Incidence Meters for RC Airplanes
RC airplane hobbyists dedicate an immense amount of time to each beloved airplane. If the airplane takes off, flies around without any problem, then the job is pretty much finished for some. However, there are enthusiasts who demand their airplanes be the best they can be, and others who simply want to find out what that wobble, wiggle or waggle is. For those hobbyists, there are incidence meters for RC Airplanes. There are many brands available for use from the tried and true trusty Robart meter, the brand new and techie digital meters such as Angle-Pro 4-1 digital, and the AeroPerfect Digital Meter. So which is best is the question many hobbyists ask. After all getting the wrong one for the job is as bad as not having one at all. What follows is an overview of the top three types of incidence meters for RC airplanes.
Robart Analog Meter
Robart’s incidence meter is a standard in model measuring devices and designed long before the digital models came out. That means many hobbyists are working with outdated but very familiar equipment. This new Robart Incidence meter has a larger meter face, a bubble level, and an anti-parallax scale. The strongest advantage to the Robart brand is that it is familiar and it is very budget friendly. Tech can add to ease of use, and consistency in readouts but it also adds to price. Robarts meter is still one of the lower priced incidence meters on the market. It is well constructed and doesn’t need batteries or a plug-in, however it is easy to get wrong, it must be held absolutely level to be accurate and readings are not as simple as with digital incidence meters.
Angle-Pro 4-1 Digital Meter Plus Throw Meter
Digital products have some great advantages and these are particularly noticeable when it comes to incidence meters for RC airplanes. The Angle Pro is small and neatly packaged with a functional digital readout that certainly makes it attractive. Although it is a bit more expensive than the Robart model it is not the top of the line in price. The design is simple to handle and lightweight, since angle is everything in digital incidence meters, lightweight seems a good thing. The Angle Pro is accurate to.1 of a degree. However, there are a couple of glaring issues with the Angle Pro. The lightweight case which makes this digital incidence meter so easy to place also was so manufactured that it has to be held by hand in order to take measurements, using the mounting bar results in too much shift and inaccurate readings. The reason that mounting bars are important is that hands need to be free to push the buttons on these digital devices, but when tied up holding the Angle Pro, that’s not an option. Although the Angle Pro 4-1 Digital Incidence Meter looks good in theory, it is not as good in practice although the price is certainly attractive.
AeroPerfect Digital Meter
The Aeroperfect Digital meter is the top of the line digital meter. Although it is not as streamlined as the Angle Pro, it’s design allows for ease of use and reliability. The AeroPerfect meter is made up of two parts, a digital readout section connected via a cable to the measuring section. This digital incidence meter is accurate to.05 a degree. Attachment to the plane is secure with this model and the readout head gives digital accuracy without straining the eyes or neck or hands trying to hold up the meter while zeroing it. You will pay more for quality, but you will get more accurate readings and comparing AreoPerfect against Angle Pro, the chances are your meter will last you a lot longer. With Robart there is no contest, it is tried and true but not being digital leaves a lot of room for errors.
Before any purchase, a hobbyist usually checks the budget against the need for the gadget. Some just can’t be put off and others are in the “would like to have” category. When it comes to incidence meters for RC airplanes, eventually one will become a necessary item rather than a “nice to have” item. When that time comes, budget of course will be important but decide if you need superior accuracy, ease of use, or durability, and then make your purchasing decisions from there. Robart features durability, relative ease of use, and is budget friendly. AnglePro is lightweight but lacks durability and possibly accuracy it is budget friendly. AeroPerfect shines in ease of use, design, construction and accuracy, but you will have to pay for these features.