RC RTF Plane - RC Powered Hobbies

An RC RTF plane is for those that have no interest in building an RC kit from scratch or tinkering with an ARF, "Almost Ready To Fly" model. If you just want to start flying as quickly as possible, then you will want to buy an RTF plane. RTF stands for "Ready to Fly". You can simply take the equipment out of the package, charge the batteries, put the batteries into the equipment, and you are ready to fly.

Some RTF planes may require a very small amount of assembly when you first get them. You may have to attach the wings and the tail to the fuselage or apply some decals, but you won’t have to perform any actual mechanical assembly or construction before you can fly it.

Years ago, most RC planes did require assembly. It was assumed that most people would want to assemble their own. A lot of people were hobbyists and did want to build their own plane, and then enjoy the thrill of flying something they just built.

Eventually, manufacturers realized they were losing a lot of business because they weren’t serving the ever-growing market of people who simply wanted to fly the planes without the hassle of having to build them.

In fact, these days the RTF kits outnumber and outsell the assembly-required kits, because most people prefer to just fly the plane. Obviously the modeling kits will always be available for those who want them, but the hobby is so much more accessible now to those who don’t.

You may have to purchase the radio control gear and batteries separately, because many planes do not come with them. A few manufacturers do include this equipment, but you need to verify that these items will be included before you buy.

If you get your package home and realize that these items aren’t included, you’re going to be very disappointed. Then you will have to order them and wait for shipping, or you will have to go to a local hobby store and hope they have what you need. So make sure you find out if they are included before you buy.

There are two major types of RC RTF planes; gas-powered and electric. Electric models are slower, but they are less expensive. Gas models, and also nitro planes, are powered with a mixture of oil and other fuels. They are faster and more powerful, but they are also more expensive, require more maintenance, and unless you are an experienced RC flyer, are more likely to crash because of their higher speeds.

When you buy an RTF plane, you should try to get a newer model from a popular manufacturer, even though it may cost a bit more money than an off-brand model. If you buy from a manufacturer that doesn’t offer spare parts, warranties, or repairs, you may be very upset if your plane is damaged and you can’t get the parts to repair it. If you buy from a reputable brand like ParkZone, Hobbico, or HobbyZone, you’ll be able to easily get the spare parts you need if your plane gets damaged.

RC RTF planes are highly recommended for people who would like to get into RC flying, but don’t want to build their own. If you’d like to build your own plane, then you would want to get a scale model. But if all you want to do is fly, then an RTF is exactly what you need.