Radio Control Airplanes for Beginners

Maybe you've seen those RC hobbyists flying their aircraft, performing incredible aerobatics and thought you might like to get involved but a word of caution, it is not in your best interest to just go leaping in to the hobby and spending your hard earned cash on the best and fastest model you have heard about.

Image courtesy of Hobby Heroes Radio Control in Sydney, I'm not an affiliate but they helped me with this article - thanks guys.

Flying a radio controlled airplane and performing aerobatic stunts takes some practice and plenty of it. You might be better advised in a less advanced airplane to start with while you get to understand just how much concentration is really required to control a model airplane, then you can think about moving on to more complicated models.

Buying and flying your first radio control airplane should be a good experience that encourages you into the hobby. Beginners are often recommended to start with a high-wing trainer. So what is this training model? A high-wing airplane is one with the wing placed on top of the fuselage, a design that allows for slow and gentle flight characteristics and which tends to be more forgiving of errors, making them great for learners.

High-wing training airplanes are a great way to learn the basic skills before trying faster low-wing airplanes which demand skill and experience to fly safely. You can buy trainer airplanes in almost ready to fly kits, requiring a small amount of assembly to get going, or as fully assembled airplanes that just need their batteries charged.

Try to look for trainer airplanes that are specially built for durability and which can be easily repaired because as a beginner you will certainly have a share of low quality landings! An easily repaired airplane means you are back in the skies in no time to try again. Airplanes with tricycle style landing gear are easier to control on the ground than those with low tails (sometimes known as tail-draggers) so bear that in mind when making your purchase too.

Don't get stuck thinking too much about the power and electronics of RC for now. There are any number of combinations of power units and radio controllers possible but your first airplane will have that side of things all matched up for you. The guys at the hobby store will explain all you want if you have any questions.

Getting some expert advice is a must. Visit a radio control flying area and check out the aircraft and pick a good time (between flights) to ask questions, though you'll notice the RC hobbyists, like most other hobbyists, are more than happy to chat and answer questions from newbies. Then you're ready to get into a good hobby store and talk with the guys there. They are always eager to help you make the right choice and they really want to encourage newcomers into their world, the world of radio control airplanes.

Note for the Aussie readers: The guys at Hobby Heroes are not just helpful themselves, they also run a 'Hobbypedia' where hobbyists can contribute to the knowledge base and receive discounts on future purchases! They give excellent beginner service and have some excellent RC Planes including suitable ones for beginners.

My thanks to them for their help with this hub.