Reddit reviews RadioShack Twin Turbine RC Plane

I've flown it many times, upwards of 20 or so flights. In my experience, the battery actually lasts upwards of 10 minutes (only claims 5 minutes on the box).

It was (and is still) $30 at Radio Shack.

It's a simple 2 channel RF, just throttle and temporary push button switch steering. I believe that to steer, actuating for example the Right button cuts power to the left engine for as long as the push button is pressed. For elevation, simply throttling up climbs, and throttling back glides or drops. (So no control surfaces. Actually pretty innovative.)

Throttle by the way isn't fully dynamic, there are 8 distinct levels.

I have tons of fun flying it. It's cheap, easy, and virtually indestructible.

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I wrote a full review and submitted it on Amazon. Here are the contents:

I purchased this plane in a Radio Shack store and was, at first, somewhat weary. The construction of both the plane and the controller does not look high quality, but after having now flown this plane several times (10+ flights), I am frankly shocked by how well it performs, how durable it is, and how much fun it is to fly.

• While the instructions only claim around a 5 minute flight time, in my experience the plane's battery has lasted upwards of ten minutes.
  
  
• I have not attempted to fly the plane anywhere but my home (which only has grass), but it looks as though if it were given a wide open smooth hard surface (like a parking lot), it could actually land and take off thanks to the landing gear.
  
  
• Speaking of the landing gear - the front wheels can be removed and the plane remains balanced in flight (in my experience).
  
  
• As with all small scale RC aircraft (planes and helicopters alike), there is a learning curve associated with becoming proficient in controlling the Twin Turbine RC. I recommend practicing in a wide open area without roofs or trees until you get the hang of controlling the plane. (I got it stuck on a roof the within the first fifteen seconds of flying it, and had to wait days for the wind to finally blow it down. Still worked great! Not to mention, the Radio Shack employee who sold me the plane said they got one stuck on the roof of the mall in which the Radio Shack was contained, and left it up there all winter. When they finally retrieved it, it still worked - after a charge, of course.)
  
  
• This plane uses radio for remote control instead of infrared like other RC aircraft manufacturers. This means the Twin Turbine RC has easily twice the range of infrared controlled aircraft. I once had it very high up in the air (not by choice - updrafts) and maintained control.
  
  
• The plane and controller seem to indicate that there are both an "A" channel and "B" channel model of the aircraft, so two Twin Turbine RCs may be flown together. I happen to have an A channel version, and regrettably the channel is not (to my knowledge) displayed anywhere on the box. I am not sure if the "B" model is a different color, as all I have seen are the Black model as pictured above.
  
  
• The only real caveat I have is nothing to do with the plane, really. Due to its size and very low weight, it is quite severely affected by winds. If your area experiences sustained winds of more than about 5mph (with up to 10-12mph gusts), you may have difficulty controlling the aircraft. This is, however, a problem with all aircraft of this size and weight, but nevertheless is something you should be aware of when considering purchasing one.
  
  Overall I am extremely happy with this plane, especially considering my surprise at the durability, range, and battery life. I highly recommend it!