Introduction to RC Airplanes: Your First Flight with a Remote Control Airplane

With the help of the previous article, Your First Radio Control Airplane, and a little work, your remote control airplane is ready to fly. But we have a little more preparation to do before you can send it skyward.

Your remote control airplane’s center of gravity (CG) is a vital setting. You determine where it is by balancing the remote control airplane – fully assembled, fueled, and ready to fly – at two points on the bottom of the wing. You are trying to find out where, front to back, the remote control airplane balances, so keeping both fingers (or sticks, whichever you use) at the same front-to-back location on opposite wing halves is very important. Once you’ve found that point, mark it somehow.

Now you know where you remote control plane’s CG is. The correct CG position depends on the remote control airplane, so check the manual. It should give you a range of acceptable CG locations. The CG for a typical trainer remote control plane is about one third of the width of a wing back from its leading edge. If your CG isn’t in that range, you need to make some changes. You can move rc equipment or the batteries around internally or add lead weight. Lead should be placed at the very front or very back of the remote control plane, where it has the most effect. Attempting to fly with a CG outside the range is a recipe for disaster.

The next check is to ensure the remote control airplane won’t fall apart or stop working once it takes off. You should give a firm pull on all sections of the remote control airplane to ensure the wind won’t pull them off or break them. Concentrate on the wing, ailerons, vertical fin, rudder, horizontal fin/stabilizer, elevator, landing gear, and motor.

We’re getting closer. Next, use your transmitter to confirm that all control surfaces (and throttle!) move in the right direction with the sticks. Pull back on the elevator stick, and the elevator should rise. Push the rudder stick right, and the rudder should move right (when looking at the plane from behind). Push the aileron stick right, and the right aileron should rise and left aileron should fall. Full throttle should fully open the carburetor or run the electric motor at full speed, and idle throttle should almost fully close it; it should fully close when throttle trim is brought all the way down or in the case of an electric motor the prop should slow to a halt.

Now the remote control plane is ready, but it is important to understand that it is possible to crash. Even if a crash occurs you don’t need to worry. The key question here is, how well will your remote control plane survive a crash, and are the spare parts you may need available? Some planes, like trainers, are very durable and designed to survive crashes. Two examples of easily available trainer replacement parts are Vortex 2 channel remote control airplane parts and Vortex Extreme 3 channel remote control airplane parts. Others, mostly sport planes, can suffer major damage and require hours of repair. If your remote control plane is the former durable type, then visit a large open tree-free field and start learning to fly.

For the other types of remote control plane, finding local experienced pilots to test fly your remote control plane and take over when you get in trouble is absolutely necessary. Find and join the local flying club, and your flying experience should be highly successful.

With the first flight under your belt, the remote control airplane becomes secondary. It’s now about improving your piloting skills and having fun. Protect your remote control airplane, diligently practice your landings, and enjoy the sky.

Thanks for reading our 4-Part Series: Introduction to RC Airplanes. Go Back to Post 1 »

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