RC Airplane FuelThe RC airplane fuel that the majority of model airplanes run on is nitromethane fuel, also know as glow fuel. Both four stroke and two stroke engines use this type of fuel. RC cars and boats also use glow fuel also. IngredientsNitromethane fuel contains methanol, oil, and usually nitromethane. Each has a specific function. In addition to the three key ingredients, every fuel manufacturer has their own additives that are proprietary to each manufacturer.MethanolThe bulk of RC airplane fuel consists of methanol, which is a type of alcohol. Methanol is needed for keeping the glow plug hot. Electrical power must be applied to a glow plug when starting an engine. When the glow plug is removed the methanol from the fuel reacts with the platinum material in the glow plug’s filament. This chemical reaction is what keeps the glow plug hot enough to keep the engine running once the glow igniter is removed. Methanol is also the primary combustible substance in glow fuel.OilThis is what provides lubrication for all of the moving parts. Without oil the engine will over heat and seize due to friction. RC airplane fuel contains castor oil, synthetic oil, or a mixture of both. Typical sport engines use fuel with a 15% to 20% oil content.Castor oil is a naturally occurring lubricant derived from a castor bean. Castor oil is very good at lubricating the engine at all temperature ranges. When this oil breaks down it forms a lubricating film that does an awesome job at lubricating the engine. Castor oil provides better protection for your engine should you accidentally run it lean. The problem with castor oil is that all of this lubricating film ultimately comes out the exhaust sliming your airplane, kind of like Ghost Busters. Synthetic oil is a man made substance. Synthetic oil does a great job at low temperatures and it doesn’t slime your airplane! The draw back is that synthetic oil is not as effective at higher temperatures and does not offer any protection for an accidental lean run of your engine. For this reason, many fuels contain of blend of both castor and synthetic oil. This way you minimize the messy discharge of the exhaust while keeping your engine well lubricated at all temperatures. NitromethaneNitromethane is used in drag racing to get a boost of power. Nitromethane requires less oxygen to burn compared with other fuels. These means that more fuel and less air is in the cylinder when it fires. This provides more power and also produces more heat. Typical RC airplane fuel contains around 5%-15% nitro. It is important not to exceed the recommended nitro percentage for your engine because you will literally burn it up. Some engines built specifically for racing can run with a larger percentage of nitro. But the typical engine seen at the flying field runs with a nitro content between 5%-15%. When breaking in ringed engine you may want to consider using only 5% or less nitro to keep the heat minimized.Storing Your FuelThe methanol in RC airplane fuel naturally attracts water. For this reason it is very important that you keep your fuel container airtight. Make sure the lid is on tight. If you have fuel fittings in the cap of your fuel container then make sure you replace this cap with a solid airtight cap when storing your fuel.Fuel containers that are half empty are more vulnerable to getting contaminated with water, especially if you live where it is very humid. When your fuel container is half empty you may want to consider finding a smaller container to store it in if it is going to be a while before you fly again. You should not store your fuel in the direct sunlight. The ultraviolet rays could break down the fuel. But keeping your fuel dry is the main thing you should worry about . I have had fuel go bad that looked perfectly fine. I remember spending hours tweaking, tuning, and cussing because my engine just would not run right. Then one of the guys at the club recommended I try a tank of their fuel. Low and behold the engine ran perfect! It is common for fuel to go bad if not stored properly. If your engine is giving you fits try borrowing a tank of your buddy’s fuel. You may keep your sanity! Nitro Fuel BrandsNitromethane is a hazardous material. In a nutshell this means it costs more to ship the stuff because the truck driver has to have extra insurance, inspection procedures, paper work, etc. If you buy RC airplane fuel online you will find that the shipping cost is usually almost as much as the price of the fuel! This hobby can be expensive enough without paying double for your fuel. The brand of fuel you use is probably going to be what is available at the local hobby shops.The fuels available at my local hobby shops are Wildcat, Cool Power, and Omega. I believe Morgan Fuels produces both the Cool Power and Omega fuels. I have used them all and never had any problems. The cool power fuel is green which is kind of cool. Most fuels are a light red clear color. Byron, Powermaster, Sig, and Cooper Fuels are some other reputable fuel manufactures. If you live in a remote area it could be cost effective to order your fuel online if you take into consideration the cost of making the trip to the hobby store. If that's the case, you can purchase RC airplane fuel at Red Rocket Hobbies. Cool Power is the brand they sell.
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