Air Swimmer Remote Control Inflatable Flying Shark

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews for Air Swimmer Remote Control Inflatable Flying Shark

1st Review for: Air Swimmer Remote Control Inflatable Flying Shark (Toy) I have the shark and first off, it looks way cool. People who see it flying are intrigued and delighted. The only thing that could be improved would be the radio reception. Line of sight is critical and even then, it doesnt seem to have the claimed 40ft range. This would be an excellent revision/upgrade. Also it would be nice if repacement parts were provided or at least available by the manufacturer, so you dont have to scrap a whole shark if a fin breaks. Overall it is way fun though! hours of entertainment and soooo many great applications (i enjoy flying mine at the high ceilinged local bar). Until there is a model with better remote reception, this thing really cant be beat for the money. Youl love it.

438 of 440 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Real Review by a Real User: Read This First (UPDATED), September 4, 2011 = Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars  This is 2nd review for: Air Swimmer Remote Control Inflatable Flying Shark (Toy) We have the shark, and first of all, let me say that virtually everybody's first reaction upon seeing it is to yell out a four-letter word! If you want to get a good idea of what it looks like and how it flies, look up Airswimmers on the web and watch the videos. They are also on YouTube. It looks and flies just like the videos.

WARNINGS:
This toy does not work outside, because there are too many air currents, and the slightest breeze will send this large balloon flying out of control. It does not work in small apartments or small rooms, because it is too darn big. You need a decent sized house, or an auditorium, church or basketball court to use this. Our house has normal 8-foot ceilings, and a big family room-kitchen area, which works great. Make sure there are no fans running. And it's a bit too delicate for little kids!

FLYING:
Wow, it really flies! You move forward by flapping the tail back and forth. You steer by flapping more left or more right. You climb and dive with a separate button that tips the shark up or down. With a bit of practice, you can steer wherever you want. Unlike many flying toys, this one really works.

ASSEMBLY:
You need to be somewhat adept at assembling delicate things to build this from the kit. There is a detailed video available that shows every step that is a bit easier to follow than the instructions-the video is highly recommended. The link is given in the instructions, or just search for airswimmers on the web. In any case, take your time, and make sure you have a second person to help.

HELIUM:
Any store that sells helium balloons can fill this for you. It stays inflated for a long time, then the store can top it off. I bought a tank of helium for this, and my guess is I have a lot of refills remaining. It hasn't deflated appreciably since we got it. The good news is, you use putty (included) to adjust for the amount of helium remaining (neutral buoyancy), so you won't have to refill often.

OVERALL:
Like many of you, when we saw this, we had to have it. I assembled it carefully, and it works. We're planning a trip to the community center with a two-story lobby to amaze some of my daughter's friends. It's fun, albeit a bit expensive with the currently inflated prices. Once some more of them make it into the country and the price comes down, expect to see more of them.

It's fun, a bit delicate, it works as advertised. Enjoy!

UPDATE: We've had the shark for three weeks. We surprise guests with it every time new folks come over. It still works great, but we've had to top off the helium twice. The directions say you can top off with air, but this results in too much loss in buoyancy. So be prepared to refill once every 10 days or so. You can do this anywhere they sell helium balloons, or buy a helium tank. This is not unreasonable, given that the shark is essentially a mylar helium balloon.

3rd Review for: Air Swimmer Remote Control Inflatable Flying Shark (Toy) I own a toy store at elevation 4500 feet, but my house is at 5500 feet. We can fly the Air Swimmers just fine at our house. We sell and help our customers with the Air Swimmers which is why we've learned a few things about them. We would like to pass along the following information:
1) At high altitudes, you have to overfill the balloon a bit to get the best results. However, DO NOT overfill. Leave creases every two to three inches at least two inches long.
2) We use high grade helium which we purchase from a helium and a welding supplier. The helium sold in portable "party" containers is a mixture of air and helium and should not be used at altitudes above 4,000 feet.
3) We don't use the supplied tapes to assemble the swimmer. Instead, we use Crazy Glue (a.k.a. CA glue or Super Glue) to attach the fins and gondola and then a couple inches of scotch tape per fin to hold it while the glue dries. It is pretty durable and easy to fix when a feisty kid jumps up, grabs the shark by a fin, and rips it off. Anything can be reattached in just a couple minutes. This method also reduces the overall weight of the Air Swimmer.
4) The Air Swimmer is a Mylar balloon. Helium expands with a rise in temperature and contracts with cooler temperature. Do not put a full air swimmer in a hot car. It will EXPLODE!!!! Putty adjustments are required frequently to keep the Air Swimmer buoyant.
5) The radio controlled Air Swimmers (available only at Toys R Us) weigh more than the infrared version and will not work above 4000 feet in elevation.
6) Watch the Air Swimmer Assembly video on Youtube, however make the following change when you assemble at home: Test the remote control and track prior to assembly. Apply the remote control track to the Air Swimmer prior to application of the fins. If you apply the fins first assembly of the track is more difficult. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?