subject: How to Assemble RC ARF Planes [print this page] How to Assemble RC ARF Planes How to Assemble RC ARF Planes
If you're into flying RC airplanes, it's a lot of fun; what about building them, though? Airplanes that are remote-controlled and known as "almost ready to fly," or RC ARF airplanes, can be as enjoyable to put together as it is to fly them, if you're so inclined. These lightweight, model airplanes are available for about $75 as a kit, or are about $110 almost fully assembled (almost ready to fly). These aren't completely outfitted, in that you'll have to buy wheel covers, gas tanks, adhesives, fuel tubing, and so on; these kits will usually contain a listing of what you'll need to finish the job. Nonetheless, once put together, they are full-sized and well assembled. What's advantageous about building RC ARF airplanes? You can of course buy preassembled, but what's great about RC ARF airplanes is that you'll get a plane built exactly as you desire, to your specifications. In addition, the parts themselves are high quality, which may have you paying a little bit more than you would for ready built plane. That said, especially if you get into this as a hobby, the parts are reusable, so that you can use them or resell them, as you wish. As long as the "almost ready to fly" airplane is of good quality, you'll have a good time building it even if you're just a beginner. There are usually specific instructions and manuals included, too. Again, these aren't all-inclusive, and you'll still have to get some parts, such as a separate transmitter, battery, receiver, and servos, and/or other parts, depending on the plane. Nonetheless, these are great kits to have, because they list everything in them so that you know exactly what you've got. Again, you can reuse parts from previous planes in addition to buying new, and you should have a good parts "stash" going once you get going with this hobby, as well. It's a good idea to get help when you start if you're not familiar with this, and that's easy to do as well; there are RC ARF clubs available throughout the country. Join one near you and get involved with other, more experienced RC ARF plane enthusiasts; they'll be happy to help you. Are there any drawbacks to building RC ARF airplane? There aren't really any drawbacks to building RC ARF airplanes, except that they are significantly more expensive than kit planes, as stated previously. It's also true that although you can buy ready to fly planes as a beginner, you'll have a lot more fun if you put together your own RC ARF airplanes; these are also much more customizable, and you can use parts again and again. As you go and get better at this, you'll build planes to specifications exactly as you wish. What do you need for tools? These ready to fly planes are almost completely assembled, but you'll need some epoxy to join wing halves together, you'll need to put radio gear in the engine and landing gear, and the tail pieces will need to be fit into precut slots. The whole thing will take about 10 hours to do, from start to finish. Getting started Before you build your first RC ARF airplane, get some help. Go to a local chapter or club in your area with ARF planes' enthusiasts, and they should be happy to assist you.
