The Flex Innovations RV-8 is a massive, yet lightweight airframe that offers an incredibly wide flight envelope. From beginners to experts, the RV-8 has something to offer everyone. Beautiful scale lines, clear canopy with pilot and a beautiful color scheme deliver a true-to-scale presence in the air and on the ground.
The finely tuned power system allows the RV-8 to fly large aerobatic maneuvers as well as basic 3D maneuvers in a very predictable and friendly manner. It offers a perfectly balanced air-frame design combined with the included Aura 8 Advanced Flight Control System. The Aura 8 AFCS is today’s most sophisticated stabilization system, yielding an unmatched flying experience. Pilots will feel smooth, predictable and precise aircraft control without any interference to pilot inputs. The pre-programmed and installed Aura 8 works with any known transmitter and receiver and requires only a quick connection to your receiver to get you flying. Out of the box, the Aura is pre-programmed with 3 Flight Modes (Low Rate, Gyro Off – Low Rate, Gyro On – High Rate, Live-Wing, Gyro On) that gives you the option to choose how you want to fly.
The RV-8 structure is hollow on the inside and has plywood and carbon fiber in key locations. The innovative plywood sub-structure secures the power system to the wing tube and landing gear mount, making the motor run very smooth, even at high power. Because it is EPO foam, it remains TOUGH yet REPAIRABLE.
The RV-8 can accept a range of options, including floats for flying off water and a key chain camera mount! Do not forget the night version!
The RV-8 has an array of options, including floats for flying off water and a key chain camera mount for capturing that impressive in-flight footage. Don’t forget the night version, with internally mounted and pre-installed LEDs that make the airplane shine from the inside!
With hundreds of designs, World F3A and Free Style Champion Quique Somenzini has maximized the simplicity and practicality of the RV-8 design. It takes less than one-hour to assemble out of the box and remains quick to assemble at the field. It is easily transportable in size. In the air, the locked in feel, stability, precision, power and unprecedented maneuverability will make the RV-8 your favorite every-day aircraft.
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GREAT FEATURES INCLUDED!
- Advanced Aura 8 Control System
- Scale lines and details to bring the majesty of scale looks with an unreal flying experience!
- Removable pilot to allow customization or easy replacement
- Less than 1 hour assembly time
- Innovative plywood sub-frame connects the motor securely to the fuselage while providing superior battery mounting and cooling
- Hollow EPO foam wing with internal wood and carbon fiber structure
- Two-piece wing for easy transportation and field assembly
- Light wing loading for easy handling
- Large flaps for stunning short take-offs and landings
- Large control surfaces for excellent maneuverability
- Huge top hatch for easy battery and equipment access
- Vortex generators for low speed control
- Scale navigation lights Installed
- 6061-T6 aluminum landing gear offers increased durability and scale appeal
- Six New DS34 metal gear digital servos for ailerons, elevators, rudder, and flaps
- Powerful all metal 70 size 500Kv motor offers astonishing power.
- Potenza 100A 32-Bit ESC with SBEC
- 17.5 x 7″ custom tooled Somenzini-Ribbe (SR) Prop for awesome grip at all speeds
- Float-ready air-frame for easy addition of optional floats
- Custom control horns for optimized throw and precision
- All linkages use ball links for secure yet precise control
- Rudder and elevator servos mounted in tail for precise control
- Factory applied trim scheme
- Accepts a wide range of batteries while offering a range of different performance levels
KEY FEATURES:
Flight Stabilizer Installed
DS34 Metal Gear Servo
Tough Plywood Structure
Potenza 70 500kV Motor
SR 17.5 x 7 Propeller
Vortex Generators
Potenza 100A 32-Bit ESC
Large Wing Flaps
RECOMMENDED COMPLETION ITEMS:
- 6+ Channel Computer Radio recommended
- Potenza Battery: 5S 4200 40C to 6S 6200 75C
- Serial Receiver (S.Bus, SRXL, XBus etc.)
- Spektrum AR8010T
- Futaba 7008SB
OPTIONAL ITEMS:
- Float Set (includes Night LED Lights and Servo (Green Floats: FPM357016, Orange Floats: FPM357016B)
- Potenza Battery Analyzer (FPZA1010)
- Custom 3D printed Keychain Camera Mount (FPM357017)
William Jourdan –
If you want to fly off water and you like to fly hard and fast this is your only choice on the market at this price point.
The RV8 is a remarkable value, I purchased the Night version because flying off water in dark is better than….hum.
just the (3) controllers, motor, light system and 6 servos is worth over $500.00 bucks. Its almost like you get a FREE PLANE.
Then there’s the quality and thoughtful design, frankly more thoughtful than horizons giant scale planes ( I own them all ).
Nothing prepares you for the sheer size of this model. For example it mush bigger than my Carbon Z cub 2.1 meter, yet the spec would have you think otherwise.
This is a must have plane
Willie
plaincitykid (verified owner) –
WOW this one HUGE plane, I just finished put’n her together, simple and easy, only one glue joint is all, remember to scuff up the paint to get a good joint when gluing. The only problem I had was with the Aura 8 get’n both flaps to work in the same direction but got her figured out and everything is just outstanding. I can NOT say enough good things about this plane .. FANTASTIC FALLS WAY SHORT of how she is in the air… A PURE JOY TO FLY…. is the bad and it goes up, up, way up from there. I’m running an AXOUR 18×8 wood propeller with a 2.5″ aluminum spinner, painted the wheel pants to match the green on the plane. I have the day version and the landing, wing tip light are outstanding. This is my first FLEX plane and sure WILL NOT BE MY LAST ONE….FEREAT JOB GUYS ON THIS ONE…. WAY TO GO.. GOOD JOB… TWO THUMBS UP…. This is the first RV8 ever at NURCAC field in N. Utah and she sure draws a ton of attention just sitting there and jaws drop, eyes bug an people gasp at just how fantastic she fly’s…. Thank you FLEX for the BEST fly’n experience I have had in 25yrs…..OUT FLIP’N STANDING…..
Will Kuenzel (verified owner) –
The Flex innovations RV-8 is beyond any foamie on the market in terms of looks ,performance quality and price. Just coming out of the box ..TH RV-8 starts to reveal its extremely high cool factor ! Green or Orange ..they both look great (I bought both 12 mos apart from ea other )
I have built many traditional wood kits ..basically a box of wood with die-cut parts ,a sheet or two of plans and a manual. It would take countless hours to build the model , sand it ,cover/paint it ,install all the electronics ..even measure , cut and build your pushrods ! It was a labor of love .
I am a little older now and dont have as much time to build .
Enter the receiver ready foam model from several Brand names , a few screws , bind your rx, grab a handful of 2200mah 3S lipo’s and your flying.. lot of fun right?
Well if you like those planes ,YOU HAVE GOT TO FLY THIS
RV-8 from Glex innovations !
After 25 years of flying , I have memories of few really special airplanes , the planes that do everything perfectly and that you just fall in love with..This RV-8 is way at the top of the list .
The , motor , esc , servos , Aura 8 perform perfectly , the metal gear servos are not noisy ,they have good speed , sound good good and center perfectly .
The paint is typical of what you find on a decent foamie , flat sheen ,nice decals (the paint is Orange on the white foam and the rest is decals. I added two coats of minwax WATER BASED
POLYCRYLIC IN GLOSS to the entire airframe after masking rud/elev servos and canopy were it meets canopy frame .
The RV-8 REALLY comes to life ! The paint now looks much more realistic, decals and paint now have the same sheen.
Finnish will stand up much better to dirt and general handling now , great!
Fligjt performance is excellent , low rates no stabilization…I was immediately surprised , flys as gentle and predictable as my E- Flite Timber with no stabilization.
Low rate and Aura 8 enhttps://www.facebook.com/Newsflare/videos/1089545998085327/?sfnsn=mo&d=n&vh=egaged …smooth and dependable no surprises in strong breeze and wind up to about 10 /12 mph
Now bump up the Rates to High and your ready for very large throws and agressive maneuvers that include 3D flyimg .
WOW! I can see why the VAN’s line of full scale aircraft kits are so popular with home built pilots. The design is spectacular and does everything perfectly ..often out performing famous production built aircraft in many area’s.
Make sure the fuselage will fit comfortably in your vehicle by looking at the dimensions give in description.. if it will ..
Pull the trigger ASAP !
I have the E-flite CZ T-28 & CZ Cessna ..both nice ,but the RV-8 Is by far a better value in terms of versatility regarding flying style and the quality of onboard components. PERIOD !
My only problem is that I didn’t learn about just how good the Flex innovations aircraft and electronics are sooner !
imrlooney –
Just purchased the RV8 orange day version 2nd hand, WOW. AWESOME AIRPLANE! I put 7 perfect flights on it today and love it. I find myself flying in mode 3 all the time, makes her more responsive with the full wing ailerons & extreme throws.
Daniel Miles (verified owner) –
I purchased the RV-8 on a Friday and got it the next Thursday. So the shipping was pretty fast. It arrived un-damaged and the build was straight forward. I didn’t realize how big this plane is. Everything fit and worked first try. The Aura 8 was new to me was is the SRXL bus connections. Both worked great and I used the recommended AR8010T receiver. Flying this plane is extremely easy and would be a great first or second plane after some simulator time. Plane has plenty of power for sure. My nephew was so impressed with it he ordered a Flex plane also. Great plane!
Richard Smith –
Recently purchased an RV-8, Orange Day. During assembly, I encountered an issue with the AURA-8 unit. It would not stay powered on. Any vibration or movement would cause the power to flicker on and off. Checked all wires and connectors and the problem persisted. Contacted Flex and they wanted the ESC and AURA-8 returned for inspection. Instead, I decided to replace the AURA-8 as I have 4 units that I purchased a couple of years ago. Using the Aura Config tool, I converted an open-stock unit to an RV-8 unit and loaded the latest version of the RV-8 software. From that point, there were no more issues and I now have 12 flights on the plane.
Fit of all parts is very good. Servos are smooth and strong. I opted for two remote receivers as I have several. The CG is dead-on with a 5000mah 6S in the middle of the battery tray.
The flight characteristics are very much like the full size aircraft, in which I have several thousand hours of flight time. The RV aircraft have a very wide speed range. The model has this as well. Slow flight with flaps allows you to land STOL fashion with a small roll-out. When you punch the throttle, the plane really goes and vertical is close to unlimited.
Mode 3 on the AURA-8 is where it gets interesting. Flaps now follow the ailerons for faster roll control. The elevator can now go to about 50-60 degrees deflection. Rudder full deflection is max in all modes. In this mode, the plane becomes an aggressive aerobat. Hover, rolling 360s, and other 3D maneuvers are now available depending on the pilots skill level. You do not need to use Mode 3, stay in Mode 1 or 2 and the plane handles like a trainer.
All in all, the RV-8 from Flex is a tiger that handles like a pussy cat.
macminiguy –
Wow what a deal.
I can’t say enough good things about this plane or Flex Innovations. This is definitely a Pilot’s plane. Everything just works. In the air you can push as softly or as hard as you want and the amount of authority the pilot has is unlike any other plane I’ve flown. Landing is so easy, just point into the wind, extend half flaps, and throttle down, a little pitch adjustment, flare and you’re down. 3D no prob, hang on the prop, knife edges all day long. On a 5000 mah 6S Smart Battery, I get 6-7 min flight times on a 6000 mAH HRB 6S, I get 7-9 mins. You can fit 7000-8000 mah batteries no prob. This plane is huge for a foam airplane but breaks down nicely to fit in my minivan. The wing bags are perfect and make taking the plane out a much easier experience.
A few issues I had when installing included getting the wheel pants to snap together. I opted a Flexcessory from Critical RC carbon fiber landing gear. Much nicer and doesn’t pancake. The stock landing gear will pancake after a bit. I also opted for the wood prop from Flex, which gives a little better power when hanging on the prop.
I love it. Thank you, Flex… you Rock!!!
Andy
jeffrey hughes (verified owner) –
This airplane flies great and was simple to assemble. So far no problems and I like to fly mine on a windy day. It is big like most the reviews mention. I just transport with the wings off and it is no problem (ford expedition) , with the wings off I can take the rv8 and 2 more planes . And to whom ever might read this, I just want to mention that Flex innovations has very, very good customer service.
261harbourridge (verified owner) –
Not recommended if you expect to get more than 100 flights. Aircraft flies great, but the foam and plastic parts will slowly begin to fail over time. Only after 3 months my RV8 experienced the following:
Lost canopy when canopy latch tube ripped out of fuselage. Fixed by replacing the tube with an oak block and drilled to receive the latch pin.
Replaced canopy only to have plastic latch pin beak. Using a strap now.
Gear is too flexible. Gear will spread even on good landings. Fixed by running a cable between gear.
Rear bearing on the motor failed. Replaced it with a quality bearing.
Right aileron servo stopped working after servo wire shorted where wire for wingtip light was spliced in. Replaced the wiring and servo.
Stab was off level by ½ inch out of box. I had to shim hole on the left side but it is still off by ¼ inch.
Wing tube became sloppy only after 60 flights and is gradually becoming worse.
Wings creased at the end of the tube and began to flex. Fixed by covering top and bottom with duct tape.
Never flown in high load maneuvers and never crashed.
Hoping the company would stand behind their product, I contacted customer service 3 times and sent them the pictures they had requested. Afterwards, they would no longer return my calls or emails. I was always polite and had hoped they would stand behind their product but that was not the case.
Flies great and fun to fly but poor foam quality and parts.
Ron
hermann_klein –
Hallo, das ist das beste Modell was ich je am Knüppel hatte. Die Bedienungsanleitung hatte ich nur in Englisch, was ich nicht lesen konnte. Modellbau Lindinger hat mir da sofort ein Link gesendet und ab dem Zeitpunkt habe ich nur Freude an dem Flieger . Er fliegt wie auf Schienen und ist trotzdem so Agil wie ein Super Kunstflieger.
Ich freue mich schon auf den nächsten Schaum-Kunstflieger um die 2,50 Meter Spannweite von Quiqe Somenzini.
Ich fliege sehr gerne Schaum-Modelle, weil diese niemals sofort unbrauchbar sind. (sei denn, das Modell brennen ab.) Sie sind für mich wertvoller als Stäbchen-Modelle , egal was andere dazu sagen. Hermann Klein
**Google Translated Review:
Hello, this is the best model I’ve ever had on the stick. I only had the operating instructions in English, which I couldn’t read. Modellbau Lindinger immediately sent me a link and from then on I only enjoy the plane. It flies like on rails and is still as agile as a super aerobatic.
I’m already looking forward to Quique Somenzini’s next foam aerobatic with a wingspan of 2.50 meters.
I really enjoy flying foam models because they are never immediately unusable. (Unless the model burns down.) They are more valuable to me than wood models, no matter what others say about them. Hermann Klein**
eskridge (verified owner) –
I have a lot of airplanes, jets and helicopters and this plane is absolutely my favorite. With a 6S 6000 mAh lipo slid all the way back, 3D and slow flying is spot on with no bad tendencies. Also, replacing the landing gear with CriticalRC.com “RV8 Ultra flexible Carbon Fiber Landing Gear” really made this a great plane for performing harrier landings and touch and goes.
scsowi –
what a great flyer!! ive put about a dozen flights on it so far and everyone better than the last. i am struggling a little with the radio interface my flaps need to be reprogrammed everytime i go to the field. THe plan lands so slow and so mild. i will say out of the box and setup as per the manual the elevator is to mild i think i had to use full stick several times on the first few flights but again nothing with the airplane. flown in some pretty windy conditions and just a super performer from mild to wild.