Flying Model Reviews

ParkZone’s newly introduced Vapor is available in RTF (ready-to-fly) and BNF (bind-n-fly) versions. This is an absolutely amazing indoor RC airplane, and one of the best I have flown. Almost silent in operation and truly gentle in handling, the Vapor is ready to deliver the perfect indoor flight, along with a lot of satisfaction for RC pilots at any skill level.

       RTF or BNF, the ParkZone Vapor brings you tons of awesome features, all of which come together to form an excellent airplane. To start, the Vapor can be flown almost anywhere, be it your living room, garage, basement or even a gym. Keeping the flying area in or close to your home removes the annoyance of having to drive any distance to a model flying field.

       Beyond the location convenience, the Vapor’s Spektrum DSM2 2.4GHz radio technology negates any interference, so more than one airplane can fly at once. A Micro 3.7V 70mAh LiPo battery is included, as well as a single-cell LiPo charger that charges the flight battery safely in less than 20 minutes. The 3-channel RC system provides rudder and elevator maneuverability and throttle management, and accuracy is due to its fully proportional, lightweight servo motors with feedback potentiometers.

       The Vapor’s lightweight carbon fuselage, tail and wing, combined with the lightweight PET film covering over the wing and tail surfaces combine to make ParkZone’s Vapor one of the lightest airplanes I have ever owned, weighing in at just one-half ounce. The Vapor has a gorgeous appearance, and to top it off, it comes straight out of the box that way; absolutely no gluing, painting or assembly of any kind are required.

       Getting the ParkZone Vapor into the air is a rather simple task. The first step is to prepare the transmitter by installing four of the included AA batteries. With the batteries in, turn the switch on and check the LED. If it lights, the batteries have been correctly installed.

       Charge your ParkZone 3.7V 70mAh LiPo flight battery by installing the other four included AA batteries in the charger. Slide the battery into the charge slot, and it will be fully charged in less than 20 minutes. A full charge gets you roughly 15 minutes of flight, and always remember to never leave a charging battery unattended.

       An extremely cool and helpful feature of the Vapor is its availability as either a ready-to-fly (RTF) or a bind-n-fly (BNF). The RTF version comes with a transmitter that’s already bound with the airplane. The Vapor RTF can bind to a different transmitter if you add a more advanced RC system to your inventory later on. If you already own a bind-compatible radio and would like to cut the purchase price by roughly $30, buy the Vapor BNF. It’s just like the RTF, minus the transmitter.

       The BNF version binds to your own appropriate radio in less than 30 seconds, and the process is super easy. With the transmitter off, connect the Vapor’s battery, hold the designated bind button or switch, and turn the transmitter on within 5 seconds. The binding process should finish in roughly 8 seconds. Check the rudder, elevator and throttle to verify proper response. If everything answers correctly, you have successfully bound your transmitter and your model is ready.

       The ideal flying area is an indoor location with at least 15 feet by 15 feet of floor area and a minimum ceiling height of 8 feet. I am lucky enough that Wayne Lehman, my former middle school science teacher, is also a friend of my dad and an avid indoor flier. Wayne gives us access to the school gym so we can fly.

       The Vapor can get into the air with a hand launch or an ROG (rise off ground) “runway” takeoff, but it’s what happens after it leaves the ground that’s the fun part. The Vapor is an all-around lady in the air, made to perform with unmatched handling and control. When Mr. Lehman flew the Vapor, he couldn’t emphasize enough his love of its slow speed, quiet motor and amazing handling. He said that it’s one of the best he has ever flown, and it is now a personal favorite.

                I am right in his boat, agreeing completely with all his comments. Capable of more than just wide, smooth turns, including sudden, whip-like 180-degree changes in direction, the Vapor is everything I could want. Control is never in question, and its performance is superb. Hats off to ParkZone for creating this A-plus model, a study in indoor RC flying at its finest.