What are Pattern Planes?

"Pattern Planes are RC airplanes specifically designed
to execute aerobatic manuevers."

A "true pattern ship" will have very little self-correcting characteristics. In other words, they pretty much stays where they're put.

The National Society of Radio Control Aerobatics (NSRCA) is the governing body for Pattern-Style Precision Aerobatics in the US. The NSRCA requires that a pattern airplane's fuselage and wingspan both be less than 2 meters, and have a total weight of less than 11lbs.

These vague requirements encompass a very wide variety of RC airplanes which makes it very easy and affordable for most anyone to get started in entry level precision aerobatic competitions.

True Pattern Ships

At higher levels of competition you will see what some consider "True Pattern Ships". These RC airplanes are specifically designed for perfecting precision aerobatic maneuvers. Since larger planes fly better, these planes are usually a full 2m long with a slightly shorter wingspan.

True Pattern Ships have an unusually long tail moment that gives them the ability to fly aerobatic maneuvers much more precisely and cleaner than a scale RC airplane. The unique design of these planes is really what distinguishes pattern competitions from IMAC or scale competitions.

The below links to some of the high end popular pattern airplane manufacturers will give you a good idea of what a true pattern plane is, and how much a nice one costs!

Beginner Pattern Planes

If you want to learn to play golf, would you go out and buy the most expensive state-of-the-art clubs available? Probably not, unless you have more money than sense! If you're Tiger Woods on the other hand, you definitely want the best set of clubs possible to get any advantage you can over your opponents!

This same logic applies for choosing your first "pattern plane". All you need is an airplane that can perform the most basic maneuvers such as loops, rolls, stall turns etc. Practice like crazy until you get really good and eventually you will get to the point where it may be worth investing in a better airplane to get an "edge" on your opponent. But it doesn't makes a lot of sense to spend a fortune on the "perfect pattern plane" when you are just getting your feet wet.

If you've been flying long enough to move up from a basic trainer, there's a good chance you already own a plane that is perfectly suitable for practicing basic pattern maneuvers. Most 40 to 60 sizes RC sport planes or scale planes will suffice. You want to try to keep within the NSRCA specs stated above, but most CD's (Contest Directors) will allow you to compete at classman level even if your plane is slightly oversized.

Below are just a few examples of very affordable RC airplanes that you might consider using as a beginner pattern plane. Of course, there are countless others that will work as well! We welcome any additional suggestions of affordable RC planes that you'd recommend for entry level pattern flying based upon your past experience.

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