Zhi-Yang ZY 530 Pro RC Plane

This article is a review of the Zhi-Yang ZY 530 Pro radio controlled toy aircraft, available from KidsToyLover.com.

The aircraft comes Ready To Fly, although both fins (vertical stabilizers) do need to be pushed into place. A simple plastic clip holds each one in place - simply put the fin over the slot in the tail and push down until you hear the click. The silicone rubber nose cone also needs to be put on, this simply pushes onto the front of the plane. A spare nose cone is provided, and this is a good thing because the cone can pop off very easily in a bad landing, and if you're flying the plane over long grass then it's easily lost! My tip of the day here is to secure the nose cone with something like a small pin - just push the pin through the underside of the nose cone into the foam of the fuselage. Or maybe tape it on with clear tape. Either way, don't rely on the cone staying in place on its own in a heavy landing, because it won't!

Also in the box is an optional clip-in undercarriage (landing gear), but personally I wouldn't bother using it - the plane is very easy to hand launch and looks a lot cooler in the air without the wheels hanging below it.

Also included are two propeller guards which simply clip in place around the motors, and serve to protect the propellers from breaking if they hit a hard surface, as well as finger protection from the spinning props. Spare propellers are also supplied, and these are color coded - black for the left motor and white for the right. The reason for this is that the motors turn in different directions to each other, so you need to put the correct prop on the correct motor, should you need to replace them because of breakage.

A single-cell Li-po battery and simple USB charger is supplied, the battery gives around 10 minutes of flight time.

The ZY 530 is a simple 2-channel fighter jet style aircraft, its dual electric motors control speed, height and direction. With this type of control, rather than conventional and independent motor/rudder/elevator control, the speed and height are directly combined. In other words, when you increase motor power by pushing forward on the transmitter stick, you increase the plane's speed through the air. As a result of the increased speed, the plane also gains height because more speed equals more lift being created by the wings.

For turning (directional control), you move the other stick on the transmitter left or right and this changes the speed of each motor relative to the other one. So, if you move the transmitter stick to the left then the left motor reduces in speed and the right motor increases in speed, which results in the plane turning to the left. It's a very simple method, but it works!

Flying the ZY 530 is a breeze, but be careful with that motor power! The ZY 530 is designed in such a way that it pitches up really easily. In other words, as soon as you add any amount of power then the nose of the aircraft points upwards and it starts to climb, but only for so long. Quickly it will flip over on itself, either in a really quick flip or a more conventional loop. For this reason, the ZY 530 is labelled as a 'Stunt Plane' on the box - and rightly so!

It's a lot of fun but, as always with any radio controlled aircraft, care needs to be taken. Be sure to only fly it in open areas and well away from other people and property. This is so important! Even though it's a toy, any radio controlled aircraft must be flown sensibly and responsibly at all times - never forget that!

In summary then, the ZY 530 is a low cost toy RC aircraft that's simple to operate and is capable of some cool flying stunts. It's modelled on a fighter jet so looks really cool too, and is available in several different colors.

KidsToyLover.com is an excellent place to buy from, and this plane certainly gets my thumbs up!

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.