May 10, 2011
Whether you’re an experienced flyer of Electric Radio Control Planes, or would like to take up flying RC planes as a new hobby, Wonderland Models has a wide choice of plane types to get you into the sky. With such a range of types of RC planes available, let’s first take a look at the main differences between them.
1. Which type of RC Plane should I get?
There are a couple of key questions to consider when looking to buy an RC plane, firstly, what level of experience you have of flying RC planes, and secondly, whether you want a plane for flying indoors or outdoors (or both).
There are many ways in which RC planes can be categorised, but generally speaking, there are six types:
Park Flyers
So-called simply because their smaller stature means that it is possible for this type of plane to be flown in a public park. These ready to fly RC planes are very common among both beginners and advanced pilots alike due to the ease with which they can transported, as well as the relatively simple set-up procedure.
Indoor RC Planes
The indoor RC plane is specifically designed to be flown inside, although here ‘indoors’ refers more to large halls as opposed to your own living room. Indoor RC planes are very light (they normally weigh around 1 pound), and cannot therefore be flown where there is any type of breeze.
Micro RC Planes
Typically a smaller and cheaper version of the indoor RC planes, their popularity has grown in recent years, mainly due to the smaller airspace required to pilot these planes in (although a larger room is still required to get the most enjoyment from these micro RC planes).
Electric RC Glider Planes
An RC glider plane can provide the beginner with a very easy learning curve into the world of RC planes, while an experienced pilot can enjoy the exciting aerobatic opportunities available. Their wingspan is usually between 4 – 5 feet and weight around 3 to 5 pounds.
A motor is used to enable the initial launch, after which the propeller folds back to reduce drag, freeing the plane to make the most of the air thermals to remain in flight. An added benefit of electric RC glider planes is that flight times can be much longer than the other types of traditional electric aircraft as it does not depend on battery life to stay aloft.
Large RC Planes
These electric RC planes are generally the same size as the fuel powered RC planes, and they can weigh anything between 2 and 10 pounds. The heavier the plane, the more adept it will be at flying in windy conditions. Given the size of these larger RC planes, they require a flying area similar to that of the fuel powered models.
Fuel Powered RC Planes
These types of RC planes are typically powered by nitro gas and the models tend to be more advanced and fly much quicker than electric models, as such, they are generally more suitable for experienced pilots.
2. Experience Level
As we can see, there’s a wide range of RC planes to choose from, and each type offers a different experience for the pilot to master. Added to that, you can choose whether to buy a plane which comes ready to fly (RTF), or one which requires some assembly. Below are some examples of RC planes split by the recommended experience level:
Micro RC Planes for Beginners
Indoor RC Planes for Beginners
Large RC Planes for Beginners
Electric RC Planes for Advanced Pilots
Fuel Powered RC Planes
