Flying the Beast with AS3X

Flying the Beast with AS3X

My first experience with the AS3X was with the UMX Beast 3D BNF  setup.  I had an experienced pilot fly it the first time for the photos; he also flew the original UMX Beast without AS3X. His first remark was “WOW! I want this plane!” and he continued with similar remarks even after landing. By the time I was able to fly it, the wind had started to kick up a little and I was very nervous about banging up this cool little biplane.  One of the other pilots said that this system is supposed to make an average pilot look good, so I would be able to prove that point. He also went on to say that in a Horizon video Quique Somenzini states that he doesn’t worry about the wind anymore when flying his Beast.

Now I am an average pilot, but Quique could fly a rock in a hurricane and keep it tracking straight. I went ahead and threw in a new battery and then got the UMX Beast in the air. It was amazing: the AS3X made my flying look much better than it was and I did not have to worry about the wind because the plane corrected itself during the entire flight. This technology does make a small plane feel like a much larger plane.  It flies smooth and feels like it is on rails. As I flew the plane toward me, I could see all the tiny little corrections the AS3X system was making to keep the Beast flying smooth and level. What is truly amazing about the AS3X is while it is making all of these corrections you, the pilot, do not feel a thing; the plane just keeps its line. I just felt like I was flying a large, smooth aircraft.

No matter what attitude I put the Beast in, it stayed on track.  I rolled it up into a knife-edge and it stabilized for that flight path so that all I needed to worry about was rudder input, it almost felt like someone had already programed in rudder to elevator and rudder to aileron mix. Holding a knife-edge the full length of the runway was a piece of cake. I have to say that I was extremely impressed with the flying performance of this tiny airplane. Stay tuned for a full review of the AS3X system (and the improved Beast!).

Updated: March 7, 2012 — 6:41 PM

10 Comments

  1. To Model Airplane News electric flight
    That is a great article. My son gave me the Beast AS3X BNF for my birthday this week, but I was dismayed that it did not come with a battery and my standard balance charger will not work. I suggest that in your next article you let everyone know. I am calling Horizon today to complain. I have had it for several days and am anxious to fly it. I have see other U tube videos about the same results on the first flight Wow factor.
    I did call Horizon and I was surprised at how lack of caring or empathy they gave me, they just gave the facts and that is it. I am more disappointed it that now than it not coming with a battery and having to use a special charger. To Bad, I thought they were the best!!!!

    Chuck Parris
    Richmond, Va.

    1. Yea, I agree with you, it is too bad that it does not come with a battery and charger, but their website is rather clear about that. I guess you just have to figure that into the cost. I do understand how you feel; if you are like me, you just want to get that plane in the air. I can tell you this; once you have the charger and battery, you will have a blast with that plane. Then you will be using that charger all the time just to keep that Beast in the air.

  2. I too got this plane and was disapointed about the battery but lucky my friend who sold it to me made up an adapter and 2- 360 mah batteries. It flies great and for a long time. Also balances well.

  3. I also bought the Beast and found no battery or charger, but I found a web dealer (RC-Connectors.com) that sells an adapter that converts any 7.4v slot to the the connection end on the battery for the Beast. I can now use my regular Li-Po charger for charging Beast batteries. You can also find some very good prices on batteries if you browse the web.

  4. Does this As3x Beast fly better than the previous Beaast without the new gadget…

  5. Does this Beast fly better than the previous version?????

  6. R u kidding me it smokes the old version!

  7. R u kidding me? This version smokes the first one!

  8. I have an old version of the Mini Beast. Is there any way to “upgrade” to the new AS3X and buy it separately, and then install it on an old one?

  9. I am jealous because I don’t have 1

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