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SkyRC B6neo+ charger after forceful disassembly

SkyRC B6neo+, the Superglue chronicles and FreeCAD

So, this is one of my favourite charging devices for the LiPo batteries I use in RC flying. It’s the SkyRC B6neo+. I mostly fly gliders, which require relatively modest battery capacities. The whole idea is to get the aircraft up with a bit of motor power, then trust the thermals — finding what we call a “bubble”, a column of rising air — start circling and just let yourself be carried. That’s been working reliably for many years, and I don’t see any reason from a physics standpoint why that should change anytime soon. So I don’t need to charge enormous batteries, which means I don’t need an oversized charger either. ...

May 19, 2026 · 4 min · rhaen

Sky Surfer X8 - Querruder Kabel

The fiddly threading of the aileron Y-cable on the Sky Surfer X8 gets old fast. Self-designed and 3D-printed cable holders solve this problem simply and permanently. I fly my Sky Surfer X8 with great enthusiasm – simply because it was cheap, I can repair and learn a lot from it, and it’s an all-round fantastic package. If something breaks → glue it. Got a crazy idea → try it. Even a total write-off from a crash that completely destroys the model would be absolutely manageable. If you can still salvage the servos, motor, receiver and ESC, there’s not much standing in the way of the next Sky Surfer. ...

March 12, 2026 · 3 min · Ulrich Habel
Sky Surfer X8 ready for takeoff

The Sky Surfer X8

I got into RC aviation in my mid‑20s. It was a lot of fun — but also filled with frustration and countless hours spent repairing airplanes I had crashed somewhere. About 30 years later, I decided to pick up the hobby again. This time I started with FPV drones. I bought a PNP version of a 3-inch drone (DarwinFPV Baby Ape II 4S). After some learning time, I decided to build my next drone from scratch, carefully selecting the parts and assembling everything myself (iFlight AOS 3v5). ...

February 22, 2026 · 2 min · rhaen

The 200 hour theory

The 200 hour theory Experiencing and learning within your hobby—trying new things, picking up new skills, diving into new areas—requires a substantial amount of time. It is often said that it takes around 200 hours of doing something before you reach a certain level of proficiency. Whether that number is 100% accurate or not is actually not up for debate (see side notes at the bottom). What truly matters is the differentiation of skills and how you spend hours with your hobby. However, the truth is - you’ll get better by actually doing things - but does it improve your flying skills. ...

February 14, 2026 · 3 min · Ulrich Habel

EdgeTX Log Analyzer

EdgeTX Log Analyzer - Flight Log Analyzer for RC Models and Drones I developed a tool to analyze flight data from my RC gliders and drones. My main motivation was to create an easy‑to‑use solution that allows me to quickly review recent flights. For example, I wanted to understand whether the reception quality of the two diversity antennas on my receiver differs, whether the antenna placement needs improvement, how high my throttle position was during flight, how much throttle was required to achieve a certain climb rate, how fast the RX battery voltage dropped, and much more. ...

February 2, 2026 · 2 min · Ulrich Habel