Building and flying remote control planes is a wonderful hobby for anyone interested in airplanes or who likes to build and create models. The best thing about the RC plane models, of course, is that they really fly!

If you're just starting out in the hobby, I suggest you start with an inexpensive plane - maybe an almost-ready-to-fly kit, also called an ARF. These are much easier and faster to put together, and when you crash it, you won't be so devastated because you won't have so many hours invested.

Notice I said WHEN you crash it, and not IF you crash it. If you spend any time at all flying, sooner or later you're going to crash. It's inevitable. It takes a while to learn to control the craft. Even if you've flown before, when you get a new radio control plane, you'll have to get a feel for that unique airplane.

For a first plane, you need a big, slow plane that does not have aerobatic characteristics. You don't want to attempt fancy maneuvers like loop-de-loops right off the bat. All you want to do is learn to take off, control the flight, and land. That's the hard part - landing. Crash landing is easy - a proper landing is a lot tougher.

Get a radio control plane that's well constructed - one that won't break into a thousand pieces when you set it down hard. A high-wing is a good plane for someone just beginning with radio control planes.

Once you've learned to handle the big bird, you can graduate to something a little smaller and faster. By this time, you might want to make your own plane from scratch instead of purchasing an ARF.

It's a good idea for novices to join an RC club and attend a few fly-ins. You can watch the masters fly their planes, andmost of them will be glad to answer your questions. They might also be able and willing to give you advice on specific models, fuel, and controllers.

Another thing you need to consider is liability insurance. Some of these planes are really big. Suppose you're flying at a field near parked vehicles and you lose control of the plane. It could easily crash into a parked car and inflict a lot of damage. Or even worse, it could hit and injure someone.

You'll also have to find a good place to fly your radio control plane. If you join a club, they most likely will have a field that members can use. A turf farm is another good spot to fly. Just be sure to get permission from the owner first.