One way that pilots in the real world hone their skills without crashing is by using flight simulators. From the space shuttle to fighters to general aviation, there are simulators that let you train in different conditions and in different scenarios, all without putting a real aircraft at risk. Fine, you say. This is old information. But did you know that there are flight simulators for radio control aircraft? There are, and they are quickly gaining popularity. RC flight simulators have actually been around as long as computers have been in homes. Early systems were pretty basic and somewhat...

Many radio control airplane beginners make the mistake of trying to learn everything alone, and then head out to the nearest field to show off their newly developed skills. I suppose with the continued development of RC flight simulators, it might be possible to do things this way. Unlikely, but possible. There’s a better way than going it alone. You need to meet up with some other radio control lovers at an RC flight club. If you live in a town of any size, chances are there is an RC flight club near you. There are lots of great reasons to be part of a club. Let’s look at some of...