Beginner RC airplanes

- some suitable 'first model' examples

There's a big selection of beginner rc airplanes to choose from these days which is great news for the newcomer to the hobby, although the choice can be perhaps a bit overwhelming to begin with.

So what defines a 'beginner' plane? There are no set rules but essentially an rc airplane that's slower flying, stable and relatively simple to operate goes right in to the beginner category.
And as for construction a 'Ready To Fly', or RTF as they're more commonly known, rc airplane is your best choice if you just want to get flying without having to do any building work first.

Power type is also very important, and these days the majority of beginner rc airplanes are electric powered as opposed to glow plug.

Design of the plane is very important for beginners too; when learning to fly a radio controlled airplane you need something with stable and forgiving flight characteristics; a high-wing 'trainer' type configuration is best for this although there are a few other options.

Two different examples of good beginner rc airplanes can be seen below, the famous HobbyZone Super Cub LP (left) and the more docile Slow-V from ParkZone:

Both of these rc airplanes have been popular choices for beginners and offer great learning opportunities without too many complications. The Super Cub LP is still one of the best sellers for newcomers to the hobby and is a great package to go for.

As previously mentioned there is a nice alternative to the classic high wing style that suits beginners, and that's the electric powered glider such as the ParkZone Radian, shown below...

Powered gliders are inherently very stable and forgiving, giving you plenty of time to react to your control inputs. The usually larger size makes them a bit more cumbersome when it comes to transporting and handling them though, so do bear this in mind when considering which plane to buy for your first. But as far as flying one goes, such a model will give you a gentle introduction to the hobby and many newcomers are choosing this type for a beginner's rc airplane.

Something else to consider when choosing a beginner plane is availability of spare parts, as well as the construction of the airplane ie how robust and durable it is. For example, a foam rc airplane can take more knocks than a traditional balsa wood constructed one and suffer less damage and, generally speaking, is much easier to repair.
Spare parts availability is important because your airplane will suffer some degree of damage sooner or later, and being able to replace a part that's broken beyond reasonable repair is important to safe flying.

The number of channels of a beginner rc airplane will vary from model to model but to get a true taste of controlling a plane you should look for planes with three or four channels. A two channel powered rc airplane is much simpler to fly, such planes have simple motor on/off and rudder left/right control which, although easy to master, does limit the plane's flying abilities. You will learn the basics though.

Why buy an RTF beginner airplane?

So, what's RTF and why are such planes so popular? It stands for Ready To Fly (read more on RTFs) and means that the model needs virtually no work done to it apart from some very basic final assembly, such as attaching the wing. In fact, in the case of smaller beginner rc airplanes even this job might not be necessary because the wing may be an integral part of the airplane.

RTFs are so popular because many folks don't like the idea of building a radio control model plane, they only want to fly one. A Ready To Fly rc airplane sorts out this issue very well indeed - there's a lot to be said for RTF ease and convenience!
The picture below illustrates a freshly unpacked RTF, in this case the trustee HobbyZone Super Cub LP; as you can see, there's little to do to get the plane ready for flight...

So, final assembly work aside, what do you need to do to get an RTF beginner's rc airplane airborne? Two things...

Install the batteries for the radio gear
Charge the motor battery

...that's it!

Well, maybe that's a bit of a generalization and the reality is a little bit more involved if you know nothing about rc airplanes, but you get the idea. Incidentally, my eBook "The Beginner's Guide To Flying RC Airplanes" takes you step-by-step to get safely airborne with your new electric RTF plane.

Electric or IC for beginners?

When learning to fly powered rc airplanes you have two choices - you can have an electric powered airplane such as those shown above or you can have an IC (Internal Combustion) powered plane, typically this would have a glow plug engine.

There's no doubt that electric is more popular for beginners; it's cheaper, cleaner and quieter and electric planes can be flown in public places whereas a glow powered plane is limited to a club field or private ground (read more about 'gas' powered planes).
But inevitably some newcomers to the hobby have already decided that they want to fly a glow plug airplane and fortunately there is a choice of such beginner planes available - these are shown further down the page. But club instruction should be made a priority, more accessories are required and a higher level of maintenance is needed because of the engine.

RTF beginner RC airplane examples

Shown below are just a few examples that are suitable as first-time models, that you might like to consider. At the time of writing this page, they are some of the most popular sellers.
Shown roughly in order of complexity, they are all RTF and meant for the novice entering the hobby of radio control flying...

Firebird Commander This type of 'pod and boom' beginner's airplane has been very popular; this particular one is a basic two channel plane that features 'Anti Crash Technology'. These planes are nice and stable in the air, and very easy to fly although limited in performance.	Sky Fly 2 A similar style 'pod-and-boom' design to the Commander, this type of plane is always favorite with beginners because of its simplicity. This one is three channel with conventional rudder/elevator set up.
Super Cub LP Following on from the hugely successful HobbyZone Super Cub, the Super Cub LP is a li-po powered version. One of the biggest selling beginner rc airplanes to date, the Super Cub is a definite favorite.	J3 Cub Another electric Cub, this one is another popular choice for beginners. 3 channel with very stable and reliable flight characteristics, and a powerful brushless motor. Not quite as popular as the Super Cub LP, but not far behind!
Apprentice 15e Moving up in to serious rc territory now with this popular 4 channel trainer. Sold with a 2.4GHz radio system, this is a great package for beginners who want to do more than just dip their toes in the water!	NexStar Mini Modelled from the successful NexStar Select glow powered trainer, this four channel trainer is another option for those serious about learning to fly rc airplanes.

The beginner rc airplanes above can be seen in more detail here

While the above beginners rc airplanes are electric, shown below are a couple of currently popular glow plug powered examples. As previously mentioned, such planes aren't as straightforward and convenient as electric ones and club membership along with proper instruction should be seriously considered.

Alpha Trainer DSM2
A nice basic four channel trainer sold with 2.4GHz radio system; quickly ready for flight and stable flight characteristics.

NexStar Select 46
This trainer has been popular for several years now, and still continues to be so. Loaded with features to help the beginner pilot, many newcomers have learned on a NexStar Select!

The glow plug beginner rc planes above can be seen in more detail here.

The beginner rc airplanes shown throughout this page are just a few popular examples out of many RTF airplanes that are currently available.

If you are new to the radio control flying hobby, choosing an airplane that is designed for beginners can make a big difference to your initial enjoyment of and success in the hobby. Buying and trying to fly an advanced model will almost certainly end in disaster, putting you off rc flying for life!
Maybe your first plane won't look exactly how you'd like it to, but learning to fly safely is the prime factor to think about. Once you've got a few hours under your belt, then you can move on to bigger and better things.

And before you do take to the skies for the first time, remember to check out my eBook "The Beginner's Guide To Flying RC Airplanes" - it might just save you some trouble!

Ground school - the basic stuff that you should know before you start flying.