Kyle Hilson, Author at Swell RC

The Latest RC Helicopters: A Guide to Innovation and Performance

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Helicopters

After weeks of comparative testing, field notes, and a few hard landings that taught me more than any spec sheet ever could, I finally nailed down why the latest RC helicopters in 2024 feel so different: they’re smoother, smarter, and far more confidence-inspiring. The first time I armed a new brushless collective-pitch hobby-grade helicopter and

HobbyKing Airplanes Review: Affordable Performance and Upgrade Options

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Quadcopters

After countless hours comparing different HobbyKing RC airplanes, flight logs, and bench tests, I kept circling back to one name: HobbyKing. Their catalog felt like an open hangar—affordable, capable, and surprisingly innovative—so I dove deep and started flying, crashing, repairing, and flying again. What I found is that HobbyKing has helped democratize remote control aircraft:

Choosing the Right RC Airplane Engines for Your Needs

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Airplanes

I’ll never forget the first time I swapped out a meager stock setup for a hotter power system in my RC airplane—it was like watching the whole model come alive. At first, I made plenty of rookie mistakes: over-propping, running too lean, and even putting in an under-sized ESC that wouldn’t keep up. But that

Traxxas Blast Top Speed: Unlocking the Secrets of a Thrilling RC Boat

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Cars

It all started when I stumbled upon the Traxxas Blast almost by accident—drawn in by its reputation for delivering accessible, reliable fun on the water, I couldn’t resist the urge to find out just how fast this electric RC boat could really go. While many casual hobbyists boast about the Traxxas Blast top speed, I

Bell 222 Airwolf RC Review: A Cinematic Masterpiece of Remote Control Helicopters

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Helicopters

The first time I saw a Bell 222 dressed in Airwolf livery carving a clean arc over the field, that sleek black fuselage sent me straight back to the TV classic—then snapped me into the present with the precision of modern RC engineering. That contrast is exactly why I dove deep into the Bell 222

Revolutionizing Angling with RC Bait Boat Fish Finders

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Boats

It was one of those serene mornings by the lake, the water perfectly still and the dawn casting a golden glow. I held the remote of my RC bait boat fish finder and watched as it effortlessly glided across the water, delivering bait precisely where I wanted, all while showing me a live map of

Why Foam Airplane Kits Are Revolutionizing RC Flying

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Airplanes

After weeks of curiosity, I finally found myself knee-deep in foam fragments and propellers, grinning like a kid at first power-up. That was my gateway into foam airplane kits—the moment I realized how accessible and addictively fun radio-controlled airplanes can be. Foam airplane kits are pre-cut or plan-based model aircraft made from lightweight foam materials,

The Biggest RC Airplane Ever Built: A Guide to Giant Scale Models

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Airplanes

I couldn’t help but wonder how big these RC planes can really get—so I set out to find out, flying, filming, and comparing the giants firsthand. When we talk about the biggest RC airplane, we’re diving into the world of giant-scale RC: that’s remote control planes with wingspans typically over 80 inches (or 2 meters),

The Allure of Vintage Remote Control Helicopters: A Collector’s Guide

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Helicopters

The first time I spooled up an old two-channel heli in my garage, the squeal of the brushed motor and the thrum of those wide wooden blades transported me straight back to the early days of radio-controlled aircraft. What truly makes a helicopter feel “vintage”? For most enthusiasts of vintage RC helicopters, we’re talking about

Max Power W 09 RC Boat Review: A High-Speed Offshore Powerhouse

By -Kyle Hilson
Posted on October 23, 2025October 24, 2025
Posted in RC Boats

After hours of tinkering, I finally hit the throttle—and the Max Power W 09 leapt forward like it had been waiting on the start line its whole life. The first blast across the lake surprised me with how cleanly it tracked, how quickly it built speed, and how composed it stayed when I trimmed in