FMS 800mm Beaver PNP Review: The Small Bush Plane That Makes You Fly Slower

The FMS 800mm Beaver PNP is the kind of RC airplane that quietly becomes your “most-flown” model. Not because it’s the fastest or the most dramatic, but because it’s easy to take out for a quick session, it looks right in the air, and it rewards clean piloting. This little Beaver makes people slow down, fly smoother, and actually enjoy the basics again.

This article is written as a practical, pilot-to-pilot guide. I’m not trying to hype it like a catalog. Instead, I’m focusing on what matters after the first couple of packs: what it feels like in the air, why landings can look amazing (or bounce), what setup choices change the personality, and how to keep it feeling like a bush plane instead of turning it into a nose-heavy brick.

What type of plane is it

The FMS 800mm Beaver belongs in Trainer & Civilian Planes. It’s a civilian bush-plane style model with high-wing stability and a relaxed, scale-oriented flight envelope. Even when it’s capable of short takeoffs and slower approaches, it still “reads” as a civilian/trainer-style airplane rather than a sport plane or warbird.

Why the 800mm Beaver stays in people’s rotation

Some planes impress you once. Others become your routine. The Beaver is the second type. From the voiceover points you provided, what people value most isn’t a single headline feature—it’s the overall “easy to live with” experience:

• It’s calm on the sticks for its size, especially when flown smoothly.
• It looks scale on low passes and in the pattern—no weird darting around unless you force it.
• Landings feel earned: if you set up early and manage throttle, it will reward you with tidy, realistic touchdowns.
• It fits real schedules: quick to carry, quick to set up, easy to fly a couple of packs and pack away.

That last point matters more than most product pages admit. A plane you can fly often will make you better. The Beaver encourages the kind of repeatable practice that translates to everything else you own.

Real-world feel: what it’s like in the air

The first impression is how “un-rushed” the airplane feels. It doesn’t demand constant correction the way some small models do. It tracks predictably, and it gives you time to think—especially if you keep your control rates reasonable and avoid yanking it around like a sport plane.

Here’s the best way I can describe it: the Beaver doesn’t beg you to do tricks. It invites you to fly clean patterns, make smooth turns, and practice approaches that look like approaches. If you’ve been flying twitchy jets or hot sport planes lately, the Beaver is almost like a palate cleanser. You can hear the airframe telling you, “Relax. Fly it like a plane.”

From the feedback, the most common “pleasant surprise” is that it still feels stable while flying slow—exactly what most people want from a bush-plane concept. And the most common “learning moment” is that it will bounce if you try to force it down. That’s not a flaw. That’s the Beaver doing its job.

The core skill this plane teaches: throttle discipline

A lot of pilots underestimate how much throttle management changes everything on a small bush plane. With the Beaver, throttle isn’t just “go faster.” It’s your altitude control, your sink-rate control, and your landing smoothness control. In your voiceover notes, you emphasized this in multiple ways—basically: if you treat the throttle like a switch, the plane will feel messy; if you treat it like a dial, it becomes satisfying.

Practical habits that work well on this model:

• Takeoff: roll into power smoothly, let it build speed, then rotate gently.
• Turns: keep a touch of throttle on through the turn so it stays settled.
• Approach: aim for a calm, slightly powered descent rather than chopping power and diving.
• Flare: don’t “drop” it in—let it arrive, then ease off power as it settles.

If your landings look a little bouncy right now, the fastest improvement usually isn’t a new part or a new setting—it’s starting your approach earlier and being less aggressive in the last three seconds.

Flaps: how to use them without surprises

If you’re using flaps (and many Beaver pilots do because it adds to that STOL vibe), treat them as a tool, not a rescue button. Flaps can help you slow down and steepen the approach, but they can also change the pitch attitude. The trick is making flap deployment part of a routine instead of a last-second reaction.

A simple progression that matches the kind of advice you included in your voiceover:

• First pack: fly with no flaps. Learn the normal approach speed and flare timing.
• High altitude test: try a small flap setting and observe pitch change; trim if needed.
• Pattern practice: deploy flaps earlier on downwind/base so the plane settles before final.

Once you’re comfortable, the Beaver can do those satisfying, controlled approaches that look “right” to anyone watching. But if you slam full flap right before touchdown, it can feel unpredictable—especially in wind.

Setup notes that actually change the experience

Because this is a PNP airplane, your setup choices matter. You’re bringing your own receiver, and your battery choice affects CG and overall handling more than people expect in an 800mm class model. The feedback you shared repeatedly pointed to one theme: the Beaver feels best when it stays light enough to fly slow, but balanced enough to track cleanly.

Three setup areas that are worth getting right:

• Center of gravity: always start from the official manual’s CG recommendation. A tail-heavy Beaver may feel “floaty” until it suddenly feels wrong. A nose-heavy Beaver will be stable but dull and will punish landings with extra speed.
• Control rates: don’t over-rate it. Most pilots enjoy it more with moderate rates and a bit of expo, because it keeps the plane smooth instead of twitchy.
• Battery weight discipline: chasing larger capacity can quietly remove what makes the Beaver special. If you found a pack that balances well and gives you consistent sessions, don’t “upgrade” yourself into worse handling.

Battery choice - kept practical

RC Battery selection is still part of making it fly like a Beaver. The goal is straightforward: pick a pack that fits properly, balances the airplane at the recommended CG, and delivers consistent power without pushing the model into “too heavy for its own good” territory.

If you want to browse packs specifically aligned to this aircraft without overthinking it, use the dedicated collection page here: LiPo Battery for FMS Beaver 800mm.

One realistic tip that matches the customer comments you provided: once you find a combination that gives you predictable landings, don’t obsess over squeezing out extra minutes. The Beaver’s “magic” comes from how it behaves in the slow parts of the flight—approach, flare, rollout. Keeping the weight reasonable protects that experience.

What pilots keep saying

• “It’s smooth when I stop over-controlling.” Many pilots realize the plane isn’t the problem; rushing inputs is.
• “Landings get better when I start the approach earlier.” The Beaver rewards planning more than last-second corrections.
• “It looks great when flown slow.” The airplane’s design goal is scale vibes, not speed runs.
• “It’s the one I grab when I just want to fly.” That’s the highest compliment for a practical model.

Those points line up with real search intent too. People looking at a Beaver aren’t usually searching for “fast.” They’re searching for something like: a small civilian plane, a relaxed trainer-style flyer, a bush-plane feel, or an easy model that still looks realistic in the pattern.

Common mistakes and how to fix them quickly

These are the “first week” issues that come up most often—and they’re usually easy to solve without buying anything:

• Bouncy landings: you’re carrying too much speed or diving late. Start earlier, keep a shallow descent, and hold a slightly powered approach.
• Wobble in turns: you’re over-banking and then correcting too hard. Fly wider turns, keep a touch of throttle, and let it settle.
• Feels heavy and dull: check CG and battery weight. The Beaver is happiest when it stays light enough to fly slow.
• Wind frustration: it’s an 800mm class model—pick calmer sessions until you learn its pace. Then build up gradually.

When people say “this plane is harder than I expected,” it’s usually because they flew it like a sport plane. The moment they start flying it like a bush plane—calm throttle, patient approaches—the Beaver becomes what it was meant to be.

A simple first-flight checklist

If you want a “no drama” first day, here’s a short checklist that fits the way real pilots actually prep small models:

• Confirm CG using the official manual as your baseline.
• Set moderate rates and add expo if you tend to over-correct.
• Check prop tightness and make sure screws are snug (small planes can vibrate more than expected).
• Taxi test: verify it tracks straight before committing to takeoff.
• If using flaps: leave them off for the first takeoff and landing, then add them later once you’re comfortable.

FAQ

Is the FMS 800mm Beaver PNP beginner friendly

It’s beginner-friendly in the way a good high-wing civilian plane should be: stable, predictable, and not overly twitchy. But it still rewards smooth inputs and calmer weather—especially while you’re learning its landing rhythm.

Does it handle wind well

For an 800mm class model, it can cope with light breeze, but it won’t ignore gusts. Most pilots enjoy it most on calmer days, and then gradually expand the wind range once they’re comfortable with approach speed control.

Do flaps make it easier to land

Flaps can help slow the airplane and create a more controlled approach, but only if you deploy them as part of a routine. The easiest path is: learn normal landings first, then introduce flaps gradually at altitude, then use them in the pattern once you know how the pitch changes.

Where should I start for the correct battery options

Use the dedicated collection page built for this model so you’re browsing in the right size/voltage range: LiPo Battery for FMS Beaver 800mm. Always confirm fitment and CG using the official manual first.

Final thoughts: why this little Beaver makes sense

The best way to understand the FMS 800mm Beaver is to stop asking what it can do at full throttle, and start paying attention to how it behaves when you’re flying it like a real airplane: calm climbs, gentle turns, stable approaches, and tidy landings. That’s where it shines, and that’s exactly why it keeps showing up in your voiceover notes and customer feedback as a plane people keep reaching for.

If you want a compact civilian/trainer-style aircraft that feels practical, looks scale, and helps you build better habits without feeling like a chore, the Beaver is a smart choice. Keep it balanced, keep it smooth, and let it do what it was built to do.