stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

I went to the Perry Ga swap meet last weekend. It was my first time there. I was blown away at how many people were there and the vast array of RC product from both individuals and hobby stores. What I was very disappointed in was the total lack of Airtronics radio products there. Futaba amd others were everywhere.
I am the only guy in my club who flies with Airtronics. It was pretty much impossible to get any of the guys to even consider Airtronics. There was 1 RDS8000 there and I bought it for a buddy box for my own RDS 8000. I paid 30 bucks. The guy who sold it to me had bought the 10 channel radio and didnt need the 8 ch any more. Good for me.
I have heard that Airtronics is much bigger on the west coast. I just wish they were representedbetter out here.

ArchNemesis

I feel, or should I say Felt your pain.  For years I was the only guy in Ohio fly Atx.  But the SD10 and the RDS8000 significantly changed that and the change is still occurring.  Last pattern contest I went to 14 of the 28 competitors were flying the SD10.  By far the single most represented radio in our district. 

Stay with the program!  They'll eventually figure out what they're missing

petec

My Feedback: (58)

I'll echo Mark's sentiment. I have the picture from that meet to prove the statement.

My home field only has me flying Airtronics, but I hardly ever see anyone there and the few I do will not be buying anything to replace their old 72mhz stuff. The other fields I fly at have a few Sd-10Gs floating around. The more people see the radio the more they get interested in it. The change is happening without a doubt.

cracker

It is the same at my club in Minnesota. I am the only guy who flies Airtronics and I love the equipment. I bought a 10 ch last year after flying RD 6000's. I love it.

skysfallin

My Feedback: (10)

I think most of the world is just brainwashed by advertising of Spectrum and Futaba. I find neither of these product as easy to setup and program as the Airtronics products. The SD10G is so easy I bought another one just for a spare. Spectrum has always shown me there is something wrong if you have to have multiple satelite reciever antennas all over the plane so you don't loose a signal. Like archnemisis said, They will eventually see what they are missing.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I've done more than my fair share of evangelizing for Airtronics 2.4 here in Omaha. I've converted dozens of pilots over to Airtronics over the last four or so years, and we even have one of our club trainers set up buddy boxing a pair of SD-5g radios just so the new pilots can see Airtronics the first time they fly.

I knew that most RC pilots have a "herd" mentality when it comes to radio systems, so I went to work building an Airtronics user base in my club. It's pretty funny to hear someone ask about programming their JR or Spektrum radio at our field and have someone reply, "You have a Spektrum radio? I don't know to much about those. Most of us fly Airtronics or Hitec, but there are a few of the guys who have Futaba now, too."

In my estimation, the SD-6g is just about the perfect computer sport radio at the ideal price. On sale for $149.99 right now, they should be flying off the shelf faster than Sanwa can make them. When you add in Global's quality customer service, affordable pricing on additional receivers, and superior construction quality and ergonomics compared to most of the competition, it only adds to the value story. The icing on the cake is the SD-6g's best-in-class user's manual, just comparing the quality of the owner's manuals will prove that Airtronics cares as much about customer support as anybody in the hobby industry.

All we can do as informed Airtronics owners is keeping showing off our radios and spreading the message. The rest of the herd will come around eventually.

mschulz531

I agree with most everything you are saying, except the "affordable pricing on additional receivers"...at $10/channel, Airtronics RX's are more expensive than Spektrum or clone receivers, and ATX does not make a "mini" RX for super light planes. I'm still buying ATX RX's and I *LOVE* my SD-10G, but I think lowering the cost (at least on the FHSS-1 version) of some of their RX's would help.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I'm surprised to hear complaints about receiver pricing with regard to Airtronics 2.4Ghz.

The Spektrum AR600 has a MAP of $59.99 and the AR6120 is $79.99 versus $64.99 for the Airtronics RX600, which falls squarely between the two Spektrum options.

The Airtronics RX60 6-channel park flyer receiver has been advertised at $39.99 a number of times earlier this year, and nobody makes a receiver significantly lighter weight or smaller than the Airtronics RX40V, which is very reasonably priced at $41.99.

Futaba and Spektrum have had to introduce lower-cost options to their receiver line-ups specifically because Hobby King was completely soaking up their low-end demand with "Orange" receivers for FASST and DSM2. If they came out with Airtronics-compatible receivers for $10 or $15, I'm sure I'd buy a few to try out and use in some foamy projects, but it's not like the "outrageous" pricing of $39.99 for the RX60 or $54.99 for the RX500 is preventing me from getting a new plane put together.

The HK Orange FASST receivers are about $30 before shipping, and the DSM2 receivers require satellite add-ons to be reliable for full range use. It's cool that orange receivers work, but I wouldn't use them in most of my aircraft anyway.

I think Airtronics and Global have brought a very complete receiver line-up to market at very competitive prices. I wouldn't expect them to try to compete with Hong Kong purely on price in any event. I don't think it's fair to complain that Airtronics receiver pricing is too high simply because China hasn't seen fit to cannibalize the Airtronics receiver market. Airtronics and Hitec haven't been targeted in part because their receiver pricing was much more reasonable to begin with than Spektrum and Futaba.

wphilb

My Feedback: (10)

I was the only Airtronics user at my club until I started showing off the SD-10G, got several converts. It's very popular among sailplane pilots, but I like it as a GScale pilot because of the easy programming and things like throttle curves and stick switches. I hope they come out with some telemetry stuff in the future but I love the SD-10G as is and have a spare and an RDS8000 as my "carry in the car" radio in case a flying field runs out in front of me.

tc-62

sorry, but after four or five purshases from Airtronics,, and dealing with there customer sevice,,(and I'm talking from 1982-1985 to the recent) Iwont buy from them . I hope youfolks don't have a problem with your radios. I knowthat most of you that post here are probably working for Airtronics. Let it be known, I don't work for anyone in the modeling biz. I'm just posting so the other folk out there know that before you buy a radio, look it up online and go to the customer service.

Kinner

I've flown Airtronics for some 30 or so years. They have always answered my email within a day or two.

If I had a beef at all, it may be my inability to order from their website. A phone call gets the job done.

I've not experienced your woes 62.

Ray W.

PS, I don't work for Airtronics. Never have.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Sorry if I sound like a shill for Sanwa/Airtronics, but I'm just a happy customer. I started the Hitec Aurora 9 thread here in the radio forums that has half a million views. I'm also the happy owner of a 72Mhz Futaba 7CAF, a JR 400SX, and a Hitec Optic 6 with a Spektrum DM8 module. You replied to my post in particular, tc-62, but one look at my personal page here at RCU would have eased your suspicions that I'm only here to pimp Airtronics.

If Global Hobby wants to add an Airtronics-sponsored pilot in Nebraska, I'd sure jump at the chance. I really like the products and I've helped convert more than a couple of local pilots. I think Futaba, JR, and Hitec all have a lot to offer as well, but Airtronics has fit my needs perfectly with regard to features, reliability, and value.

PatternPilot

My Feedback: (58)

Tc-62

Your making a complaint from over 25 years ago.. again why? Your opinion would only be valid if it was within the past few years... I flew ATX before becoming a Team Pilot, I only approach companies after I have flown there products to see how it is and then become affiliated with them.

I have never had a issue with a email or a phone call.

So maybe you should reconsider and try the current ATX products and service.

Scott

SeaJay

My Feedback: (6)

TC-62,

You tell us that you have made several puchases from ATX over the past 30 years or so, and said that you wouldn't buy anything from them again. You also are attempting to warn us about thier products and/or service, yet you dont give Specific information as to what your complaints are or were! You are one of the very few that I have ever really heard that had anything but praise for the ATX systems, so I would be very interested in what you have to say!

I also have several radio systems, from JR, Hitec, Futaba, etc. I am just a weekend flyer, and I don't work for any RC or hobby related industry.. My Main Transmitters currently, are the JR9303 on 72mHz, and the ATX SD10G and I also have a Hitec Optic 6 for the Spectra (72mHz) and the Spektrum 2.4 gHz conversion modules for flexability. btw, I also have an RD8000 (72 mHz) tx, as well as the RDS8000 (2.4 gHz) tx. I have not had any problems with any of my ATX systems, and I use them regularly!!

Craig.

wphilb

My Feedback: (10)

TC-62,

pault

My Feedback: (34)

hello everybody...........been flyin airtronics since the 1980s............i have tried hitec,jr and futaba and have always came back to airtronics......loyality to airtronics products is impressive......anybody heard of any new radios coming out from airtronics?........my rd 80000 has alot of miles on it.......would really like to see a new 8 channel come out!........pault

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

The SD10G is one of the best out there and Hobby People has it for $299.99 with the 7 channel receiver and $339.99 with the 10 channel receiver. My buddy had the RDS8000 and loved it. He just upgraded to the SD10G and has been raving about it for weeks. It is the easiest radio I have ever seen to program. At last count, we have 10 of the SD10G's in our small club here in Muskogee and everyone loves them.

http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php...-rx700-rx.html

http://www.hobbypeople.net/index.php...-sx-sd10g.html