The term gas rc planes is often a generic one used to cover all types of IC (internal combustion) powered radio control plane, but this page mainly talks about the most popular kind - glow plug or 'nitro' airplanes as opposed to gasoline (petrol) or diesel powered ones.

 

Glow, glow plug and nitro are just different names for exactly the same power type and generally speaking such planes account for the majority found at your average rc airplane club field; although electric planes are equally as popular these days, a glow plug powered airplane isn't as suitable for flying in public places such as parks, so they tend to be more restricted to club sites.

Buying and flying a gas powered rc plane is easier than it ever has been in the past, with thanks going to the modern day RTF (Ready To Fly) glow plug trainers such as the   NexStar Select 46, both shown below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: the  Hobbico's trusty NexStar Select 46

 

 The NexStar Select 46 has proved to be a very popular glow trainer plane for beginners to the hobby, either looking to step up from an electric rc airplane or from scratch. Sold fully RTF, no construction work is needed on this plane, just some basic final assembly.

The innovative NexStar Select 46 is packed with many features not found on other trainers, all designed to make learning to fly as easy and as safe as possible.
This trainer is extremely stable flying characteristics, exactly what you need in your early days as an rc pilot.

RTF gas rc planes like this are letting more and more people take to the skies with a proper multi-channel glow plug powered model. This kind of plane is perfect as an introduction to IC radio control flying, either from scratch or as a natural progression from electric rc flying.

Ready To Fly glow plug trainers  like theone shown above can be assembled in very little time and that's a great incentive for anyone looking to start flying gas rc planes with the minimum amount of fuss. Having said that, instruction manuals do need to be read, understood and followed thoroughly and the completed airplane should always be checked over by a competent modeller prior to flight.

If you intend joining a local flying club and getting one to one instruction then your instructor will (should...) check the plane over before he flies it.