Electric RC planes are available in different types, and each has it’s own advantages. RCToys.com has many planes to choose from, and they can be grouped into these categories.

Beginner RC Airplanes:

Beginner rc airplanes are fun and interesting to fly. They are a great way for kids to lean how to fly in a safe and inexpensive environment. These rc airplanes are generally constructed out of plastic or crash resistant foam, and have integrated internal electronic parts. These features make them ready to fly out of the box, without needing to buy or install anything separately. They are available in two or three channel varieties, and are most often RTF (ready to fly). RC airplanes of this type can provide many hours of fun flying, and replacement parts are available for most models.

The Vortex is a good example of a typical two channel rc airplane.

The Vortex has both throttle and rudder control, allowing it to move freely in three dimensions, without the pilot having to worry about elevator controls. This can reduce the learning curve, and prevent crashes. When you increase the throttle more air moves over the wings, increasing lift and resulting in a climb. Decreasing the throttle allows the rc airplane to descend. When you want the rc airplane to turn, the rudder will change the direction the nose is pointing.

The Vortex Extreme is like the regular Vortex, but with an extra channel been added for elevator control.

This is good for more advanced pilots because it allows the rc airplane’s pitch to be changed without using the throttle. When the elevator control surface on the tail moves, air is directed up or down resulting in the rc airplane changing pitch. When the elevator is used to change the pitch of the rc airplane different maneuvers are possible, such as loops and rolls.

Both of these models are easier to fly and less expensive than their more sophisticated counterparts.

These two rc aircraft use a pod and boom approach to fuselage design, resulting in a lightweight and durable model. The “pod” part is made of plastic and houses the electronics and engine, and also provides a mounting point for the wing. The boom is a carbon fiber rod with the rudder and horizontal stabilizer mounted at the end.

These rc models are an excellent choice for the beginner, as they are both relatively inexpensive and easy to fly and repair. Replacement parts for both are easily available. These rc airplanes are ready to fly right out of the box, and offer an excellent starting place for the someone new to rc airplanes.

Advanced RC Airplanes:

The beginner rc airplanes mentioned previously are fine for the casual flier, but eventually you will want a more advanced model. There are many different hobby class models available, and they all have several common qualities. The electric components that they use are most often standard, and replaceable as discrete modules. This increases the lifespan of the model, and the components can be reused in future rc airplanes. Most have at least three channels used, with extras being available for expansion.

These airplanes can come in RTF (Ready To Fly) form, or ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) form. ARF airplanes require some gluing and minor assembly.

The MiniMag is an excellent example of a serious RC airplane, with three fully proportional channels, and a tough foam airframe. Ailerons are included in the wing, making it expandable to four channel control (the receiver supports this).

The SX3 is another full fledged rc airplane, available with a lithium battery, brushless motor, and four channel receiver with three servos. This aircraft is capable of highly aerobatic flight, and is a good choice for a more experienced flier.

RC planes come in various sizes, but if this is your first model, try to get the largest one possible, it will be more stable.

If you are looking for an rc airplane, our website has many to choose from, and helpful articles.

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Electric RC Airplane Types

WHAT IF . . . we could make automonous hockeybots. I’ve been thinking about the idea and exploring neural net, fuzzy logic, machine learing stuff and lo and behold it’s been right here all along with: http://www.robocup.org/. Granted they us 11 bots and a ball but I think some of their stuff might be adaptable. Visions of 12lb bots moving down the arena in formation, passing the puck among themselves, making bank shots off the walls . . .hmmm

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AI Hockeybots

Here’s a situation I’d like to create for a ground taxi in a tutorial I’m making:

http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=49766

If ATC Ground were to clear the airplane for the path indicated, what would be the pilot expect to hear from them. I’d like it in quotes, as in verbatim phraseology. ex. “Frontier One Two Three taxi via… etc, etc”

I’d just like to get this one detail straight, and I’m a little hazy on Ground specifics.

Thanks in advance,

Marco

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Question about ATC Ground

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RC Hobby Explosion Sale Ad for the Week of February 24

Flight simulation is one of my favorite things to do when I want to just get away from it all. Computer flight simulation provides anybody with the ability to have the experience of flying a full size commercial jet, aerobatic airplane, fighter jets and more right from their desktop computer.

With the recent rise in open source applications, it is no surprise that some flight enthusiasts have decided to go that way, and offer up a high quality free flight simulator online. If you are wondering what open source means, it basically means that anybody can contribute and add on to the flight simulator software, so that it is always growing and getting better over time.

For the best open source flight simulator around, check out Flight Gear.

Flight Gear is really the ultimate in flight simulation and it is completely free of charge, so what do you have to lose ?

Using Flight Gear

Understanding the basics of Flight Gears flight controls can be hard at first, but once you learn it you will not soon forget.

But like I was saying, understanding and using the controls can be complicated since they are in game controls, which means you have a full blown cockpit and you have access to every switch, cable and lever around! So with that in mind, you might want to check out Flight Gear’s getting started manual so you can understand the cockpit controls.

Unless of course if you are a real pilot, then you have nothing to worry about!

Source:
Open Source Flight Simulator

It is possible to disrupt the sound waves coming from a flying helicopter and re-direct those sound waves up. This would mean on a day with no clouds you would not be able to hear the helicopter from the ground. If our International Terrorist enemies cannot hear them, they are much safer from being shot down. The hyper sound waves would be emitted from the skids on the helicopters and face upward like a cone. Careful consideration would be made so the hyper sound emissions would not cause an unbalanced resonance or detrimental harmonic situation to the aircraft. The mixing of the sound waves; the actual sound from the helicopter rotor blades and the aircraft’s engines along with the introduced hyper sound waves together would also be studied perhaps at the Boeing Companies Apache Attack Helicopter Center to make sure that the sum of the sounds or the difference of the sound waves did not create frequencies which would screw up communication or cause harmonic imbalance. Hyper Sound Wave Emissions to quiet helicopters might be just what we need. The sound of silence, ah, so sweet indeed.One the hyper sound waves cancelled out or redirected the helicopters sound the enemy on the ground would not hear them coming and have less time to make ready, point, aim and fire a shoulder launched surface to air missile. The element of surprise in offensive operations also holds keys to successful battlespace out comes and kill ratios. Think about the sound, it could save our soldiers lives?

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Lance Winslow

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Hyper Sound Wave Emissions to Quiet Helicopters