Three Horizon Hobby Airplanes from Beginner to Expert!

Written by Jim Graham Born To Fly As seen in the November 2019 issue of Model Aviation.

DISCOVER MORE CONTENT Check out additional content at www.ModelAviation.com/bonuscontent. I AM LUCKY in my hobby because I get to review RC airplanes. This summer, I had the opportunity to try three new aircraft from Horizon Hobby. I think they are worth writing about in my column because they span from beginner pilots to the flier who expects a lot from his or her aircraft.

AeroScout

When I was at the Horizon RC Fest, held June 7-9 at Eli Field in Monticello, Illinois, I watched as RC newcomers took the controls of the new AeroScout. This pusher-prop, entry-level, highwing airplane reminds me of some of the first electric-powered airplanes that I flew back in the day. The great part about getting it from Horizon Hobby is that you know it will be easy to build and will fly great right out of the box! Anyone can assemble this airplane. The people at Horizon Hobby have the build down to an art form. They had a new pilot in mind when they put the package together. A Spektrum DXe transmitter, a three-cell LiPo battery, and a charger are included. This is really all you need to get going. When the RC addiction hooks you, you will probably want to buy more batteries and a charger that can charge multiple packs at once. Taking off was noneventful, and after a little trimming, the AeroScout was a solid flier. With AS3X, it is made for a new pilot. SAFE technology prevents a newcomer from overcontrolling, and with the push of a button, you can automatically return to steady flight. The included DXe transmitter has a wireless trainer feature, which is incredible for an entry-level transmitter. I used the wireless buddy-box feature with a Spektrum DX6 transmitter in case my son wanted to try flying it. My father-in-law happened to stop by the field during my maiden flight. I looked at him and realized that although he helped get me into RC, he had not flown in approximately 17 years. We got him on the DX6 to buddy box, but he was reluctant because he had been off of the sticks for so long. In roughly a minute, he was in full control of the AeroScout, and with some encouragement from me and the aid of AS3X, he even made a smooth landing. It was exciting for him and it proved to me that the AeroScout was exactly what it was supposed to be.

Timber X and Turbo Timber

The next batch of aircraft come from the Timber family. This tried-and-true airframe is loved by many RC pilots. Before I touch on the two, I want to discuss the build. The build is so simple that you could take the box to the field and be ready to go in approximately 15 minutes. You can even download preconfigured files from the Horizon Hobby website to your transmitter’s SD card and pop them into your transmitter. I also find that the trim is usually pretty close right out of the box. The only tricky part is connecting the landing gear, but after you do, the gear is tough. I do suggest you use Loctite on the landing gear screws. I had the new Turbo Timber from Horizon with me on the day that we flew the AeroScout. There are many Timber pilots out there. The Turbo Timber is the next step up. The motor and ESC have been beefed up, so now you can utilize a fourcell LiPo battery. Is there a big difference in power? Yes! And the Turbo Timber really turns up the heat! I think that led to the next improvement—a stiffer wing. The Turbo Timber needs it with that extra power and it improves the way it feels in the air. Even rolls feel faster! If you have a worn-out Timber and want to turn things up a notch, I fully suggest the Turbo Timber.

Think of this as a hopped-up Timber that can take a four-cell LiPo battery.

If the Turbo Timber was a notch up from the first iteration of the original Timber then the Timber X is the Frankenstein of the group! Can it hover? Yes! Can it perform 3D? Yes! (Note: The Timber X was reviewed by Executive Editor Jay Smith in the September 2019 issue of Model Aviation.) I flew it on a three-cell LiPo battery first and trimmed it out. The Turbo Timber seemed fine on the three-cell LiPo, but to me, three cells on the Timber X was simply not enough. I think this has to do with how the Timber X is propped. Horizon Hobby doesn’t suggest the Timber X for a new pilot, but using low rates and a three-cell LiPo, it is super docile. When you drop a four-cell battery in, you will see what the Timber X was made for. I have a thing for fast roll rates. I find it can help you get out of trouble quickly if you need to. I also have a thing for fully utilizing all of the features that I can on an airplane. I say that to state this: When you couple the flaps with the ailerons, the roll rate is insane! It will make you laugh out loud! This can be done with the stock receiver, but you need to move a few wires around. Although the Timber X isn’t the purest of 3D airplanes, it is super fun! I want to give big kudos to the Horizon Hobby team for designing these affordable, easy-to-build, and great-flying aircraft. They set beginner, intermediate, and experienced pilots up for success! They are all winners. By the time you read this, I should have in-depth reviews of each one on RCGroups.com.

By Jim Graham | [email protected]