Firebird XL™ Review                  

Hobby Zone’s Firebird XL™ is an excellent choice for people who want to enter the wonderful hobby of R/C airplanes without spending a lot of money.  This 40-inch wing, one-pound, 2-channel airplane comes with everything you need to fly except for eight AA alkaline batteries for the transmitter; the electric motor and the rudders are powered by the included rechargeable six-cell (7.2 volts) 900-mah nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery.

The Firebird XL™ will enable the newcomer to experience take-offs, landings, touch-and-goes, and in general, allow beginning fliers to orient themselves to the dynamics of R/C flying.  I found it much easier to fly (and land) my big gas plane after getting in some "stick time" with my Firebird.

Some tips:

First of all, read the instructions and watch the video!  Sure, this seems obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people come into the shop with a problem who obviously haven’t read the instructions or watched the video.  The most common problem is that people have a tendency to point the nose up while hand launching; this almost guarantees an instant stall and a crunched left wing.  Then, of course, there are those that assumed the battery came charged, but that’s another matter…

Speaking of batteries, I highly recommend you purchase at least one additional battery pack (HBZ1012 $24.95) and the optional 45-minute DC charger ($14.95).  I have four packs, and can fly all day!

Next, remember to use the shim (or a couple of Popsicle sticks) under the trailing edge of the wing if you are flying in a breeze (up to 10 mph).  If you don’t, the Firebird will probably porpoise and you will have difficulty penetrating the wind.  Also, I find that rocking the wings while flying upwind under full power enables the Firebird to climb quickly without stalling.  

At low speed, the Firebird turns very slowly, something to watch out for on landing, but since the propeller blasts right over the tail, a quick (one-second or less) burst of power will steepen the turn without increasing speed or gaining altitude.  Another time for a brief burst of power is just before touchdown; this is especially important if you are using the wheels and/or are planning a touch-and-go, because it levels the plane out for a smooth-as-glass landing.

By the way, unless you are flying off a paved runway, it is best to forget the wheels altogether; they will only cause a nose-over in grass or dirt unless your landing is dead perfect.  However, not to worry:  since the propeller is in back, no harm is done if you do.

Another suggestion:  I covered the bottom of the wing-tips with red MonoKote TM trim, which greatly enhances visibility, especially on a cloudy day.

One last comment, about flying sites:  because the Firebird XL ™ flies at about 20 mph and uses some room in turning, it is imperative that you fly it in a large enough space.  While a football field is more than enough for take-off and landing, it is not enough for flying if it is rimmed with trees and/or buildings.  You MUST be able to see the airplane if it is 600 feet away at 50 feet of altitude, or you WILL hit something sooner or later.

All in all, the Firebird XL ™ is a whole lot of fun, and will help you build the skills necessary to master a more sophisticated and expensive R/C airplane later on.  I highly recommend it.  Buy the Firebird XL now!