Flying
electric airplane have been around for quite some time in one form or
another! I saw my first in the the late '80's in Tokyo.
No doubt electric rc airplanes have been responsible for the explosive
growth and has helped rejuvenate & recapture
the popularity of radio
control
flying.
Let's face it - electrics are quiet - so we can remain friends
with the neighbors.
With
the introduction of lithium batteries and brushless motors along
with advances in micro electronics, battery powered rc airplanes growth
will continue to grow.
Obviously electric rc airplanes use different components
than gas powered rc airplanes. For
more information Electric RC Airplanes Components
Below are some
examples of popular Electric RC Airplanes!
Typhoon 2 3D RTF
Electric by ParkZone
ParkZone’s Charge-and-Fly™ Typhoon™ 2 3D
is for experienced RC pilots who want the thrills of unlimited action
in an electric park flyer without the hassles of building one.
Equipped with oversized control surfaces, it can perform the most
aggressive 3D maneuvers imaginable with laser precision and power to
spare.
Freewing F6F Hellcat PNP
An excellent parkflyer sized scale warbird.
The F6F-Hellcat jet comes 97% pre-built and comes with a powerful 18A
brushless system and all servos pre installed. Details included are
more than the typical foam airplane. From the propeller, to the canopy,
to the fuel pod, there are many details to enjoy.
P-51D
Mustang BL RTF by ParkZone
Victory rolls, Cuban-8s, Immelmans—ParkZone’s P-51D
can do them all thanks to its powerful 480 brushless outrunner motor
and semi-symmetrical airfoil.
The paint scheme and decals are an authentic reproduction of the actual
markings from “Gunfighter”, a P-51D that regularly
flies in air shows around the world.
F-27C
Stryker RTF Electric by ParkZone
If you’re looking for a spine-tingling, adrenaline pumping
Charge-and-Fly experience that’s unlike anything else out
there, this is it.
With performance out of the park with its high-power, 6-pole 1880Kv
brushless motor that give it unlimited vertical performance and
blistering straight line speeds in excess of 80 mph.
Phase 3 Mini P-51D Mustang EP
"Receiver Ready"
With lightweight, all-molded foam construction, it requires only the
addition of a suitable 3+ channel transmitter and matching receiver to
complete.
Supplied with a high capacity Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery, 12V
fast charger, factory-installed micro servos and electronic speed
controller, it can be flight ready in around 15 minutes... That's less
time than it takes to charge the battery! 20.3" inch
wingspan
Hobbico
FlyZone Select Scale Cessna182 RTF
The Cessna 182 Skylane is easy to handle at all speeds right out of the
box. It's so gentle that a beginner can learn to fly it, even without
an instructor. It flies well at a crawl, which gives beginners maximum
reaction time. Landings are slow and predictable with flaps, while
landings without the flaps are faster but still smooth. 72FM
E-Flite Apprentice 15e
RTF with DX5e Radio
The Apprentice is powered with a 15-size brushless outrunner providing
excellent power and performance. This trainer has a flat-bottom wing
and produces gentle flight characteristics.
The Apprentice is made from durable,
lightweight Z-Foam, making it great for training and sport flying.
Every beginner pilot experiences their share of bumps and bruises, so
the Apprentice's durable build and easily repairable construction
ensures more opportunities for success.
There
are two types of motors used in rc airplanes - "brushed"
& "brushless" Brushed
Offers
simple low cost power but they are fairly
inefficient & the speed/torque remains moderately flat.
Requires an electronic speed controller. Simple 2 wire
connection. Swap the leads to change the spin direction.
Brushless
High
efficiency, higher speed range and a higher power
output per weight. Requires an electronic speed controller.
Use's a 3
wire
connection, if it spins the wrong direction, just swap 2 of the 3
wires,
simple.
Battery
NiMh (nickel metal
hydride) batteries are used quite often, especially
with basic or trainer airplanes. Lithium
Polymer or Lipo batteries use a different chemistry to
function, this
provides lower weight plus a great deal more power than NiMh batteries.
Lipo's also require and MUST be charged with a charger
specifically designed for lithium batteries. See Li-po's for more.
ESC ~
Electronic Speed Control Brushed or Brushless
ESC
(electric speed controller) - think of this as an electronic
version of the throttle that opens and closes the carburetor
in a
gas engine, it varies the power by changing the amount of
fuel/air getting into the engine.
The ESC simply alters the amount of current that passes to the motor,
thus changing the power output of the motor.
BEC ~
Battery Eliminator Circuit
Has two
functions - it controls the power to the receiver and
servos, it also monitors the charge level of the battery and when the
batteries are close to being discharged it reduces or stops the power
to the motor while still maintaining current to the receiver and servos
so you can land while still under control.
On most electric rc airplanes the BEC is already incorporated within
the
ESC but a few may not be, these will require a separate battery to
power
the radio system.
All of the above combination of components have been proven
successful although you'll find that a plane with a brushless motor
and a lithium battery tends to be the most efficient. This combination
typically provides more power and longer flight times!
For
more information 
