Welcome to ELECTRO-RC A Beginners Guide To RC Aircraft

Intro

I started this site to make things a bit easier for those whom are new to RC Aircraft and RC flying by showing you your Best Options for getting started in this exciting hobby. Through this site you'll learn all about the hobby, what's involved, how much it'll cost you, which aircraft you should and shouldn't buy to learn on, how you can learn to fly RC Aircraft quickly and safely, and much more.

This beginner's guide to RC flying works in two ways, firstly it's packed with Useful FreFo (Free Info) about all aspects of electric RC Aircraft, to help you fully understand your new interest. Secondly, by having links to a few online Hobby Shops, letting you shop safely online via this site. So whether you're just looking around for some general information on getting started in RC flying, or you want to get started right away and actually purchase an RC Aircraft, there's a very good chance that you'll find what you're looking for either within, or via, this web site.

That is what we are all about here at Electro-RC, helping you to get started in radio control flying with the least amount of stress and frustration, and most amount of knowledge! After all knowledge equals power.

RC airplanes are a unique and fun hobby for all types of people and age groups. Electric Radio Controlled Airplanes are an easy and affordable way to learn to fly, and can be much less difficult, expensive, and time consuming than comparable nitro gas models, and is what we will concentrate on for the most part.

 

 

RC Flight Simulators

Before you ever fly an actual RC Aircraft it is best to practice on a simulator first. An RC Aircraft Flight Simulator will help you greatly as a beginner, as it will help you get comfortable with the controls, and if practiced with long enough, it will even develop that muscle memory you will need to avoid crashes and bad attitudes. I suggest flying 50 to 100 hours on a simulator before you fly for real, and after that you can use it to keep your skills at the top of their game. You can practice with all different types of aircraft to develop your muscle memory, so when the time comes and you fly for real it’ll be a breeze. One major challenge for beginners is that, flying RC Aircraft is unlike flying a real plane where you always face forward, because when you fly RC Aircraft the plane can fly towards you as well as away from you, causing some of the controls to be reversed. As a real pilot in training, flying a real plane or even a real plane flight sim is nothing like flying an RC plane or RC plane flight sim for that fact. Reason being, flying with a transmitter or radio is nothing like having your hands on a flight yoke, and throttle quadrant, and your feet on the rudders and toe breaks, so if you are a real pilot and are getting into RC flying don’t think you have an advantage, it is just as important to practice with a flight sim, just as it was in flight school. You can purchase several different RC flight sims and they are priced anywhere from $20 to $200, but it doesn’t matter which one you use, as long as you use one. The only effect I can see that price has on which one you purchase is better graphics, more selection of backgrounds to fly at, and aircraft (Airplanes, Helicopters, water versions of both, blimps, and more) to practice on. You can find the E-SKY version I started out for about $20 bucks by clicking the add below.

or you can look at the more expensive, Real Flight G4.5 here at http://www.realflight.com/.

Some of the RTF and ARF kits (more on that in following paragraphs) found by clicking the add below have an option to add a flight sim to your order, right on the item description page. To make navigation easier, you can right click on any of the adds on this site then left click "Open link in new window" or "Open link in new tab" whichever you prefer, so you don't loose your place on this site.

 

 

 

2 Ways of Starting Out, Kits or Foamies

There are 2 ways for the beginner to get into RC flying, Kits or build it yourself fomies. The kits I will explain in the following paragraphs (and are great for those whom are not as good with their hands as others). Here we will be discussing build it yourself fomies (to make it easy we’ll call then all Fomies from now on). Fomies are plans in which you build yourself from scratch(known as scratch built) or from PDF plans, in which you print out several pieces of paper from a PDF, trim around the edges so they line up correctly, tape them together to make the master parts, cut out those master parts, outline them on foam sheets, cut them out, and glue the parts together to create a completed plane, then install all of your electronics. A good place to start with PDF plans is also a good place to buy the Foam. Click the following link to go to RCFoam.com and check out all the FREE PDF plans they have available http://www.rcfoam.com/cart.php?page=plans, Foamy planes can be cheaper in the long run as you can use the same equipment and components in all of your foamy planes. When one foam plane wears out or crashes beyond repair you just take all the electronics out and install them into a new foamy plane (which after your initial investment, only costs you a few bucks worth of foam for each plane where as a (RTF) or (ARF) explained below, will cost you anywhere from $60 to several hundred dollars each). There are several types of foam you can use for instance, Depron, EPP, Blue core, Fan fold, Poster board and EPS foam.

I prefer EPP foam to build starter plains, (the thicker the better, 9 to 12mm works great for beginner planes), as it is practically indestructible, and will hold up well in a crash, especially when accompanied by a prop saver found here http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=4_70&products_id=88 

 http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=4_70

and a breakaway motor mount, shown in this hardware pack from Grayson Hobby, which was

  http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=429

designed by Dave Powers. Video on the Dave Powers break away motor mount can be found here http://www.rcpowers.com/airplanes/grayson-sukhoi.htm. When building with softer foams like EPP be sure to stiffen up the wings, fuselage, horizontal and vertical stabilizers with carbon fiber tubes, rods, or strips. When using carbon fiber tubes or rods Make sure they are about half the diameter of the thickness of the foam you will be using.

http://www.rcfoam.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=93

 For instance if your using 6mm EPP then use 3mm carbon tubes. Intermediate and advanced foamy builders usually use Depron or Bluecor as it makes for a stiffer and more ridged plane (though still usually needs some carbon fiber in the wings at least for rigidity especially with high speed jet foamies). I prefer Depron but Bluecor is usually cheaper and can be found at most home building stores where as Depron is usually purchased from a website, like: http://www.rcfoam.com/, http://www.foamydepot.com/, or http://www.graysonhobby.com/, to name a few of my favorites. The most common thicknesses you will be using are 6mm and 9mm, but you can get it anywhere from 1mm to 12mm and up. Now for a little FreFo on foam safe glue. There are several types of foam safe glues you can use, for instance, Hot glue which is used with a hot glue gun applicator,

ZAP-O glue which is like super glue, and is often used with a spray bottle of accelerator (which does what it sounds like and speeds up the drying process),

5 minute to 30 minute epoxy (which comes in 2 separate bottles or tubes in which you add a little bit of each to a piece of scrap cardboard and mix them together) and will take about 5 to 30 minutes to dry to the touch, depending on the type you purchase,

Amazing Goop stays rubbery even after drying, and can provide some flex and give in a crash. and J-B Weld, which works like epoxy, by mixing a small amount of 2 separate tubes together and applying before it dries. J-B Weld is especially useful when you are making your own push rods, and gluing metal to carbon fiber, just make sure to score the outside of the rod and the inside of the carbon fiber tube, or you can glue the push rod to the outside of the carbon tube and use shrink tubing around them where the to parts overlap.

I prefer hot glue for the most part as it remains somewhat flexible once it is dry, for use with EPP and quick field fixes. It also comes off fairly easily with a fingernail or razor blade, especially if you glue you servos right onto you foam. It works on all types of foam, and is great for quick field fixes, and as some foam safe glue’s don’t always work well with EPP foam, but you can try them all and see what works best for you. Different glues work better for different applications, like the above mentioned J-B Weld application, and hot glue on EPP application, but if you are building EDF or pusher prop jets you will likely want to use Depron foam with Epoxy for greater strength in your joints, as fast flying jets need to be firm because there is more wind resistance at higher speeds. If you would like to try Fomies but are a bit reluctant to try and build from scratch then try a (ARF) foamy kit found @ Grayson Hobby by clicking the following link http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=2_92,

  

 

 

Types of Kits You Can Buy

There are Ready To Fly (RTF) kits and Almost Ready to Fly (ARF) kits also known as Receiver-Ready RC Kits. (RTF) Kits come with everything you need to build and fly the RC Aircraft, for instance the RC Aircraft or the parts there of, the Transmitter or radio and the receiver or RX, the servos, servo horns, control horns, the push rods, the clevises, the motor and its subsequent speed controller, the battery and its subsequent charger, and in most cases even the tools and or glue if needed for the construction of the RC Aircraft. (ARF) or Receiver-Ready kits are pretty much what it sounds like but with some exceptions, meaning the kits usually come with everything except the transmitter and receiver. Some of the exceptions are that sometimes the kits will not come with a battery and or a charger (as the manufacturer may assume, or in trying to keep the cost down, that if a customer already owns a transmitter and RX they might also already own a battery and or a charger). (RTF) and (ARF) airplane kits are usually made of mostly foam but some are partly plastic, and in some cases balsa wood and fiberglass. The more advanced kits can have many more parts to build and will often be made of balsa wood, covered with fiberglass or plastic sheeting. I don't recommend these advanced kits for beginners as they take a lot of time, money and effort to build and are not as quick and easy to fix after a crash. Helicopters are usually made of aluminum, plastic, and or carbon fiber. There are many places to get (RTF) and (ARF) airplane kits, including your local Hobby Shops, and various websites. Here are a couple of websites that I use and suggest, NitroPlanes.com, XHeli.com, RaidenTech.com, HobbyPartz.com, BannanaHobby.com, ParkFlyers.com, (click on the adds just below this paragraph to visit some of the for mentioned sites)  and of course http://www.graysonhobby.com/, but there are many more to choose from. Sites like NitroPlanes.com are the Wal-Mart of the RC Hobby. They have a large selection of land air and sea RC models but don't necessarily carry all models in  each category. I mention other sites like Grayson Hobby as nitroplanees.com does not have foamy kits, and i mention BananaHobby.com as they specialize more in expensive EDF jets and helicopters. If you are looking to buy a Beginner (RTF) system, here are some suggested ones that I, as well as other professionals in the hobby have used and work well. My number one choice is the EXCEED-RC Wild Hawk, 

another is the EXCEED-RC Slope Diver ACCIPITER BADIUS

 

and the EXCEED-RC PIPER CLUB J3.

All 3 of these planes are 3 channel beginner planes that are less than $100 and comes with everything you need to start flying within minutes of opening the box. If the item is out of stock you can Google the item title and possibly purchase it from another site. Once you have out grown these 3 channel models, don;t be afraid to customize it. You can buy servos and better motors and replacement wings and more, and with them you can custom install ailerons, and lengthen the vertical stabilizers, and even make the elevator and or rudder control surface larger for better, more efficient flight maneuvers. that way the plane can last longer and you can get more enjoyment out of it, even after you outgrow it. You can watch my videos on how I improved one of these starter kits by clicking the videos link at the top of the page, and more video's are coming. You can also go to RCPowers.com and watch the videos on how he customized some of these models. The page on the Wild hawk can be found here http://www.rcpowers.com/forum/blog.php?tag=wildhawk&u=27, and his page on the Slop Driver can be found here  http://www.rcpowers.com/forum/blog.php?b=126. Once you have crashed your 3 channel starter plane (and as a beginner you will crash) and glue it back together a few times, and then become comfortable with flying in general you can move on to the more expensive 4 channel RTF systems. A relatively new and highly suggested 4 channel fixed wing aircraft is the Art-Tech Wing Tiger V2 High-Wing Trainer which can be found at BannanaHoobby.com or by clicking the following link http://www.bananahobby.com/1651.html, this plane costs just over $150 dollars and is a very quick build with no glue needed, just screws and rubber bands, and like the 3 channels listed above, it  comes with everything you need in one box.

A second beginner 4 channel suggestion would be the 4 CH TB-20 Electric RC Low Wing Airplane RTF kit which can also be found @ BannanHobby.com or by clicking the following link http://www.bananahobby.com/1216.html and comes in red or blue.

The previous link is for the blue one as I like blue, but you can make your own color choice. The main difference between the 2 aircraft's is the TB-20 is a low wing aircraft and the Wing Tiger is a high wing aircraft. Generally a high wing aircraft will be more stable and have less aerobatic abilities but will be easier to fly for beginners and low wing aircraft will be less stable and therefore more aerobatic, but harder to fly. Once you have mastered the 4 channel trainers you can really start flying, and getting into whatever it is that you like best, like Gliders, 3D stunt planes, super fast jets, and more. I like to build my own 3D and Jet foamies from scratch and from PDF plans, (the pic below is of a FA/18 Hornet I built myself from scratch and of my own design),

and buying ARF EDF (Electronic Ducted Fan) jet kits like the one below. there are many to choose from and many places to get them.

Here is a money saving hint, if you would like to go the way RTF and ARF kits. Buy them from Nitroplanes and XHeli as the kits are usually the cheapist there, and when when you need pats for the kit buy them at HobbyPatrz as they are the cheapest in the parts area, and sometimes RaidenTech. For instance I bought the Exceed-RC Slope Driver from NitroPlanes, as they had it the cheapest, but the replacement battery and upgraded motor I eventually got for it, was purchased @ HobbyPartz as they had them cheaper, but the replacement wings had to be purchased @ RaidenTech as they were the only place I could find who had them. So Shop around and see what you can find and you'll probably end up with a process similar to this if your looking for the best price. Click one the adds below to go to NitroPlanes.com, XHeli.com, RaidenTech.com, and HobbyPartz.com and search their huge inventory of planes, helicopters, boats, cars & trucks, RC accessories, and RC parts. For a little extra savings, if you purchase anything from Nitroplanes through this site by clicking the add below and using this coupon code: CJ5 you will get 5% off your entire order No minimum purchase, or click the XHeli.com add below and use Coupon code: CJFREE2 for Free UPS Ground Shipping for entire order Minimum purchase $50, or click the RaidenTech add below and use Coupon code: CJ10 for 10% off entire order of a minimum $50 purchase, or click the HobbyPartz add and receive $4.95 Ground Shipping for entire order No minimum purchase required.    

 

 

 

 

Transmitters and Receivers

There are 2 types of transmitter and RX (receiver) systems that are available. The first is the older FM Radio type which commonly works at 72 MHz. This type of system uses frequency crystals, and the frequency must be the same on the Transmitter as it is on the RX or they will not be able to communicate. This older technology often gets interference by radio stations and electronic devices, causing unwanted flight characteristics known as glitches. Also you cannot fly 2 RC Aircraft in the same area that have the same frequency as they would cross each others signals. It is like they are intermittently trying to fly each other, and will likely end in a crash. The second type is the 2.4 GHz system which has much less interference, and multiple aircraft can be flown at the same time, within the same vicinity, with no issues with the use of advanced frequency hopping technologies, and do not rely on a single frequency to communicate. The FM radio systems are cheaper than the new 2.4 GHz systems and are just fine especially if you live in an area where RC flying is not common. Both systems can have anywhere from 2 to 12 channels and come in an array of brands and price ranges.  I personally use the SPECTRUM DX6i as it has the most options for the money making it a Good Value with lots to grow into.

The DX6i costs about $200 with just the Transmitter and Receiver shown above, and about $250 with servos. I personally purchased the one without servos as I usually use digital metal gear servos, and most transmitters come with nylon gear servos which tend to strip out and therefore not last as long (more about servos in the following paragraph). The DX6i and more info on it and other spectrum products can be found here http://www.spektrumrc.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=SPM6620. More on transmitters and their setting in my E-Book. 

 

 

Servos

Servos are a very important part of RC flying. Without them we would not be able to move the control surfaces to make the RC Aircraft do what we want, and the quality of them is just as important, especially for beginners, when they crash (and notice I say when and not if, as a beginner you will crash). Fortunately most crashes are fixable, especially with foam in which you can simply, just glue it back together. But if one or more of your servos gets damaged then you must buy a new one before flying again, essentially ending your flaying for the day unless you have extra parts on hand. The reason I mention this in the servo section is the servos are the most commonly broken electronic components of RC Aircraft's, and it can prove to be quite frustrating when every crash results in a stripped servo gear. So you can purchase cheap nylon gear servos for about 4 bucks each at the cheapest, which will usually not last long, or you can get much better metal gear servos, which start about 20 bucks a piece, and will last much longer and will be a great investment. Now there are combination's of the 2, and everywhere in-between. You can get nylon servos which are analog or digital, and in all sizes and weights, and you can get metal gear servos which are analog or digital, and in all sizes and weights. Also there are different teeth sizes, where the larger teeth are less likely the gears are to strip out. There are a couple other materials used in the gears but we'll stick with the basics for now. The main difference between analog and digital is digital servos are more accurate and have faster and smoother movements, which will provide quick accurate control surface movement and therefore providing smooth, stable, and accurate flight as long as your push rods don’t have too much flex in them. Here are some well priced metal gear servos to get you started, one is the Corona-RC DS-929-MG (Digital) found here http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=16&products_id=695, 

another is the Hi TEC HS-82MG Micro Servo found here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012YXRJE?ie=UTF8&tag=rc070-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0012YXRJE,

  

and the Hi TEC HS-65 MG Micro Servo found here       http://www.amazon.com/Micro-Servo-HS-65HB-RCD-FUT/dp/B000BOF56E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1250046628&sr=1-2

    

 

 

 

RC Electric Motors, ESC’s, and Propellers

Here is a little bit about motors, ESC's (Electronic Speed Controls), and propellers (well just call them props). First off all electric RC motors have a Kv rating,

http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=645 

like a Kv rating of 1000 or KV 3600, and the higher the number the faster the motor will spin, which has a direct effect on what prop you would double it up with. Basically the faster the motor is, the smaller the prop you will want to use with it,

and the slower the motor the larger the prop you will want to use.

 

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXZK90&P=ML

 

for instance a fast flying jet will use a small prop that spins very fast and will have a high top speed but not as much acceleration, and a slow 3D park flyer will use a large prop witch gives it good acceleration for 3D and hoovering maneuvers, but will have a much slower top speed. The ESC will have a AMP rating as will the motor and you just need to match the numbers up as closely as passable while giving the ESC a little bit more amperage then the motor will need so the battery can have a little left over for powering you servos and such.

Just remember you don't want to use the wrong motor, ESC, and prop combo or you can fry your components. If your not sure if the combo you have selected is just right you can connect it all up and clamp the motor down and run it close to full stick for 30 seconds to a minute and then check to see if any of the components are hot. If they are you should re-think your setup. Be very careful when you test like this and make sure to clamp the motor down somehow or an injury may occur, notice the pic below(if your squeamish you may not want to look) this is what can happen or worse if your finger gets in the way of a spinning prop (the picture of my thumb below kinda reminds me of shark gills). More on this complicated motor, ESC, and prop business in my E-Book.

   

 

 

RC Battery Basics & Choosing the Right RC Battery Pack

There are several types of batteries and charges out there within all price ranges. RC batteries are re-chargeable and come in 3 main types, NiCad (Nickel Cadmium),

NiMh (Nickel Metal Hydride),

and LiPo (Lithium Polymer).

 

Your choice depends on budget and performance requirements. NiCad is the cheapest but lowest in terms of capacity, has memory problems and is heavier. NiMh has greater capacity and no memory problem, but is also heavy. Li-Po has the greatest advantage being light weight and having the greatest capacity of the 3. LiPo batteries are more expensive, require special chargers and for optimum performance, some require a balancing charger (only for the newer Li-Po batteries with a special balance charger lead). Click the add below to go to HobbyPartz.com for good deals on LiPo battery packs. Or you can try Common Sense RC Batteries found here http://www.commonsenserc.com/index.php which are high quality, and are well known for printing all the specs right on the battery, and for having spaces in between the cells keeping the pack cooler. More on batteries in my E-Book. 

  

 

 

 

RC Battery Care

When you first purchase the battery, follow charging instructions. You may need to charge it for 16-24 hours for the first charge. For OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE, follow manufacturers' instructions VERY CAREFULLY! NiCad batteries should be fully discharge after each use to prevent memory development. NiMh battery packs don't have this problem. In the case of LiPo batteries, it's crucial you DO NOT discharge your LiPo batteries below 3 Volts per cell to be safe, or in other words don't drain the battery completely or you'll likely ruin it, meaning it will never charge back up again. In fact, when your RC Aircraft using Li-Po's starts to lose power, it's time to land immediately and re-charge the battery once it cools down of course. With the newer Li-Po's it's best to use a balancing charger which charges each battery cell independently and therefore produces optimum output. If your not balance charging you LiPo's your not getting all you can out of them, let your Lipo's be all they can be. With all 3 types, you should always use a peak detection charger to avoid over charging. This is especially important with the LiPo batteries as they can explode if overcharged! Also, when using a 12 volt charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter of your car, DO NOT charge while the car is running as your automobile typically puts out 14+ volts when the engine is running and you might overcharge your RC battery.

 

 

Battery terminology

Here is the tech terminology you will want to know to buy the right battery for your application. There are 4 things you need to know, mAh or HV rating, C rating, the voltage or V, and how many cells it has or S. The most common batteries like LiPo can have a mAh or HV rating anywhere from 300mAh to 5000mAh. The mAh rating tells you how long the batteries will last, the higher the number the longer it will last and vice verse, also the higher the mAH rating the larger and therefore heavier it will be. The C rating can be anywhere from 10C to 33C and tells you how much power it can put out at any given time (like the diameter of a hose, the larger the hose the more water can flow out of it), again the higher number the more power you will have. The V rating or voltage is directly connected to the S rating, S meaning how many cells does the battery pack have. For instance each cell has 3.7 volts, a S2 or 2 cell battery will have a voltage of 7.4V, a S3 will have a voltage of 11.1V, and a S4 will have a voltage of 14.8V, and so on. If you can understand these few things then you’ll be ahead of the beginner’s crowd when it comes to your battery knowledge and terminology.

 

 

RC Battery Types: Pros, Cons, and characteristics at a glance

NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) Cheap, heavy, not too sensitive to overcharging, best for fast charging, Low capacity, memory problems and 1.2 volts per cell.

NiMh (Nickel Metal Hydride) mid priced, higher capacity, no memory problems, heavy, Sensitive to overcharging, uses standard charger and 1.2 volts per cell.

Li-Po (Lithium Polymer) Highest priced, highest capacity, light weight, special care to avoid flat Performance, special charger needed, does best with a balancing charger, must NOT be overcharged, and is 3.7 volts per cell.

 

 

Battery Pack Safety

Using any battery chargers can be dangerous. Please read and follow the instructions supplied by the manufacturer.

Do not leave your charger unattended while charging.

Do not charge at a rate greater than suggested by the battery or charger's manufacturer’s instructions.

ALWAYS monitor your batteries while charging and the battery pack temperature. Do not charge over 120°F.

ALWAYS let the battery cool down after use and before charging. 

Batteries and battery packs can explode while they are being charged. This could be deadly or cause bodily harm!!!

They can also start a FIRE so please be very safety conscious.

You may want to charge your LiPo batteries in a LiPo Safety bag, as shown in the picture below. Explosion demonstration and more info on LiPo-Safe bags can be found by clicking the add below and searching lipo safe bag, or searching U-Tube. You can purchase one for only $15.99 @ Grayson Hobby by clicking the following link http://www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=923 or from HobbyPartz by clicking the add below. 

 

 

Charger Basics

There are many different RC battery chargers and they vary greatly within type and price. From the simple no thrills wall mounted charger (which start about $10.00). This RC battery charger just plugs into a wall outlet or to your car battery and the connector to your battery pack, and has no adjustments. With this type of charger you will have no idea if your batteries are peaked or have false peaked, and you will just be hoping for the best. For some, this type of battery charger maybe a good investment. They are relatively inexpensive and may be your preference (at least to start off with). These types of battery chargers sometimes have some type of indicator light that goes on when the charging cycle is complete. For those of you that want to get the most out of your batteries, there is a huge selection of RC battery chargers to choose from. Some battery chargers only charge NiMh and NiCd cells, while other chargers on the market can charge all types of batteries. One of the first things you need to consider when purchasing an RC battery charger is how it is powered. Some battery chargers are AC (Alternating Current) only, and can only be powered by using a 110v outlet. While other battery chargers are DC (Direct Current) only. These require either a power supply or a 12v battery to power them. Some DC powered battery chargers include a power supply in the package, while some do not and will have to be purchased separately. When choosing your RC battery charger, how it’s powered depends on where and how you enjoy your RC Aircraft. Will there always be 110v outlets available where you are going to fly or not? Keep this in mind when you start shopping for your RC battery charger. If you would like a suggestion on a good quality charger for a fair price that will charge all types of batteries you will use in the RC hobby, I suggest the Thunder AC6 Smart Balance multifunction charger. This is one of the few chargers that comes with alligator clips for field charging as well as an AC adapter for home charging, as shown in the picture below, and is available by clicking the add below. You can watch my videos on this charger by clicking on the videos link at the top of the page or by clicking the following link http://electrorc.webs.com/apps/videos/. More on chargers and what else they can do in my E=Book.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, either way you decide to go, Kits or Foamies, perhaps both, I truly hope I have cleared some things up for you and made the road a bit easier. Thank You for stopping by and If you would like to know more, I go more in depth in my E-book about all these subjects and more, Electro-Rc's “A Beginners Guide to Electric RC Aircraft” which can be found by clicking the following link http://electrorc.webs.com/apps/webstore/.

I wish you good times, and good luck in this exciting Hobby. Thanks again from Electro-RC and later on.