About Us

The aim of Ultimate Jets is to bring the finest turbines, airframes, jet accessories and aerospace tools to the US market.

Ultimate Jets was created in 2011 by Barry Raborn, Woody Lee and Olivier Nicolas.  Together they have a combined experience in Jet model building and flying well over 50 years.

Barry Raborn;

"My name is Barry Raborn. I grew up going to full scale airshow as well as model airshows with my father. We would often go park the car by the runway and just watch the aircraft land. My interest in radio control came at an early age. However, I was fourteen before I could afford my first Rc airplane. She was a little two channel. The rest is history. I have been flying now for 33 years now. I enjoy every type of model there is. I compete in scale. I have competed in top gun for seven years. I started flying ducted fans back in the eighties. My first jet was an airforms F86 with a k&b 7.5 motor. My first turbine was a Sophia in 1999. I have flown almost every style of jet there is. Including multi-turbine models. I'm a perfectionist, a builder, and a test pilot for my friends. I hope I can pass some of my knowledge on to my fellow modelers.

I am the CFO of the Ultimate Technologies Group in Houston" 

Woody Lee;

"I started in RC back in 1981 when I built my first RC kit on the floor of my dorm room.  I have always had a fascination with jets and soon bought a House of Balsa F-86 Sabre Ducted Fan kit.  Shortly after I acquired a half built Jet Hangar Hobbies F9 Panther kit.  Both of these planes were destroyed in a move when they were almost completed.  That set back made me lose interest at the time and quit the hobby.  I decided to get back in to RC in 2005 when it appeared that turbines had progressed to a level where they were reliable and within reach financially.  That is when I met Barry and bought my first turbine, a kit built Wren MW54.  Since then I have owned several jets and several brands of turbines.  I am still fascinated by jets and am fortunate that my hobby has now become my vocation with the opening of Remote Control Hobbies in November of 2011 and now Ultimate Jets in 2012.

I am the COO of the Ultimate Technologies Group in Houston"

Olivier Nicolas;

"I built my first jet in 1988. It was a Jet Hangar Hobbies Mirage 3  powered with a Dynamax turbine and OS VR DF 77. I won many awards at jet meeting around Europe with this plane that was very fast and easy to fly. It is still flying nowadays with a Schuebeler EDF.  I have built countless jets for the last 24 years.  I helped Eric Rantet in setting up the Aviation Design business in France in 1995 and worked on number of projects design for him including the original F-117, 1/6,8 scale Mirage 2000, 1/6,8 scale F-16 and the Superphoenix.

I worked for RC Jets International for a number of years in collaboration with John Write, writing engine tests, technical articles and kit reviews.

I graduated from the French aeronautical university called ENAC in 1995 and got a degree in material resistance and industrial quality processes. I worked for Airbus and number of airlines throughout the world as consultant, airline pilot, airline instructor and training manager.

I am the Chairman of the Ultimate Technologies Group in Houston and CEO of Enata Aerospace in Dubai" 

 

Matthew Potts:

 

Matthew has work for the metal fabrication industry for many year.
He is passionate about drones design and electronics as well as jet engines technologies.
Matthew is our warehouse manager in Houston.
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Our contributors and field reps :

 

Joe Grice:

 

" I've been modeling airplanes all my life, with brief interruptions for education and my career. Scale has always been my passion. Scalemasters, AMA NATS and Top Gun are a few events I've been involved in through the years, all involving jets. I lost track of the number of jets I've assembled and flown. It's easier to say that I'm always modeling and flying something.
 Somewhere in between all the hours spent modeling and flying in my life, I managed to have an  airline career to pay the bills and purchase the ever present next kit. Presently I fly Captain on a 747-400 for Delta Airlines, which gets me out of the shop for fresh air.
 I think I've built at least one of everything the major kit manufacturers have offered through the years. I look forward to sharing some of the activities in my shop and passing along the knowledge I've acquired over time.
 I have many friends out there, I just haven't met them all yet."
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Shaun Evans:

"I have been lucky enough to have been building and flying jet models for over 20 years.  I first starting flying jets while working as the General Manager of Discount Hobby Warehouse—then the largest hobby store in Southern California.  During that time, I was able to establish great  relationships with nearly all of the major manufacturers and importers of quality aircraft kits and accessories.  In 1998, I became a Sponsored Pilot with both Hirobo helicopters and Yellow Aircraft, International.  Later, I became Yellow’s National Field Rep and a world-wide product consultant and dealer—and basically the online voice of the company.  With Yellow Aircraft, I was on the leading edge of product testing and development, often debuting the latest jet offerings at jet events across the United States.  During my time with Yellow Aircraft, I stayed busy building kits and assembling ARFs for customers across the world, often traveling inter-continentally to hand-deliver them.  I am always happy to assist fellow modelers with their needs and questions, any time.

In addition to being a modeler and avid private pilot, I am also a professional theatre actor, singer and director in San Diego, California, where I live with my wife and three young children"