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Radio control airplanes are a favorite pastime for kids of all ages. See everything from a rubber band powered Dragonfly, to the Great Planes Chipmunk, to ready to fly duct fan powered jets. All kinds of Airplane clubs are available to avid fliers. There are many different companies that offer great first time flyer kits to the more experienced kits like the F-22 Raptor.

Radio-controlled airplanes (also called RC airplanes) are small airplanes that can be controlled remotely. They use radio control with a hand-held transmitter and a receiver within the craft. The receiver controls the corresponding servomechanisms that move the control surfaces based on the position of joysticks on the transmitter, which in turn maneuvers the plane.

RC planes as a hobby has been internationally growing due to the availability of smaller, relatively inexpensive parts and advancing technologies. A variety of models and styles are available to suit any preference or budget. Due to the availability and advances in high performance electric batteries and motors, a growing number of hobbyists are flying electric powered craft instead of gas powered craft, because of their ease of construction and the absence of fuel mess and fuss.

Scientific, government and military organizations are also utilizing RC aircraft for experiments, gathering weather readings, aerodynamic modeling and testing, and even use them as drones or spy planes.

There are many types of radio-controlled airplanes. For beginning hobbyists, there are park flyers, and trainers. For more advanced pilots there are glow plug engine, electric powered and sailplane aircraft. For expert flyers, jets, pylon racers, helicopters, and other high end competition aircraft provide adequate challenge.

A distinction is typically made between hobby grade and toy grade model aircraft. Toy aircraft are exclusively electric, have less power, and require little skill to fly. As a result, they are much cheaper (less than $75 or so). Hobby grade aircraft come in all varieties, from small electrics only distinguishable from toys by the brand, to multi-thousand dollar craft with hundreds of cubic centimeters "under the hood".

Park flyers, as the name implies, are small, easy to fly electric aircraft. They are designed with the average flyer in mind, requiring an area no bigger than a park to fly. They are low budget and easy to fly. Trainers are similar to park flyers in that they are on the docile side and are comparatively inexpensive, however, they are bigger and are usually glow (gas) engine powered.

Gliders are planes that do not usually have any form of propulsion. As most gliders are non-powered, flight must be sustained through exploitation of the natural lift produced from thermals and wind hitting a slope, Jets tend to be very expensive and commonly use a turbine or ducted fan to power them. These aircraft can often reach speeds in excess of 200 mph. They require incredibly quick reflexes and very expensive equipment, so are usually reserved for the expert.