Cheap RC airplanes
- some popular examples
There are lots of cheap rc airplanes around these days which provide an excellent opportunity to try the hobby of radio control flying without risking all your hard earned cash, but what defines cheap? Well, any Ready To Fly (RTF) plane that can be bought for less than $100 could be classed as cheap, but these days you can buy an electric RTF airplane for around half that amount - now that is cheap!
The danger of course is quality; as with everything in life the phrase "You get what you pay for" is equally true for rc airplanes and other models - buying a $10 rc plane off eBay, shipped over from Hong Kong, could be asking for trouble!
So, it's always best to stay with a reputable manufacturer - the few extra dollars buys you a lot more peace of mind.
Shop for cheap rc airplanes at Red Rocket Hobbies.
Rapid advances in rc technology in recent years have made cheap rc airplanes available from a large variety of suppliers; it's very common now for such planes to be sold in small toy shops and not be restricted to specialist model shops. When I was a kid, buying a fully functioning RTF rc airplane from a local toy shop, with my saved up pocket money, just wasn't possible - I wish it had been!
Buying and flying a cheap RTF radio control plane is a great way of getting a taste of rc flying, or perhaps getting a son or daughter involved at very little cost. The majority of such airplanes are of foam construction so are highly durable, and the better manufacturers such as HobbyZone back their planes up with a complete range of spare parts, also sold at very little cost.
Popular cheap RC airplanes
Shown below are just a few currently popular electric RTF airplanes, which can definitely be put in to the 'cheap' category. Any of them would make a good, low-cost introduction to rc flying. They're not shown in any particular order...
| Firebird Commander 2 The popular 'Firebird' range now only consists of this Commander 2, featuring Anti Crash Technology, as others such as the Phantom have been discontinued. A nice basic intro to rc flying! |
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| Slo-V A slow flying 2 channel airplane, ideal for some low-key leisurely flying. Very forgiving and its slow flying speeds makes it a perfect beginner's model. |
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| Champ This small 3 channel trainer is proving to be a very popular choice and is an excellent rc beginner airplane at a good price. |
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| Playmate A nice and simple single motor high wing 'trainer' style plane, similar to the Champ but even cheaper! A popular micro-size airplane that's definitely easy on the wallet. |
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Shop for the above cheap rc planes and more.
The above selection represents a tiny fraction of cheap rc airplanes available from an ever-growing variety of manufacturers.
If you do want a taster of the hobby but don't want to spend much money on an airplane, try at least to get a three channel RTF plane. Two channel will give you an idea of what it's all about but three channel (i.e. control to motor, rudder and elevator instead of just motor and rudder) will give you a more rewarding flight experience.
My personal recommendation for a good cheap rc airplane would be, I think, the HobbyZone Champ.
Related pages
Beginner rc airplanes - similar suggestions for trying the hobby.
Toy rc airplanes - suitable planes for the kids.
Electric rc airplanes - an overview of electric planes in general.
How to fly airplanes - RC flight school for beginners.
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