Micro RC Airplane Plans for Indoor Flying Fun
Learn about building your own micro RC aircraft
Indoor flying using micro RC planes is a new and welcome aspect of the radio control hobby. Not that long ago, practical indoor RC flight was just not possible. The available radio equipment was too heavy, and the specialized lightweight rechargeable batteries needed to power these tiny aircraft did not yet exist.
Cessna 210 - the first practical ready to fly micro model
This has now changed with the introduction of a wide variety of foam ready to fly RC indoor models. Aircraft such as the ParkZone line of Cessna 210 aircraft provide a well behaved RC model that comes complete with transmitter, battery, charger and three channel airplane. Weighing a mere 18 grams, the Cessna 210 showed clearly what was possible for practical indoor RC flight.
New micro RC gear
Newer micro RC aircraft came with more powerful engines and four channel control for fully acrobatic flight. Perhaps the best example of this is the E-Flite ultra micro 4-Site biplane. With a 150 milliamp lipo battery (more than double the power of the Cessna 210’s 70 milliamp battery) the 4-Site provided the first indication that this new miniaturized RC gear and tiny geared electric motor could be migrated to equip a model constructed from micro RC airplane plans.
The ultra micro 4-Site uses four channels of control
There are a variety of micro RC aircraft plans that are available for the home hobbyist. Weight is a very important consideration as you create any indoor RC airplane. As a general rule, you need enough power to compensate for the slightly heavier construction that will result from a model made from plans. For the average builder, it is very challenging to produce an indoor RC model airplane that weight 0.6 ounces, as with the Cessna 210. The 4-Site’s more powerful motor can be used with a model weighing up to two ounces, as with the Robin. When repairing these lightweight foam aircraft, be sure to use foam-safe glue.
Robin is a profile balsa model
The Robin is an ideal plan for the first time builder of a micro RC airplane. The Robin uses a very simple construction technique of a profile fuselage with a flat wing section. The majority of the construction is with 1/8 inch square balsa, and the model is covered with lightweight iron film. In short, the Robin micro RC airplane plan can be used by anyone who has built at least one airplane from a kit.
Use older free flight model plans
There is a vast library of plans of older free flight models powered by rubber bands or lightweight gas engines. These free flight models were designed in an era when the lightweight radio control gear we enjoy today was not even imagined by modelers. All of these free flight aircraft make excellent candidates for a conversion to a micro RC airplane plan. Aircraft structures are lightweight for the rubber power systems, and the designs need minimal modification for installation of micro RC gear.
MicroScout foam plane builds quickly from a kit
Some micro RC planes made from foam use very basic plans, as the aircraft structure is not complicated. A good example of this is MicroScout foam indoor flyer. The MicroScout employs magnetic actuators for control surface movement that are designed for use in very lightweight models. The plans for the MicroScout are minimal. In an unusual procedure, instructions for building the MicroScout are contained in a series of Flash videos on the Plantraco website. This is actually a good idea, as the MicroScout uses some construction methods that I had never seem before. The videos provide a clear method for building the model.
LiddleRod micro RC plane built from a kit
The LiddleRod is a good example of a micro airplane kit with a complete set of plans. The LiddleRod needs to employ precisely selected grades of balsa to achieve a flight weight suitable for the ParkZone radio and power gear. The micro RC airplane plans are complete with all the details needed to finish the model. The kit employs detailed laser cut parts that speed construction through the use of interlocking construction techniques. This method allows for an efficient aircraft structure that assembles in place, with CA glue applied once all the parts are aligned.
Convert Guillow's kits to RC
A final consideration for making a model from micro RC airplane plans is the line of Guillow’s kits. The advantage of using a Guillow’s kit is availability of the various plastic parts, such as the cowl and clear canopy, for the finished model. Guillow’s kits lend themselves to the 4-Site power and electronics package. The construction plan for a Guillow’s kit is complete. This is important, as the wood supplied in a typical Guillow’s kit is heavier than needed.
By using the plan’s part outlines, you can replace the heavier balsa pieces with a lighter grade to ensure a better flying model. Guillow’s has a wide range of kits for model aircraft from World War I through civilian aircraft of the 1970s. Any one of these aircraft would make an attractive addition to your fleet of indoor RC model aircraft made from plans.