flying electric rc airplane @ woodlands

was on my way home after buying banana cakes at blk 15 woodlands loop when i decided to make a detour to the road leading to christ church secondary school. saw a few vans parked by the side of the road and some grown-up men flying model airplanes at the open field.

when i approached them, i recognise one of them as someone i know. coincidentally, i had spoken to him that morning. rolan told me he picked up this hobby about six months ago.

the 6-volt nimh battery that powered the rc airplane costs more than a car battery. with the help of a friend, the plane was launched into the air. it was not as noisy as a fuel powered model plane. he told me that a battery powered rc plane's flight time was rather short, about twenty minutes at the most. however, it was easier to fly and also easier to fix and replace parts.

he then demonstrated to me that the plane could climb quite high, around 600m above the ground. according to him, beginners tend to push the plane to a greater height because it gives them more time to manipulate the controls. it cannot be flown for too long, otherwise the engine will overheat and fail and that will result in a crash. other factors like the wind, mechanical problems and poor control can also cause the plane to crash.