| Model airplane building has been around for a long time. | | | | Ready-to-Fly (RTF) airplanes that are pre-assembled |
| Leonardo DaVinci made sketches of aircraft before | | | | except for attaching the wing to the fuselage and |
| they were ever invented. Man has tried to simulate | | | | charging the batteries. They come painted and are |
| flight by watching the birds and many early airplanes | | | | easy to snap together. With these you can be off the |
| were made similar to bird wings but did not have the | | | | ground very quickly with your field equipment such as |
| proper lift to make them successful. It is from the bird | | | | fuel, glow plug battery and attachment, starter (a hand |
| wing that we get the aerodynamics for lift in the wings | | | | held device to turn the engine but you can be |
| of modern airplanes and helicopters. As the design and | | | | adventuresome and use a "chicken-stick") and spare |
| innovation increased, small airplanes made out of paper | | | | parts. |
| became successful and helped to launch more | | | | All RC airplanes need the receiver and batteries along |
| experimentation. The Wright brothers took it to the | | | | with the throttle, rudder and elevator servos installed |
| next level and added engines on static wings for the | | | | into a servo tray that is securely glued into the |
| first flight of heaver-than-air airplanes. | | | | fuselage near the wings. The radio channels operate |
| As the technology got better, so did the materials to | | | | the functions of the airplane. The more channels (there |
| make the airplanes. The engines developed first with | | | | is a minimum of two: power and rudder) you have the |
| gasoline and then to nitromethane fuel that fueled glow | | | | more aerobatics can be performed with the airplane. |
| plug engines. Nitromethane fuel contains methanol (a | | | | Some exotic (advanced) models have retractable |
| type of alcohol), oil, and usually nitromethane. Different | | | | landing gear, smoke maker and other items that the |
| combinations are used for different engines and are | | | | novice would not need. |
| mixed by manufacturers or enthusiastic model aircraft | | | | Almost all RC modelers will agree that making your |
| builders. | | | | airplane and flying it is very exciting and addictive. |
| Model aircraft are built from light weight materials; | | | | There is a thrill of making something yourself with time, |
| usually from balsa wood, paper and glue. There are | | | | effort and patience that can be rewarded by taking it |
| many different ways to go about building your own | | | | out to a field and flying it. And with today's modern |
| airplane. There are kits that have all the materials | | | | plastics that are lightweight are also almost |
| pre-cut with instructions (some items don't come with | | | | indestructible. This is very helpful for the novice; it takes |
| the kit but they are noted on the box) and with several | | | | a lot of practice (and crashes) to learn the art of flying |
| hours (practice makes it easier and more rewarding) | | | | your own airplane. As your skill increases, your desire |
| you end up with your airplane. These are called Almost | | | | to make and fly more advanced RC airplanes also |
| Ready-to-Fly (or ARF) airplanes. There are also | | | | increases. |