Customer Reviews

Estes Viper RC Airplane with Motion Sensing Control

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

As a very amateur RC plane enthusiast, I have tried (and crashed) several different airplanes from Air Hogs, Estes, and others. This is the only plane that I was completely unable to get into the air before it self-destructed. As another review states, the controller seems to lose touch with the plane. The "motion" controller is not really motion sensitive--it is only "on/off" for direction, which makes it very difficult even for an adult to try to fly, much less give it to a child. The plane always took a nose dive to the left as soon as it got airborne, no matter which direction the control was in. After an hour or so and many crashes later, it finally hit the ground with the wing and broke it off at the motor--completely unrepairable. We have an Air Hogs Jet Scream plane that I finally got comfortable with, and it is MUCH more durable and more fun that this Viper. No matter how many crashes with the Jet Scream, it has virtually no damage because it is so lightweight. Do yourself a favor and do not buy this plane, unless you really want to torture a 10 year-old and his dad.

Do not buy this plane!!

This is a 3 piece styrofoam airplane. The two wings are TAPED on to the body with clear plastic tape. The remote is not responsive at all. After three 5-8 second flight attempts, the plane no longer works. It is a complete waste of money.

Buyer beware!!!

We ordered two of these for holiday gifts and both are defective. They seem to lose communication with the remote after 5 feet and quickly crash. Estes offers a customer service line but its just a bulk call center that sends a message to tech support. I called on Monday and they have not replied as of today (Friday). Bad product and even worse customer service! If I can ever get a response from Estes I will update this review.

I have been flying radio control airplanes since I was 15 years old. I am now 55. For 5 years in the 80's I worked for one of the largest German RC companies importing their products into the US. I have built and flown hundreds of model aircraft logging thousands of hours of flight. I wanted to let anyone who reads this know about my background before I make the following statement. I will keep this short. Also, I have not worked in this type of business for many years so I have no bone to pick personnaly.

The Estes Viper is absolutely the WORST and most poorly designed model airplane that I have ever held in my hand, bar none. It will not fly. It is extremely fragile and easily broken during unsuccessful attempts to make this airplane fly. Much more thought went into the packaging than the product. If anyone buys the Estes Viper after reading this review then you should never bother to read reviews again. I honestly believe that any good reviews of this product are bogus.

Folks,

Estes Corporation is aware of all the problems with the controller and recalled this item from retailers on 11/12/2008. Amazon should NOT even be selling it at this point.

Estes is a very reputable company, so don't let these negative reviews spoil your consideration of their other products.

I needed a little bit more for free shipping, saw this, and thought sure why not. Waste of 12 dollars. Estes recalled this for good reason. the transmission range is around 5 feet. unless you can somehow fly in a 5 foot circle this plane is completely unflyable.

You could make this some kind of educational toy for your kid by teaching them the disappointment of having an airplane that just wont fly... I bought 3! None fly... I normally don't do reviews, meaning I don't go on and give an item a bad review just because I don't know how to use it. I have several RC airplanes and helicopters, and just haven't ever came across 1 that will just flat out not fly. I'm only doing this review because I got an e-mail from Amazon.com asking me to do a review. I hope that this prevents you from wasting your $ and disappointing your children.... Unless you want to teach them a lesson in disappointment, but only buy 1 to do that, not 3. Oh, and as for the durability, it has hit the ground a lot (every time I try to make it fly) and it hasn't broke yet....

An old friend of mine bought 3 of these for about 12 bucks a pop.....far too much money. I consider myself an intermediately experienced RC pilot and though I could get it to fly, I couldnt get it to do as I pleased. This cheesy radio that comes with it is just a cheap trick that doesnt work very well. You can hold it to the right as much as you'd like but if there is a 1mph wind it'll go left or simply crash into the ground... or some child's head. Dont believe me? Check youtube for videos of the viper. Im uploading my own as I type this.

At first I thought this was gonna be an awesome. I got the product, and after assembling it and giving it a full charge, I thought I was ready to fly. How wrong was I? Very wrong. Every which way I tried to fly the play always ended the same, nose diving. I would have full engines and throw it perfectly, and it would still crash. Oh, jeez was it awful. Don't buy this, it's not worth it. Also, I am not a novice with remote control airplanes.

Pity the system requires at least one star - please disregard those because this product does not deserve any stars whatsoever.
We got it for our 13-year old son and the only thing it did on the first trial was tailspins into the ground!! Then he gashed his hand on the propeller and that was the end of it! It's going back in the box and back to the store. Do yourself a favor: build a paper airplane... much cheaper and also more fun!