RC Airplane Clubs

"An RC Addict's Family and Support group!"

All joking aside, RC airplane clubs are made up of the friendliest and most helpful bunch of folks you'll ever meet. Flight clubs are a great place for RC pilots to meet others that share their passion and to help one another advance their knowledge and flying skills.

Beginners are Welcomed!

Club members will bend over backwards to help a new pilot out. If you're interested in flying RC airplanes, a trip to the local RC airplane club should be your first priority before spending a dime!

Many flight clubs have a club trainer sitting around just waiting for the new guys to show up! They may even let you try it out that day if you're lucky. With a buddy box of course!

Most clubs have dedicated flight instructors that will teach you to fly. The instructor will take your airplane up for the first time, trim it for you, and make sure it lands smoothly.

After the airplane is all trimmed and ready to go, the instructor will put you on a buddy box. You will hold a "dummy" transmitter that is connected to the instructor's transmitter. The instructor will hold down a switch which will give you control of your airplane. If you get into trouble or freak out, he will simply let off the switch and resume control over your airplane!

The buddy box system is absolutely the best method for learning to fly RC airplanes. It's pretty much a no brainer!

The Flying Field

Every RC airplane club has a flying field where the club members come to hang out and fly their RC airplanes. Every RC flying field has a runway, pilot stations, frequency board, and a windsock.

The Runway

The runway is obviously the strip where the RC airplanes take off and land. Some RC airplane clubs have black top runways that look pretty much like a mini airport. Other flight clubs have grass runways only.

Some really nice RC clubs have secondary crosswind runways. This is basically where two runways intersect at 90-degree angles. This makes it possible to land and take off against the wind no matter which way the wind is blowing!

All flying fields are equipped with a windsock so you know which direction to take off and land.

Flying Field Rules and Safety

Every RC Airplane club has a set of rules that must be followed to insure everyone's safety. The rules for each flight club may vary slightly. The following rules are common to all RC airplane clubs.

Frequency Control
Frequency Board There are only 60 channels available on the 72Mhz frequency band. This means that many RC pilots have transmitter that share the same frequency. So if Bob is flying his RC airplane and George turns on his transmitter on the same frequency as Bob, what happens?

Yep, you guessed it. You end up with a pile of balsa and a heart broken pilot...

Every club has a frequency control system in place. When the rules are strictly followed, this system guarantees that two pilots will never be on the frequency at the same time.

So guess what? If George wasn't following the rules when he turned his transmitter on, he just purchased a very expensive pile of balsa wood from Bob. As the old saying goes, your break it you buy it!

Look here for details on Frequency Control Systems at RC Airplane Clubs.

Flight Line Courtesy

Pilot stations are set up along the side of the runway. You must remain at this pilot station while flying. If the pilot stations are full, you have to wait until one becomes available. Most RC airplane clubs only allow 4 or 5 planes to be in the air at the same time.

If having engine problems before take off, do NOT spend an excessive amount of time tuning your engine at the flight line. This is disrespectful and distracting to other pilots. Take your plane back to the pits for adjustment.
You must make it clear to the other pilots when you are about to take off. You simply yell out "taking off!" You must take off against the wind and fly in the same directional pattern as the other pilots.
The same rules apply when landing. Simply yell out "landing". If your engine quits any time during the flight, you scream "dead stick!" A dead stick airplane always has the right of way!
There is absolutely no flying allowed above the pits or area where people are congregated!
You must keep your RC airplane within the boundaries outlined by your club rules. This is a very important rule. Violating this rule can anger neighbors and businesses, which could put your club at risk of being shut down.
This should go without saying... Drinking alcohol before or while flying is not tolerated.

Most clubs are very laid back and people rarely break the rules. But it is important that these rules be enforced to insure the safety of the pilots as well as the spectators.

Membership Requirements

RC airplane clubs in the United States require that you be a member of Academy of Model Aeronautics(AMA) before you can fly. The AMA does a lot of great things for our hobby, but liability insurance is the reason that clubs require AMA membership. As long as you are abiding by the AMA safety code while flying, the AMA will cover any damages up to $2,500,000 if an accident occurs that hurts someone or causes property damage.

Every club has annual dues that are used for maintaining the flying field and to pay for various flying events throughout the flying season. I am sure the dues for every club varies. My club's annual dues are $70.

AMA membership is currently $58. So you can expect to pay around $130 per year to be an active member in your local RC Airplane Club.

Is it worth the money...?

That may sound like a lot of money, especially when you are going to be paying around 3 or 4 hundred bucks for your airplane and equipment. I was reluctant to join a club at first, but boy am I glad I did! That 130 bucks is money well spent.

The money you will SAVE by not wrecking your brand new RC airplane will more than pay for the membership. Club instructors are a patient breed of people for sure! They will joyfully work with new pilots day after day, no matter how long it takes them to be comfortable flying on their own. That right there is worth the dues!

Not only will you learn to fly without crashing, you will meet tons of new friends that share your passion. Club members jump at the opportunity to help one another. Whether it be helping a fellow member tune an engine, or simply loaning them tools, everyone works together at the flying field.

In my opinion, it's worth the club dues to just set back and watch all of the talented pilots fly their RC airplanes. Their talent and skills gives you something to work towards. And it's really rewarding when you get compliments from other pilots!

So is it worth the money to join an RC Airplane club? Absolutely! One could even argue that it's more expensive NOT to join a club when it comes to the lifespan of your first RC airplane!

The above photo is a typical summer weekend at my club River City Radio Controllers in Louisville Ky.

Organization and Events

Each club has elected officials such as the president, secretary, etc. Most clubs hold monthly meetings where the club business is discussed. All the decisions concerning the operation of the club are discussed and voted upon in these meetings. If you have an idea that you would to see the club try, this is the place to bring it up.

RC Airplane clubs provide more than just a place to fly. They can be a great asset to the community. Our club has an annual "Wings for Kids Air Show". Some of the best RC pilots from around the country come and put on a heck of an RC air show. It's an awesome time that the club looks forward to each year. The best part is that every penny of the proceeds go to a charity that helps children.

RC Airplane clubs also hold many non-charity "Fun Fly Events" throughout the flying season. Many of these events are open to other clubs in the area. Such events may include Warbird Fun Flies, Piper Cub Fun Flies, Giant Scale Fun Flies, Fourth of July Fun Fly, etc. There are Fun Flies for just about every reason under the sun!

RCRC Cub Fun Fly

Where to Find an RC Airplane Club

Are you ready to find a club? If you live in the United States just click this link to find a club near you. If you live somewhere other than the U.S., check your local hobby shop. I'm sure the owner knows where all the local clubs are. The phone directory or internet search will also help you find a club near you.