You suddenly feel inspired to get yourself a radio control plane but do not know which one or what type. To keep it simple, you first need to get familiar with the common radio control types.

• 2 Channel Plane  -   [ controls: Engine Power,Yaw]
• 3 Channel Plane  -   [ controls: Engine Power, Yaw, P itch ]
• 4 Channel Plane  -   [ controls: Engine Power, Yaw, Pitch, Roll ]

For complete beginners we recommend that you consider a 2 channel plane. This type is ideal for learning the basic skills because it does away with Pitch and Roll worries (see diagram below). Flying without Pitch and Roll control means you don't need to be concerned about Pitching or Rolling manoeuvres and so are less likely to be plucking your model out of the ground!




The absence of Pitch and Roll makes flying a piece of cake and naturally more fun. 2 channel planes are essentially stable gliders. This means they will fly by themselves even if you do nothing on the controller. The controller allows you to apply gentle slow turns and slow climbing and descending. The turns may be caused by a Rudder (single propeller plane) or by motors (Twin propeller plane). The climbing is caused by the power of the motors. i.e. full power to climb and low power to descend.

If you wish to buy a 3 channel or even 4 channel plane then we suggest you get help from an experienced model pilot because the odds of making a successful flight on your own are stacked against you. Alternatively you may try our Model Flying Simulator for the PC Simulator.

So you have decided to buy a 2 channel plane. Which one?

The current availability of model types basically comes down to choice of combinations of Aeroplane Size and Toughness. i.e. do you want a Large,Crash Resistant model or a Small,Crash Resistant model or a Large,Standard Build model etc.

Standard Build or Crash Resistant?

Clearly this is a personal choice but it should be said that the Standard Build models tend to be better flyers; The lighter and stiffer airframe makes them more efficient in the air. The Crash Resistant models tend to be more bulky and flexible and on heavy impact are more likely to bounce than break. The Standard Build models are usually made from Polystyrene and Depron type materials which are light but fragile and will break on heavy impact. The Crash Resistant models are made from EPP material which is a very resilient flexible foam. A lighter and stiffer airframe will always make superior flyer to an equivalent size bulky flexible airframe.

Small Model or Large Model?

The large models are generally are more efficient and can carry bigger batteries and so are capable of much longer flight times but many come with a mains battery chargers which means you have to return home to recharge the bigger battery. The smaller models have smaller flight batteries but often they come with outdoor chargers allowing you to have multiple flights of shorter duration.
Also and just as  important, larger models require larger flying areas with few surrounding trees and building obstacles (i.e. fields, commons). The smaller models can often be flown in local parks without any issues.

Making Your Choice

To simplify the process we have categorised all our planes. Click on our the link below to enter our Aeroplane category and then drill down into the subcategories to find the model of your choice. We hope you find what you are looking for.

SKOOTEROID AEROPLANES