Holiday Gift Suggestions: WowWee Flytech Bladestar for the Intrepid Aviator

Posted on 19 November 2008, at 11:13 am, by Judie Lipsett

Oh to be one of those geeks who can effortlessly start up a remote control helicopter and make it fly, but alas. When I play with those type toys I am the one who will almost always immediately crash and burn…assuming I can even get lift off. It’s okay, though; I have found a flying toy which I can operate, and that doesn’t come complete with the same frustration I’ve discovered in others of the type: the WowWee Flytech Bladestar. Built for those who are eight years old and up, it’s even fun for those of us who have hit the big 4-0 (plus one).

The Bladestar comes with a molded plastic carry case…

…and inside you’ll find the remote control, the Flytech Bladestar, four wings, two extra propellers, and a dogfight accessory.

About the Flytech Bladestar:

FlyTech Bladestar™ , a revolutionary indoor flying machine, changes helicopter flight as we know it! The exclusive Autopilot Mode with sensor-based navigation enables it to glide through the air, avoiding ceilings and flying away from obstacles — or use just your hands to guide it! Alternatively, take full control of the FlyTech Bladestar flyer using its 3 channel digital IR remote controller. Face-off two FlyTech Bladestar flyers in a mid-air battle: Attach the Dogfight accessory to the remote controller, and press the Fire button to take down your opponent, when in range!

Made from light “high-flex” materials and designed to be crash-resistant, FlyTech Bladestar flyer is built for indoor use. When it starts to lose speed, simply recharge it on the remote controller until it is ready for its next flight!

Features
* Rechargeable helicopter-style flying action
* Unique hovering action
* Choose from RC or Autopilot Mode
* Using AI, guide FlyTech Bladestar with your hands!
* Face-off two FLYTECH BLADESTAR flyers in a mid-air battle
* An indoor only flyer, perfect for all seasons.
* Comes with 2 x spare blades, 2 x spare propellers, a Dogfight accessory, and a protective carrying case.

Ages: 8+

Technical specifications
* Wingpsan 12″ (30cm)
* Recharges from remote controller
* Flight time: approximately 5 minutes
* Recharge time: approximately 20 minutes

Remote controller:
* 3 Channel Digital IR Proportional
* height / power
* forward / back
* left / right

* Includes Dogfight accessory*
* Requires 6 x “AA” size batteries (sold separately)
*Dogfight feature requires two FlyTech Bladestars, each sold separately

The Bladestar is charged by a cable housed in the right side of the remote (shown above). When plugged into the port on the Bladestar and set to charge, the green lights on the remote will blink until the top light glows steadily, showing that the device is fully charged.

Liftoff is achieved by turning on the Bladestar and the remote, and then pulling back then pushing forward on the throttle.

The two little propellers will start spinning madly, and the Bladestar will near immediately lift straight up.

Seriously, there is no trim to adjust, no crazy directions that must be followed…you just insert the wings, charge the thing, turn it on, adjust the throttle…then squeal like a little girl when it shoots straight up and starts flying!

Well, that’s what I did, anyway.

You aren’t supposed to fly it outdoors, but of course we did…

…and of course Kevin had to climb on the roof to collect it when it got stuck; don’t try this at home, kids.

Ideally, you’ll have a large indoor place in which to fly the Bladestar, but if you wind up outside – make sure it’s not a windy day, and make sure you stay away from any nearby roofs!

The WowWee Flytech Blaestar retails for $39.99, and you can buy them directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers.