Electric RC Airplane for Beginners.

RC Flying Enthusiast
Welcome to the wonderful and exciting world of Radio Controlled (R/C) Model Aviation. As a R/C instructor pilot, mostly gliders and electric powered models, as well as one that is in the Hobby Retail market. I have seen too many new flyers and builders make some simple mistakes. Had the builder slowed down during the building or assembling process and really looked at things and read the manual, a serious error could have been avoided.

The building process is very important, this will determine how well your new airplane will fly or not fly at all. There is a organized method, too which an RC model airplane has too be built!. This is all found in your instruction manual that came with R/C aircraft you purchased. When a RC model airplane is generally examined it has three basic components, The Airplane model, theRadio control system and the Power system. All of these combined, make a great, nice flying model, that you'll enjoy learning to fly.!

Radio system
The radio system, consists of a transmitter, a receiver and servos and in most cases a battery for the transmitter as well as, one for the receiver. The Transmitter-
is a hand held electronic, radio signal, emitting device either on 27mhz or 72mhz or 2.4ghz usually a radio signal is approximately a 1 Mile range. The 27mhz and 72mhz frequency band radios have channels and need to be cleared before you turn on too go fly. The 2.4ghz frequency transmitters are a turn on and go fly technology no clearing of channel frequency needed due too FCC requirements.

The receiver

The servo
The servo is a electro mechanical device, which consists of a small motor connected by a multiple gear system and has a elongated plastic arm that swivels forwards and backwards to provide the necessary motion to move a control surface on your R/C Airplane or operate a certain feature on your airplane such as a retractable landing gear and or flaps.

 

RC Airplane Kits
There are four categories of kits which are currently popular in the market -
Basic Kit ( barebones kit)
A.R.F.- Almost Ready to Fly)
R.R. ( Receiver Ready )
R.T.F. - Ready To Fly

Basic Kit or Kit:
This kit or R/C model aircraft structure has to be built, Radio system has to be installed and the power system has to be installed, if the model requires a power system. A sailplane or glider would not need a power system.
Note: Most hobby retailers will in fact offer Combo deals an A.R.F. type kit and an appropriate power system, check with your hobby retailer for these kind of offers

RTF RC Airplanes:
Ready to Fly RC Airplanes. These types of RC Airplane kit usually consists of all the necessary hardware and equipment needed to fly the airplane right out of the box. These RC airplanes kit comes in different variety and are suitable for beginners and intermediate as well as experienced RC pilots.
ARF RC Airplanes:
(Almost ready to fly RC Airplanes). These types of RC airplane kits usually requires 8-12 hrs of building time and requires glues, radio system, servos, battery, chargers to make it flight ready. These kits are usually suitable for intermediate or expert flyers who has experience on building RC airplanes or for a beginner RC hobbyist with good building skills and patience.

RR RC Airplane kits:
(Receiver ready RC Airplane Kits). These types of kit are suitable for all levels of flyer who has a radio system (from a previous airplane or if you have bought it separately). These kits are usually assembled in the factory and there is only a nominal build required, it is almost like a RTF kit without the radio
and receiver. All the servos, esc (speed controller), battery and other moveable surfaces are preinstalled in the factory and included in the kit.

Choosing the right RC Airplane for a Beginner -

If you are new to this hobby and planning to buy a RC airplane, we have provided some tips on choosing and buying the best RC airplane suitable for you that is fits your budget. Fly an RC Airplane is in some sense like fly the real thing, all the basic flight principles applies to the model RC airplanes and all the control, like rudder, elevator. For a Beginner you need to choose a RC Airplane that is durable, easy to fly with minimum building necessary. The 3 basic things you need to look for a beginner RC airplane is-
- Durable construction, light weight and easy to repair.

- Easy to fly, the airplane should be a good glider, it should glide without any power.
- You should preferably buy a Ready to fly kit meant for beginners. Most RC airplane kit box have markings telling you what    level of experience you need in-order to fly the airplane.

- And lastly practice is the key.

Buy a cheap RC flight simulator like the ESKY Flight simulator ($23) and practice flying in your computer before you take your
bird for it's first flight. For a $23 investment you'll save a lot of money later. Also there are several types of R/C Airplanes Trainer, sport model, War birds (WWII aircraft) and aerobatic and 3D aerobatic, model airplanes, Electric Ducted Fan, jets or EDF Jets and turbine powered jet, aircraft.
 

Power system overview

 
A power system is made of 3 components
1.-Motor, 2.-ESC (Electronic Speed Control), 3- Battery
There are basically 2 types of power systems for the R/C electric flyer, Brushed and Brushless and the appropriate ESC and Battery for each one
The Motor is the key, as too how fast or faster, your airplane flies and determines the two other components in your airplane's power system. The way too determine whether you have a brushed or brushless motor in your R/C Aircraft, is too look at the wires at one end of the motor, if the motor has two wires, it is a Brushed motor and if it has three wires it is a Brushless motor.

THE ESC (Electronic Speed Controller)
The ESC is a device, that is designed to regulate the stored electrical power or energy in the flight battery pack and gives the R/C electric flyer, the ability too vary the rpm or speed of the motor and also provides electrical power to the Receiver by the BEC or Battery Eliminator Circuit integrated in the ESC.
 

THE Flight BATTERY Pack
The battery pack is the power source, for all electric powered model airplanes.