If you are reading this then you are contemplating picking up the wonderful hobby of radio control; good for you it's a great family fun hobby in which you will meet a lot of people more than ready to help you out and glad to do it! I'm writing this to help beginners make an informed choice on their first aircraft. With so many aircraft to choose from it's almost impossible to decide which one is right for you, electric or gas, high wing, low wing, glider, almost ready to fly, ready to fly, the choices go on and on.

 

  First let me address 2 things. First, where will you be flying. I would highly recommend seeking out an AMA (Academy of Model Aircraft) sanctioned flying field. These sites are built specifically for aircraft and have a runway and plenty of room to fly. Chances are there is one closer to you than you think. Most electrics can be flown in a small field but bear in mind, if you loose control, even if it's not your fault such as a battery failure, or radio interference, then you are liable for any injury or property damage that may occur. That brings me to the other important thing...insurance. AMA sanctioned fields require you to be an AMA member which includes insurance, which is very easy to do. Now your covered in case of any accidents...which makes your flying that much more enjoyable. It's around 50.00 year and you receive many other perks including a subscription to Model Aviation magazine. You can subscribe online in about 15 minutes! With that being said lets continue.

 

  Each type of aircraft has its pros and cons. Electric aircraft used to be slow and flight time was very limited, but with todays brushless motors and Lithium batteries, that is a thing of the past. Electrics are also very quiet and very clean. There really is no con that I can think of here except maybe the associated costs are a little more. Most all electric aircraft now use Lithium ploymer or Li-po batteries which can get pretty expensive, and flight time is limited to the number of battery packs you have. Most powered flights run in the neighborhood of 10-15 minutes, then you must either wait for the pack to cool and recharge(about 1.5 hours) or use an extra battery. Although normally stable, these batteries can be dangerous and a little education is needed to handle them properly.

 

 Most gas powered aircraft use a blended fuel of oil (for lubrication) and methanol (methyl alcohol), referred to as nitro. The big selling point to nitro is power. To me, there's just something about a nitro powered plane, maybe its just more traditional. Most nitro powered trainer aircraft are in the .40 size range which is a great compromise of performance and economy. The aircraft are more powerful and larger than similarly priced electrics, which means it's easier to see. Nitro aircraft can also be refueled quickly. The con to this choice is cleanup, the engine blows the fuel residue on the aircraft which must be wiped down before storage. Also depending on where you fly noise may be an issue, but most likely not.

 

 Keep in mind there are certain accessories needed to fly either aircraft. With electrics you will need a quick charger, and extra battery packs if you intend to fly more than a few times in a day. With a nitro plane you will need a starter motor and a glow igniter, along with fuel. A voltmeter or battery meter is also a good idea to keep handy to keep an eye on radio battery levels. People usually build or buy a "field box" to handle all of their equipment. I've seen these for sale in a ready to build kit, some even come with all the necessary support tools such as a starter, fuel pump, battery, etc. Personally I use a large plastic tool box I bought from Lowes and retrofitted it to hold my fuel, power panel, battery, and all my tools. A little bit of cutting and a lot of money saved(and the nicest field box at the field)

 

 Now for some recommendations, your first aircraft should be a "trainer" Most trainers are high wing aircraft designed to be very stable, as you progress you may want to move on to an aircraft suited more for aerobatics. As far as I'm concerned you can't buy a better training setup than a Hobbico Avistar 40 select package. This "Almost Ready to Fly" or ARF kit is a breeze to build as the .40 motor all radio equipment are included and installed. Personally, I would classify this as a RTF(ready to fly). Only a screwdriver and a pair of pliers and about 30-45 minutes are needed. The plane is easy to fly and as a bonus it is very aerobatic. You will not grow out of this airplane anytime soon. In fact I bought one to help others learn with and I end up flying it myself at least once a week. Other great nitro planes are a Hanger 9 alpha or a Nexstar Select(which comes with a simulator and a crash replacement guarantee provided you are in a AMA field with a AMA co-pilot on a buddy box)

  On the electric side the Nexstar also comes in an electric version as do a lot of other trainers.  I personally have a Mini Ultra Stick and its a great little aircraft to step up to after you have the basics down.

 

  Now as far as ARF/RTF planes go, this is a great first choice. The reason for this is simplicity, if you crash your not out all that time it took you to build, and replacement wings, fuselages or entire rebuild kits are usually just a ebay auction away. Most ARF kits do not include the radio equipment or motor. They include all the major components already built and covered, but there is still quite a bit of finish work involved such as attaching control surfaces, pushrods, mounting the engine and radio, and maybe even some minor building. It usually takes anywhere from 1-20 hours of build time to get one in the air (depending on the manufactures definition of "ARF.") RTF (ready to fly) means you get the box, unpack it, charge everything up and go fly. No building to do at all, maybe some minor assembly work, but nothing complicated. RTF planes usually come with a modest radio system but being labeled RTF does not automatically mean you will get a radio transmitter, be sure you are aware of what the manufactures definition of RTF is as well! PNP planes are getting more popular also, PNP or Plug-N-Play means the aircraft comes Ready to fly EXCEPT the radio system. The motor/engine servos, speed control(if applicable) and all components are already installed and waiting for you to install your own brand of radio receiver.

 

  A quick word on radios, just about any radio you get included with a aircraft is going to be an entry level transmitter. If you decide that radio control is for you, then you will need a good computer radio capable of model memory(so you can use multiple aircraft on a single transmitter) and capable of handling more than 4 channels(for advanced planes with retractable landing gear, flaps, multi-servo control surfaces, etc.)

 

  Whatever you decide be sure to visit your local flying club, the members there will be more than happy to help you with your first flights and will be happy to train with you on your first flights using a linked controller setup to help you if you get into trouble.

 

  I wish you the best of luck on your future purchase and hope you find many hours of enjoyment and many new friends at the local field. If you have any questions feel free to drop me a line.

 Michael

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