RC plane buyer's guide
Trainer, park flyer, warbird, glider or 3D: what each type of RC plane is for, sizes, RTF or BNF, running costs and where to buy in the UK.
10 guides
RC planes
Start with a stabilised high-wing foam trainer, balance it correctly, check it before every flight and learn at a club or with a simulator. These guides cover each step in order.
Choose
What to buy and how to decide.
Best RC planes for beginners
The beginner RC planes we would recommend in 2026, from stabilised foam trainers to gliders, with honest notes on durability, spares and wind.
Gyro-stabilised RC planes
How stabilisation and panic-recovery systems work in beginner RC planes, which modes to use when, and when to switch them off.
Foam vs balsa RC planes
EPO foam, EPP, balsa and composites compared for durability, repairs, weight, wind performance and cost, and which suits a first plane.
Learn
Getting it flying or driving, and how it works.
How to fly an RC plane
Range check, take-off, trimming, circuits and landing: a practical sequence for your first RC plane flights, and the mistakes that end most of them early.
RC plane controls explained
What each control surface does, how the sticks map to them on Mode 1 and Mode 2, and the difference between 3 and 4 channel planes.
Balancing an RC plane
Why the centre of gravity matters more than anything else on an RC plane, how to find and check it, and how to fix a nose- or tail-heavy model.
RC plane pre-flight checklist
The checks to make before every RC plane flight, from range check and control direction to battery, propeller and hinge security.
Where to fly an RC plane in the UK
Parks, fields, club sites and the permissions you need: where you can legally and sensibly fly an RC plane in the UK, and the places to avoid.
Fix
Setup, faults, crashes and repairs.
Repairing a crashed RC plane
How to repair a crashed foam RC plane properly: which glues work on EPO and EPP, reinforcing breaks, and replacing props, horns and linkages.
Where to start
Choosing a plane. The RC plane buyer's guide explains the types of plane and which suits a first flight. For specific models, see best RC planes for beginners. Two background guides help you understand what you're buying: gyro-stabilised RC planes and foam vs balsa RC planes.
Learning to fly. Read how to fly an RC plane for the sequence of first flights and RC plane controls explained for the sticks. Before any flight, balance the plane and run through the pre-flight checklist. Finding somewhere legal and sensible to fly is covered in where to fly an RC plane in the UK.
Fixing problems. Foam planes are designed to be repaired; repairing a crashed RC plane covers glues, reinforcement and props.
Shared guides every pilot needs
Batteries, chargers and radios are in the Electronics hub: start with LiPo battery safety. The rules for flying in the UK are in UK rules for RC models, and RC flight simulators explains how to practise at home. The plane makers are on the brands page.
Also interested in RC helicopters or RC cars? New to the hobby altogether? Start with Getting started.