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5 Best RC Planes Available Now: The Ultimate List

Best RC plane

Looking for the best RC plane for sale right now? We’ve got you covered with the list below.

RC planes are extremely fun to fly, and they’re not nearly as expensive as they used to be. Now, there are varying price points for new hobbyists to get involved with flying cool remote control planes. And what’s more, there are high-end ultra-cool RC planes for RC enthusiasts that bring a little extra oomph.

But with all of the different plane companies like Horizon Hobby, Top Race, E-Flite and more, plus all of the different RC airplanes they each carry, picking the right one can quickly become overwhelming, it’s much like picking the best RC cars or the best camera drones — choosing the best takes a little research. But don’t worry, your favorite RC enthusiast (oh hey, that’s me!) has you covered.

Here are the top 5 best RC planes to fly:

What Are the Best RC Planes to Fly in 2019?

volantexrc ranger600 Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Durable (Flexible Wings)
  • Cool Look
  • Easy to Control
Price: $111.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
hobbyzone sport cub s rtf Amazon Customer Reviews
  • 3 Different Modes (For Every Pilot)
  • Price
  • Panic Button
Price: $159.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
eflite umx pt17 Amazon Customer Reviews
  • WW2 Look
  • AS3X Tech for Impressive Handling
  • Realistic Details
Price: $114.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
hobby zone delta ray Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Panic Button
  • Cooler Look
  • Up to 10 Minutes of Flight Time
Price: $317.63 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
flyzone tidewater Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Amphibious
  • Very Responsive Controls
  • Easy to Take-off/Land
Price: $309.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Our Unbiased Reviews
  1. 1. VolantexRC Ranger600

    Pros:
    • Durable (Flexible Wings)
    • Cool Look
    • Easy to Control
    • 30 Minute Flight Time
    Cons:
    • Only One Color Available
    • Outdoor Only
    • Doesn't Have One-Touch Return

    Aside from its super cool look, the Volantexrc Ranger600 has one other feature that makes it a standout: its flexible wings! That’s right – its wings use a flexible plastic that makes them incredibly tough to damage, meaning no matter how many times your RC plane comes crashing down to the ground in spectacular fashion, the Ranger600 will keep on tickin’.

    It’s the best RC plane for beginners because of its durability and ease of use. On top of that, it also has a 30-minute flight time – impressive!

    The Ranger600 also has three different flight modes – Beginner and Intermediate Modes which limit the rudder and elevator, and provides higher gyro stability, and then there’s Pro mode, which takes the training wheels off, so to speak.

    So, even if they’re a pro pilot already, they’ll have fun flying this plane.

     

  2. 2. HobbyZone Sport Cub S RTF

    Pros:
    • 3 Different Modes (For Every Pilot)
    • Price
    • Panic Button
    Cons:
    • Short Flying Time
    • Only One Color Available
    • Short Battery

    For a basic starter RC airplane, you won’t beat Horizon Hobby’s HobbyZone Sport Cub S RTF (ready to fly). It comes with everything you need to get started — the plane, the battery, and the controller — and it’s easy to fly. You don’t have to worry about crashing your plane because of its safe technology, which adds a panic button that will return your plane to steady flight. It has 3 modes for flying, including beginner, intermediate and experienced, each of which have their own limitations to help different levels of pilots. It has a short flight time of about 8 minutes, but you can get a 4 pack of batteries for around $20 that will certainly come in handy. Still, it’s the best starter RC plane on the market that will allow you to learn the basics of remote control flight without the worry of breaking it.

  3. 3. E-Flite UMX PT-17 BNF w/ AS3X

    Pros:
    • WW2 Look
    • AS3X Tech for Impressive Handling
    • Realistic Details
    Cons:
    • Epo Foam, Not Plastic
    • Some Report Motor Burnout
    • Slightly Tail Heavy

    This beautiful blue pre WW2-inspired RC plane has an awesome look to it. It’s modeled after the Boeing PT-17 model airplane, which served as a training plane for the US Air Force in the 1930s and 1940s.

    This RC version of the plane, made by E-flite, uses advanced AS3X technology to deliver unprecedented handling. It has a realistic-looking radial engine and it uses the best radio technology in the Spektrum DSMX.

    The paint job of this plane is modeled after the PT-17 owned by Pat Hartness, who founded the Joe Nail event that’s held at Triple Tree Aerodrome in South Carolina.

    It comes fully assembled, and all you have to do before taking to the sky is charge the battery.

  4. 4. HobbyZone Delta Ray

    Pros:
    • Panic Button
    • Cooler Look
    • Up to 10 Minutes of Flight Time
    Cons:
    • Higher Price
    • Only One Color Available
    • Assembly Required

    Another great starter RC plane is HobbyZone’s Delta Ray with SAFE technology. Like the Sports Cub S, the Delta Ray will help you train and hone your flight skills. But where the Delta Ray stands out is in its physical design — it looks like a cool, unique plane. In fact, it’s what we were imagining as kids when we’d fold-up our paper into planes. It gets up to 10 minutes on one battery. It also has the panic button that self-corrects any flight errors. In fact, it has one of the quickest recovery switches we’ve seen (as they’ll demonstrate in the video above). Also worth noting about the Delta Ray is that it has a place for you to hold it with your hands on its bottom so that it’s comfortable and ready for a hand-launch. It’s also very lightweight, thanks to its heavy-duty foam construction. It is controlled by a DX4 controller that will feel like home to any gamer.

  5. 5. Flyzone Tidewater EP Seaplane

    Pros:
    • Amphibious
    • Very Responsive Controls
    • Easy to Take-off/Land
    Cons:
    • Some Users Reported Incomplete Packages
    • Assembly Required
    • Only One Color Available

    What’s great about the Flyzone Tidewater EP is that it’s able to take off from bodies of water and land in water. It adds a new dynamic into the mix, so not only are you able to do more without the fear of your expensive new toy crashing into the ground, but you’re also able to use it on land if you wanted to. The Flyzone Tidewater EP Seaplane is very responsive and feels like it was optimized for flight. It’s one of the most ideal RC planes over water, and not only is a great first plane, but also a fun RC airplane to fly for advanced pilots.

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