| Flying a radio control model airplane is a tremendously | | | | Myth 6: You need building skills to fly. With the |
| enjoyable hobby, and is very easy to do in this age of | | | | explosion in availability of ready to fly, lightweight foam |
| ready to fly model aircraft. Following are the top 10 | | | | model airplanes, there is simply no need to even look |
| myths of learning to fly one of these model planes. | | | | inside one of these aircraft. Just open the box, charge |
| Myth 1: Learning to fly an RC model airplane is hard. | | | | the radio and go fly. |
| Nothing could be further from the truth. Using | | | | Myth 7: RC model aircraft are complicated. Larger |
| anynumber of ready to fly RC airplanes that come | | | | aircraft can indeed be complex. But the smaller foam |
| complete and ready to fly right out of the box, there is | | | | ready to fly two or three channel model planes are |
| no building involved. You have no worries of damage | | | | very thoughtfully designed. Simplicity is intrinsic to their |
| during the inevitable crashes, as these foam aircraft | | | | ease of operation. |
| are so lightweight. | | | | Myth 8: You need a license to fly. There is no need for |
| Myth 2: Learning to fly an RC model airplane is | | | | any sort of government radio or pilot certificate to fly a |
| expensive. With the rapid introduction of lightweight, | | | | small, electric radio control model. As a matter of fact, |
| foam ready to fly aircraft, you can purchase plane, | | | | with the need breed of ready to fly foam model |
| controller and charger for less than $40 at your local | | | | airplanes, you can fly in your own back yard. |
| toy store. | | | | Myth 9: You must join a club to enjoy RC model flight. |
| Myth 3: You need a lot of training to learn to fly. The | | | | There are many model plane clubs for the enthusiast, |
| new ready to fly models are very well designed. Due | | | | and they provide a great resource for information, tips |
| to well developed manufacturing processes that are | | | | and camaraderie. However, there is no requirement at |
| hard to duplicate in a home workshop, these | | | | all for you to be a member of one of these clubs to |
| inexpensive model airplanes fly exceptionally well. You | | | | fly your model. |
| will learn how to fly these well mannered flyers in a | | | | Myth 10: Learning to fly an RC airplane is discouraging. |
| matter of days. | | | | Until the advent of light weight, ready to fly foam |
| Myth 4: Learning to fly takes a lot of time. Using ready | | | | aircraft, your typical trainer weighed two to three |
| to fly RC model airplanes, combined with use of a | | | | pounds, was constructed of balsa, and was powered |
| computer based flight simulator, any pilot can conduct | | | | by a gas engine. These birds flew fast, and any hard |
| a safe flight in a fraction of the time compared to | | | | landing or crash potentially involved extensive damage. |
| learning to fly larger, kit built RC model aircraft. | | | | Combined with the lack of any computer flight |
| Myth 5: You must have an instructor to learn to fly RC | | | | simulator, it was discouraging and time consuming to |
| model aircraft. Lightweight, ready to fly foam model | | | | learn how to fly a model airplane. |
| airplanes are practically immune to damage from slow | | | | For all the reasons outlined in this article, the ability to |
| speed crashes. Combined with a few practice sorties | | | | purchase a well designed and well built RC airplane |
| on a computer flight simulator, the slow speed and | | | | and fly it right out of the box has changed learning |
| gentle flight characteristics of these small planes lead | | | | how to fly forever. In short, RC flight is now fun, easy, |
| to a rapid gain of piloting skills. | | | | inexpensive, convenient and without worry. |