Hobbies And Interests
Materials
Most planes that fall into the park flier category (wing spans up to 40 inches) are electric powered with the wings and fuselage made of foam. The foam is easier to repair then balsa construction, making these planes perfect for beginners.
Features
Electric motors are controlled by an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) rather then a servo and control linkage; this simplifies installation and reduces weight.
Benefits
Most modelers use lithium polymer (lipo) batteries to power their planes. A three-cell lipo costs about the same as a gallon of nitro fuel. You can get up to 500 flights from a lipo battery and only 16 flights from a gallon of fuel.
Size
Brushless electric motors can now replace some of the largest nitro-powered engines. This allows modelers to fly planes in excess of 15 pounds with an electric motor.
Fun Fact
Some electric-powered gliders are equipped with a folding prop. When the motor is turned off the prop folds tight to the fuselage, reducing drag.