I've been flying electric rc airplanes for awhile now and there's one thing a beginner pilot can always count on, you will crash many many many times. Its not a question of if, but when. In order to save you a lot of money in repairs or replacement planes, here are some flying tips I've found useful.
1. Always fly in an open field. Soccer fields, football fields, school yards and your local park are great places to fly. When you don't fly in open fields you risk crashing into tree branches, buildings, on rooftops and even the pavement. All of those things are very unforgiving to a plastic airplane.
2. Never fly on windy days. The best days to fly are when there's no wind or very little. The bigger the plane you have, the more stable it will be. The wind can knock around smaller planes more easily than larger ones.
3. Never fly into the sun. You'll almost always lose sight of your airplane.
4. Wait until you've climbed a good 40-50 feet before executing turns. Sometimes when you turn, the plane will lose altitude, execute a turn to low and you may not be able to pull it up in time.
5. Try not to fly your plane over rooftops or trees until you become more experienced. Often times you'll think your high enough to pass over them, but your not. The farther your flying away from you, the harder it is to gage how high you are.
6. Flying electric rc airplanes is a lot like driving rc cars, but a little more difficult. Often times when your trying to turn, the plane doesn't respond right away. Give it a second or two and then it should start to turn.
7. Give yourself plenty of distance for take offs and landings. It takes time for a plane to climb and descend..
8. Flying electric rc airplanes is a lot of fun, but its difficult to learn on your own. If you want to get good fast, take lessons from an instructor. Most clubs have experienced flyers that are more than delighted to help out beginners.
Flying an electric RC airplane is like having beginners luck every time you fly. The first remote control airplane I ever got was electrically powered, I had no flying skills whatsoever, and I still managed to fly it perfectly without even crashing. Why you ask? Because electric RC planes like the one I had are so simple, they only have two control options, power and steering. You go as fast, or slow as you want and just choose your direction.
Now yes, there are electric RC planes that you can buy or build, that have many control channels and all the works, like flaps, ailerons, etc. Those types of electric airplanes are basically made for advanced flyers who don't like the mess that comes with the use of fuel. Most hobbyist start with an electrically powered plane, then move onto fuel powered ones once they have mastered it. But like I said, some people just don't like the mess and added expense that comes with a fuel powered engine, so they stick with electric motors. Fine, do whatever makes you happy, but I am just going to talk about getting a good electric RC plane for a beginner pilot.
Now first off you should note that electric airplanes can come in a few different types. Basically there are only park flyers, slow flyers, regular electric planes and advanced electrically powered RC airplanes.
Park flyers are mainly for parks and small areas similar to that outdoors. Slow flyers are just the opposite, since they move slower they are for indoors. These can be great for the winter or when it is just plain to windy outside to fly.
A regular electric RC airplane is the best for beginners and is exactly what I flew as my first RC airplane. Usually these planes are priced around $50 and they have just two controls, so it is ideal for beginners. This type of airplane is usually made of Styrofoam, and very little metal, so you need to be careful when flying it. Even if you do crash and damage something, usually a little duct tape will fix anything on it. I kid you not, I still have my first electric RC plane, which I broke the wing twice on, and it still fly's!
An advanced electric RC airplane is ideal for advanced pilots who don't like the mess of fuel, like I said before, but it is also great for areas where noise is a concern and you still want the full experience. Advanced electric R/C airplanes are more full bodied then regular ones, usually made of all plastic and balsa wood, plus they also have around 5 or 6 channels of control.
All in all, buy a park flyer if you just want a quick little flight every once in awhile, get a slow flyer if you want to fly indoors, purchase a regular electric RC plane if you want to get into the RC airplane hobby seriously, but are just a beginner. Last but not least, once you master an electric RC plane, move onto a more advanced nitro methane fuel powered one, or an advanced electrically powered plane.
Both Kevin Emswiler & Michael Cottier are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kevin Emswiler has sinced written about articles on various topics from Toys. Kevin Emswiler is an rc airplane enthusiast and loves flying rc airplanes in his spare time. If you like to learn more about , you can. Kevin Emswiler's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.
Michael Cottier has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Businesses, Web Development and Toys. I hope I have helped you and if you want more in depth help on electric RC planes just go to: