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E-flite Night Radian RC Glider

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Old 10-19-2018, 10:00 PM
  #1  
GBLynden
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Default E-flite Night Radian RC Glider

I just got this new E-flite Night Radian RC Glider and decided to review it for you guys. It has Flite Test stickers and is a 2M Glow In The Dark Powered Sailplane.

In the video I unboxing it, go over the parts and pieces, show you what it looks like after assembly, provide a light demonstration, discuss the radio setup, and provide my review notes at the end.

In this video I hand launched it in SAFE Mode, flew it around on power, did some gliding, and showed off how well it loops. You will notice that it is still a little nose heavy balanced at a little more than 3" with my Enfan 1500 lipo. When I moved the CG back to a little more than 3.25", it had a perfect balance almost 1" off of what the manual recommends.

Here are my review notes:

Pros
- It is a big E-flite Radian Powered Glider
- The motor is a 3S brushless motor
- Not only does this comes with lights installed, but they offer a ton of variety
- This is definitely something you can add an FPV camera to for more fun
- If you're a Flite Test fan, this plane is for you with the stickers and such
- The radio setup is easy like most Horizon Hobby products
- It comes with the option of using SAFE Select
- AS3X is nice when you have SAFE Select turned off

Cons
- The CG is printed incorrectly in the manual and may cause issues flying it. I found that a touch past 3.25" was perfect for my enfan 1500 lipo battery on the maiden flight.
- The tape provided to hold the horizontal stabilizer is unacceptable. Use quality shipping tape instead.
- Wires that connect the horizontal stab to the fuse are a free floating afterthought.
- The Servo tape that covers the wing lights underneath the main wing started to roll up after the first wing installation.
- The LED wing wires are going to be a hassle every time this plane is flown because they are about an inch and a half too short. To help with this, I added some servo connector extensions. I highly recommend this!
Old 10-19-2018, 11:35 PM
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MaxSouthoz
 
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Thanks, GB.

Others have complained about the CG in the manual being wrong. It should read 3" as a start point.

I ordered mine in early September - expected delivery sometime in November.

So much for shopping locally.

Cheers
Max
Old 11-02-2018, 04:50 PM
  #3  
GBLynden
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You're welcome Max and I hope you have received yours by now! I took mine out flying in the dark with a buddy that has one too and it is a ton of fun!

Here are two things to keep in mind while flying at night with this:
  • It needs light in the nose to help with visibility when flying at you, so try to fly at yourself with an angle so you can see it better.
  • Light motion actually helps you see it better. I thought it would be the opposite, but I was not correct.
  • Red, white, and green combos are the easiest to see from what I can tell.
I hope this info helps you and others!
Old 11-02-2018, 05:22 PM
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MaxSouthoz
 
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Thanks again, GB.

I've just discovered that it's against the Law to fly RC at night in Oz - so that could be interesting.

I've given up on any Australian dealer having stock any time soon, so I've ordered mine direct from Horizon.

Cheers
Max
Old 11-11-2018, 12:20 PM
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GBLynden
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Oh man! I suppose it will probably be that way here soon too, but this is still handy just before the sun goes down
Old 12-27-2018, 10:42 AM
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cress
 
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Default Wing plugin mod.



Installed short servo extensions on both sides of airframe and then plug the (to short) leads from wing in to them. I marked a B so I would remember witch way to plug the lead in. No more fighting to get the leads in and plugged in the small area.

Last edited by cress; 12-27-2018 at 10:49 AM.
Old 12-27-2018, 10:45 AM
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cress
 
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Installed short servo extensions on both sides of airframe and then plug the (to short) leads from wing in to them. I marked a B so I would remember witch way to plug the lead in. No more fighting to get the leads in and plugged in the small area.
Old 12-27-2018, 12:52 PM
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MaxSouthoz
 
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Originally Posted by MaxSouthoz
Thanks again, GB.

I've just discovered that it's against the Law to fly RC at night in Oz - so that could be interesting.

I've given up on any Australian dealer having stock any time soon, so I've ordered mine direct from Horizon.

Cheers
Max
We had a night fly for our Christmas party at our field. Our club Boffins discovered a loop hole.

Not sure what it is - even after they explained it.
Old 04-14-2019, 10:19 PM
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GBLynden
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Originally Posted by cress


Installed short servo extensions on both sides of airframe and then plug the (to short) leads from wing in to them. I marked a B so I would remember witch way to plug the lead in. No more fighting to get the leads in and plugged in the small area.
Great idea!
Old 04-14-2019, 10:20 PM
  #10  
GBLynden
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This is my first flight on video at dusk with this:

Old 06-18-2019, 04:02 PM
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pyroloc
 
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Dang is it really banned to fly at night in Oz? i need to warn my buddy...
Old 06-30-2019, 01:56 PM
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GBLynden
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I would check that out to be sure. There is no point in letting your buddy get in trouble by not following the laws.
Old 03-27-2020, 05:26 AM
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TacticalKarma
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Indeed it's great that there are such things
Old 03-28-2020, 09:24 PM
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GBLynden
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It is a cool plane for sure. My latest glider checks more boxes for me, but for most people, this will do the trick!


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