Electric RC Airplane Models

Introduction to RC Airplanes 4-Part Series:

1. RC Airplane Types - Trainers, Sport RC Planes, 3D Acrobat RC Airplanes, Jets & More
2. Introduction to RC Airplanes: Fundamentals of the Sport / Hobby
3. Introduction to RC Airplanes: Your First Radio Control Airplane
4. Introduction to RC Airplanes: Your First Flight with a Remote Control Airplane

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Radio Controlled Electric Airplanes

Why Choose A Radio Controlled Electric Airplane?:
Radio controlled airplanes are a unique and fun hobby enjoyed by all types of people. If you have an RC airplane, there are many local RC flight clubs you can join, filled with friendly, helpful people. Electric radio controlled airplanes are an easy and affordable way to learn to fly, and can be much less expensive than comparable gas airplanes.

How Do Airplanes Fly?:
An airplane relies on the airfoil properties of its wing to create lift when moving forward. Thrust is required to move the airplane through the air, overcoming drag. When lift and thrust are greater than gravity and drag, the airplane will fly.

What Is RTF and ARF?:
RTF stands for Ready To Fly and means the airplane is complete. Typically, this type of airplane will require no tools or glue, and all you will need to do is plug a few parts together and charge the battery. ARF stands for Almost Ready to Fly, and means the airplane can be completed with very little work. This would include things like mounting the electronics and gluing parts together.

Spare Parts:
For beginners, it is important to choose an airplane with replaceable parts that are readily available. Learning to fly may entail crashing once in a while, and some parts like the main wing, propeller, or tail assembly may need to be replaced. Beginner planes are designed with this in mind, with each part held on by elastics or screws, so that they may be removed and replaced when damaged.

Technical Information:
Wing location is one of the factors determining how a plane handles. An airplane with a high wing design will have more weight below the wing, making it stable. A low wing design will place more weight above the wing, allowing more rapid changes in direction.

Top Reasons To Fly Electric By Cam Tetrault

What are the advantages of electrically powered model aircraft compared to Internal Combustion (IC) engine powered model aircraft?

1. Noise.
The leading reason why model flying clubs lose their flying facilities is complaints about noise pollution. Internal combustion means controlled explosions are rapidly occurring within an engine and muffling the explosions is very difficult to achieve without affecting engine performance. Electric motors create very little noise even at maximum revolutions. Small electric model RC aircraft may be flown in urban parks and in gymnasiums without causing a disturbance due to noise. The same cannot be said for (IC) powered models.

2. Consistency.
Electric motors when supplied with a set amount of electric current will produce very stable output results. Air pressure, air temperature and relative humidity have more effect on (IC) engine settings.

3. Reliability.
This attribute relates to most of the other advantages listed here. Simply put, it means if you apply an electric current to an electric motor 10,000 different times, it will, with great probability, operate each time.

4. Maintenance.
Electric motors have very few moving parts. There are only minimal contact points to produce friction so lubrication is not a major concern. An (IC) engine must be lubricated at all times of operation. The lubricant for model (IC) engines is mixed into the fuel and expelled after the fuel is burned which can cause an oily mess.

5. Vibration.
Because electric motors have only a few moving parts and rotate along the same axis as the direction of flight very little vibration is produced. Internal combustion engines use a piston pushed by explosions, which changes direction (180 degrees) every rotation of the crankshaft and at a 90-degree angle to the direction of flight. These forces create vibrations as a by-product. Models have to be constructed to withstand the vibrations. This usually means more designing, building and materials are required.

6. Efficiency.
If efficiency is measured by how much potential energy is input into a motor and how much is produced by the motor afterwards, then electric motors easily win the contest. Internal combustion engines operate at typical efficiencies of 55% the rest of the energy is used to create heat. Electric motors with carbon brushes operate at efficiencies of 67% and electric brush-less motors operate at 90% efficiency.

7. Versatility.
Without very much modification electric motors can be used in different flying model applications such as: sport flying, aerobatics, racing, helicopters, ducted fan jets, scale, float planes and micro size aircraft.

8. Miscellaneous notes.
Electric motors can be easily geared to swing large propellers. (IC) engines are more difficult to gear and require more specialized materials and clutch systems. Because electricity maybe obtained from different sources such as your electric utility, gas generators, solar cells, wind generators and the emerging field of fuel cell generators, it is less restricted in distribution and can be generated from renewable sources.