Gas vs. electric RC flying
Which power type wins in the gas vs. electric rc flying battle?
There are, of course, pros and cons to each and hopefully this page might help you decide which type of powered rc airplane or helicopter to choose, if you're stuck in the "can't decide" category.
Flying rc airplanes and helicopters has exploded in popularity since the mid 1990s and the hobby has been one of the fastest growing hobbies in recent years. This has largely been due to electric rc airplanes and helicopters becoming so widely available, more affordable and easier to fly than ever before which is a great result of the ongoing global electronic revolution.
Modern radio control model products like brushless motors and lithium polymer battery packs have turned the electric side of the hobby around, to the point where top-end brushless/Li-Po powered models can match a gas powered equivalent for performance and duration. That was unthinkable just a few years ago!
Above: a tough call! The electric Hobbico NexStar Select EP (left) and
its glow powered cousin (right) roughly matched in performance and price!
Traditionally at rc flying club fields you would have seen a larger number of gas rc airplanes and very few - if any - electric ones. But these days, go to an rc flying club and the mix of gas and electric models might be 50/50, or maybe even more electric than gas.
Of course, gas rc flying continues to be enjoyed by many many modellers and always will be, but there is a rapidly growing percentage of flyers that are moving over to electric flight, or at least flying electric airplanes and helicopters alongside their gas models.
Incidentally we're using the word 'gas' a lot on this page because it's often generically used to cover all IC (internal combustion) power types, but the predominant IC power type is actually glow plug, also sometimes called 'nitro' powered.
Gas vs. electric RC flying - pros and cons
As with everything, there are 2 sides to consider in the gas vs. electric rc flying argument.
Below is a little comparison chart showing some fundamental points to consider when trying to decide between gas and electric powered rc aircraft.
| POINT | GAS | ELECTRIC | COMMENTS |
| Price to buy | Generally more expensive | Can be lots cheaper because simpler models are available | You'll definitely get started for less with electric |
| Availability | From model/hobby shops | From hobby & many toy shops | Gas models are more specialized, electric ones can be bought from a wider variety of places |
| Additional / ongoing costs | Generally higher; fuel and possible club membership necessary | Less although large Li-Po motor packs can be pricey | Higher maintenance levels for gas planes usually mean higher ongoing costs. |
| Learning curve | Steeper for a 4 channel plane; club instruction should be sought | Less steep with a smaller 2 or 3 channel model | The less channels, the easier self-teaching is. RC flight sims help greatly for all power types. |
| Environmental issues | Noisy & oily | Quiet & clean | You won't disturb many folks with electric flying |
| Club membership | Almost essential unless you have good access to private or waste land | Not as essential | Electric models can be flown in public places but gas models should not be, they are big, fast and noisy (the nuisance factor) |
| Accessories | Essential field items needed to start and run the engine | Very few needed but spare battery packs are a good idea | Gas models require more because of the motor, but at a club you can always borrow these to begin with |
| Maintenance | Moderate | Very little | The motor makes gas models more vulnerable to ongoing maintenance, but you'll get to learn more! |
| Repairability | Moderate to complex | More straightforward if it's a foam plane | Depends on the construction of and damage to the model, foam is easier to repair than balsa/ply |
| Flight times | Depends on size of fuel tank | Depends on size of battery pack | Higher capacity li-po battery packs can match large fuel tanks for flight times |
| Fun factor | High! | High! | Same amount of fun can be had with each! |
So there you have it in the gas vs. electric rc flying battle. As always these are only my personal thoughts on the topic and shouldn't be taken as black and white. Also, there are always going to be very different situations and exceptions to the rules, depending on the size and style etc. of a particular model, but the above guidelines are a fairly accurate generalise.
Hopefully the above points can help you choose which type of powered model to go for... gas or electric.
Shop for gas and electric rc airplanes.
