Electric RC trainer airplanes ('trainers')
When learning to fly radio control it's very important that the airplane is both forgiving and stable in the air. Electric rc trainer airplanes are exactly that and while a model Stealth Bomber may look like fun, its first flight will probably end in disaster and you'll be put off rc flying forever.
Electric rc trainer airplanes are commonly purchased in Ready To Fly (RTF) or Almost Ready To Fly (ARF) form with kit, Plug-N-Play (PNP) and Bind-N-Fly (BNF) being other options depending on brand. An RTF trainer is the better choice if you have no desire to do any model airplane construction and you just want to get flying in the least amount of time, with the least amount of fuss.
The primary differences between these variations are:
- Kit: the plane needs to be built up from individual pieces over a plan, you'll need to purchase some extras and have a fair knowledge of model building techniques.
- ARF: the plane will be about 90% finished but will need some minor final assembly work, notably motor and radio gear installation.
- RTF: the plane is pre-finished with motor and rc gear fully installed. You might just need to buy batteries for the transmitter, but even they might be included in the box.
- PNP/BNF: the plane is in RTF form but a PNP plane has no Tx, Rx or motor battery pack included, whereas a BNF plane comes with a DSM2/DSMX-technology (i.e. Spektrum or JR) compatible 2.4GHz receiver installed and is only lacking the transmitter. In other words, you only need your own DSM2/DSMX Tx to fly a BNF plane.
So you can see that RTF electric rc trainer airplanes are the best choice if you just want to get flying with the least amount of fuss and in the shortest possible time, and if you don't already have a transmitter.
The electric rc trainers shown on this page are mostly RTF and all have the same basic characteristics, simply because they have been designed with the novice pilot in mind; they are of a high wing design with plenty of dihedral which add up to lots of stability in the air (you can read why high wing airplanes make the best trainers in more detail further down this page).
The trainers shown are currently popular ones, they're not shown in any particular order.
| The Super Cub LP follows on from the hugely successful Super Cub from HobbyZone; the Super Cub LP is a li-po powered version. Another major difference is that the LP can be equipped with floats, making it a perfect rc float plane trainer... Read more. |  |
| The Hobbico NexStar Mini EP is essentially a scaled-down electric version of the NexStar Select 46 gas trainer, with full four channel control but at a size more suited to the smaller park... Read more. |  |
| The E-Flite Apprentice 15e is an excellent quality RTF 4 channel electric rc trainer airplane, larger than the Cub shown above. Powerful 15 size outrunner brushless motor, Li-Po battery pack and 2.4GHz Spektrum DSM2 rc system make the Apprentice 15e one of the better electric trainer packages around... Read more. |  |
| The Hobbico NexStar Select EP follows on from the hugely successful NexStar Select 46 gas trainer. Consequently, it represents a typical glow powered trainer in terms of size and design and makes an ideal subject for anyone wanting to get serious about flying larger rc airplanes, without the hassle of an IC motor... Read more. |  |
| Based on Hanger 9's very successful Alpha Trainer, this electric version Alpha 450 is a great 4 channel trainer that, like the NexStar EP above, is very similar to a glow plug powered trainer in terms of size and shape.... Read more. |  |
See the electric rc trainer airplanes above in more detail.
(use code RCAPW for $5 off any order )
What to look for in electric RC trainer airplanes
One of the principle characteristics of a trainer is the high position of the wing relative to the fuselage. RC trainer airplanes have a high wing for one simple reason - stability.
In a high wing plane the weight of the fuselage below the wing will always act to stabilise the model in flight - after a turn, for example, it will naturally want to level itself because it is 'bottom heavy'. Airplanes of this design are therefore perfect for the novice radio control pilot.
Low wing designs are of course the opposite; the airplane is 'top heavy' because the fuselage is above the wing and so the plane will not want to right itself naturally. For this reason planes of a low wing design aren't as stable as high wing planes, although low wing trainers are of course available. Low wing rc planes tend to be either scale or sport ones.
Between the two there are the mid wing designs, where the wing is located approximately halfway between top and bottom of the fuselage. These model airplanes give a good balance of stability and maneuverability and are perfectly suited to smooth aerobatic performance because of the generally symmetric design.
Other factors to consider...
Wing shape
When choosing between trainer rc airplanes, wing shape (airfoil or aerofoil) is another factor to consider. This airfoil section is the shape that you see when looking at the wing 'end-on'. Although there are many different specific airfoil designs, all alphanumerically labelled, there are basically 3 common categories that you're most likely to experience in your early days of flying radio control airplanes - flat bottomed, semi-symmetrical and symmetrical shaped airfoils.
Put simply, an airplane with a flat bottomed airfoil will have the most lift at the slowest airspeed - obviously good for the beginner and the reason why many trainers feature this shape.
A symmetrical airfoil provides equal amounts of lift regardless of whether the plane is right-side up or upside down - perfect for aerobatics.
An airplane with a semi-symmetrical airfoil holds advantages of both flat bottomed and symmetrical, so is ideal for the 'sport' type planes.
These 3 common airfoil shapes are (very approximately) illustrated below:
Two other airfoil sections that you might encounter are under-cambered and flat. An under-cambered wing has its lower surface closely following the curve of the upper surface. Such airfoils are very efficient and create little drag.
The flat wing section has become increasingly common in recent years as more people build planes out of foam sheet, particularly Depron. The indoor 'shock fliers' are a good example of planes that usually feature a completely flat airfoil.
Dihedral
Dihedral is the upward 'V' angle of the wings from the fuselage, when viewing the plane from the front. Greater dihedral increases the airplane's stability, as it will naturally want to center itself to its lowest point. Dihedral also aids banked turning; planes that rely solely on a rudder (i.e. no ailerons) to turn will have more dihedral than planes with ailerons.
Model airplanes that are designed for aerobatics will have very little or no dihedral, so maneuvers can be executed without the tendency for the model to keep righting itself. Ones that are designed to be trainers will always have noticeable dihedral.
Landing gear (undercarriage) layout
While some models have no landing gear, there are two choices otherwise; tricycle or taildragger.
Airplanes with a tricycle landing gear ('trike') have two main wheels beneath the cockpit area and a nose wheel, which may be linked to the rudder servo to give accurate steering control on the ground. The trike undercarriage plane is, generally speaking, easier to maneuver on the ground, making it better suited to beginners.
A taildragger has the same two main wheels but instead of a nose wheel has a much smaller wheel located beneath the fin, which may or may not be steerable. Taildraggers can be harder to maneuver on the ground but the lack of nose wheel means slightly less weight and drag in the air.
Of course, the type of landing gear will be determined by your choice of plane - for example, a Cub will always be a taildragger whereas most non-scale trainers will likely be trikes.
The electric rc trainer airplanes on this page can be seen in more detail here.
(use code RCAPW for $5 off any order )
Related pages
Beginner rc airplanes - more examples of beginner-friendly electric planes.
Electric rc airplanes - general overview and more examples.
Gas rc trainer airplanes - some examples of popular gas trainers.
Gas vs. electric rc flying - some fundamental points to consider.
Ground School - lessons to learn before you start flying rc.
RC flight simulators - the safest way of learning to fly.
