“Anything is possible with the right information, tools and frame of mind”
Hello, I’m Mario I. Arguello (MIA)
Engineer, Designer, Artist
Radio Control Aircraft Specialist
Real Aircraft Enthusiast
Owner of MIA Micro-FLIGHT™- MIA Designs™
My Personal Goal
As company owner, chief engineer, designer and artist of MIA Micro-FLIGHT, my personal goal has and continues to be, to provide people, interested in the RC hobby, with products that empower the spirit and mind and something that is outside the typical, and is going to last for years to come.
My Passion
I’ve always been extremely passionate about radio control scale aircraft which has never been done or was/is rare and this has been, and still is, the nature of my business, which after 18 years, in operation, is still going. I believe this is because of a sincere and consistent effort on making MIA products the best, with high performance, durability and realism, as the main foundation.
Most of the work is done by myself and so I control every aspect of the product. From concept, to design, to manufacturing, to getting it to my customers hands. In addition, I provide personal one-one technical support via e-mail, phone or in person, for local customers. Something rare, in the mass manufactured product business of today’s world.
Why and How I formed MIA Micro-FLIGHT (MIA Designs)
A need of not finding RC aircraft that was unique, worthwhile and to my expectations, steered me into making my own RC aircraft models for sale, in kit and customized form.
I am probably better known in the RC Hobby world, as the guy who started the RC Micro, Sub-Micro, and Palm-Size helicopter frenzy of the early 2000’s, in various RC forums, but I go way back to the early 80’s when I was searching for electric-powered RC models, outside the typical, and not finding what I wanted.
I started experimenting, successfully, with products for sale, originally, in the form of unique Rubber Powered Helicopter kits, I sold via local hobby shops, while living in Chicago, and via snail mail, through Flying Models magazine ads and featured articles. This, along with an 11 year, Communications Systems Engineering career, which I wanted out from, and eventually did, to dive into a more hands-on Industrial Design/RC Hobby related position, got me thinking about forming my own RC products related company and I began to write my business plan.
Having gone through a roller coaster of free-lance jobs, after leaving my systems engineering position and landing some full-time but short jobs in some prestigious product design and development companies, while living in Chicago, empowered my direction in this area of forming my own company. I wanted to do something fun where I could employ my artistic skills, knowledge and interests, and be closer in contact with actual products and customers.
While drafting my business plan, I estimated the micro helicopter frenzy would last about 10 years, from when I first showed my first RC Micro Helicopter Kits for sale, the MIA Sport™ LE and the MIA Robin 280™, and I was not far from this projection, so to keep MIA Micro-FLIGHT going, I had to have other areas and products, that would also attract people who were interested in the not so typical and wanted to try something new and exciting.
I have never been short of ideas. True weight-shift, flex wing RC Microlights, flying models, was in one of these other unique areas, and still is, in line with RC Ultralights, RC Autrogyros, RC Land Yachts and some other ones, I offer as kits.
My Company’s Longevity
For the past 18 years, since establishing MIA Micro-FLIGHT (www.micro-flight.com), it has been quite busy and I have sold countless MIA RC products all over the world and I am still working on new products that stand out in a crowd. I believe this longevity is due to a sincere effort to bring to the market interesting products that fill an emotional need, as this is what actually got me started, in the first place.
My Work
I take great pride in the workmanship that goes into each one of my designs. I have spent decades refining my craft and knowledge in various areas required to bring, to the hobby market, nothing but the best, in a single package, designed and manufactured in the USA with full personal support. My products are not mass-manufactured, but fabricated individually, with a lot of attention to high quality and detail. The time it takes to manufacture a complete custom kit, is typically between 1-4 weeks, depending on complexity, and the price I set for my products is reflective of this level of work and effort, which you will not find, similar, anywhere in the world.
Mario I. Arguello
Product
- Engineering
- Design
- Development
- Manufacturing
- Marketing
- Sales
- Technical Customer Support
Website
- Design and Content