RC airplanes

* Ailerons - Rolls the plane and/or provides directional control
* Flaps - Decreases the speed of the aircraft without stalling
* Landing gear - wheels on bottom of plane
* Vertical fin - fin on back of plane
* Rudder - moveable fin on vertical fin
* Elevator - moveable fins below rudder

Technical Information - A load cell is typically an electronic device (transducer) that is used to convert a force into an electrical signal. The transistors are a semiconductor device, commonly used as an amplifier or an electrically controlled switch. The multimeters are electronic measuring instrument that combines several functions in one unit. The semiconductors are a solid material that has electrical conductivity in between that of a conductor and that of an insulator.

Performance should really come first. At this stage, it's really all about the flying. You will need something slow, and stable. It should recover quickly from odd situations, and not respond too suddenly to control inputs. It will help if the plane is big and light, with lots of dihedral angle in the wing, as explained in the controls section.

Ease of assembly should also be high on your list. You'll need good complete instructions. Having said that, consider building from a kit, if your schedule allows the extra time. While this will take longer than assembling an ARF airplane, it has advantages. All-wood kits generally turn out lighter than their ARF counterparts. Also, if there's an "unplanned arrival", you will know exactly how to repair the airplane. Still today's ARFs and foam kits are sometimes competitive with kits in the performance department.

Crash resistance should not be your main consideration. You really want an airplane designed to fly, not to crash :) Some of the best flyers will be less strong that the worst flyers. Airplanes designed to withstand crashes tend to be much heavier than is good for decent fight performance, and so they end up doing a lot of crashing! Just be aware that you will do some crashing and repairing while learning to fly. Now would you rather be doing some repairing on a great flying airplane, or doing fewer repairs on a flying brick%u2026?

Cost: Can I buy it used from this guy on Ebay? Well, cost is on most people's mind when they get into any new hobby, and rc airplanes are no different. Just remember that you usually get what you pay for. The cheapest system is generally not the best.

If you decide to buy used, buying an airplane whose history you know may work out fine. Many people get good deals on used trainer airplanes from someone in the club they just joined.

Looks should be the last thing on your mind when you get your new rc airplane. That Cessna or P51 Mustang on the hobby shop shelf looks great, doesn't it? And the box may claim that it is fine for beginners. Again just like any hobby, there are facts, and there is marketing hype.

You will not have a fun experience trying to fly a scale model as your first. Even scale models of full-scale trainers (eg Cessna Skylane, etc) do not make good first rc airplanes. You can scale the airplane down, but you can't scale down the forces of nature. Scale models will be too fast and unstable for a beginner. Forget about it right now, and make up your mind to get that not-so-cool box-like trainer. You will save yourself a lot of frustration and money.

Wood
Kits often consist on parts cut from wood. The wood is largely balsa wood, as this type of wood is light yet strong. Other types of wood, e.g. plywood, spruce or basswood are used in areas where strength is more important that weight.

Other types of materials, such as Foam, and Fiberglass, are becoming popular for the airplane kit. Their advantage is that complex shapes can be more easily formed (by the manufacturer), making the kit easier to build. Foam has the disadvantage of not being as strong as wood, while fiberglass is generally more expensive.

The wood itself can be prepared in a variety of ways. The parts may be machine cut, die cut or in the latest kits, laser cut. Laser cutting is controlled by a computer and produces very accurate, precisely fitting parts. If you've always been afraid of building an all-wood, try a laser-cut kit, they really are very easy to assemble.

Note that in some very old kits, the wood is not cut at all! The pattern is simply printed onto the wood, and the kit builder must cut out parts manually. This type of kit is known as "printwood".

Check out our detailed tutorial on building an airplane kit from balsa wood.

Glues
An airplane kit is almost always assembled using glue. This is not the Testors plastic cement of your display model airplane. There are specific glues for different tasks.

CA glue - CyanoAcrylate glue. Similar stuff to Krazy Glue, works almost instantly. Comes in different thicknesses. Generally best for bonding wood to wood. Also great for bonding fingers to each other. Always use eye protection with these glues! Will melt foam (exception: the "odorless" version).

Yellow glue - Carpenter's wood glue. Best for wood. Works much more slowly than CA glue, but can create an ever stronger bond.

Epoxy Glue - A two-part glue that must be mixed. Different working times are available, eg 5 min, 30 min, 1 hour. Very strong. Will bond almost anything together.

Silicone Glue - Good for bonding rubber or foam.

RC56 - Canopy glue. Great for joining plastics. Dries clear and is flexible, so is perfect for canopies.

Dope - Good for sticking tissue covering to balsa wood.

Plastic cement - Not for RC airplane kits.

Tools
Someone building an rc airplane kit will need an assortment of tools. It's probably best to accumulate tools gradually over time, as more and more complex kit projects are undertaken. Here are some of the really useful basic tools:

Safety glasses - Protect your eyes whenever doing any cutting, or using hazardous solvents (e.g. CA glues). The couple of extra seconds to put these on may be worth it someday.

X-acto knife - This is basically a single edge razor in a convenient pen-size handle. Various blades are available, the most common being the Number 11. Tip: buy these in a bulk package at a crafts store like Michael's, they will be much cheaper.

Sandpaper - If you want a good looking wooden airplane, you will need to use lots of sandpaper. Get an assortment of grades, from coarse to fine. I've used as fine as 800 grit on some balsa airplanes.

Sanding blocks - Do not sand any large area with your fingers / hand only! Your hand will apply uneven pressure, leading to unsightly waves in the surface. Apply the sanding paper to one or more blocks available at the hardware store.

Razor saw - These are great for cutting through thicker pieces of wood that your razor knife cannot handle. X-acto makes one with a coarse and fine blade.

Coping saw - This is great for cutting through tougher woods such as plywood.

Pliers - Great for reaching and holding. I use these a lot during radio install.

Screwdrivers - Almost every airplane kit has screws!

Wire-strippers - Very useful if you are building an electric motor system

Soldering Iron - Same as above

Metal straight edge - You will need to cut straight lines, either on wood or on plastic coverings.

Dremel Rotary Tool - Saved the best for last. This is the single most-used tool in my toolbox. Get a continuously variable-speed model with lots of attachments.

Where to fly
Consider joining up if there is a club near you. You will meet fellow pilots, have access to their flying facility, as well as be able to find a good instructor. It may be worth it to drive some distance to a flying field to get these benefits.

Visit the club or clubs in your area before joining up. Talk to several of the members, and see how welcoming they are to the idea of new members. Most rc pilots are happy to talk about their airplanes. If the chief instructor is around, talk to that person to get an idea of what your flight lessons might be like. Don't underestimate the people factor, as you will probably start spending a lot of time at the club :)

The club will most likely have membership dues, as well as requiring you to join the Academy of Model Aeronautics, AMA. The AMA membership gets you insurance, which we'll talk about here. Consider these annual dues when preparing your hobby budget.

If a club is not available nearby, or is somehow not right for you, there are now slow-flying electric rc airplanes that can be flown in a large park. Please be aware of local rules and posted sign in the parks. Observe the rules! Most importantly, remember that parks and other public spaces have to be shared with other users. Be courteous, and above all, be safe. If there are other people around, consider postponing your flight to another less-busy time.

On the subject of safety in parks, if you have to choose between crashing your plane on purpose, or colliding with another parkgoer, chose the crash! Airplanes can be rebuilt%u2026.. Never fly a fast or otherwise hazardous aircraft in a park. Also, do NOT fly in a park that is close to an RC club! You will not know who is on your frequency and it's only a matter of time before a crash results.

Insurance
When learning to fly RC airplanes, accidents can and do happen. Even world champion flyers crash occasionally, that is part of the fun! It's recommended that you not fly without purchasing liability insurance. This helps cover costs in the event that persons are hurt or property is damaged as a result of your rc airplane activities. While personal injury from rc aircraft seems less common than in most physically demanding sports, it's still a good idea to protect yourself from the possibility of payments to an injured party.

An easy way to get such insurance is to join the Academy of Model Aeronautics, AMA. The insurance coverage is meant to be secondary to your homeowner's insurance, up to $1,000,000. As long as you follow the AMA's safety guidelines while learning to fly RC, the coverage is applicable.

In addition to the insurance, the AMA lobbies on behalf of our interests, provides assistance with obtaining and keeping flying fields, plus other matters. There is also a free monthly magazine highlighting all aspects of the model aviation hobby.

Get a Live Instructor
A live instructor can greatly cut down on the time it takes for you to learn to fly. Your expenses will be cut down too, as you will crash less often.

Despite your best efforts to build or assemble your plane, there will be slight imperfections in it. This causes it to not fly perfectly smooth or "hands-off". Instructors can flight test your airplane, and perform trim adjustments. This ensures that your plane is stable as it can be, before you, the newbie pilot, take over the controls.

If an instructor has a Tx that is compatible with yours, the two units can be connected with a cable. This arrangement is known as "buddy-boxing". This allows the instructor to take the plane to a safe altitude, then release control to the student using a switch on his Tx. If the student gets into trouble, the instructor can take over the controls easily, just by releasing the switch.

Even without the buddy-box, having an instructor by your side is still priceless. In addition to the test flight, the instructor is there with advice and calming words of encouragement. And if all else fails, in an emergency you can hand the Tx to your teacher! Just do that before the plane is really close to the ground%u2026

If you cannot get a live instructor
Use a Flight Simulator
A great tool for learning to fly is the flight simulator. This is common practice among military and commercial aviation pilots, and is now becoming more common for learning to fly rc airplanes.

If you've not seem a computer flight simulator, it's like a computer game where you control the airplane with a device that looks like a transmitter, or in some cases, using your actual transmitter.

The neat thing is that you can crash over and over while learning to fly on the simulator! This can save you a lot of time and money. Even advanced pilots use the simulator to practice new moves. It's also great when the weather outside is just too cold or windy to fly.

RC Flight Simulators
Below you will find some info about these common RC flight simulators:

FMS
Realflight G2 and G3
Reflex XTR
Aerofly Pro

Flying model airplanes can be a challenging task, but with my help it will be easier. First is first, before flying anywhere, know your local byelaws on flying model planes. You also want to try to fly at a proper flying field, one that is for flying RC airplanes. If you have a small electric airplane you can fly at a park or in your backyard if you like to.

I learned flying model airplanes on my own. I started out with the Firebird outlaw from HobbyZone, and taught myself. The outlaw is just a simple RTF electric airplane though. Gas powered rc airplanes, and some electric ones are more difficult and not that simple.

I don't recommend you try to learn by yourself, but sometimes people do better learning on their own. If you really want to get good fast, then you should get a flying instructor. You local rc model airplane club will usually have an instructor you can hire for help.

If you've purchased an RTF airplane and followed the manufacturer's instructions, the weight and balance should be OK but it is imperative that you check the balance before flying any rc airplane, as an incorrect balance can make the plane uncontrollable and likely to crash.

All flying model airplanes, just like real ones, have a Center of Gravity (CG) that effects the plane's balance and thus its flying characteristics. This CG, as a very general rule, is approximately 1/3rd of the wing chord (width) back from the leading edge of the wing. In many cases, this will be the approximate location of the main wing spar, should there be one.

To test your airplane's balance, place the tips of each index finger under each wing, at the exact CG point as indicated by the manufacturer, and a couple of inches away from the fuselage sides. Gently lift the model up so it balances on your fingertips.

If the balance is correct, the model should be either level or with its nose pointing slightly downwards. If the tail is pointing downwards do not fly it yet! The airplane is tail heavy, and this is the worst case of improper balance for a plane.
If your plane is tail heavy, you need to either try and reposition the motor battery pack further forward or add weight to the nose of the model. Modeling clay or fishing shots are ideal, and add only enough to make the plane balance correctly. Moving the battery pack is the better option though, by doing this you're not adding 'dead weight' to your plane.

RC came from words radio control. RC models are managed by radio waves. Flying model airplanes is an exhilarating hobby and a great deal of fun, but needs to be taken seriously - at least in your early days of rc flying!
This 'flight school' page will give you some essential advice for flying rc airplanes of the simpler 2 channel electric type. These are very widely available nowadays, and can be flown without prior experience. Obviously though, the basics of getting started as outlined on this page apply to larger airplanes too, but we'll assume a simple model.

Once you've learned to fly your rc airplane confidently, it's time to step it up a notch and learn some basic rc airplane aerobatics!

RC airplane aerobatics are great fun and all part of rc flying, but you need to start off slowly and not try things that are too complicated.
This page will ease you into performing some simple aerobatics with your rc airplane, with the most basic maneuvers:

* the inside loop(it is in the photo)
* the outside loop
* the roll
* the stall turn

Important!... When performing rc aerobatics of any kind, you need to fly in a very responsible way especially if you're flying in a public place and there are other people around.
Choose your flying site carefully - aerobatics usually require more airspace than normal flying, so make sure that the area is plenty big enough with no trees, posts or pylons etc.

Step 1

Gain a familiarity with your airplane's stall speed and its ability to climb. You must make sure your aircraft has enough speed heading into this maneuver, and this will vary from one model aircraft to another. A good way to get a feel for your aircraft is to go into a vertical climb and see how long it takes for it to stall.

Step 2

Adjust the throttle to 100 percent if your airplane has throttle control, and attain top speed.

Step 3

Pull back hard on the joystick, sending your airplane into a vertical climb.

Step 4

Continue pulling back, and watch as your airplane goes completely inverted at the peak of its loop. At this point, decide whether you have the altitude to complete the loop or whether you need to abort.

Step 5

Abort by rolling your airplane 180 degrees and reattaining straight and level flight.

Step 6

Complete the loop by maintaining downward pressure on the controller joystick. As the airplane's nose is pointed directly at the ground, ease back slightly on the throttle. Your airplane maneuvers best at a speed significantly slower than its top speed, and this will allow you to pull out of the dive sooner.

Step 1

Maintain straight and level flight. Different airplanes react differently to doing rolls; initially, err on the side of too much altitude to avoid any mishaps. A good general rule would be an altitude of at least four times the airplane's wingspan or 10 feet, whichever is higher.

Step 2

Pitch the nose up very slightly.

Step 3

Move the controller joystick hard right or left, allowing the airplane to begin to roll. Keep rolling until the airplane has rotated 360 degrees and is back upright.