Flying your RC airplane is the moment all preparation pays off. This lesson is about developing smooth control, precise orientation awareness, and effective throttle management. Flying is not just about keeping the plane in the air—it’s about learning to anticipate, react, and make small adjustments so your airplane moves exactly where you want.
This chapter is designed to provide step-by-step guidance, practical tips, and exercises to build your confidence and skill.
1. Preparing to Fly
Before even taking off, make sure you are mentally prepared:
Focus and Patience: Avoid distractions. Your brain needs to process multiple inputs—throttle, elevator, rudder, and orientation.
Weather Check: Calm winds are ideal. Avoid gusty conditions while learning.
Airspace Awareness: Check for people, trees, and obstacles. Stay far from power lines, roads, and pets.
Remember: RC flying requires discipline and calm focus. Beginners often crash because they rush or panic.
2. Basic Flight Skills
Mastering the basics is key to progressing safely. Start with gentle, controlled movements.
a) Maintaining Steady Altitude
Use a combination of throttle and elevator to keep the plane level.
Watch the horizon, not just the plane, to judge altitude.
Avoid sudden climbs or dives; these make the plane unstable.
Tip: Choose a visual reference on the ground (like a tree or fence) to keep altitude consistent.
b) Small, Precise Control Inputs
Beginners often overcorrect, causing wobbling or spinning.
Move sticks slowly and gently, then observe the plane’s response.
Gradually, your fingers will develop muscle memory to respond correctly.
Tip: Think in terms of “tiny corrections”, not large movements.
c) Flying Smooth, Large Turns
Sharp turns at low altitude are dangerous; they increase the risk of stalling.
Wide, smooth turns allow the airplane to respond naturally and keep airflow over wings.
Use rudder or ailerons gently while slightly adjusting elevator for a balanced arc.
Tip: Start with wide 90-degree turns, then progress to 180-degree arcs.
d) Keeping the Plane in Front of You
Always try to keep the plane facing away from you while flying.
Flying toward you reverses the controls, which can be confusing.
If disoriented, fly the airplane away until it faces forward again.
Tip: Use brightly colored markings on your airplane to help determine orientation.
3. Orientation Awareness
Understanding orientation is one of the most difficult challenges for new pilots.
a) Reversed Controls
When flying toward yourself:
Stick left → plane turns right
Stick right → plane turns left
Elevator may also feel reversed (pulling back moves nose down slightly if plane is tilted).
b) Regaining Control
Don’t panic if controls feel reversed.
Slowly fly the plane away until it is facing forward.
Take deep breaths and make small, deliberate stick movements.
c) Figure-8 Practice
Flying a figure-8 helps practice orientation changes, turns, and throttle management.
Start wide and slow, then tighten as you gain confidence.
Focus on smoothness and consistent altitude during the pattern.
4. Throttle Management
Throttle control is as important as stick control.
a) Throttle Controls Altitude
Increasing throttle usually makes the plane climb; reducing throttle makes it descend.
Elevator is for fine adjustments, not major climbs.
Tip: Learn to “feel” the plane’s response to throttle changes.
b) Avoid Full Throttle
Flying at maximum speed reduces reaction time.
For beginners, moderate throttle keeps the plane manageable.
Gradually increase throttle as you gain control and confidence.
c) Gliding and Energy Management
Reduce throttle slightly to glide, practicing smooth descents.
Gliding teaches energy efficiency and prepares you for landings.
Tip: Observe how the plane behaves without throttle—learn natural glide angles.
5. Advanced Beginner Techniques
Once you are comfortable with basic flying, start practicing slightly more advanced skills:
Banked Turns: Tilt the wings slightly during turns for smoother arcs.
Slight Climbs and Descents: Add gentle altitude changes in patterns to understand lift and drag.
Circle Flying: Fly in controlled circles, alternating clockwise and counterclockwise.
Orientation Switching: Fly the plane away, then turn it toward you slowly to master reversed controls.
6. Common Beginner Mistakes
Overcorrecting with the sticks
Flying too fast at low altitude
Ignoring orientation (crashing because plane faces you)
Excessive throttle use
Panicking when things go wrong
Tip: Every pilot makes these mistakes. The key is controlled recovery, not fear.
7. Practice Routine for Lesson 8
Daily 20-30 minute sessions are more effective than long, infrequent sessions.
Straight and Level Flight: 5 minutes
Wide Turns: 5 minutes left, 5 minutes right
Figure-8 Patterns: 5 minutes
Gliding Practice: 5 minutes
Orientation Drill: 5 minutes flying toward and away from you
Record your progress and repeat until maneuvers feel smooth and automatic.
8. Key Takeaways
Fly calmly and steadily, not aggressively.
Small, gentle control inputs are more effective than large, jerky movements.
Always maintain steady altitude and clear orientation.
Throttle control is critical for safe flight—glide and adjust gently.
Practice frequently; repetition builds confidence and skill.
Flying your RC airplane is about developing intuition, calmness, and control. By mastering Lesson 8, you prepare for the next challenge: Lesson 9 – Landing Your RC Airplane, arguably the most important skill in RC flight.