Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
From Choosing to Flying
Choose the type of aircraft to build depending on personal preference, availability and expense, as well as how much work you want to put into learning to fly it after construction is complete. The most common choices are airplanes, biplanes, helicopters, blimps, powered parachutes and hot air balloons.
Consider the difficulty rating of different kinds of aircraft. Helicopters are considered the most difficult to fly with airplanes/biplanes coming in second in difficulty rating. Powered parachutes rate intermediate and hot air balloons and blimps rate the simplest of them all.
Begin construction of the aircraft by assembling the fuselage or main body compartment.
Once it is fully constructed and has had time to dry (if using adhesives), you will attach the engine mount, servo and fuel tank inside the fuselage or main body compartment, depending on aircraft type. Attach the engine to the engine mount and run all wiring and tubing according to your plans.
Add landing gear, propeller, spinner, wings, tail fin, rudders and any other parts that your aircraft calls for.
Decorate your aircraft in such a manner that it is easy to distinguish yours from other similar crafts that may be in use at the same airfield you choose. Use brighter colors whenever possible because they show up the best against the blue sky. Design your aircraft using only decals and/or modeler's paint.
Add fuel to the aircraft only when you have it on the field ready to fly. Always use the proper fuel for the craft you are flying. The only alternative to using fuel is to use an electric motor. If you would rather not use a flammable fuel, you can choose an electric motor.
There are two types of electric motors used in remote-controlled aircraft. One is a standard DC motor with brushes, otherwise known as a “canned” motor. The second type is a brushless motor. Most enthusiasts prefer this newer type of motor because it is far more efficient and lighter than the older canned motor. Of course, with an electric motor you will also have to use an electronic speed controller, a gearbox and batteries.