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How to Fly an RC Plane: First-time Pilots

Flying is Fun, and Has Endless Potential!
Flying an RC airplane is a fun and exciting hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll learn the basics of piloting your own RC plane. 
 
Before you know it, you'll be soaring through the skies with ease and confidence. Gear up and get ready to take flight! 

1. Choose the Right Location

First off, it's important to choose the right location in order to have a safe and enjoyable experience.
When selecting a location to fly, make sure to have about a football field of space in front of you for takeoff and landing. Ideally, land and fly over grass. Dirt can ruin your electronics, and harder surfaces (like cement or asphalt) can cause more damage if you crash. Never fly over people, buildings, or water, and make sure it's an open area so you can safely retrieve your plane if it crashes.
 

2. Know Your Controls

 

Yaw:

Roll:

Pitch:

The basic controls of an airplane include the left joystick, which controls throttle and rudder, and the right joystick, which controls elevator and ailerons. As a beginner, you shouldn't need to use your rudder.

Remember: Small, gentle joystick movements are best. It doesn't take much to steer your airplane.


3. Plan Your Route


Before taking off, it's important to plan your route. While you're still getting comfortable with the controls, I recommend flying in the shape of a simple NASCAR track.

This helps you to focus more on maintaining control of your plane and less on where you need to turn next or what obstacles you need to avoid. Straight, then left U-turn, and repeat. Remember, the turning controls are reversed when the plane is facing you, so on the NASCAR track, you'll only make left turns, making it easier to remember which direction you're supposed to turn.



For this example, we’ll be using the J-Wings STEM Hawk kit. This kit is recommended for beginners, but the methods I'll be discussing are applicable for almost all planes. 



4. Takeoff Toss

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need wheels or landing gear to take off and land an RC plane. I'll show you how to do a take-off toss and a belly land.


To take off, power up to full throttle and throw your plane at an upwards angle of about 20 degrees, like a paper airplane. Before ascending, keep the plane level to the ground while gaining speed.

Wait for about 2 seconds so you have plenty of airspeed. Then slowly pull back to lift your plane into the air. Maintain your airspeed until you've reached a good, safe altitude for flight (about 200 feet or 60 meters, well above the tree line). 

 

 

5. Maintain Altitude

Now that we've reached a safe altitude, level your plane out and reduce your throttle to about 50-75%. Altitude is your friend. If you lose control, you'll want your plane to be high enough that you have time to recover before crashing into the ground. Always keep your plane "3 mistakes high”.

To make a left turn, roll left until your plane is angled about 45 degrees, slowly pull back until your plane's nose is pointed in the right direction. Then to complete your turn, roll to the right until your plane is once again level with the ground. 
Remember: When you turn, your wings generate less lift and your plane may begin to fall from the sky. If this begins to happen, pull up a little bit extra during your turn so you don't lose altitude. If needed, use full throttle to regain altitude after the turn.
Watch out for Stalls: If your plane slows down too much, you will no longer be able to control it. The plane will begin to freefall until it is moving fast enough that you can control it again. This is called a "Stall". To avoid stalls, keep your speed up.

 

 

6. Landing

Landing your RC plane can take some practice, and everyone has bumpy landings from time to time. But with some determination, you’ll get it right!
Don't forget! Your plane doesn't have brakes.
The key to a successful landing is to lower your throttle and slow down using drag. Let me explain how.

  1. As you approach the ground, bring the plane down low, about 50 feet off the ground, and level it out with the ground.
  2. Reduce your throttle to 0% so your plane is gliding. This will slow your plane down and make it point its nose toward the ground.
  3. Gently pull back on the right joystick to keep your plane level with the ground.
  4. Continue to pull back. Don't force your plane down to the ground. You job is just to keep the plane level with the ground. It will slow down and descend all on its own.
    NOTE: Be careful! If you pull back too much or too quickly, your plane will stall, and you may do a nose dive into the ground.
  5. Once your plane is moving slowly enough, gently set it down into the grass, where it will slide to a stop.
Congratulations! You've successfully landed your plane.

The first few landings will probably be rough, crashing is just part of the hobby (that's why we make our kits so easy to build and replace!). I crashed 6 times before successfully landing. Most damages can be easily fixed with some glue, tape, and a little bit of patience. You can have your plane up and flying again in just a few minutes.

 

 

That’s All, Folks!

As a new pilot, it's important to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. Remember, each time you fly, you're gaining more experience and becoming a better pilot. Make each crash a learning experience for your next flight! Keep practicing and you'll be performing advanced maneuvers in no time.
Have fun and enjoy the skies!
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