| Remote planes are one of the fastest-growing | | | | the best way to do it is to buy a kit - they |
| hobbies around, not to mention one of the | | | | don't cost that much. Generally, you will get |
| most fun. You can buy a kit (or even cut wood | | | | a collection of parts made out of balsa wood |
| yourself), build a plane, and then use your | | | | (used because it is so light), together with |
| remote control to fly your creation around in | | | | instructions for building the plane. However, |
| the park. In recent years their popularity | | | | the kit will not include all the tools you |
| has even begun to catch up to | | | | need, which can include saws (if the wood |
| remote-controlled cars: cars might be fun, | | | | hasn't already been cut) and various kinds of |
| sure, but do they fly? No! | | | | glue. |
| | | | |
| So how do remote-controlled planes work? | | | | Unfortunately, building planes this way can |
| Basically, the controller you hold sends | | | | be very difficult and time-consuming, even |
| radio waves through the air to the plane, | | | | when you buy a kit that is supposed to be |
| telling it what to do. The receivers on the | | | | easy to build. Because what you're making is |
| plane then carry out your actions to move the | | | | basically a scale model of a plane that has |
| wings and other parts, just like the controls | | | | to work in the exact same way, it doesn't |
| on a real plane send signals to mechanically | | | | take much for it not to fly at all. Errors |
| move the parts - after all, it would be | | | | that wouldn't matter when building most other |
| almost impossible for a pilot to move a plane | | | | DIY projects can cause your plane to crash on |
| without mechanical assistance. | | | | its first flight, destroying hours of work. |
| | | | |
| Remote-controlled planes have gained | | | | While you could just go out and buy a 'ready |
| popularity in recent years as their | | | | to fly' plane, many people believe that takes |
| technology has advanced in leaps and bounds. | | | | a lot of the fun out of remote-controlled |
| A decade ago, for example, people were still | | | | planes as a hobby. If you're careful when you |
| using fuels like petrol to make their planes | | | | build your plane and follow the instructions |
| go, but today technology has moved to the | | | | to the letter, it should work just fine. Good |
| point where model planes can fly using only | | | | luck! |
| electricity. | | | | |
| | | | However you do it, enjoy your shed! |
| If you want to fly a remote plane yourself, | | | | |