E-flite/Horizon Hobby UMX Cessna 182
A maximum-fun, minimum-size monoplane
A maximum-fun, minimum-size monoplane
Founded by a farmer named Clyde Cessna, the Cessna Aircraft Company underwent plenty of trials and tribulations. In 1932, Cessna was forced to close its doors due to the Great Depression. Then just a year later, Cessna rolled out a race plane, won the American Air Race in Chicago, and set a new world speed record. The next year, Clyde sold the company to his nephews, who turned the business into the successful giant we know today. Many of us have had or will have our first general-aviation flight in a Cessna because they’re safe, ubiquitous, and easy to fly. Cessna model aircraft are also popular, and pilots love flying them.
Recapturing the concept of the Cessna
182 Skylane, this ultra micro foam has an authentic outline and plenty of detailing.
Offered as a BNF
(bind-and-fly) basic kit, you will need a DSM2/
DSMX-compatible transmitter and a small 280mAh 2-cell battery pack. There is no assembly required— just fun to be had.
UNIQUE FEATURES
A big brown van delivered a small brown box and inside was a full-photo display-type box. Within that carton was a cut-to-fit foam insert, which held the model safely despite a crushed outer carton corner. In addition to the complete assembled airframe inside, I found a piece of hook-and-loop tape and a multilingual instruction manual. Since a DX18 and a couple of other 2-cell UMX planes were already in the hangar, I was able to use/share batteries and bind my radio immediately. The recommended flight pack is a tiny 2S 280mAh (2S 200mAh packs also work fine with just a little less flight time). One note is that these mini batteries only have a balance plug attached to them, so make sure you get a proper charging adapter if you don’t already have one. Small is the theme here, but the UMX 182 delivers big on looks. The multicolored paint job and accompanying decals are sharp and easy to see. Panel lines and wing corrugations were identified and created in the foam-molding process. The density of the foam is high, and the surface is among the smoothest I’ve seen. Clear plastic windows are factory fit to the fuselage and look way better than the “glass” decals that some other models use. Plastic wing struts are preinstalled and are easy to remove if needed as they employ a simple tab-lock system. The wing itself is held in place with pieces of double-sided tape and clear tape. The ailerons also use clear tape for their hinging, as do the tail feathers. All control linkages are adjustable and are operated by real rotary servos rather than the linear actuators we’ve become accustom to. These ultra mini servos are cute, to say the least, and do a great job running on the AS3X protocol. AS3X is built into the onboard receiver and is what affords pilots the option of flying model airplanes of this size with such amazing control. Even in a breeze, the little plane feels solid and flies like a larger airplane thanks to excellent factory programming. The brushless power system starts with a 2500Kv outrunner, and a built-in speed control is coupled to the aforementioned receiver. A 5-inch prop, a painted spinner, and cowl inlet holes look cool and will help the electronics stay cool.
IN THE AIR
Read and follow the binding process and you’ll be good to go. This UMX Cessna’s landing gear looks good and can be quickly removed for belly landings. The steerable nosewheel allows for some tight maneuvering. I have 18-inch-square tiles on my floor, and the UMX 182 can roll in circles within one of them. Taxiing around the house really lit the fire, and waiting for test-flight day really tested my patience. As expected, the plane does well on the tarmac and is easy to line up for departure. Plenty of power is available, and rollouts can be quick and short; a hand launch is just as easy with a gentle toss. After shooting your touch-and-gos and testing the aerobatic abilities, it is eventually time to land. It almost seems as if the plane wants to land itself, with minimal inputs required to set it down softly.
GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability: Even though the plane only weighs a quarter pound, it feels bigger in flight. The AS3X fights off turbulence and helps stability in lessthan-perfect conditions. Slow-speed handling is remarkable, and tight rudder turns were a sight to see as it does them with ease and without issue.
Tracking: In flight, some quick trimming made the plane fly quite well where pointed. It does
a good job tracking through maneuvers, especially for being as small and light as it is. Aerobatics: There is plenty of authority to fly inverted circuits and perform tight or large loops and many of the basic/intermediate aerobatics, but to be honest, I found myself doing a lot more cruising around and shooting a few greasy touch-and-gos.
Glide and stall performance: Minimal size and weight typically means minimal inertia. That said, the slow-speed handling of the UMX 182 is amazing. Once you do force the plane to stop flying, the stall is mild, and there is plenty of power to pull the airframe out of it if necessary.
PILOT DEBRIEFING
Its small size and landing gear on/off option allows the UMX Cessna 182 to fly almost anywhere, while its scale details make it look good everywhere. The preprogrammed guidance system simply binds to any DSM2/ DSMX transmitter and features an excellent training feature: SAFE Select, which works extremely well keeping the airplane from doing anything scary. This helps provide aspiring pilots with successful flights—and smiles.