ARF RC Airplanes – What you should know
So you’re just starting out and trying to decide between the trillions of different ARF RC Airplanes available all over the place and somehow you found yourself here.
So what does ARF stand for? it’s short for Almost Ready to Fly. And the ‘almost’ part usually means that you are just purchasing the model airplane body – radio transmitters, battery packs and engine’s are rarely included in ARF airplane kits.
This may seem a downside for those who are looking to purchase one of their first ARF rc airplanes, but it lets you shop around and find the ‘perfect’ engine etc… giving you a more personalised and enjoyable experience.
So knowing that arf rc airplanes are not ready to fly straight out of the box, you’ll need a little bit of ‘know-how’ in the assembly department, and be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions closely to ensure your plane can be flown as safely as possible and also to increase the airplane’s chances of survival should it have any crash-related accidents. Of course, if this isn’t your first ARF model, it’s likely you’ll know exactly what’s you’re getting yourself into.
But building an ARF kit isn’t terribly difficult, and I remember the sense of accomplishment I got just from putting a decal on, I was 5 at the time, so I’m sure anyone would get a kick out of putting their first ARF plane kit together.
ARF ‘combo deals’
Combo Deals are an option that retailers may provide, they include a motor and radio equipment, so you don’t have to go out and buy them separately. Retailers are often aware (perhaps from personal experience) of what equipment performs best with different ARF airplane kits, and as such, they’re able to offer these combinations to save you the trouble. Another bonus is that these ‘combos’ often work out cheaper than buying each of the components separately, therefore creating a highly affordable bridge between ARF rc airplanes and their RTF brothers.
So, whichever option you choose, ARF rc airplanes can be an awful lot of fun to choose, construct and specc out, and I think putting one of these planes together is definitely where most of the fun lies.
So if you’re considering an ARF model Kit, it’s not as hard as it all looks and really enhances your understanding of rc airplane mechanics, and I’m fairly certain that you’ll never look back.
Good Luck and Happy Flying!