Beginners Guide to RC Planes

What type of plane should I purchase first?

We highly recommend a high wing trainer for beginners. Low wing planes are not recommended for beginners and EDF Jets are never recommended under any circumstances for beginners. A high wing trainer gives a beginner the best chance for success in the hobby. High wing trainers are significantly more stable than other forms of RC aircraft and also require less speed to takeoff and land. Please call us or send us an email and we can help pick out the best trainer for your circumstances and budget. The use of a flight simulator such as RealFlight is also recommended. An instructor is highly recommended.

What's the differnce between RTF, PNP, TXR, and KIT and which one is right for me?

• RTF (Ready to Fly) - An RTF plane includes the plane with the motor, servos, and ESC already in place. It will also include the radio, receiver, battery, and charger. An RTF will require some build time - anywhere from 15 min to a few hours depending on the brand/model. The radio and battery charger are very basic but they will allow you to get in the air with one simple purchase. This is normally best for beginners as it will allow a beginner to purchase a plane without a ton of research on radios, receivers, batteries, and chargers. If a beginner becomes very interested in the hobby, a higher quality full featured radio and battery charger can be purchased later.
• PNP (Plug and Play) - A PNP foam plane includes the plane with the motor, servos, and ESC already in place. A battery and charger are not included. A radio and receiver are not included. This is good for people who have a full featured radio with model memory (the ability to fly and save multiple planes using one radio). Those who have been in the hobby for a while or plan to progress in the hobby generally have a large collection of batteries and a charger. For people with their own radio, batteries, and charger, the purchase of a receiver is all that is needed. This is referred to as RXR by Great Planes and Flyzone for their foam planes. This is also sometimes referred to as ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) on some Hobby Websites.
• TXR (Transmitter Ready) - Great planes and Flyzone use this term to describe a foam plane which includes a motor, servos, ESC, and receiver already in place. Generally, includes a battery and charger (exception is the Flyzone F4U Corsair, and Flyzone Beaver). The use of a Tactic Anylink radio adapter allows a TXR plane to be flown with any major radio brand.
• KIT - A KIT plane is an airframe only. It does not include any motor, ESC, or servos (though usually includes servoless retracts on planes with retracts). It also does not include a battery, charger, radio, or receiver. Airframe only kits are good for advanced hobbyists who want to pick out and install all their own electronics.  Please note, some manufacturers such as Great Planes will use the term ARF to describe a KIT plane.

What equipment do I need as a beginner?

There are two directions you can go as a beginner. You can purchase an RTF (Ready to Fly) RC plane which will include everything you need. You may also choose to purchase a separate radio, receiver, battery, and charger. Why would you choose to purchase all of these separately? The simple truth is radios and chargers which are included with RTF RC planes are very basic and will be outgrown quickly. The charger will be a slow fixed rate charger with a charge rate appropriate to the battery which is included with the RTF RC plane. It will not be appropriate for many other size batteries. However, it will be simple to operate. The same is true for the radio included with an RTF RC plane. It will be very basic but also simple to operate. It will lack the features you need as you progress in the hobby. Many beginners choose to purchase an RTF kit because it is simple to learn. If you choose to purchase your equipment separately, here is a list of equipment you need along with some general guidance:

• Radio - There are many types and brands of radios. Ideally, you need a radio with the proper number of channels for the planes you fly. For example, most planes have ailerons, rudder, elevator, and throttle. This will require at least a 4 channel radio to control. Many planes also have flaps and retractable landing gear. This will require another 2 channels. This means a 6 channel radio is required for those planes. If hard earned dollars are going to be invested in a radio, we at Motion RC recommend a 6 channel radio as the minimum that should be considered. There are also many other features that should be considered. A radio with model memory appropriate to the number of planes in your hanger is a must. If you own 20 planes, a radio with a minimum of 20 model memory slots should be considered. A memory slot will store the binding information to the receiver, the trim settings for a specific plane, and all other settings (such as dual rates and expo settings) for the plane. This will allow all planes you own to be flown from a single radio. Advanced features such as telemetry should also be considered. Some radio/receiver combinations have basic telemetry built in, some have it as an option, while others don't have it at all. Telemetry allows you to know critical data such as the voltage of your battery pack, the airspeed of your plane, etc. Another nice feature is the ability to assign any function to any knob, switch, or stick on your radio. Some radios allow this while others do not. We have tried most major brand radios and chose HiTec radios as our favorite. 
• Receiver - This is a small component which resides in the plane. The receiver literally receives radio signals (control inputs) from your radio allowing you to control the plane. All the wires from the servos and throttle are connected to the receiver. In general a radio and receiver must be the same brand and type to communicate. There are exceptions to this. One exception is the Tactic receiver found in Flyzone TXR planes (see TXR explanation above). A receiver must have the same (or fewer) number of channels as your radio. For example a 9 channel radio will communicate with a 6 channel receiver without issue. There are additional features to consider. Some receivers have basic built in telemetry, some have it as an option, and some do not have it at all. Some receivers can be powered by an optional external battery while some can only be powered by the flight battery pack. An additional battery connected to your receiver can be very beneficial to prevent a brownout. 
• Battery - Electric RC planes use a lithium polymer (LiPo) battery pack to power the motor, servos, ESC (speed control), retractable landing gear, and lights. The battery pack may be a single LiPo cell or multiple LiPo cells. In general, small micro sized planes use a single cell LiPo battery while larger planes use a multi cell LiPo battery. The multi cel LiPo will have two wire leads. The first is the discharge connector which will connect to the ESC of your plane. The second is the balance connector used to balance the cells during charging. The balance connector is not used during flight. Each model plane has a recommended battery. Why are there so many batteries and why do many planes use different size batteries? in general, larger planes need larger capacity batteries to achieve reasonable flight time. Capacity is measured in mAh (milli Amp hours). A 2200mAh battery will allow a longer flight time than a 1300mAh battery. A 2200mAh battery is also larger and will likely not fit in a plane designed to use a 1300mAh battery. Another key measurement is the discharge rating (C rating). In very simple terms the "C rating" is a measure of how fast your LiPo can be drained of energy. Given the same size battery, some planes will drain it of power faster than others. A plane which drains a battery of power quickly will need a battery with a higher C rating than the plane using the same size battery which drains the battery slower. There is a point at which a high C rated battery does nothing more than drain your wallet. There is a misconception that a battery with a higher C rating will make your plane faster. This is not true in many cases. If you are using a battery with the proper C rating for your planes motor/ESC/prop combination, the plane will be drawing all the power it can. Using a higher C rated battery cannot force the plane to draw more power and become faster. If you are using a battery with a C rating to low for your plane, than yes, using a higher C rated battery will make your plane faster. There are many hobby shops pushing expensive batteries with high C ratings simply because they are expensive and the hobby shop makes more money. Do not fall prey to this. Simply get a battery that is adequate for your plane. Every plane on the Motion RC web site lists the recommended battery for that plane. One concept directly related to the C rating is IR (Internal Resistance). In general, batteries with a higher C rating have a lower IR. IR will increase as your batteries age and there is no way to prevent it. Treating your battery properly will help IR to increase more slowly. Eventually, the IR of your LiPo pack will be high enough that it can no longer supply the amount of amperage needed to power your plane. At this point your plane will not fly properly and you will likely think there is something wrong with it. You will give full throttle and the plane will fly as if it is at half throttle. At this point you need a new LiPo. While a LiPo pack can last many years if treated properly, they do wear out and they will never last forever. Very small LiPo cells have a much higher IR than large LiPo cells. The key is to check IR after the first few charges and keep track as the battery ages. Next, each cell has a nominal voltage of 3.7V while a fully charged LiPo cell is 4.2V. Thus a fully charged 3 cell LiPo is 12.6V with a nominal voltage of 11.1V. Proper storage of your LiPo batteries is key to the longevity of the LiPo battery pack. If you store your LiPo packs fully charged or discharged, they will age prematurely. Ideal LiPo storage voltage is about 3.85V per cell. A good LiPo charger will have a "storage" function. Another key to longevity of your LiPo pack is to land before your battery is fully drained. Ideally, we land when our packs are no less than 3.7V resting voltage per cell. If you drain you packs further, you risk damage to the battery pack (you will see it "puff up"). If your pack is at 3.7V per cell resting, the voltage will be much lower while under load (throttle) in the air. You can see this in real time if your radio and receiver have voltage telemetry. Most people simply set a timer and land when the time is up. This should be followed by a voltage test of your LiPo battery. If your battery is still at 4.0V per cell after landing, then add more time to the flight timer. Our selection of LiPo batteries are listed by the number of cells in the LiPo pack.
• Charger - Why are there so many chargers? What is the difference? The main differences are the speed at which a charger can charge a battery, the maximum number of cells in a battery pack that can be charged, and the features of the charger. For example, the basic chargers that come with RTF planes are very slow and are only good for the specific size battery that came with your plane. Eventually, you will need one good charger that can charge all your batteries quickly, store them properly, test them, and do all this safely. At its most basic you want a charger that allows you to select the number of cells in the battery pack you are charging and the charge rate for the battery pack. Ideally, you want to see the voltage of the battery pack and each individual cell in the pack on the chargers display screen. As a rule of thumb, if you don't know how fast to charge your LiPo pack, charge it at 1C: for a 2200mAh pack, this would be 2.2A - for a 3000mAh pack, this would be 3.0A - for a 600mAh pack, this would be 0.6A. Many packs will allow charge rates above 1C. Please see manufacturer recommendations. The ability to set the number of cells and charge rate will allow you to charge all your batteries with one charger. A key feature of the iChargers is the ability to check the IR of each cell in the LiPo pack. This very useful feature allows you to see the health of each cell in your LiPo pack. This feature is found on very few chargers. How do you connect a LiPo battery pack to the charger? The chargers included with RTF planes charge a LiPo pack using the balance port while a good high quality charger will use the main pack connector for charging and the balance port for balancing the pack. You must have both LiPo pack connectors hooked up to your charger while charging the pack. Always use a balance charger in LiPo balance mode to charge multi cell batteries. It is very important to keep all cells within a pack at the same charge and a balance charger will do this for you. You also want a charger with a temp probe that will automatically turn the charger off if the battery pack reaches a high temperature (high temps are not safe). Lastly, most good chargers do not include a power supply so you will need a power supply for your charger. Many power supplies will allow multiple chargers to run at the same time from the same power supply. To keep it simple, we have a link to the required power supply for each charger.

An Overview of what RC Model Airplanes as a Hobby is all about

Remote Control airplanes have one basic main tenet. They are planes that you can fly by using some kind of a hand-held controller or transmitter. That is the overall most important thing. But from there there are many variations in the hobby and one of the most important things is the amount of work put into the plane before it is ready to fly. Planes come in many different levels of completion ranging from ready to fly right out of the box to Almost ready to fly. This type of almost ready to fly usually requires just a small amount of assembly, often with no tools or just a small screwdriver. From there the amount of work involved can get right to the level of having to completely assemble a wooden frame, fuselage and wings then applying a skin over it all. This type of model can often take weeks to build. In this beginners guide we will just be looking at the Ready to Fly and the almost ready to fly models. Although I will talk a little bit about the more complex models.

Trainers and Acrobatic Planes

When it comes to flying a plane there are many different skill levels and some planes are referred to as "Trainers" This type of plane is specifically designed to be durable and very stable in flight. They are used for training hobbyists that are new to the hobby. If you are looking to purchase your first plane finding one that is designated as a Trainer is a safe first choice. As you get better at flying and controlling planes you can move on to more challenging models including planes specifically designed to do aerial acrobatics. But this plane is not for beginners.

Price

Model airplanes run in a very wide spectrum of prices and you can purchase them brand new anywhere from $40 to $1,000 depending on a lot of factors. The high end of this price range is not typical and if you are a beginner you can usually get started in the $40 to $100 dollar range depending on your goals.

Popular starter Planes

Megatech Night Flyer 2 Channel Illuminated Remote Control Airplane

This is a very inexpensive 2 channel airplane that will give you a taste of what it is like to do some flying. It is just something to get you started and it comes with everything except 8 AA Batteries which you need to supply.

Super Cub RTF Electric This is a trainer airplane that has gotten a lot of rave reviews from amazon buyers. It is more expensive than the megatech but has a lot more to it. It is a durable three channel trainer plane that comes with high tech anti crash technology that helps prevent crashing by watching for the ground and the sky. This is called ACT or Anti-Crash Technology ™ Reviewers recommend you buy extra batteries for the plane and an extra recharger so you can get a lot of flight time.

Stuff Needed

When purchasing your first airplane you should pay close attention to any of the specifics that come with the plane. Kits will tell you what is included and what is needed. Typically with a beginner Ready or almost ready to fly model the only thing you will need is batteries for the transmitter. These are usually AA. But some planes will require you to buy batteries specifically for the plane and will require some small hand tools for basic assembly.

What does the 2, 3 or 4 channel Mean?

The transmitter that you carry out onto the field with you to operate the plane with will have a variety of channels. Each channel will control a function on the airplane. In the picture below the airplane has two channels. One channel operates the propellor and the other channel operates the rudder in the back to turn the airplane to the left or right. This left and right motion is called Yaw.

Here is the transmitter for the plane above. The joystick on the left is one channel and it controls the propellor. The joystick on the right is on a second channel and it controls the rudder which turns the plane. This is a simple two frequency set up and something you can expect in a very basic and inexpensive beginner plane.

A Three Channel transmitter and plane will often have one channel for the throttle, one channel for the rudder (left and right turning or Yaw) and one channel for the elevator which will make the plane go up and down. (This is called Pitch.)

This picture shows the elevator on the horizontal stabilizer. Moving this up and down would change the pitch of the plane and make it go up and down.

A Four channel transmitter would have all the previous three functions and a fourth that controls the ailerons. These ailerons control the Roll of the airplane Roll tips one wing or the other down while simultaneously tipping the other up. This is an effective and controlled way of turning the airplane. Serious RC plane enthusiasts use this control to turn the plane.

This picture shows an airplane with the Ailerons in red. When the aileron signal is activated the aileron on one wing tilts down while the aileron on the other wing tilts up. This is an effective way of rolling the airplane roll one way or the other.

More Channels: Some controller and planes can have even more channels like a channel to control the flaps of the plane which help produce drag upon take off and landing or a separate channel for the landing gear.

Flying Area - How much room do you need?

It is hard to say how much room you need to fly your airplane and the bigger the airplane the bigger the area you need. Often times baseball or soccer fields are sufficent for flying. You have to assess the situation and the area you are thinking about. Starting with a smaller starter plane is a great way to get a feel for how much room you need. And many of the smaller planes are hand launched which means you don't need a runway. If you are going to be using a large open space that has a very hard surface like a parking lot you have to consider this will be more dangerous for the plane. It is more likely to suffer damage if you crash it.

Will The Plane fly away from you?

Yes, every plane has the potential to fly away from you! You can fly it off in a direction until it gets out of transmitter range. Then you would have to go get it! Some planes need you to control the throttle which means when they go out of range the throttle will stop and the plane will come down. At least it wont keep on flying until the batteries run out. The range on the transmitters is substantial though and you shouldn't have a problem like this. You will be turning the airplane in large circles around you which should be sufficiently in range.

Some Final Tips

If you have never done any RC Airplane stuff I recommend you start out real cheap and inexpensive just to get a feel for things. This also minimizes your monetary losses if you suffer serious crashes. Just think of this first plane as an investment in learning. Once you have gotten your feet wet and have learned a few things you can start to expand your hobby and upgrade to something a little more serious. I also recommend you do some more research and one of the best ways to do that is to get a book. 

RC Plane Tips For The Novice

You have seen or heard about Radio Controlled (RC) planes and are eager to fly one. Flying RC planes is not just about purchasing a model plane with a radio device and rushing to the public park to fly it. There are a number of things, you should know before engaging yourself in flying model RC planes. The tips given below will be beneficial for a novice opting for this hobby. 

First, as a novice, select the model that will suit you, to learn how to fly. Not all RC planes are meant for a beginner, since some planes have more control options than others. Though for a novice, there are two major types that are suitable. The first one is the Park flyer and the second the trainer. Park flyers are so called, since they can be flown on a big public park and sometimes in an enclosed area like a gym. However, trainers as the name suggest are most suited to someone willing to learn, how to fly. But, there are also some tips to be considered before buying a trainer. 

First, you should buy a trainer that is easily repairable, in case of damage. To have a crash is common, especially in the initial days of training and learning. Hence, your plane should be easy to repair and not take away the fun from your hobby. Secondly, buy a trainer, whose parts are readily available, so that in case you need to replace a part, you don't have to wait till you lose interest in flying, before getting the spare part.

You should get a trainer with lesser parts, so that the parts are easily available and it can be easily repaired. You should also get a trainer that is easy to control. Some models have difficult controls. Therefore, seek advice from those who have flown them in the past. You should also get a model with accessories like batteries and chargers that are reliable and can be replaced easily. 

While buying your model RC plane, you should know, if you want to assemble it yourself or you want to buy one that is ready to fly. There are three models. Namely, ready to fly, almost ready to fly and kits. The ready to fly models don't need much assembling after you buy them. What you really need to fix, may be the wings and other small outer parts, which come with the purchase. The almost ready to fly are not fully assembled and so you have to assemble most of the parts. And the kits come as chips and parts, which you have to assemble from the scratch. 

Lastly, if you wish to learn quickly, you need to put in efforts and be calm and patient. Don't be overexcited to succeed. Take your time and you can learn even better without a guide. But, it is advisable to seek help from an expert, especially from a flying club nearby.

RC Airplane Building Tips

When building an RC Airplane from a kit (typically an ARF) you are going to get a complete set of instructions that will take you through the whole process. But these manuals vary and there are lots of tips and techniques that you pick up over time. It comes with experience. Here are a few tips that will be helpful to you. And you will discover other neat little tips and tricks as you go along. If you have built other kinds of projects the experience will come in handy.

The best thing you can do when beginning in this hobby is to join a club with other RC airplane hobbyists. Their experience will prove invaluable.

It may sound silly but make sure you install the propellor correctly and make sure you really tighten it down! As tight as you can get it without cracking it! This is especially important if you are using a plastic propellor.

You can improvise and add balsa wood for different purposes. In this picture you can see that I built a balsa wood brace for the Throttle control rod. That rod is particularly long and it tended to bow which affected control. This wood brace is just a few pieces of balsa wood glued into place. It holds the control rod reasonably straight yet allows it to freely move back and forth.

Some of your control rods may have wooden extensions. This achieves the same result. For example, the control rods to my rudder and flaps are half wooden.

Typically you mount an on off switch on the side of the airplane. But they also make a neat little switch that has a charging port on it. for a dollar more. This allows you to charge up the batteries without having to take the plane apart or remove the batteries. It's a convenient little option.

 Du-Bro 207 Kwik Switch And Charging Jack

Du-Bro's Kwik-Switch and Charging Jack offers a clean and simple way to mount receiver battery switches and charging plugs. Designed to mount on any aircraft fuselage within minutes, the Kwik-Switch and Charging Jack uses one single set screw to lock the charging plug into place. Universal and will fit all radio systems.

I also recommend you get an electric starter for your plane. Particularly if you plan and doing this a lot. It makes starting the plane so much easier and convenient. You will need a 12 volt battery to go along with it. Thunder Tiger 12 Volt Electric Starter HD 90 - 2674

Beginners Guide to Radio Control Airplanes

Step 1: Common to all types of RC airplanes-Radio

First before you choose the type of airplane you want to build and fly, lets go over what is common to most RC airplanes.

The radio transmitter and receiver: This is your link to the aircraft never scrimp when it comes to the radio, if it glitches you can crash or worse hurt someone. Radios come with two or more channels, the channels are also not what you think, they are not separate frequencies, instead they are each control. Most airplanes have 4 channels, rudder, ailerons, throttle and elevator. Sailplanes have just two or three. Radio transmitters are also on several radio frequencies and are set by the user by changing the matching crystals in the transmitter and receiver. Unless you have a newer radio that uses ultra high frequencies in the 2.4 gigahertz range, these radio's do not require crystals.
The radio receiver on gas powered aircraft is powered by a rechargeable battery, on an electric it can be powered by the same battery that powers the propeller threw a battery eliminator circuit.
The power is usually 4.6 to 6volts.

I have used several brands, most were good, as long as its a name brand one like Futaba, Airtronics, HiTec, or Tower hobbies (made by Futaba).

Its also a good idea if you plan on having more than one airplane you can get an extra receiver on the same frequency and use one radio with several airplanes. This is what I do, I have a programmable radio with six memories so I can switch between them. I simply bought a receiver for each airplane, much cheaper than another radio. 

Step 2: Common to all types of RC airplanes-Servo's

Servo's: The strong geared electric motor used to make the flaps, rudder and throttle work. These come in several sizes and are rated by how much torque they can produce. They plug into the receiver via a three conductor wire. 

They are proportional, meaning that if you move the control stick just a fraction of an inch the control surface moves just a fraction of an inch, like wise move the control allot and the surfaces move allot.

The top part of the servo has a "horn" that you can attach the push rods to.

This set up provides the motion for moving everything on your airplane from the throttle to the rudder. Pictured below is a straightforward setup were the throttle servo is up top is pushing a plastic flexible type push rod. The center servo is controlling the rudder and the bottom servo is connected to the elevator.

Like the radio I would stick with a good brand and I test them before installing them into the aircraft by actuating them for several minutes wile shaking them in my hand. if they glitch during this test return it for a new one.

For most gas powered aircraft you will use the standard size to high torque, the electrics use micro or nano sized servo's that weigh a few ounces.

Step 3: Control's

The direction you move the control sticks needs to be the same for everything you try to fly so you don't have to teach yourself a new aircraft every time.

Below is a diagram showing what stick controls what.

If you stay with this set up you will be able to keep graduating up to larger more maneuverable aircraft.

Step 4: Choosing what will power your airplane, Electric?

Electrics are usually smaller aircraft cleaner and quieter, and they come in a variety of sizes and materials. Here are some pro's and con's of electrics.
Pro's: Quiet, cheap airframe, clean, many ready to flies on the market, small size easy to transport, smaller flying area.
Cons: Large ones are pricey, batteries are very finicky (Li-Po's), fragile foam, small airframes less stable in wind.

Weight is very critical in an electric, batteries will be the heaviest part of this type of aircraft.
Everything you can do to save weight will improve flight time and performance.

The newest type of batteries are lithium polymer or Li-Po batteries. They are very light compared to the Ni-cad and Nimh batteries. Li-Po's do have a down side, you have to charge them with a balanced charger that will charge each cell to a matched voltage, you also cannot drain the battery fully without damaging it. Crash hard enough and you will get a nice Hollywood fire.
Despite this they are the best choice for a stunt plane because of their high current capability and low weight.

If you should crash your plane with a Li-Po battery in it, remove the battery as quick as you can and lay it on the ground for at least half an hour.
DO NOT put it in your car after a crash. I have read several articles about a person who done this and lost the plane and their CAR to a nice fire.

Step 5: Choosing what will power your airplane, Fuel?

Nitro or Gas powered are the "Kings" of the RC airplane world, real airplanes burn fuel and so do these. Most common are two cycle high RPM engines will enough power to get the job done twice. Other are gasoline burning and 4 stroke.

Pro's: large scale airframes, longer flight times, engines as cheap as some batteries(Li-Po), the sound is cool, kits are very cheap, extra power means more detail on airframe like retractable landing gears, Larger frames not as bad to fly in light winds.
Cons: Noisy, oily, engine maintenance, high speed of some means hard to control, larger take off area, takes up allot more room in your car, complicated build, need more support equipment.

Most of the gas planes are 2 cycle glow fuel powered, they use a spacial fuel available at most real hobby stores in quart to gallon size bottles. Its a nitro-methane alcohol, oil mixture that lubricates these engines as they run. The fuel also comes in different nitro-methane content such as 10% to 35% nitro. As you guessed more Nitro is more power. Just don't get carried away with it, you can burn up a motor with to much nitro.

These engines are called glow engines because they use a small glow plug to maintain the spark for ignition. you simply use a battery to heat it up and start the engine.

Their are also 4 stroke engines that use the same fuel, they have valves just like a car engine, the big advantage is more torque for bigger propellers, and better fuel economy. The down side is price and a few more engine parts to worry about adjustment and breaking.

Most engines also require you break them in when they are new, if you just start running them out of the box the parts will heat up to fast and wear out way to fast. Most of the break in procedure will be in the instructions that come with the engine and is a simple process of running the engine very rich for a few tanks of idle running to full throttle running for a whole tank, just make sure you follow the instructions and the engine will last for a long time.

These engine do not require a fuel pump as the exhaust gas pressure is piped into the fuel tank to push the fuel into the carburetor

Starting involves attaching the glow starter, and turning the engine over using the starter motor.
These engines are strong and dangerous, you can lose a finger or two, if you make a mistake. The propellers turn so fast they disappear, so use caution.

Learn how to fly RC

There are many true “beginner” airplanes out on the market today. They are usually electric power gliders, slowflyers, or parkflyers. These new high technology “beginner” airplanes are so diverse and powerful that most of them are bought by long-time expert flyers! By following these simple instructions, you will learn to fly an RC airplane in no time! 

* Understanding how a plane flies. By understanding how an rc airplane flies you will have greater control over it. When the rc airplane moves forward the air lifts the wing up. If it moves too slowly, it won’t lift and it will fall right out of the air (stalling the plane). It therefore needs speed, which will come from the motor spinning the propeller, (throttle) or by descending and gliding. All the time that the wing is moving forward it is lifting, no matter what position it is in. It can be upside down, in a turn, inverted, or doing acrobatics, and there is always a lift from the wing even though the lift might not be straight up as it is when the plane is in flight. The rc airplane is able to make a turn by tilting in the direction of the turn, so that some of the wing lift is angled either partly to the left or partly to the right depending on the direction of the turn. To turn the plane, you tilt the wings with the ailerons or with the rudder, in the direction that you want the airplane to turn. To make the airplane go up, you give the up command to the elevator.

(downstick) The elevator surface angles up, and the air that’s hitting it blows the tail down and the nose up. As the rc airplane goes up it slows down. If it goes too slow then the lift stops and the airplane falls-it will stall.

 * Turning an RC airplane is very different than turning a RC car or a RC boat. When you tilt the airplane’s wing in the direction that you want it to go, the airplane will continue to tilt as long as the wing is still angled in that direction.. To stop the airplane from turning, you move the control stick in the opposite direction from the turn so that the wings will level out. If you let go of the control stick, the airplane should automatically come back to a level flight. * * Make sure to check the following things before each flight.

*Flying the rc plane on the ground.  A simple and effective tip for learning how to fly is to first fly the rc airplane on the ground. This will train you to the proper orientation of the controls and get you accustomed to using the control sticks. You will use throttle to move the airplane forward and the rudder to steer the airplane on the ground. First do circles and then figure eights.

Keep in mind that if you cannot fly the plane on the ground then you will not be able to fly it in the air.

* Choose a large flying field for your flight. Don’t try to fly in your street or in another small enclosed area, even if your airplane is capable of flying in such a restricted place. You will need a large open, airy place for your first flights.

 * Hand launching your airplane. If you hand launch your airplane, make sure to throw it straight ahead not up, and throw it hard. Into the wind is best. Launching at full throttle is a good idea.

 * Taking off from a ground roll. If you take off from a ground roll, the airplane needs to build up speed before you signal “up” elevator, in order that you know that the airplane has enough speed to fly. When it actually takes off and leaves the ground try to climb at a very small angle, not abruptly, because that may cause a loss of airspeed and a stalled plane. 

* Don’t climb too steeply. Give very little “up” elevator as you begin takeoff. Many beginners try to climb too steeply which makes the plane slow down, stall and crash.

 * Turns. Don’t try any turns until the plane is very high up. Just climb straight ahead with very gentle turns. Also make sure to practice gentle turns in the air before trying to land. Practice false landings while still high in the air in order to get a good idea of theplane’s falling speed. If the airplane stalls, just give it a bit of the down elevator and the airplane will start flying again. When theairplane flies towards you, turn your body a little, so that you can imagine right and left from the airplanes point of view. This will prevent you from getting confused about which way to turn your airplane. 

* Landing. Avoid turns when the airplane is low. Don’t try to land your plane in a specific place. Instead just let your plane glide slowly onto the ground ahead. The bigger the field when you fly for the first time, the greater are your chances for success. 

Brushless Motor Facts

The electric motor of your rc airplane or rc helicopter has a SIGNIFICANT impact on how your aircraft flies. The majority of our rc airplanes and rc helicopters come with state of the art brushless motors. Brushless motors have more torque, greater efficiency and longer lifespan over stock brushed motors. Since there are no brushes, there are no parts to wear out and a typical brushless motor can run forever, if maintained properly. Brushless motors usually see about a 30% increase in run time of over stock brushed motors, and will see 30-40% increase in overall power.

Hobby Grade Components

All of Parkflyers RC products feature hobby grade components. This means that all the components are separate and not integrated as some cheaper suppliers use to save on cost. Our components are interchange-able and usable in similar sized aircraft. We utilize high quality servos, speed controls, motors, radio and receivers. Our batteries are pre-tested at factory to withstand high durability and longevity through using higher quality cells.

Quality Control at factory 

We take quality seriously at Parkflyers RC. All of our products have a systematic quality control process done at the factory level; to ensure you receive fully working items. Each card is stamped with operators name and QC date and inserted into each kit.

Flying lesson for beginner (Part 3)

This session varies with the interest of my students. Some want to build a plane from a kit while most want a RTF right out of the box. At a minimum I cover how some basic repairs are made and what glues are used in the hobby and how they are used and what protections to take for themselves and the furniture. If time allows I cover batteries and chargers briefly during this session. We review how to turn a plane and how to end a turn and I encourage them to think and pretend fly a plane through several turns. If time allows I have the students fly a coaxial helicopter with focus on throttle control and going on from there.

Lesson 4: Flying with the Flight Simulator

If I let my students vote I am sure they would vote to start with the flight simulator with the first meeting. But I also find they don't hear me nearly as well once they are on the flight simulator. I use both Real Flight and Phoenix flight simulators. I enjoy both but I find the lessons on Real Flight to be very valuable for all levels of pilots. I have found the advance lessons for aerobatics and helicopter training to be extremely helpful in advancing my own skills, especially into 3D helicopter flying. Phoenix has videos that are helpful for the beginner. They enjoy the various trainer planes but especially the Super Cub. I expose students to both and it is their choice if they want to buy a simulator and if so which one they buy. During this first session on the simulator I give a demonstration flight with a view from the ground. I don't try to teach after that demo flight but I do answer questions. Mostly I let them fly and crash and just experience the simulator from a ground view. It can be both a very enjoyable lesson for some and frustrating for others. They rotate on and off the simulator and the amount of time depends on the number of students. All too soon the time is up and the lesson is over. For large classes I will offer a "Lab Session" where they have only two pilots for the time period and they split the available time on the simulator.

Lesson 5 Flying with a View from the Chase Position

Here I have the students fly on the simulator with a view from the chase plane. They are right behind the plane as if they were following in the chase position. They are always oriented to their plane and they have a lot more success in flying the simulator plane from this view then they did the previous week from the ground view. FYI I use trainer type planes on the simulator. Students are now able to get a better feel and more success of how they control the plane by viewing from this position.

Lesson 6 More Simulator Flight Time from the Chase Position but with a pylon course to navigate.

This week they can't just take off and fly in any direction. They remain in the chase position but now they have to fly a pylon course. Sometimes we do this at night with lighted pylons just to make it even more challenging for the last flight session of this lesson. The confidence level after this session is generally pretty good with some pilots thinking they are ready for the real world and not needing any more practice. I discourage that and tell them one more session and if they do well then they can fly.

Lesson 7-9 Back to Ground View with the Flight Simulator

At the start of lesson 7 I let the most confident students go first and there is usually a liberal use of the reset button as flying from the ground view is a lot more challenging then from the chase view they were using the previous two weeks. By the end of lesson 7 most of my students are flying much better from the ground view then they were the first time back in week 4.

Lessons 8 and 9 are more of the same. Practice time on the flight simulator in preparation for their first flights. In lesson eight I do a short demo flight where I set the throttle at a nice cruising rate and I make turns just bumping the right stick in very short increments to make turns. It is my way to remind them that short stick movements are all that is needed.

Trainer Planes

As mentioned above I have tried a number of trainer planes over the years and recently have encouraged students who wanted to buy their own plane to get a small plane to learn with for several reasons. The reason I encouraged using small planes is that we have many calm mornings when small planes can function fine outside. They can easily be flown in parks and smaller fields. If you turn the motor off there is little chance they will be damaged in most crashes. My students have for the most part accepted my advice and the planes of choice have been micro planes including: Playmates, Champs and the little Albatros. These planes have worked very well for my students and have generally needed little or no repairs and have held up very well to the mistakes the students have made in the learning process. I still recommend the small planes but I discuss two new and larger planes below that are worthy of consideration and now get my recommendation.

For larger planes there are a number of good ones including the Sensei and the Super Cub. I now use the Sensei on a buddy box to give the students a chance to fly a large plane at one of the flying fields I have access too. The Sensei tracks like it is on rails so it goes where directed. Its response is very predictable so I know what the student is doing if there are any problems. It is large and it can easily be seen what direction the Sensei is heading. I now have two of these planes to use in my training classes and I remain very happy with it as my buddy box plane. I also like that it is powerful enough to handle some wind and yet remain very docile. For Sunday flying I like the drop box it has and the ability to catch a strong thermal and sometimes soar with the motor off. I have ended up flying the Sensei for my personal use much more than I expected I would. It is a great plane.

• The Sensei is a great flyer and I can fly it using a buddy box with my student.

• The large size of the Sensei helps with orientation.
• I enjoy the Sensei as a Sunday Flyer when not using it with students.

• Troop 145 holding my Sensei after a group presentation on aviation to the scouts and some parents.

Lesson 2: Basic Terminology and Selecting a Trainer Plane

In lesson 2 the students get handouts with a lot of the basic terms for the different parts of the plane and helicopter. I cover the issue of dihedral and polyhedral and how they are used to help make a good 3 channel trainer plane one that can more easily self-recover if the pilot goes hands off of the controls. I also cover the practical differences between three channel trainers and four channel trainers and why I prefer to have students start with a three channel trainer. The last fifteen minutes are spent reviewing orientation and small stick movements.

• Double click on the pictures to more easily read the terms.
• I never assume that my students know the parts of the aircraft.
• I only call on volunteers who want to answer my questions.
• I added helicopters to training years ago and now I have had my first quad-copter request.

Over the years I have used a number of planes to help train students to fly. They include the Gentle Lady two channel glider with polyhedral. The Multiplex Hummel and the Hobby-lobby Miss Two which are both electrics with dihedral and rudder and elevator control. More recently I have used smaller three channel planes including the HobbyZone Super Cub and Champ and the Flyzone Playmate. Living in Northern CA we have a lot of early mornings that are calm, and that allows for the use of small trainer planes in calm conditions. My students can of course pick whatever plane they want but I strongly encourage a three channel plane for the first plane. I don't want them to get their plane yet, I just want them to start thinking about trainer planes.

In this class I try and cover all the parts of an electric powered plane and what those parts do. I have a handout for them to take home, and I get to discuss small vs large movements of the transmitter stick when discussing each control surface. Here I also cover the basics of getting into a turn, keeping the plane level and getting out of a turn. The turn starts by moving the ailerons or rudder in one direction and the plane starts to bank and turn. The inside wing starts to drop and this requires some up elevator to stop this drop and keep the plane level. Finally, ending the turn often requires a moment of counter turn to get the plane out of the turn and back to flying straight. During this discussion I get to again focus on small stick movements and the importance of remaining orientated with their aircraft.

Vince Lombardi is said to have started training camp showing the team a football and saying: "This is a football!" I start this session with a picture and say: "This is a plane." I try not to assume that they know anything but cover the basics quickly and give them handouts to take home.

Teaching RC Beginners How to Fly Lesson 1 : The Transmitter

There are many different ways for a beginner to learn to fly RC airplanes or helicopters, and the method I use is one I have developed over the years in working with small groups. It is by no means the only way to learn, but simply one method that has proven successful for a number of people who have become RC pilots and shared some fellowship in the process. My method is used with small groups that meet once a week. I believe in teaching only a few major points per lesson and repetition. I strongly believe in the benefit of using a flight simulator. My method can be adopted for those with more time and those who prove they are quick learners. I hope beginners find this helpful.

Equipment

• 4 channel or more transmitter
• Small airplane for a visual aide
• Hobby grade micro coaxial helicopter

For the first lesson I go over the transmitter and cover mode 2 for 4 channel control (the most used method in North America) and mode 4 for 3 channel control (rudder on the right stick instead of left stick for 3 channel planes.). I cover the movement of the sticks and trim tabs and the benefit of digital trim tabs. Secondly, I go over aligning their transmitter with their aircraft and keeping it aligned with the plane during the flight and third I encourage small stick movements.

Orientation and Alignment

Loss of orientation is the number 1 problem for most beginners. When the aircraft is flying away from the pilot its right and their right are the same as are their left, forward and reverse. However, when the aircraft is coming at them, the controls are all reversed, and this often causes confusion and loss of orientation with the plane. To get around this I teach the students to turn to the direction they turn the aircraft to maintain that orientation of the transmitter with the plane. (I briefly mention how to make the turn with aileron to start and then elevator to keep the wing up. This will be covered in Lesson 2 in detail. It is just mentioned here and I answer almost all questions.) With a 90 degree turn to the right they turn 90 degrees to the right and remain facing the same direction the plane is going. They turn their head to track the plane as needed. When they turn the plane back towards themselves they must be able to see the plane but I want them to keep that orientation so I have them turn their body slightly more to the right if turning the plane to the right and then turning their arms to keep the transmitter aligned with the plane. (For left turns it is the same but to the left.) I encourage them to plan their flight in advance just as a professional golfer pictures his shot before he swings. They take off with their plane or helicopter with their first few turns already scripted and they can practice what they will do before they leave the ground. Bill Walsh scripted the first 15 plays on offense so the 49ers knew what they were going to do before the game started. I want my students to script their first few turns so they know what they are going to do before taking off. I do this to help get their heads into the cockpit before the flight starts.

Make Small Stick Movements

Over-controlling the aircraft is the number 2 mistake, and it is just as hard to overcome. For this lesson I have them fly a small hobby grade coaxial helicopter with the focus being on the the left stick throttle only. For this training the right hand is not on the right stick. I don't want them rotating the helicopter with the left stick. I want them to focus on throttle control. Getting the helicopter quickly off the ground and up to waist height to head high but no higher. By only focusing on that one function of throttle control my students usually obtain success in meeting the goal I set for the first lesson. They learn how once up in a hover how little stick movement is needed on the throttle to make the helicopter climb or drop (one click).

While we may initially have some drifting across the floor from too slow a throttle power up. We also might have some crashes from too fast a power up or power down, the micro helicopter can generally withstand these accidents and I teach them to power OFF! in the case of a crash or expected crash. These little helicopters generally are more likely to damage themselves post crash if left running then being broken from the crash itself. They all get a chance to fly the coaxial helicopter but they only control the throttle. I find they learn to control that helicopter's throttle very quickly when not distracted with learning to fly the helicopter as a whole.

After everyone has flown I ask them if they now understand how little they needed to move the throttle to get the helicopter to climb or lower once they got to the initial hover stage and they do. I then tell them the same is true with the elevator on an airplane and small movements are best with the ailerons and rudder for basic turns.

ORIENTATION

• With the plane facing the same direction as the pilot his right and the plane's right are the same making for easy orientation as demonstrated by Dick Andersen

• When you have the plane turn , turn your body in the same direction and you remain aligned with the plane. Your right and the plane's right remain the same.

• The hardest orientation is when the plane is coming at you. Many students are fine keeping the transmitter aligned with the plane to help in this situation. A few do not find this helpful initially but they usually come around to find it benefitial.

Conclusion of Lesson 1

I encourage my students to reflect on what was covered for a few minutes each day during the week until we meet again. Practice picturing flying and turning the plane and turning their bodies to match. While it may sound somewhat strange to them, those that do it will usually be the more successful pilots. They don't need any equipment. They go home with a hand out that covers the basics. I compare it to a golfer practicing his grip between early lessons. The basics need to be learned and the lessons from the first meeting require no equipment and can be done at home.