| Wing location | | | | structure. This allows the plane to be relatively |
| High wing | | | | balanced whether rightside-up, upside-down, or any |
| The easiest planes to fly are typically ones that have | | | | other position. This is great for military jets, sport planes |
| a high wing, or a wing that is on top or above the | | | | and aerobatic planes, but less advantageous for the |
| plane's fuselage. Wing dihedrals (bend or change of | | | | learning pilot. Because of this symmetry, the plane |
| angle in wing relative to fuselage) or polyhedrals are | | | | doesn't really have any natural or stable flying position, |
| also common. Most trainers and park flyers have this | | | | like the high wing planes, and will not automatically |
| configuration. | | | | return to a stable gliding position. |
| These planes hold most of their weight under the | | | | Number of channels |
| canopy of the wing structure and tend to react more | | | | The number of channels a plane requires is determined |
| like a glider. For this reason, they are very stable and | | | | by the number of mechanical servos that have been |
| easy to fly. If a high wing plane is out of control, stability | | | | installed. On smaller models, usually one servo per |
| can often be regained by returning the controls to a | | | | control surface is sufficient. |
| neutral position, allowing the plane to naturally fall back | | | | Ailerons - controls roll. |
| into a gliding position. Because of the wing shape, wing | | | | Elevator - controls pitch (up and down). |
| position, and drag under the wing due to the fuselage, | | | | Throttle or, if electric, motor speed. |
| these planes fly slower than their mid and low wing | | | | Rudder - controls yaw (left and right). |
| counterparts, but can usually do some aerobatic | | | | For more complex models and larger scale planes, |
| maneuvers. | | | | multiple servos may be used on control surfaces. In |
| High wings are typical of many vintage private planes. | | | | such cases, more channels as required to perform the |
| For example, the Piper Cub and the Cessna 170. | | | | various functions such as opening cargo doors, |
| Low wing | | | | dropping bombs, operating remote cameras, lights, etc. |
| Low wing planes offer a higher level of flying difficulty | | | | The right and left ailerons move in opposite directions. |
| because the weight of the plane sits on top of the | | | | However, aileron control will often use two channels to |
| wing structure, making the balance a bit top heavy. | | | | enable mixing of other functions on the transmitter. For |
| Most wing configurations provide a slight dihedral to | | | | example when they both move downward they can |
| provide a bit more balance during flight. | | | | be used as flaps (flaperons), or when they both move |
| The weight distribution and wing position of a low wing | | | | upward, as spoilers (spoilerons). Some aircraft, such as |
| plane provides a good balance of stability and | | | | the Concorde do not have an elevator. When that |
| maneuverability. The plane's weight is easier to move | | | | function is mixed with ailerons the surfaces are known |
| around the rotation axis during a roll because it is | | | | as elevons. Each of these mixes are common on |
| closer to the wing, requiring much less leverage than a | | | | radio control planes. |
| high wing plane. | | | | With a three channel RC plane, either the ailerons or |
| Low wings are typical of World War II war planes and | | | | rudder control surface is eliminated. If the rudder is |
| many newer passenger planes and commercial jets. | | | | eliminated, turning is accomplished by rolling the plane |
| Mid wing | | | | left or right and applying the correct amount of |
| Mid wing planes are usually considered the most | | | | up-elevator. If the ailerons are eliminated, the wing |
| difficult to fly. The wings are usually located right in the | | | | needs to have a significant amount of dihedral (V-bend |
| vertical middle of the plane, near the bulk mass of the | | | | in the wing). The rudder will turn the plane so that one |
| plane. Very little leverage is needed to turn and rotate | | | | wing will turn into the wind, causing it to lift and roll the |
| the plane's weight. | | | | aircraft. Many trainers and electric park fliers use this |
| Mid wings are often straight without any dihedral | | | | technique. |
| providing an almost symmetrical aerodynamic | | | | |