Brand Overview
HobbyZone is a brand of remote control aircraft that are designed and manufactured for the RC hobby marketplace. The brand is owned and managed by Horizon Hobby of Champaign, Illinois in the USA.
HobbyZone branded products are dedicated to the entry level pilot who is just getting into the hobby. The aircraft are all electrically powered and constructed of molded foam. The HobbyZone products are categorized into three levels of skills: Skill Zone 1 (no flying experience needed), Skill Zone 2 (basic flying skills needed), and Skill Zone 3 (RC flying experience required).
Skill Zone 1 is the largest category of HobbyZone branded products. They are all RC airplanes (with the exception of a single boat) that are ready-to-fly (RTF) right out of the box. Kits include a completely assembled aircraft (complete with decals/paint), a transmitter, a receiver (that is mounted in the airplane), all servos installed, an appropriately sized battery, and a charger. Even the transmitter batteries are included in the HobbyZone Skill Zone 1 aircraft kits. Aircraft are modeled after the very full-scale airplanes that have been giving pilots their wings for years, like the Champ and the Super Cub.
Skill Zone 1 aircraft sizes range in wingspans from the tiny ultra-micro Champ (20 inches) up to the Super Cub (48 inches). The kits range in price from $90 up to $250.
Skill Zones 2 and 3 each contain a single RC airplane product. Each zone's kit is essentially the same airframe, the Aerobird, with slight variations in features which, for Zone 3 make it a more capable airframe (thus more difficult to fly). In both cases the Aerobird kit is just under 48 inches in wingspan and a flying weight of 620 grams (22oz). The Zone 3 Aerobird (the Swift) has aileron control and is designed to give the pilot an introduction to this level of flight control.
A noteworthy feature of the HobbyZone aircraft brand is the use of Anti-Crash Technology (ACT) on some of their kits. The technology essentially is a proximity sensor system that is designed to divert the aircraft away from obstacles (such as the ground), giving the new pilot a buffer for those common early flight mistakes.
HobbyZone branded products are distributed through Horizon Hobby's large network of distributors and can be purchased through most online and local hobby shops that carry Horizon Hobby brands throughout the world.
Additional information about HobbyZone products can be found on the brand's website: www.hobbyzonesports.com.
