The first practical flying models took to the air at the beginning of the 20th century.
Progress with performance of these aircraft depended on technology.
All flying models need to be constructed of light, strong materials to fly properly, and require some sort of power to achieve flight.
Twisted rubber bands were an early form of lightweight and inexpensive power for model aircraft, and are still used today on certain free flight planes.
As the models grew in size and weight, small gas engines became the preferred means of powering the vast majority of flying airplanes.
Gas model engines produce a plenty of power, but require strong and heavy airframe structures to handle motor vibration, create an oily mess from the engine exhaust, and the engines are quite loud.
Over the past five years, electric motors have literally taken over as the preferred power source for model airplanes.
A fortunate convergence of technologies - small, lightweight and inexpensive radio control systems, efficient rechargeable batteries and advanced brushless electric motors - have combined to revolutionize the model airplane hobby.
Many of today's aircraft modelers have flown nothing but electric radio control planes, and have never even started a small gas engine.
This trend favoring electrics likely to continue.
Once exposed to electric flight, the advantages become very clear over gas engines.
Gas engines require a lot of support.
Fresh fuel, electric glow plug igniters, electric starters and batteries, plus a wide variety of tools all must be on hand.
It is not uncommon to see modelers spending the majority of their day at a flying field working to get a balky gas engine started.
Starting an electric model plane poses no such challenges.
Flight batteries can be fully recharged prior to arriving at the flying field.
The model airplane pilot literally turns on a switch for instant, silent power.
While flying, there is never the worry of an engine failure so common to gas fueled flight.
Electric motors have no moving parts other that the prop shaft, and will run as long as there is battery power.
As an added benefit is the quiet power provided by the electric motor.
Flying fields for gas powered models are becoming harder and harder to keep, as increasing urbanization leads to more and more noise complaints.
Engine noise is an extremely important issue for the future of the hobby.
Noise complaints can lead to the rapid closure of a flying field.
Electric power completely bypasses these concerns, as you simply cannot hear the smaller motors in flight.
In fact, these smaller planes earned the new nicknames of park or backyard flyers.
For the first time in the history of radio control airplane flight, anyone can fly their planes in their back yard, or across the street at a local park.
Neighbors will not even hear the small, silent motors powering these aircraft.
Without the need to bring along the normal gas engine support equipment, these micro planes are airborne in minutes.
An added benefit of this spontaneous flight activity in the local neighborhood is increased exposure of this wonderful hobby to a wider cross section of potential future hobbyists.
You could well spark a life long interest in aviation to some young person viewing one of these aircraft in flight.
The hobby of flying this type of RC plane will only continue to grow.
Electric motors are becoming more powerful and less expensive.
The advent of ready to fly airplanes is leading to further interest in this unique aspect of the hobby.