RC Basics

The RC Hobby is nothing but confusing if you are starting out. You hear strange acronyms, and all types of foreign terminology. At Modelflight, we have many years of experience – over 30 years - with exactly these types of questions from the budding beginner "Jet Pilot" through to the wannabee "Rally Car Driver".

If you are just starting out in our wonderful hobby we have constructed a concise overview of common beginner questions, products, and some step-by-step information to help you move into the hobby. To view in-depth beginner information please select the type of RC hobby product that interests you in the RC Guide! We are always looking to improve these pages so if you have any constructive thoughts please feel free to contact us

What RC is all about
The Transmitter...
What do Transmitter Channels Mean?
Understanding RC Cars
Off-Road vs. On-Road
Electric vs. Nitro
Kits, ARR or RTR?
Understanding RC Aircraft and Helicopters
Radio Control Airplanes
Radio Control Helicopters


What is RC all about
As you will notice by the categories listed on our online webpage, you can virtually control anything by means of Radio Control – Planes, Helicopters, Gliders, Cars, Boats, and more! They also come in various shapes, sizes, colours, configurations and of course, speeds.

The Transmitter...
Before we even begin to talk about the object you are controlling we should start by discussing the device you use to control it with the Radio Control Transmitter (often referred to as Transmitter, Radio, or TX). At Modelflight we always choose to discuss the transmitter first as this can help to save you money, and prevent a lot of hassle moving forward in the hobby.

Transmitters come in various forms, typically depending on what you wish to control. For airborne or complex models such as Planes and Helicopters, a "two-stick" style transmitter is generally common.

Transmitters, as the name would suggest, transmit/pass a signal of your movements from your hand and fingers to a Receiver (discussed below) located in the model – plane, helicopter, car, etc.

What do Transmitter Channels Mean?

When looking at a plane, they vary dramatically in terms of style, but also in the amount of controlled or operated surfaces they have. They are a multi-dimensional object and travel in many different directions. These different operating surfaces/processes need to be controlled. Typically, a plane will have 4-6 necessary processes controlled by the Transmitter; often referred to as channels. In basic aircraft such as the Boomerang 40 by Phoenix Models, you will have control over the throttle, either side of the wing (called ailerons), the horizontal part of the tail section (elevator), and generally the vertical portion of the tail as well (rudder) - this is referred to as a 4-Channel set-up; throttle, aileron, elevator, rudder. If the model also included a retractable undercarriage (wheels that retract during flight) and air-brakes/flaps to assist landing – this is referred to as a 6-Channel set-up; an additional two functions. Helicopters are also considered as a minimum 6-Channel set-up. As the aircraft becomes more complex the radio will in turn, need to become more complex in its functions and ability to control these additional needs.

Transmitter for AIR: This style of Transmitter has two sticks on the front (left and right) with varying levels of switches to control the model; these typically range in price from $100-$3000 depending on the technology included. Below we can see the Eflite CX2 transmitter and the more advanced Spektrum DX7.

Transmitter for SURFACE: Generally, controlling Cars and Boats is a slightly simpler task for a transmitter as they operate on a 2-dimensional basis. Typically, to operate a car, 2-to-3-Channels are used; throttle (forward/backward), steering, and brake (for nitro cars only). Car transmitters usually come in a "pistol" style configuration as shown above, with the throttle and brake controlled by the "pistol trigger", and the steering is controlled by the wheel. Good examples are the DX3 and DX3R. It often looks strange to a first timer compared to the aircraft ‘stick’ option, but this is a very effective form of control.

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Understanding RC Cars
For many people thinking about taking up an RC hobby, an RC Car or Truck can be a great place to start. For one thing, there are fewer functions/channels to control and you don’t have to battle with gravity on top of everything else! But don’t start thinking this means RC Cars and Trucks are basic, most are still high-performance machines, loaded with powerful, sophisticated engineering! RC Cars and Trucks have another exciting ability….you can race them! An RC race can be as informal as two kids tearing around their backyard, or as organised and high profile as a World Championship – attracting top class drivers from all over the world.

Modelflight has a wide range of cars from the world’s best manufacturers. For example, from the introduction of award-winning Losi micro RTR vehicles, to serious competition kits from Team Losi Racing, we’ve got you covered. Micro-Mini vehicles such as the 1/36 Micro-T or 1/10 Mini Desert Truck can be less than 200mm long and raced almost anywhere, and at the other extreme, you can buy 1/5 scale Baja buggies from HPI at over 800mm in length and with a powerful 26cc petrol engine.

There are various options when buying a car or truck: Off-Road or On-Road, Electric or Nitro, Kit or Ready-To-Run…we will now look at these varieties in more detail

Off-Road vs. On-Road
If you are new to the hobby, Off-Road Buggies may be the best place to start…they are very durable, can go almost anywhere and reach speeds of 15-100 kmh. The off-road buggy is usually 1/10 or 1/8 scale, uses big rubber rear tires and thin front tyres and has high ground clearance, they come in either 2WD or 4WD (2 or 4 wheel-drive). A good starter model is the Losi 1/10 Strike Short Course Truck.

You can also buy Trucks or Monster Trucks like the Losi XXL Monster Truck RTR. Trucks use big rubber tires on all four wheels and monster trucks use very large rubber tires and are the biggest of all radio-controlled models.

On-road cars are designed to run on smooth concrete or asphalt surfaces, they usually have lower ground clearances, slick tyres, aerodynamic bodies and are capable of slightly higher speeds; some nitro models can reach 110kmh!

Electric vs. Nitro
Electric cars use a rechargeable battery pack for power (NiMh, NiCad or Lipo); they can run up to 10 minutes and be recharged in about 15-45 minutes depending on the capacity of the battery. Nitro cars are actually powered by a small 2-stroke engine that burns a special glow fuel containing nitromethane – similar to the style of fuel drag cars use. Some can reach speeds of over 50 mph! Nitro cars are recommended for advanced modelers.

Kits, ARR or RTR?
This refers to the way you buy your model, or the package it is in. RTR, which stands for Ready-to-Run are recommended for those with no modeling experience; it is entirely factory assembled and tested -everything you need to get started is in the box! ARR or RR, or Almost-Ready-to-Run or Race Roller is just that; almost ready to go. In these cases, a radio/transmitter is not included and is a great option for modelers who would rather choose their own radio or have one already.

Kits require more building time and effort. This is not necessarily a disadvantage as you gain the pride of knowing that you’ve successfully put together a fast-moving vehicle by yourself. You also learn a lot about how it works ‐ experience that will help you upgrade its performance and quickly repair any possible damage; for example, the Losi JR-XS Type R 1/10 EP on road kit. "Hop-ups" (improvements to parts or performance) can also be purchased from Modelflight and added to your model.

Need to complete
Unless the following are already provided with your model, like in an RTR version, you will definitely require a transmitter as discussed above. Typically, a transmitter with 2-3 channels should be used. You will also need a battery pack and a charger, this should be enough to get you on the road and everything can be purchased with the model of your choice.

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Understanding RC Aircraft and Helicopters

Radio Control Airplanes
Piloting your own model aircraft is a very rewarding experience and by making the right choices at the beginning you will be up and flying solo in no time. Just as you wouldn’t learn to drive in a Ferrari, nor should you try and learn to fly with an F-16 jet. A typical trainer is a slower flying stable model that gives the beginner pilot plenty of time to think about that next control input. The typical trainer plane is normally high wing and looks a bit like a Cessna, with the Hobbyzone Super Cub LP RTF being very popular. A new arrival on the trainer scene is the Hangar 9 P-51 Mustang PTS RTF trainer. This low wing scale model has aerodynamic aids to make it fly slower and with great stability.

ARF or RTF?
"Almost Ready-to-Fly" or ARF model aircraft are very popular. Because of their extensive prefabrication, ARF’s usually require only 1 or 2 evenings to assemble. Note that an ARF model will require you to buy other major components to complete the model including the motor and radio control equipment. RTF, or "Ready-To-Fly," models require much LESS work ‐ and come complete with radio and power plant preinstalled! This is ideal for the beginner as all the hard work is done for you and you will going to the flying field after only a few hours of assembly time.

Examples of great aircraft to get you started are: the Mini Super Cub or Super Cub LP from HobbyZone. Once you get more proficient you can move on to models such as the ParkZone range of Warbirds! E.g. P-51, Spitfire, Messerschmitt and the Corsair!

We highly recommend that you visit your local model flying club for help when learning to fly. Just like learning to ride a bike was really hard the first time you got on the bike, it becomes very simple when you are shown how; most clubs have instructors and will welcome you to join in. Contact the Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (MAAA) for the name and location of the club nearest you. www.maaa.asn.au


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Radio Controlled Helicopters
RC helicopters are the most mechanically complex of all the disciplines and until recently were the most challenging to fly, but great advances in technology have made today’s beginner helicopters much cheaper, much smaller and oh so easy to fly. We recommend starting out with a co-axial helicopter (a heli with 2 sets of rotors) like the RTF Blade Micro CX, S300 or CX3. These helicopters are very stable, electric powered and can be flown indoors almost anywhere.

Coaxial, counter-rotating blades cancel out the rotational torque that can make hovering a conventional heli so diffcult.

As you become more proficient, you can move up to a single rotor helicopter like the Blade Micro SR or Blade 400 helicopter. These both offer more maneuverability and speed and as such are more challenging.
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