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Gas vs electric RC flying

Which model 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 to late 1990s, and the hobby has been one of the fastest growing hobbies of recent years.
This has largely been due to electric rc airplanes and helicopters becoming so widely available and more affordable than ever before, which is a great result of the ongoing global electronic revolution.

RC model products like brushless motors and lithium polymer battery packs have turned the electric side of the hobby around, to the point where expensive brushless/lipo set-ups can match a gas model for performance!


Hobbico ElectriStar EPHobbico NexStar

Above, a tough call! The electric Hobbico ElectriStar (left) and gas NexStar Select (right) roughly matched in performance, and price!


These days, go to an rc flying club field and the mix of gas and electric models might be 50/50, or maybe even more electric than gas! Traditionally, you would have seen a large number of gas rc aircraft, and very few - if any - electric ones.

Of course, gas rc flying continues to be enjoyed by many many modelers, and always will be, but there is a rapidly growing percentage of flyers that are switching to electric, or at least flying electric airplanes and helicopters alongside their gas models.



Gas vs electric pros and cons

As with everything, there are 2 sides to consider. Below is a little comparison chart, with the major points in the gas vs electric rc flying argument. Do bear in mind though, these points apply more to airplanes than helicopters - the gap between gas and electric helis is wide, to say the least!


POINTGASELECTRICCOMMENTS
Price to buyMore expensiveSubstantially cheaper, simpler models are availableYou'll definitely get started for less with electric
AvailabilityFrom hobby shopsFrom hobby & many toy shopsGas models are more specialized, electric ones can be bought from a wide variety of places
Ongoing costsHigherLessMore maintenance, fuel costs, likely club fees/insurance etc for gas models
Learning curveSteeper, proper instruction neededLess steep with a smaller modelElectric models can be 1 or 2 channel, gas models are usually 3 or 4
Environmental issuesNoisy & oilyQuiet & cleanYou won't disturb many folks with electric flying
Club membershipAlmost essentialNot essentialElectric models can be flown in public places (if allowed!) but gas models should not be, they are big, fast and noisy (the nuisance factor)
AccessoriesEssential field items neededVery few neededGas models require more because of the motor, but at a club you can always borrow these to begin with
MaintenanceModerateVery littleThe motor makes gas models more vulnerable to ongoing maintenance, but you'll get to learn more!
Fun factorLotsLotsSame amount of fun can be had with each!
Flight timesLongerShorterThe gap is closing as lipo batteries improve - not much to decide this one
Durability (crashes aside)Tough and robustMore delicateGas models have heavier airframes, making them more durable, although obviously depends on the model


So, there you have it in the gas vs electric rc flying battle.
As always, these are my personal thoughts on the topic and shouldn't be taken as Gospel. Also, there are always going to be very different situations depending on the size and style etc. of a particular model, but the above guidelines are a fairly accurate generalization.
Hopefully they can help you choose which type of powered model to go for....gas or electric.

 

Related pages & resources

Electric RC airplanes

Gas RC airplanes

Electric RC helicopters

Gas RC helicopters