Why electric rc planes are so popular

Electric radio control airplanes have become increasingly popular in just the last few years; it wasn't so long ago that the majority of rc airplanes found on a flying field were gas powered, but now it's quite normal to see an equal share of gas and electric models.

With radio control technology forever advancing, servos and receivers have become smaller and smaller in recent years and so too have the electric motors, gearboxes and battery packs.

Previous to this recent rc revolution, electric rc airplanes weighed only slightly less than a medium sized bull simply because standard size radio control gear, heavy batteries and large motors were necessary to power the beasts through the air!
Now all that has changed and modern electric planes can weigh as little as a handful of dimes and be small enough to be flown round the back yard.

Also, because of their reduced weight, they (depending on model type) can be made to fly at very slow speeds making them the perfect answer for anyone looking to get started in radio control flying.

Models such as the J3 Piper Cub, shown below, are a great introduction to basic rc flying because of their affordable price and easy flying characteristics.

Electric rc airplanes are the perfect answer for the 'environmentally' minded modeler too, with increasing awareness of noise pollution these days.
And of course, there's also the cleanliness and convenience of flying an electric model airplane; with the flick of a switch the plane is floating out of your hand - no messy fuel and no starting problems on cold days. In short, NO FUSS!

Being able to easily fly such a quiet and clean model in a park, school yard or empty parking lot is one of the main reasons why these planes have become so popular.
And another reason of course is the availability of airplanes that can be purchased and flown straight away, without having to do any assembly. Again, the Piper Cub shown above is an example of this kind of model, known as 'RTF' which stands for Ready To Fly.

More reasons to 'Go electric'

The aforementioned technological revolution is on a seemingly unstoppable course, which is great news for us all. The new inrunner and outrunner brushless motors and lithium polymer batteries are now widely available, and the combination of both items in a model results in a tremendous amount of power and long flight times.

The Hobbico ElectriStar EP is an outstanding example of what's now achievable with electric airplanes. It's essentially a 46 size gas trainer that's been converted to electric power and sold as an RTF trainer.

This model is a clear indication of things to come, and electric flight will only become more popular still, as a result.

Electric rc airplanes are, from a personal point of view, a lot of clean quiet fun and provide the easiest and quickest way of getting started in the hobby of powered rc flying.
Starting with a simple electric airplane is an ideal way to get going, and as you gain experience you can either advance on to bigger, multi channel electric models or gas powered models. Or start with something like the ElectriStar shown above, and you're halfway up the ladder already!

Related pages

Electric RC - the technology behind the revolution.

Electric RC trainer airplanes - just a few examples of popular trainers.

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