You’ve probably seen those happy people flying radio control airplanes and performing awesome stunts and wondered how to get started but a word to the wise, you are probably not going to do yourself any favours by jumping in at the deep end and spending your money on the latest, fastest aircraft you can find.

Flying a radio controlled airplane and performing aerobatic stunts takes some practice, sometimes lots of it. You may well be better off getting a less complicated trainer airplane to start with so you can start to understand how much concentration needs to go into controlling your airplane, then you can consider moving up to the bigger league.

Buying and flying your first radio control airplane should be a good experience that encourages you into the hobby. Beginners are often recommended to start with a high-wing trainer. What is it? A high-wing airplane is one with the wing placed on top of the fuselage, a build which allows for slower and gentler flights and which tends to be more forgiving of errors, making them great for beginner pilots.

High-wing trainers are a fun way to develop your basic flying skills before moving on to low-wing type models which require considerable skill to fly safely. You can buy trainer airplanes in an almost ready to fly kit, requiring a little assembly to get going, or as fully assembled airplanes that just need their batteries charged.

Look for trainers built for durability and which can be easily repaired because as a beginner you will certainly have a share of less than perfect landings. An easily repaired airplane means you are back in the skies in no time to try again. Trainers with tricycle landing gear tend to be easier to handle on the ground than those with the tail down (tail-draggers) so take that into consideration when making your purchase too.

Don’t get stuck thinking too much about the power and electronics of RC for now. There are any number of combinations of power units and radio controllers possible but your first airplane will have that side of things all matched up for you. Hobby store staff will be able to advise you further if you have any questions.

There is no substitute for expert advice. Visit a radio control flying area and observe the airplanes, maybe wait until aircraft have landed before asking questions, though you’ll notice the RC hobbyists, like most other hobbyists, are more than happy to chat and answer questions from newbies. Then you’re ready to get into a good hobby store and talk with the guys there. They will be happy to help you make the right choice, it’s in their interest to encourage you and they really want to encourage newcomers into their world, the world of radio control airplanes.