Indoor RC airplanes
Building and flying indoor rc airplanes has become an increasingly popular sector of the hobby of radio control flying, particularly in the last few years as rc components have become smaller and lighter.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to indoor rc flying, the determining factor is the size of space that you have available, and the size of your airplane.
School gymnasiums, public sports halls and empty aircraft hangers all make excellent venues, and because of the increased popularity of indoor flying such use of these places might not be as uncommon as you think! Indeed, there are plenty of clubs that hold indoor rc flying meetings on a weekly basis - you just need to ask around.
RC airplanes for flying indoors
Indoor rc airplanes can be purchased RTF and ARF nowadays, whereas a few years ago modelers had to construct their own either from scratch or by modifying free-flight indoor kits.
The ParkZone Ember and Vapor, shown below, are excellent choices for indoor flyers. Both RTF with 2.4GHz radio systems for interference-free flying, the small size, ultra light weight and slow flying characteristics make them very suitable indoor rc airplanes indeed.
See the ParkZone Ember and Vapor in more detail.
A good example of a scale (well, semi-scale...) rc airplane suitable for indoor flying is the ParkZone Micro Citabria, shown below. This 16 inch wingspan mini plane has been a popular choice for indoor flying enthusiasts and is very comfortable flying round a school gymnasium or similar venue. Its stable high wing design and basic 3 channel configuration make it an easy plane to fly, quite suitable for the novice.
RC airplanes like this Citabria are lightweight and small - perfect for indoor flying
And for anyone looking for a more advanced indoor rc airplane, the new Sukhoi Su-26m is the ultimate choice, being a mid-wing 4 channel fully aerobatic airplane.
Of course, rc airplanes like these that are great for indoor flying can also be flown outdoors, but are much more affected by the wind; even a gentle breeze may be too much for the plane to handle, so they need to be flown on calm days only.
Other options for indoor rc flying, aside from airplanes, include rc blimps and, more commonly, electric rc helicopters.
Blimps are popular 'fun' aircraft and can be flown around your home. When you buy a blimp, all you need to seek out for yourself is the helium gas to fill the fuselage. Helium is readily available from party stores and similar places, because it's the harmless gas that is used to fill floating party balloons.
Electric rc helicopters can easily be flown indoors, and the size of area isn't such an issue as it is for rc airplanes or blimps. With a coaxial helicopter, even your bedroom or living room becomes usable airspace because they are so stable that flying them safely in a confined area is easily done.
Flying indoor rc airplanes is not only great fun but it's also a good solution to those winter-time blues, when the weather is against you every weekend and you can't fly outdoors. If you have a large indoor space in your area, ask around and you might be able to try some indoor flying for yourself!
Above, Jersey Coast Sport Fliers flying some indoor rc airplanes
See the indoor rc airplanes shown above in more detail.
Related pages
Mini rc airplanes - An overview of mini rc planes.
Micro rc airplanes - When mini planes get smaller!
Micro rc helicopters - See some popular micro size helis.
Infrared micro helicopters - Learn how IR helicopters work.
RC blimps - Read about rc blimps for indoor flying.
ParkZone Sukhoi Su-26m - See this incredible plane in more detail.
ParkZone Ember - See the Ember in more detail.
ParkZone Vapor - See the Vapor in more detail.
