50cc Airplane Basics
If you have been thinking about moving to the 50cc class of airplanes and don’t know where to start, read on to get some ideas on what to look for in kits, arfs, engines and power management systems.
First off, the 50cc birds enjoy the benefit of very light wing loading which makes for excellent pattern and 3D maneuvering capability. Companies such as, Fiberlite, QuiQue Aircraft, Aeroworks, Aerotech and Comp-ARF all have ships that fall into the50cc class and have excellent flying qualities.
Second, is the fact that there are several power plants that are very reliable and are also very light and affordable compared to 100cc and up displacements. Desert Aircraft, ZDZ and ROTO all have 50cc powerplants that are built around very light crankcases. In the third case, standard radio equipment, supplemented with an extra battery pack, are usually all that is needed for redundancy. Fromeco, Smartfly and Duralite all have packaged systems for the 50cc class that will ensure that your receiver is powered even if one battery pack or switch goes sour.
A complete 50cc setup should come in under 17.5 pounds for best flight performance and enjoyment.
