Gas Power vs Battery Power

Remote Control Helicopters have become “boy toys” of choice. We can fulfill our dream of flying an aircraft without spending too much nor even taking a foot off the ground. But how can we choose between Gas Power and Battery Power? Here are some key differences between gas-powered and battery-powered models:

Battery Power

If you are a novice, then battery power may be the best choice. Battery power is, in some ways, simpler than gas power. With battery power, you don’t have to deal with the engine and the gas it will consume. You don't need to proper knowledge of the mechanics just to make it fly. You don’t have to spend a lot of time reading the manual just to understand how it works. And, if the engine fails, you don’t have to figure out how to fix it.

In the early days, battery-powered vehicles would not fly for as long as gas-powered ones. Nowadays, the lithium-polymer batteries, coupled with brushless motors give comparable flight times.

Battery power is also quieter than gas power (though still annoyingly loud indoors).

Gas Power

More experienced helicopter pilot usuallly prefer gas powered helicopters for several reasons. In simple terms, flying a gas-powered helicopter is more realistic, more like a full-sized helicopter -- it even sounds more like a full-sized helicopter.

Another attraction for some enthusiasts, paradoxically, is the increased complexity of the engine. Perhaps the precariousness of the mechanics makes a successful flight more satisfying. It reminds me of the old days, playing vinyl records, before CDs appeared. There was a satisfaction playing a song for friends. Getting everything just right was a ritual: cleaning the needle, cleaning the record, calibrating the playback speed, carefully removing the record from its jacket, cleaning it. And knowing that with each precious playing, the record's sound degraded. The gas-powered helicopter pre-flight check is similar.

So...

Perhaps its best to start with an easy-to-fly battery-powered helicopter and then progress to a gas-powered one.