Ep 209: The Beginner’s Lounge, Trailer Upgrades, and the RACores Yak‑55 Assembly
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The RC Plane Lab podcast dives into a season of quiet preparation, where rising fuel prices and the closure of historic aircraft manufacturer Waco have forced the hosts to scale back on long-distance flying trips. Despite this, the duo remains energized by new projects: Dave built Ron's RACore Yak-55 from a pre-painted, foam-based kit, a surprisingly quick build that highlighted the challenges of cutting tough EPP foam and the unexpected rusting power of canopy glue. Meanwhile, Ron launched the Beginner’s Lounge—a structured 12-course online resource designed to help newcomers navigate the AMA, trust exams, and basic RC setup without feeling overwhelmed. The episode also features a deep dive into practical upgrades: a 12V RV-style air conditioner installed in the trailer, a new multi-port S450 charger with universal connectors, and a growing obsession with custom battery strap solutions using a $9.99 40-foot Velcro-and-buckle kit. The hosts reflect on the emotional weight of losing Tommy from their flying trio and the bittersweet closure of Waco, yet find joy in the small, tangible progress of building, restoring, and preparing for a better 2027.
The Beginner’s Lounge (beginnerslounge.rcplanelab.com) is a structured 12-lesson beginner resource covering AMA, trust exams, and setup basics—designed to prevent new pilots from getting overwhelmed.
Waco Aircraft Company abruptly shut down after a $12M expansion, leaving owners of their 1930s-style wooden biplanes without parts or service, marking a sad loss for full-scale aviation.
The RACore Yak-55 and Blufo are pre-painted, EPP-foam ARFs that assemble in under 15 hours with no glue—ideal for quick, low-effort builds with a professional look.
Canopy glue is highly corrosive: it instantly rusts steel machinist blocks, so avoid placing metal tools directly on glued surfaces.
A $9.99 40-foot Velcro strap kit with 60 plastic buckles solves the eternal problem of mismatched battery straps—cut to any length, reusable, and holds securely.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Return and the Pause
Ron and Dave reconnect after a three-week gap, reflecting on the emotional and financial toll of rising fuel prices and the absence of their friend Tommy. They decide to skip the annual RC gathering and focus on a 'prep year' to set up for a stronger 2027.
The Waco Closure: A Full-Scale Tragedy
“They were just at Sun 'n Fun. They were supposed to be up there showing off their planes and their wares and stuff, and just out of nowhere. And they had even announced—I think it was like a $12 million expansion... and just out of nowhere.”
The Hangar 9 Valiant: A New 20cc ARF
The hosts preview the new Hangar 9 Valiant 20cc ARF—a Cessna-style tail dragger with a semi-symmetrical wing, optional retracts (likely a typo), and a $799.99 plug-and-play electric version. It’s praised for its bolt-together assembly and strong, stiff build.
RACore Yak-55 & Blufo: Pre-Painted Foam Builds
“That stuff's incredibly hard on razor blades. Oh, you had to cut those? Yeah. So those weren't pre-cut? They're not pre-cut. Okay. You could cut two cuts on a razor blade and you had to toss it and get a fresh one.”
RealFlight Flight Simulator & FreeSky Radio
Dave shares his experience with the RealFlight Flight Simulator, which he bought for $70 during a 30% off sale. He uses his FreeSky radio in joystick mode with a USB-C cable and had to add up trim to fix a nosedive issue in the BlueFoe model.
“Joe and All, that's not right—the Oshkosh. They were supposed to be up there showing off their planes and their wares and stuff, and just out of nowhere.”
“I'm going to have a honking wire to make sure that it doesn't overheat or anything like that. But my only concern that I haven't figured out yet is what I'm going to do on the end of that to make sure nothing gets shorted out.”
“didn't want it to be too in -depth. We didn't want it to be... If you start jumping around, you might get confused because you don't know what we're talking about in the second part.”
Hosts
waco aircraft company
organization
racore yak-55
product
beginnerslounge.rcplanelab.com
product
realflight flight simulator
product
spectrum s450 charger
product
hangar 9 valiant
product
associated rc-10
product
tamiya fox
product
ultimate 10-300
product
free sky radio
product
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