to literally rip the site off while trolling for dollars.

Please do yourselves, this site and its advertisers a favor. Buy from the distributors who have paid good money for ad space or at least from those who have provided samples at their cost.

Rant ended.

It took about two months for them to return to stock, but the Ram Radio Controlled Models light kit for the Heli-Max 1SQ quadcopter is widely available.

Every visit to the hobby shop I'd made since placing the order was partially in anticipation of the kit finally arriving.

As far as I'm concerned, it was worth the wait. The kit was easy to install, adds a tremendous visual impact and really does help keep it oriented at night. In fact, the headlights do a marvelous job of actually lighting the quad's path.

I've since moved the taillights to the outside of the motors which should make them even easier to see at night.

All this and no impact on performance. My kind of visual upgrade.

Despite a bit of wind out my way earlier today, I had a terrific flying day for two reasons.

One, it was a special event at my club celebrating its founders. There are actually still a couple of active members from the 1930s and a couple were in attendance.

Two, my best friend was there.

He's an expatriate Californian who settled in Georgia with his wife years ago, so he'd never seen me fly nor does he fly R/C.

We spent one great afternoon at the club before he heads out toward the coast tomorrow to visit his brother and his family. He didn't get to see a turbine fly because of a toasted servo, but he saw several EDFs as well as a few of my own planes, a helicopter and even my Heli-Max 1SQ.

Although he was a spectator, he still had one heck of a good time. The one bird he really wanted to see was my new Dynam RC Messerschmitt BF-109, a sample RTF provided by Nitroplanes for review on Ezonemag.com. The review should be going live any day now.

The thing which cracked him up was my reference in that review to the old Daffy Duck cartoon in which he exclaims, "Messerschmitts! A whole mess of Messerschmitts!"

My friend not only saw me fly it, he has officially dubbed it "Daffy."

Can't argue with a name like that which fits as well as it does!