The Beginner RC Airplane

How to find the ideal Beginner RC Airplane for you.

If you are a newcomer to this hobby, then you very well maybe overwhelmed at the huge selection available of beginner RC airplanes!

On this page I will attempt to simplify things for you and make some recommendations based on what YOU can consider for your first model.

Please note that all the aircraft shown on this page, should be flown from a qualified flying site and assistance from an instructor should be available. Please do not attempt to fly this type of aircraft from your local park or school yard!

In the days when I was a beginner, the selection was really limited. In fact I had NO choice but to build from a kit or plan. Two of the models recommended on this page are manufactured from balsa and/or plywood and covered with a heat shrink film. In my opinion this is the way to go!

This type of construction lends itself to simple repair procedures, when need to fix your model. Hopefully, only minor repairs will be required and being of conventional construction, the fixes should not add a lot to the weight.

If you prefer RC park flyers, then take a look here- Hobbyzone Super Cub for information.

Exactly what is a trainer RC airplane? Obviously it must be easy flying and have positive stability. This means, when the sticks are released, the aircraft rights itself and resumes SLOW flying in a straight line.

To achieve this a high wing with a flat bottom airfoil is usually used. A generous amount of dihedral is employed and a tricycle landing gear is incorporated, to assist in ground handling and make take-offs and landings a little easier.

In order to simplify things we will only consider the following -

• The ARF model (Almost Ready to Fly)
• The model kit.
• The ELECTRIC powered model.
  
  

1. The ARF Beginner RC Airplane

Consider the Hangar 9 Alpha 40 ARF Trainer  as an example of this type.

Read more about how to assemble RC Model Airplanes from an ARF

As always, read the manual two or three times to completely familiarize your self with the process and use the recommended size of engine and the type of servos described.

It may take you longer than you think to assemble the airplane, but be patient and take your time! Visit this page for more details

2. The Model Kit.

If you are thinking that this is the hobby for you and would like to eventually design and build your own RC airplanes, then I strongly recommend you consider building from a kit.

If you spend the winters in the cold north and flying is not possible, then you do have the time to build your own beginner RC airplane. This process will teach you the basics of construction and prepare you for the inevitable repairs that will need to be done, to keep your airplane flyable.

One problem you may face is finding a beginner rc airplane kit! The popularity of the RTF and ARF models has pushed the old fashioned kit to the back shelf of most hobby shops!

If you do decide to try this process, the please make sure you do buy a trainer. One model that comes to mind is the  Great Planes PT-40 Mk2 Trainer kit.  This is a 40 size, glow engine powered trainer that has an excellent reputation for teaching beginners the basics.

3. The Electric Powered Model: The Hobbyzone Super Cub DSM RTF.

Hobbyzone claim that more people have learned to fly with this model than any other!

It now comes complete with a 2.4GHz radio system and is 100% complete, with all the RC servos, receiver, RC ESC and outrunner brushless motor installed.

Visit this page, Hobbyzone Super Cub, on this site, for mores details.

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This concludes our selection and  list of hopefully helpful hints for selecting your beginner RC airplane. Please contact us and let us know if you have found this useful. Any suggestions for improvement are more than welcome and greatly appreciated!