VolantexRC Ranger 600 Stunt 4-Channel RC Plane

The Ranger 600 Stunt plane from VolantexRC, available from KidsToyLover.com, follows on from the successful and popular Ranger 600, a 3-channel 'pusher' type radio controlled airplane very suitable for beginners to the hobby.

The Ranger 600 Stunt is an upgraded version, and has control to 4 channels - motor power, rudder, elevator and ailerons. Ailerons are a primary control surface found on the trailing edge (back edge) of each wing, and control the 'roll' , or 'bank angle', of an airplane.

A plane with ailerons is more agile and more fun to fly than a plane without ailerons, and of course it is more aerobatic. The drawback is that there's an extra channel to deal with, which steepens the learning curve a little, but the rewards are worth it.

The Ranger 600 Stunt is a great size for flying in smaller areas, the '600' in the name refers to the 600mm (60cm / 24 inches) wingspan. It comes completely pre-assembled so there's nothing for you to do to get it ready for flight. All you will need to do is charge the single cell Li-Po battery and insert 4 'AA' batteries into the transmitter (these batteries are not supplied so you'll need to buy some good quality ones). The Li-Po battery for the plane is supplied and is charged with the included USB charger.

Also in the box are two spare propellers, but because of the backward-facing orientation and position of the plane's motor, the prop is quite well protected and so you shouldn't break the prop unless you're really unlucky!

The Ranger comes in two color schemes, red and white or grey and green, and is made from tough and durable EPP foam. This type of foam is excellent for RC planes because it takes a lot to break it, and yet it's easily repairable if it does break.

This plane, like others, features the electronic stabilization technology which is an excellent aid for beginner RC pilots. There are 3 modes - beginner, intermediate and deactivated. In beginner mode the plane is very easy to fly and it will correct itself if it starts to get into an undesirable attitude in the air. For example, if you use too much down elevator this would normally send a plane diving towards the ground, but the stabilization technology senses this and automatically prevents the dive.

 Similarly it will limit how much the plane turns when you use the rudder and/or aileron stick.

In intermediate mode the pitch and bank angle limits are increased, so you can throw the plane around the sky a bit more. With the stabilization deactivated, you have 100% control and can do what you like - maximum fun!

Beware though, you do need to spend a good amount of time getting used to flying the plane safely in beginner mode and then intermediate. If you are a new RC pilot and you try and fly with the stabilization turned off right away, I guarantee your first flight will end in a crash!

The name 'Stunt' in this plane refers to it having some pre-programmed aerobatic manoeuvrers, which are activated by a button on the top of the transmitter. The two aerobatic options are a roll and a loop, and which one you perform is determined by which control surface you move once you have pressed the button.

If you press the button and move the aileron stick, the plane will perform a roll - either to the left or right depending on which way you move the stick. If you press the button and then pull back on the elevator stick then the plane will perform a loop. Great fun!

Of course, once you have built up some confidence and you don't need to rely on the pre-programmed aerobatics, you can fly it with the stabilization turned off and fly the maneuvers yourself without having to press the button first.

At the time of writing this post, I have only had one chance to fly the Ranger 600 Stunt plane, and as yet have not been able to capture a good flight video. Conditions are a bit too windy for the plane to handle nicely, so I'm hoping for some calmer weather soon.

 That said, it flew very well and is an excellent little RC plane. Definitely very beginner-friendly when the stabilization is in beginner mode, and the pre-programmed aerobatics worked well, although I only got to try each one once. A lot of fun though!

I can definitely recommend this plane, it's a great price and easy enough to fly for kids and beginners of all ages.

If you or your child are interested in RC and want to give it a try, our team member Pete, an expert in RC airplanes, has written an ebook for beginners. This guide has helped many RC enthusiasts by providing essential knowledge and answering common questions about RC flying. Here is the link to his ebook: The Beginner's Guide to Flying RC Airplanes by Pete. A small investment for big savings— we hope it helps everyone.