I spent the afternoon testing my design and I am proud to say it flies just as I imagined. Today was a perfect day to test the Flex-Flyers, with wind conditions around 2-5 mph and a large grassy area to fly above. Testing was done while flying into the head winds and with tail winds while making subtle adjustments to the tail stabilizers/elevators. Weighing only a few grams, the wind easily pushed the Flex-Flyer around. Under these conditions, it flew almost flawlessly. I also flew the Flex-Flyer indoors with no wind and it flew over 35 feet in a straight line. When tested outdoors, the Flex-Flyer traveled over 100 feet, with a tail wind and on a downward slope. After over 30 flights and crash landings, the Flex-Flyer maintained it's integrity and was undamaged. The weight of the flexible plastic materials worked perfectly. The only change I hope to make soon is to the nose-cone. I used wood but prefer to use a flexible foam. Using a foam nose-cone will lower the weight and reduce possible damage from direct contact to hard surfaces.
So how dose it work? Simply insert the Flex-Flyer into it's launch tube, aim and blow.
The Flex-Flyers are part craft, part toy that you assemble in just minutes. All materials are included to create two Flex-Flyers. All you need is a pair of scissors or craft knife and a straight edge (adults help young children).
Race them, fly them, Or collect them. Enjoy hours of fun - for kids 4 and up.
This photo was taken on 08/27/2010 after a day of testing Flex-Flyer ( FX #1 prototype ).
This is an image of the original wing template showing just some of the color possibilities.
In the future I will be offering several different wing styles and colors.
I also plan on making custom printed planes for larger orders (not yet established)
Packing list x2 Packaging x1 per unit
- Nosecone Clear Bag - styles may vary
- Air Frame Cardboard Fold Over - Including Bar code and ad.
- Adhesive 2 Staples - to seal package
- Wings
- Launch Tube
- Stand and Peg
Over the years I have either been given toy airplanes or purchased them for myself or my kids. The one thing that I know is that they did not last long. Many of the airplanes were those thin balsa wood planes that you wind up and use rubber bands. The Balsa wood planes flew ok but they broke easily and did not last long. Styrofoam gliders also broke easily and didn't really fly that great. The Flex-Flyers are light, very durable and are made to last.
