Beginner's Guide To RC Planes 2023

It's even easier to get into RC planes in 2023 by following these steps!

Timestamp
0:00 Intro
0:22 Flight Simulators
1:53 RTF Vs. RTD Basic with SAFE
3:08 Top 4 Beginner Airplane - #4
3:54 Top 4 Beginner Airplane - #3
4:27 Top 4 Beginner Airplane - #2
5:04 Top 4 Beginner Airplane - #1
5:54 Transmitters
6:49 About the Battery
7:02 The Ideal Battery Charger
7:18 FAA Rules
8:34 How to Avoid RID
9:39 Why Join an RC Club and the AMA?

Products mentioned in the video:

** The following links are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products by using the links, I will receive a small commission from the sale. It doesn't change the amount you pay. The small commission helps me fund my tea habit.

Best Beginner Airplanes
Spektrum 6-Channel Transmitters
Battery Chargers

[stevenarmer]

I've never flown a plane in my life. But for some reason I got the urge to give it a try. I may have put the cart ahead of the horse. I purchased a Carbon Cub S2 RTF from Horizon Hobby. Don't know anyone that flies. And the nearest Club field is about 45 minutes away. I've watched tons of videos on YouTube, Brian Philips, RC Sailors, Plane Crazy, & a cpl others. I'm enjoying your videos & I'm now subscribed. Learning all I can. I'm 62 yrs old btw, gonna need a hobby to keep me out of the wife's hair before long lol. Maybe I should splurge & get the flight sim before testing my plane.

[gscott]

The only thing not covered in the selection of a beginner plane is the planes susceptibility to winds. The larger and heavier the plane the less light winds will bounce it around. EVEN WITH SAFE, winds can make life tougher for beginners. For that reason I went with the Aero Scout when I started flying 4 years ago. It's a tough plane that more and more experienced flyers are finding to be a lot of fun and very forgiving. The pusher prop is protected from nose tips and the less than perfect take off or landing skills of a biginner. Also the tricyle gear is a lot easier to control on the ground during takeoffs and landings. Personally I pranged my Aero Scout nose first into a tree trunk and while the nose was scrunched up, it was readily repairable and flew well afterwards. For that reason I would recommend it as my number 1 choice and second would be either of the Apprentice models. And yes I spent a lot of time on my "Real Flight" simulator before going to the field the first time. My goal was smooth landings and I was very pleased with the results. (Also if you can hook your Transmitter up to the Real Flight sim program, do so. It means the exact same feel to the control action regardless of being on the sim or at the field.

[GregNorthrop]

This is an excellent video. Maximum information in a short amount of time. In particular the details on FAA compliance and what the requirements are. One thing that has not changed - join a club!

I've been out of the hobby for more than 25 years, and wow has it changed. I'd expected it but it's amazing. Electric was just coming in when I dropped out, but with NiCad and NiMH. And the radio gear.

[stevebarr]

Your right about the simulator! I've got the hanger 9 version and it's a pretty good one but probably outdated by now but still pretty good!

[marquisbetz]

The new Apprentice stol 700mm is a good trainer and what i started with. Realflight is a must.

[richardhensley]

Thanks for the info, now I know what to look for to start flying.

[benlager]

FMS Ranger 850 RTF. Is a great little plane

[heli-man-]

My local model shop owner teaches people at the local park before they buy using a Arrows Trekker 1200mm it will fly for 30mins one battery easily sometimes more very easy to fly

[mdvhonionscry]

Super... Thanks great advice.. Im good on a simulator.. Just need to get going on a field a see

[MrConna]

I was open to new opinions but your number 1 was what I had planned on getting anyway. I kayak as well so I plan on using the floats when I get better

[coolfly]

You nailed it! Great planes to start with.

[lw]

Excellent overview - thumb up and subscribe from me. May I add a few thoughts as an rc instructor?
It all began for me when I saw a small micro plane (UMX) for sale at a hobby store. On the box it said - ready to fly (RTF) everything you need in the box (for around $100). I was not sure I would stay with the hobby and wanted to spend minimum money. It also said,
'Teach yourself to fly' on the box.

I began with the umx planes Ember and T-28 and then 'moved up' to the Sport Cub shown in this video that was excellent. Still, I crashed many times and had to learn how to make repairs. I went thru several Cubs while learning to fly on my own at ball parks and in my yard. I 'moved up' to the micro Timber (an excellent small, beginner level plane).

A local club had an event day and one event was a free demo flight on the Apprentice with a club pilot backing you up in case you got in trouble (called buddy box.) It went well and I bought one. I crashed it many times. It was not easy to repair and the propellers would break often on my bad landings.

The Apprentice was my first 'big' plane. I joined the club and began flying at the club's field with a 400 foot paved runway. I 'moved up' to the T-28 1100 (no flaps, no retracts). Later to the t-28 1200 with flaps and retracts. After that I would fly anything with wheels (and some belly landers with no wheels) ! I became competent with basic flyers, war birds, sport planes, gliders and eventually jets.

One day a new guy said - would you teach me to fly? I did and really enjoyed it. Then another guy asked if I would teach him. I did and after that I developed a reputation as the guy to see if you wanted to learn to fly.

Most of the new guys already had an Apprentice and radio so I set up a 'buddy box' with them and trained them with that. When I first saw an Aeroscout at the field I thought it was an ugly toy. Then the guy who had it asked me to train him on it. Turns out it was not ugly it was 'cute' - and it was no toy. It is now my recommeded trainer plane. With the prop in the back I've never broken a prop or had a student break a prop. The big wheels prevent damage when running off the runway. It is a very sturdy plane - great for beginners who are always bumping into things and having bad landings - especially on the nose. Land on the nose with an Apprentice and you will probably need to replace the prop, fix the allignment on the nose gear, maybe rebuild or replace the motor mount.

I highly recommed getting with an rc instructor if you can. The box said - teach yourself to fly - and I did but probably crashed a hundred times while doing so! I've had students who made it all the way thru training without one crash.

As you move up the planes get more expensive. Most of my students ask for training as they move up to sport planes, war birds and jets. No doubt that has saved them crashes and expense and heartache. Also when they get new planes (especially more advanced planes) they ask me to do the maiden flight and set the trims. I do a complete inspection to make sure the radio and airplane are set up correctly. Sometimes I catch things that would have caused a crash if they had tried the maiden. Such things as controls reversed. Try taking off with your ailerons or elevator reversed ! If the center of gravity is not set right it can cause a crash on the first flight.

If you are reasonably sure you are determind to learn to fly and will stick with it then I recommend getting your own radio from the beginning. If you do decide to get out of the hobby you can sell it and get most of your money back. A good radio like a DX6 or NX6 (or better) will have things the radio in the box of a RTF model will not have -
1 a display screen showing important information like flight time remaining on battery and maybe an option for audio to announce your flight time remaining (good so you can keep your eye on the plane). 2 a slot for a memory card to back up your models - imagine if your radio was lost, stolen or damaged and had to be replaced ! You would have to set up all your models from scratch and remaiden to set trims instead of inserting your backup memory card into the new radio and importing to recover all models !
3. more switches to use for options like flaps, retracts, cargo bay doors, etc....
4. more control over things like rates, expo etc...
5. you can have hundreds of models in one good radio
(the RTF radios are set up for that one model it comes with and may not work with other models, may be hard to set up, you can only have one plane at a time on it if it will work)

I'll stop and keep it short - this could turn into a book. So if you have any questions just ask.

[brianheikes]

Any UAV under 250 grams including fixed wing, rotory, and multi rotors do not have to be registered with the FAA and they don't have to have a remote ID. It is important to know the weight of the RC before you purchase one. This may change your buying plan.

[Gatewayvick]

You don't have to play $200 dollars for a simulator, go for the FREE FMS simulator which shows you the basics. You don't need real life trees and buildings if you can't fly your plan, a cheap simulator like the FREE FMS shows you muscle practice on your hand and fingers which is necessary to learn the basics on taking off and landing a plane, forget the realistic trees, buildings and so on, save your self $200dd dollars.

[mikemckinnis]

All my laptops are outdated. I wish they would make a realflight simulator that can plug into a smart tv.

[WATCHMEGOBROKE]

Awesome video bro..i have dozens of RC but just got into planes. With the simulator Can you bind the remote to an actual rc plane when your ready?

[suneelseethamraju]

Hi, Great informative video. Really liked it. I have a question that had me stumped. Everyone talks about A plane, battery, Transmitter, ESC, Servos and stuff but I want to know what are the things that are needed for the continuation after the flying part... I mean like Battery chargers, Para Boards, Fuselage holders for repairing, Servo cables and many more... Hope you understand what I am talking about and I am sure that what I asked for would definitely help many others. Thank you in advance.

[vracan]

remote id required for less than 250g ?

[chuckmaddison]

What I find hilarious is how everything is $ x99.99.
I guess they must think folks are idiots and haven't figured it out yet.

[oneonlynono]

Someone helps me to understand the Difference in between V1 and V2 RC Planes, please 🙏