Air Land Sea Hobbies

The largest gathering of Electric Powered Aircraft  in the Nation is held in lower NY State in the Catskill Mountains in mid September. The weekend of Sept 12, 13, 14 2008 was when the event was held this year. This electric powered radio controlled event is held at the Peaceful Valley Campground. The flight line is over .3 miles long with many vendors set up. AirlandSeaHobbies.com was one of them.

The noon time show was worth the trip. You could find all the latest technology in all aspects of electric powered RC Hobby  being flown during the special noon time demos.

If you missed the event this year, mark your calendar  for the weekend of Sept 18, 19, 20 2009. The NEAT Fair is a great place to spend an enjoyable weekend watching or flying Electric Powered Aircraft.

See you there next September!

When shopping for toys for the big boys, those rc toys always top the list of must-haves. An RC helicopter is a good choice for boys aged 10 onwards. This is the awkward stage and it is usually difficult to find gifts for kids this age.

Of course, it will help if there will be a guardian to assist and help the kid when assembling the parts of the chopper. Some RC helicopters are great for beginners because they are easy to assemble and easy to maneuver.

One hobby that keeps boys, even men, glues is flying an RC plane. These toys are remote controlled and it takes skill to make a toy plane fly.

Sometimes, a plane’s performance may also depend on its RC parts. The motor may be upgraded for more power, or the other gears may be changed. Serious hobbyists actually upgrade their toys for better performance and more enjoyment.

Its fun playing with radio-controlled toys, and it’s even more interesting, at least for tech geeks, to learn how their radio control airplanes, cars, helicopters and robots work.While various radio-controlled toys may operate a little differently the principals are basically the same. Four key parts make up most radio-controlled toys. The toys are controlled by a handheld transmitter that sends radio waves to the receiver. The receiver consists of an antenna, and a circuit board that receives the signals from the transmitter. In order to turn wheels, steer the vehicle and operate, propellers the toys have motors. Lastly, each toy must have a power source; usually in the form of a battery.

Some radio-controlled toys that use power sources other than batteries include: models airplanes containing tiny, gas-powered engines that turn their propellers, wind-propelled sailboats, and blimps that use helium or hot air to float.

Ancient people may have had batteries. During the summer of 1936 railway laborers uncovered an ancient tomb outside of Baghdad. The tomb contained relics from the Parthian Empire. The Parthians lived between 190 BC and 224 AD. They were an illiterate and nomadic tribe that just may have invented the first battery.

A sealed jar was found in the tomb. An iron rod surrounded by a cylindrical copper-wrapped tube protruded from the center of the jar. The jar stood 15-centimeters tall, and was 12 centimeters in length. Archaeologists believe the jars contents to be the oldest battery in the world.

When replicated, filled with acidic liquid like vinegar, and tested the “battery” showed it could produce between 1.5 to 2 volts.

The modern day battery has been around for decades, and since 1996 lithium polymer batteries (better known as rechargeable batteries) have offered Americans convenience. The Parthians’ battery may have not resembled its modern day cousin, but it served its purpose.