Getting Started — R/C Sailplanes

Step 1: Choose a Beginner Sailplane

Good choices for a beginner's sailplane typically have been planes whose wings span about 2 meters (about 78 inches) or a bit shorter. These planes also only use rudder and elevator for control surfaces and require only 2 channels of radio control — one for the rudder and the other for the elevator.

For a beginner pilot, it's really important to try to select a plane that is made mostly or entirely of Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) or the newer EPO foam. Planes made of these foamy materials are very durable and simply don't break very easily, even if you dive them vertically into the ground as they just tend to bend and bounce instead of break! This gives you the chance to learn from your mistakes without having to constantly re-build your plane after each flying session.

Modern Starter Recommendation: Many beginners have been learning to fly on a motor-glider: the Night Radian. It's made of EPO foam and is very durable — plus you don't really need to use the motor if you're flying on a slope.

If you're a 'purist' and would rather build a more traditional kit out of balsa wood, there are several planes still available that have been teaching beginners over the years. Plane kits known as Goldberg's Gentle Lady or Great Planes Spirit were built by thousands of hobbyists. Aloft Hobbies is now shipping The Mini Wanderer kits and a Micro Gentle Lady, so if you're interested in building a "classic", these and a few other balsa wood-based planes are available.

Don't go wild! Don't purchase a 'full-house' or 'open-class' sailplane as your first. A full-house sailplane has many controls including ailerons, flaps, and possibly more, and probably requires a computer radio to fly. It is ALWAYS better to buy a sailplane designed for a beginner and learn to fly it before crashing a beautiful, carbon-fiber, $800+ investment into the hard ground. You can go buy one of those fancy planes later, after you've learned to fly.

Up until recently, ARF sailplanes tended to be heavy and harder to repair than a built-up wood kit or even an EPP kit. Recently, however, there has been a rash of new ARFs manufactured in Taiwan, China, the Czech Republic, and other places that are better built than before, though they tend to be more expensive than doing it yourself. My choice for a beginner is to still build the plane yourself — and in doing this you will learn more about building and repairing if the plane does crash (or you run over it accidentally with your car).

A typical investment for a training sailplane in kit form is about $150–$200 including the kit, covering, glue, and other things you'll need. Two-meter gliders usually accommodate standard size radio equipment, which has a lower cost. Due to recent advancement in radio technology, some very good radios that include a receiver and transmitter can be had for under $70.

Step 2: Get a Radio Control System

Buddy-box setup — two transmitters linked for safe training.

What is newest in radio control technology is the addition of 2.4GHz/900MHz spread-spectrum radio controls. With one of these radios, the transmitter is matched with a receiver and this results in much less of a possibility of frequency conflicts, unlike the 'old' days of fixed frequencies. Every major manufacturer has their own version of these systems now. Some affordable ones include: Futaba 6L, FlySky FS-i6X, and the super-affordable FlySky AFHDS radios.

Purchase a radio control system that has at least 4 channels of control and rechargeable batteries (NiMH, Li-Ion, LiPo, LiFe (or LiFePO4)). If you spend a little more for that first radio, you can get a transmitter that can be used for more than one plane. These transmitters have 'model memories' where each model can have a distinct profile stored. You won't outgrow one of these radios as you gain flying skills, build more planes, and want more features.

Mode I vs. Mode II: If you're living in the USA, buy a radio in Mode II. People in North America tend to fly in Mode II and it's helpful to have radios in the same mode for buddy-box training (or friends that already know how to fly). Mode I tends to be used in Europe and other parts of the world.

Full radio listings and more detail: Radio Systems page. Also see: Radio History, Frequencies.

Step 3: Build Your Plane

Clear a space in your garage or some nice 'extra' room in your house for a building board that can accommodate at least 3'×5' of flat building area. My favorite choice for a building board surface is to use one of those ceiling tiles used in offices — they're available at most hardware stores and are cheap. Put a nice light above your board so you can still read the plans late into the night (the 'best' time to work, right?).

Building Tips

Please follow the instructions in the kit. Most kits are based on original designs that experienced modelers scratch-built and continually revised. As a beginner, follow the plans and the order of building each piece for minimal headaches.
Keep the plane as light as possible. This means installing mini or micro-sized servos and using the minimum amount of glue. Don't always assume that more glue is better — too much in a high stress area can make a joint break just due to the fact that the glue doesn't give. And you can always add weight later.
Keep everything straight and warp-free. Warps are the fastest way to ruin a beautifully built sailplane's flyability. Build on an absolutely flat surface whenever possible.
Use recommended covering. Monokote or Ultracote — both are fairly easy to apply. Some newer EPP planes are just covered in colored mylar tape. Use what the manufacturer recommends.

More tips: Building & Construction Tips, Using Adhesives, Covering Weight Table.

Step 4: Join the AMA

Join the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). They lobby for local and international interests with the FCC, FAA, and Congress. The AMA is affiliated with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and has representatives for the US in the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI).

The AMA provides up to $1,000,000 of liability insurance. Many flying clubs, organizations, fields, and contests require AMA membership to fly. You also get a subscription to Model Aviation magazine.

Academy of Model Aeronautics · 5151 E. Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN 47302-9252 · (317) 287-1256

Step 5: Learn to Fly

Gimbal diagram — Transmitter pitch and roll/yaw movements — on the right stick for Mode II.

Now learn to fly... BUT, most importantly: GET HELP FROM AN EXPERIENCED FLYER!

Most R/C pilots enjoy helping new people into the hobby and you can really get a tremendous amount of experience by just talking to these 'veterans'. Most beginners that have had help on their first flight get to take their plane home without having to carry what's left in a bag — also known as 're-kitting' the plane.

Some first time flyers assume, since they have had flying experience in full-size aircraft, that they can control their model the same way. The problem isn't that you already understand what it takes to fly, rather you need to teach your fingers or thumb to fly. Plus, the plane flies away and towards you, and you need to be able to look at the plane and then determine what to do. Trust me, it isn't as complicated as it sounds, it just takes a bit of practice and it is absolutely more fun to fly a plane than it looks!

In the USA, most flyers use Mode II. When you move the right stick: forward = nose down, back = nose up, left = left turn, right = right turn. Make sure your control surfaces move the correct direction before flying!

For more detail, read Getting Started, Part II which covers radio installation, CG balance, servo mounting, and my personal journey into this r/c sailplane hobby.