Introduction to Electric RC Planes

Electric RC planes are becoming more popular, due to improvements in technology and their clean, quiet, and reliable nature. There are many different kinds of electric RC planes available, and each is designed for a different purpose. This article will show you the different types of electric RC planes available, and explain how they work.

Benefits of Electric RC Planes

Electric RC planes have many benefits over fuel planes. This list shows some of the many reasons that you should choose electric power over fuel:

• Cheaper than fuel RC planes - In many cases, electric power is cheaper than a comparable fuel system.
• Just as powerful as fuel RC planes - Brushless motors are just as powerful as their fuel counterparts.
• Safer than fuel RC planes - Electric RC planes are safer than fuel. A hot nitro or gas engine can do serious damage to anyone who accidentally touches or gets to close to it. Electric RC planes use motors and propellers which do not inflict as much damage in the event of an accident.
• Electric motors are reliable - A good brushless electric motor is far more reliable than any fuel engine. Why waste time adjusting the mixture, idle speeds, and other settings when you can just plug in a electric motor and fly?
• Great way to get into RC - Electric RC planes are a great way for a beginner to learn how to fly because of their low cost and durability. Several beginner electric RC planes are available.
• Practical for 3D / Foam - Electric power is the only form of power that makes sense for 3D and foam electric RC planes. Fuel engines cannot be build small enough to power these models effectively.
• Indoor flight is possible - Many electric RC planes can be flown indoors. This is not possible with any fuel model due to the noise, mess, and danger.

Examples of Electric RC Planes

There are many different kinds of electric RC planes, so here is a list summarizing the basic types you will find.

Simple 2 Channel Electric RC Plane

Some electric RC planes use only a two channel radio system. These planes are a great way for kids to learn about RC planes, due to the simple design and low cost. The Vortex is a great example of this type of electric RC airplane. Everything needed to start flying is included in the box, and spare parts are available on our website.

More Advanced 3 Channel Electric RC Plane

More advanced Electric RC planes use a three channel radio, letting the pilot control the altitude, yaw, and pitch of the aircraft. The Vortex Extreme is a good example of this design, with a proportional radio system and a powerful electric motor. We recommend this electric RC plane to anyone interested in learning how to fly. Check out these articles covering everything from the basics of RC flight, to choosing your first electric RC plane.

4 Channel Electric RC Plane

Electric RC planes aren’t just for teaching beginners how to fly, there are many full control models available for serious pilots. These types of electric RC planes use a proportional 4 channel radio system, allowing the pilot to control the bank, pitch, yaw, and throttle. An excellent example of a 4 channel electric RC plane is the Multiplex Minimag. This airplane is perfect for anyone who wants a dependable plane to fly anywhere.

3D Foam Electric RC Plane

One of the most common uses of electric power is in 3D foam electric RC planes. 3D model airplanes are able to hover, due to their large power to weight ratio, and are an excellent choice for indoor and backyard flying. The Southern X-3 is a great example of this type of electric RC airplane, and is maneuverable enough to be flown inside a house! Indestructible takes on a whole new meaning with this airplane, due to it’s flexible foam construction it is able to survive almost any crash without damage.

How Electric RC Planes Work

Electric RC airplanes use several different approaches to radio and motor system design. Here is a list of some of the most basic components that all electric RC planes use:

1. Motor - The motor is one of the most important components of any electric RC plane. It is used to spin the propeller and generate airflow over the wings, which causes lift and allows the airplane to fly.
2. Battery - The Battery is what provides power to the motor and radio system of the electric RC plane. There are two main types of batteries used. The NiMh (nickel metal hydride) batteries are readily available, and are used in several electric RC planes including the Vortex and Vortex Extreme. Lithium polymer batteries use a different chemistry, and provide many times more power than NiMh batteries. Special chargers are required to charge lithium polymer batteries, due to the flammable chemicals that they use. Make sure to supervise these batteries while charging, and get a fire retardant sack to charge them in.
3. Radio System - The Radio system is used to control the electric RC plane. Radio signals are sent from the transmitter to the receiver in the airplane, which tells the control surfaces how to move and the engine how fast to spin.
4. ESC (electric speed controller) - The electric speed controller is used in electric RC Planes to control the speed of the engine. This is similar to the throttle on a fuel airplane, which opens or closes the carburetor air intake to vary the speed at which fuel is burned. The ESC varies the amount of power sent to the motor of the electric RC plane by altering the voltage of the current that passes through it.
5. BEC (battery eliminator circuit) - Some electric RC planes have a battery eliminator circuit. This is a device which powers the radio system of the electric RC plane using current from the main flight battery. Without a BEC, an electric RC plane needs a separate battery to power the radio system.

Electric RC planes can use other components, but these are the most common found in nearly every model.

Introduction to RC Blimps - Learn How Remote Controlled Blimps Work

Why RC Blimps Float

A remote controlled blimp is a lighter than air aircraft that relies on the principle of buoyancy. Buoyancy is the effect that causes less dense objects to rise when immersed in a denser substance. As long as a similar volume of one material is less dense than another, it will rise. RC blimps, airships and flying saucers make use of this buoyancy effect by using a lighter than air gas to fly: Helium. Because Helium is less dense than the air the blimp will float. The idea behind a blimp is to have the lifting force of the helium exactly cancel out the downwards pull of gravity. This is called neutral buoyancy. In order to rise or descend, the blimp fills or empties different compartments (ballonets) with air. Because air is heavier than helium, this will cause the blimp to decend. Emptying these ballonet compartments will make the blimp lighter and cause it to rise.

The First Blimps

The first rigid airships (also called Dirigibles or Zeppelins) were constructed in the early 20th century. Back then blimp aircraft consisted of a metal frame, covered with fabric and filled with a lighter than air gas like Helium or even Hydrogen. Below this balloon assembly was the gondola. The blimp’s gondola housed the pilot, crew, passengers, and engines. These airships were used for both war and civilian travel during the 20th century. A famous example of such a zepplin was the German Hindenburg airship, which was destroyed on May 6th, 1937. The Germans, who were unable to obtain helium gas for the airship, used hydrogen as the lifting gas. Hydrogen is explosive where Helium is inert. The Hindenburg disaster played a huge role in ending the use of huge blimps for passenger travel.

Modern Blimps

Modern blimp airships are non rigid, meaning that there is no internal structure to support the envelope. Modern blimps are filled with Helium, a safe inert gas, to make them float. Like the old rigid airships, modern blimps still rely on the principle of buoyancy to fly. Modern blimps are used primarily for advertising rather than passenger travel. If you’ve ever attended an NFL football game, NASCAR race, or PGA golf tournament you’ve probably seen the popular Goodyear blimp.

Remote Control Blimps

Radio controlled blimps are an excellent choice for someone new to RC and appeal to all ages. An RC blimp is just a smaller version of a modern blimp airship, except for a few differences. Instead of relying on ballonets (air-filled bladders) to change the weight of the blimp to rise or descend, neutral buoyancy is achieved by adding small weights or ballast putty to the blimp until it hovers. The RC blimp’s gondola is equipped with small electric motors with propellers used to propel the blimp up and down. Most electric rc blimps use a tri fan design, to provide directional control in every direction: up/down, left/right, and forwards/backwards. A good example of this are the Mach III Indoor RC blimps at RCToys.com. These R/C blimp aircraft are for indoor use only. Flying them outside will lead to them getting lost, or blown away. Remember, these aircraft are really helium balloons with motors and a radio, so make sure that you fly them where they cannot get away.

RC Blimp Balloons

RC blimps come with a super lightweight mylar balloon. These mylar rc blimp balloons are both durable, refillable and replaceable. For customers at altitudes greater than 4000 ft above sea level, a larger capacity high lift balloon is available. This white high-lift rc blimp balloon is also great for applying advertising stickers. This can be necessary because, as altitude increases, the density of air decreases, lowering the lift generated by the balloon.

Where to buy Helium for RC Blimp Balloons

Helium for the rc blimp’s balloon envelope is easy to obtain at wedding & party supply stores, flower shops, most grocery stores, and welding supply shops. Filling the rc blimp is also easy, the person selling you the Helium should be able to do it for you, if they have a mylar nozzle. After filling the envelope with Helium place a small piece of tape over the hole to keep the Helium in the balloon.

How to achieve neutral buoyancy so your RC blimp hovers

Chances are, after you have filled your blimp with Helium, it will try to climb. You can use either the weights included with the blimp, or some modeling clay (ballast putty) to correct this. Hang the weights on the rods supporting the engines, making sure to keep the weight equal on both sides. If you decide to use modeling clay, place it in the gondola, near the batteries. Using clay instead of the included weights will allow fine tuning the airship, so that it will maintain the altitude that you want it to. Add just enough weight so the rc blimp neither climbs or sinks.

Where to buy RC Blimps

Draganfly Innovations Inc. sells a huge selection of RC blimps and flying saucers. The most popular blimps are the RC Goodyear Blimp, the RC Airship America and the RC Blimp Bomber. Replacement r/c blimp parts, balloon envelopes and 3V lithium blimp batteries are all available at www.rctoys.com.

Tips On Flying RC Helicopters And Planes

As compared to flying planes, helicopters require a higher skill level. So, it is better to learn to fly RC planes first, so that you at least get an idea, of how to handle it in the air. If you are a fresher, then join a good flying club or get an experienced model plane 'pilot' to help you out. Once you have mastered the basics of flying planes, then you can try some stunts, such as inverted flying, rolls or loops. Your first plane should ideally be a 'trainer'. These are planes with big fuselage and wide wings. These planes are slower, steadier and therefore more suited for learners.

Once you have gained complete control over your Remote Control and your plane, then you can think about moving on to faster planes, such as fighter or jet planes. These planes are extremely fast and require very fast reflexes, to keep them in control. Do not forget to take out insurance on any model plane or helicopter you fly, or be ready to be sued, in case of any accident, where there is damage to someone's 'limb' or 'property'. An electric motor or a gasoline engine can be used, to power your model airplane or helicopter. Use electric power, if you are a fresher. It's clean, efficient and easy to maintain. However, keep extra battery packs ready, because you will need them, while flying.

Since the dynamics of a model helicopter are totally different than that of a plane, get expert help, before trying to fly them. You can also practice on a simulator, before attempting an actual flight. Helicopters can take off from a small pad, but model planes require a longer area, to take off and touch down. The chances of a helicopter suffering more damage than a plane, in case of a crash are more, since the blades of the helicopter are quite large.

The stunts, which can be performed by your helicopter, are also different as compared to your plane. One thing your helicopter can do is to 'hover' over the ground and that is what your plane cannot do. You can buy your plane or helicopter from various hobby shops or over the Internet as a RTF kit, i.e. a Ready to Fly Kit, which means that it is fully assembled, or you could buy it in ARF form, i.e. Almost Ready To Fly kit. This kit just has to be assembled and then it is ready to fly. You can think about making your own plane or helicopter from scratch, once you have some experience under your belt. Your models can be made of wood or plastic and you can hand paint them, once you have made them.

These above tips can be helpful, if you are just starting off in the flying arena. Use them to make your flying 'career' safer and easier.

Source: http://www.rc-model-airplanes.com/articles

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for model planes and model helicopters. You can find the best marketplace for model planes and model helicopters by visiting the best sites for model planes, model fighter planes, and model helicopters.

So you want to learn how to fly an RC heli?

A radio control heli requires a lot of time and patience, but it can be very fun and exciting to fly.

The newcomer will need to be prepared for the cost of the kit, as well as the cost to repair damage from the inevitable crashes.A radio control helicopter also require dedicated attention while flying and attentiveness to safety precautions.

There are many reasons to start flying remote control helicopters, even though they are often seen as the most challenging RC to learn. Some people enjoy the extra challenge that learning to build and fly an RC helicopter gives.

However, Remote control helicopters are a demanding hobby.

When learning how to fly for the first time, you need to have patience and time to get set up and to learn the RC heli skills you need. The helicopter absolutely must be set up properly before flight, otherwise there is no chance it will fly.

The instructions should be read until you gain a thorough understanding of where the parts fit together, and how they fit together, and after assembly you should have your new model checked over by an experienced RC helicopter pilot.

Loose screws can mean parts that fly off when you try to fly!

The controls on the radio are much like the controls in a full-sized helicopter, and as such, they are fairly complex. It can take many sessions to simply learn how to hover, the most basic skill the Remote control helicopter pilot will need, as the controls are very sensitive to small adjustments and require that everything be set 'just' right, and changed with every shift in the wind.

Another demanding aspect of remote control helicopters is the safety factor. It goes without saying that a non-electric helicopter must be flown outside to avoid the fumes.

Also, the blades can spin at a speed fast enough to cut through flesh and even bone, so you must be sure to fly in an area with lots of space and with all bystanders safely out of the way.

But much like driving a car or riding a bike, these skills will eventually become second nature. With dedication, patience, and practice, you can become a successful RC heli hobbyist.

Frist Hovering

if you know what to expect you will feel better when you fly your RC helicopter.

First, an RC helicopter flier should learn how the radio works.


Before you attempt to RC helicopter hover your helicopter it is important to make sure you have set up your radio properly.

I can't stress enough to anybody who wants to learn how to fly an RC helicopter to study the radio in and out. Also, study the radio's instruction manual thoroughly and make sure you understand it even before attempting to fly.

Second, the next thing that you should do is to make sure that the RC helicopter is set up properly for an RC helicopter hover. Make sure you have good training gear that will support the RC helicopter that you will be flying. Some training gears can only support a 30 class RC helicopter.

Third, try to pick a large grassy area. If you fly in an area where there is a lot of dirt or rocks it will be hard on your engine. The dirt and rocks will enter through the carburetor and the engine can't digest dirt and rocks as easy as grass.



These are some of the things you need to know to start your RC helicopter hovering.


If you are having trouble with the basics, try to have an experience RC helicopter pilot supervise you and see if you are on the right track. You can find plenty of RC hobbyists at your local RC helicopter club. Some of these clubs might require you to have some kind of liability insurance just in case something goes wrong.

Rotor Review - Gazaur Technology Poseidon 480 & Mars 480

Rotor Review - Gazaur Technology Poseidon 480 & Mars 480
By: Mark Ronge
Two new innovative mini helicopters with outstanding aerobatic capabilities
Gazaur Technologies has been developing new mini electric helicopters for the past three years, and the culmination of their research and development is the Poseidon 480 and Mars 480. The only distinctions between the Poseidon and Mars are the frame shapes and landing gear shapes; their mechanics are identical.

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Both models are made with carbon side frames and CNC-machined aluminum main rotor heads. They feature a symmetrical servo mounting system for 120-degree electronic cyclic collective pitch mixing (eCCPM) control. All 3 servos are spread evenly around the main shaft and give unprecedented accurate control with minimal cross coupling between controls. The flight performance is excellent; they are very stable in hover, fast and groovy in forward flight, and very graceful in 3D. These models are going to set a new standard for high-performance mini-class electric helicopters. Plus, the models will be sold and fully supported in the U.S. by Hobby Lobby.
The kits have good English instructions with excellent computer-generated engineering drawings. The parts are separated into three large bags according to assembly steps, and then the nuts, bolts and small components are separated into smaller bags to make them easy to identify and fast to assemble. It should take an average modeler about five hours to assemble the mechanics and then another three to install and set up the radio, motor and ESC.

Unique Features
The carbon frame layout is very unique, with 3 servos mounted in the middle of the frame. The metal servo tray also functions as the strong support for the main rotor shaft. The innovative landing gear design is soft-mounted to the frames without using any screw to help absorb shock. This landing gear is lighter than conventional skid systems. The moving flybar system (MFS) main rotor head design is the highlight. In a MFS system, the entire flybar can float up or down when collective pitch control is applied. The MFS design reduces the parts count by eliminating the washout unit. The MFS rotor gives the Poseidon and Mars very desirable handling. The geometry of this MFS system was laid out carefully so the collective pitch is not overly sensitive as on some other small electric models.
A constant-drive main gear system is included to keep the tail rotor spinning during autorotation. The tail rotor drive belt tail is guided by four pulleys to reduce friction. The Mars and Poseidon are designed for flying with 315mm up to 340mm main rotor blades. I successfully autorotated using 325 and 340mm blades, but doing autorotation with any mini electric helicopter should be attempted only by pilots with extensive autorotation experience.
The tail rotor blade pitch control mechanism is very well designed. The tail rotor pitch control lever grabs the pitch slider from above and below, and it provides smooth and precise pitch change. Each plastic tail rotor blade has a built-in leading-edge balance weight to help reduce control power needed to actuate the tail rotor blades. This is quite innovative. A 2mm carbon pushrod provides a direct control run to a tail rotor control servo mounted on the center of the helicopter. There’s plenty of room in the frame for the mounting receiver and gyro.
I used the Hitec Premium mini electric helicopter flight pack for control. There are two locations reserved on the Mars and Poseidon for mounting the receiver and gyro and the locations can be swapped depending on the builder’s preference. To install the HS-65 servos on the Mars and Poseidon, the servo tray requires opening up the HS-65 servo and splitting it into two halves, then mating the servo halves back together from each side of the servo tray.
The Poseidon and Mars are designed for 400-class brushless motors, an ESC with at least 35 amps, and a 3-cell, 2100mAh LiPo battery. The Poseidon and Mars are slightly bigger than other helicopters in their class, and this helps give the Poseidon and Mars some added stability and visual aid when flying farther. The ultimate power combo is the Gazaur Lingo 8 outrunner motor and Gazaur 55A ESC designed for the Poseidon and Mars. The Lingo 8 motor is bigger and has more torque than most 400-class mini electric helicopter motors. The Lingo has a 4000Kv rating and when used with the supplied 10- or 11-tooth pinion, it is possible to get 2600 to 2700rpm with the Gazaur 340mm wood blades and 2800 to 2900rpm with the Gazaur 325mm wood blades. The 325mm wood blades give very good 3D hot-dogging and four and a half minutes for 3D flying. The 340mm wood blades provide higher efficiency and still give excellent 3D performance, and it is possible to obtain five minutes of 3D or seven to eight minutes of cruising around.

Summary
The Poseidon and Mars have very high-quality parts, the flight performance is outstanding, and the models are innovative and different from other mini electric helicopters. The models have an almost hands-off hover. In forward flight, both models are very agile and aerobatic.

What You Ought To Know When Buying Your First R/C Helicopter!

What You Ought To Know When Buying Your First R/C Helicopter!

When you walk into the store or browse the Internet, you’ll notice most R/C helicopters come in different packages, RTF, ARF and Kit.

How can you tell which one is right for you? Well, you can talk to the salesperson for hours and try to figure out the words coming out of his mouth or you can read this condensed guide and find out in just a few minutes.

I know you have plenty of questions but the one I will try to answer will be…

Should I start with a RTF, ARF or a Kit?

It’s up to you! When I began with R/C helicopters, I didn’t know what I got myself into. I was in a fog, but as soon as it cleared, I had a kit package on my lap. Surprisingly, buying a kit was the best thing I ever did!

Why do I say this?

Well, the kit enabled me to really understand the inner working parts on my R/C helicopter. Every time I crashed it, I knew exactly on how to replace the broken parts.

But this is just some of the positives of buying a kit package, but that might not be the kind of experience you are looking for.

Some R/C helicopter packages are marked with RTF, ARF and KIT. This is just a fancy way of saying that you might need to get your hands dirty. But on the positive side, some kits all you do is take it out of the box, charge the battery and have fun.

Let’s look at this a little deeper and find out the differences in the kits. More on that after this message…

RTF (Ready To Fly):

The RTF package is short for (ready to fly) which means everything you need is contained within the box when you buy it. Most electric R/C helicopters come in this form. Nitro R/C helicopter RTF packages in the other hand are rare but they are available. RTF’s are perfect for people that have no time to devote to the assembling process.

ARF (Almost Ready-To-Fly):

The ARF is short for (almost ready-to-fly), which means that you have to do some of the dirty work yourself. You might have to separately buy and install the engine, blades or some other parts of the R/C helicopter to make it complete. The ARF is perfect for people with minimal time to devote to the assembly process.

KIT (Fully Disassembled):

Finally we have the fully disassembled KIT. According to the R/C Helicopter Forum, the Kit is the most popular form among nitro or electric beginners and intermediate. It comes in hundreds of unassembled pieces. You have to assemble it piece by piece. It’s mostly geared for people that have the time and those that are mechanically inclined or are willing to be.

My recommendation is get an R/C helicopter that gets you deeply involved in the heli setup process. This will give you a profound understanding of the inner working parts, making it easier when it comes time to replace them.

Well, until next time and stay safe.

RC Park Flyers

Park flyers are the perfect introduction to rc airplanes. They are easy to fly and can be flown in small areas, like your backyard or the local park.

This is good because you can get some practice at home before you head out to the field with a regular electric or gas powered airplane.

Park flyer's and slow flyers are basically the same thing, only the park flyer is a little faster. Thanks to advancements in rc technology, we are able to have park flyers.

Usually they are 1 channel only, but you can get ones that are 3 channels and control elevator, rudder, and the motor.

Most park and slow flyers are ready to fly, but there are some that are almost ready to fly and require some building. Another great thing about park flyers is they can be flown indoors.

You still need a decent size room, like a gym, basement, or any other big room you can find.

If terra firma isn't for you, Nikko's Cessna will get you flying high! This is one great remote control plane for the buck. Check out the Nikko Cessna and its impressive list of features.

For Advanced Pilot's

The ready-to-fly (RTF) electric Megatech Freedom Flyer simply has all the right stuff required for a fantastic beginner to intermediate electric radio control airplane.

If you are a beginner, I do hope you go with park flyers or slow flyers, then progress to a more complicated aircraft.

Tips

Before I finish, I should tell you a few tips about park flyers. First, since park flyers are so light and small, there has to be very little or no wind. If there is any wind, it will be swept away immediately. If an unfortunate event should happen to your park flyer, you should know they are not indestructible during flight. So be sure to keep it away from trees and other objects that might damage it.

Electric RC Airplanes

The power of RC electric flight is amazing, not to mention much easier to own and operate :) With glow engines there is the problem of maintaining them and making sure they are up to snuff.

Over my years as an RC pilot, I have found that beginners and advanced pilots both seem to like electric RC airplanes, so it is a great idea to buy one as your first airplane.

Simple electric RC airplanes, like the Sky Vector shown below, are great because they are very easy to fly, and you really only have too master two controls. One control being the speed and the other being the direction you want to move in.

One of the best things about airplanes like the Sky Vector though, is the fact that they can be ready to fly within 15 minutes of opening the box! Basically, it is a no hassle approach to flying RC airplanes, which is what most beginners like and need.

Electric RC trainer airplanes are also available for people who want to actually train with electric airplanes, because that is all they intend to fly.

Loosen up the split gear on a Raptor 50

The Raptor 50 V2 uses a split gear to have a driven tail during autorotations. However, the gear needs to be loosened up before installation. If you do that, you loose less energy when going to throttle hold to enter the autorotation.

The original white gear moves very difficult over the aluminum autorotation hub. It is designed this way to give the white tail gear some support since it is pulled towards the back of the heli by the tail belt. It is supposed to wear in over time, but this takes way too long. The method described below, will wear in the tail gear so that it rotates freely, and is still properly supported by the aluminium autorotation hub.

Just put the main shaft in a drilling machine, and attach the autorotation hub with the grey gear and the white tail gear to the main shaft as shown in the picture below.

Now hold the grey gear as shown, and slowly start the drilling machine. Now increase the speed of the drilling machine, and keep it rotating until the white gear starts to spin freely. Let it cool down for a couple of seconds, and feel if it rotates freely. If not, repeat this a couple of times. This will perfectly match the new white gear to your aluminum autorotation hub so that it rotates as it should, and that it is still properly supported by the autorotation hub.

This fix will only take a couple of minutes and is much easier than grinding or sanding the white gear! Furthermore, this way guarantees a perfect round fit with good support.