Are Nitro RC Planes legal? There is little information on the Internet about nitro RC planes and racing competitions, but most RC plane racing is pylon racing. Pylon racing is a circuit type of race in which the RC planes must fly a course that vertical pylons mark, and the planes must fly around them.
Speed is important, but so is maneuverability and flying skill. As a result, nitro is not always the advantage that one might think. For pure speed, nitro RC planes are hard to beat, but a well tuned, custom-built, gas-powered RC plane can often win the day easily. This is especially true of experienced RC pilots.
What is more popular is nitro RC car and truck racing. The speed demons seem to get a bigger kick out of running a nitro RC car full-out on the track, which is a reason this is more prevalent, for its tracks. It is much easier to find an outdoor-or even an indoor-track to race RC cars and trucks on than it is to find a field where one can race RC planes in a pylon competition; much less nitro RC planes.
Other Races
Pylon racing is not the only kind of competition in the RC plane world, there is pattern flying, which is a competition in which RC planes perform a complex series of maneuvers in a box or zone in front of a panel of judges. These planes must meet certain size and weight limitations to enter, though. The zone is defined by degrees of arc to the left, right, and elevation. Nitro RC planes need not apply here, as speed is of no practical value.
Pattern racing is all about skill and maneuvers such as loops, rolls, spins, snap rolls and stall turns. Even in the realm of pylon racing speed is more often than not, not the deciding factor. Points are accumulated for accuracy and performance.
Often, slower RC planes will beat out nitro RC planes based on the race rules and these planes better completing their turns around the pylons without crossing out of the circuit, or other violation. Sure, you can run a nitro RC plane in a pylon race and if you have the control skill have an edge in speed but its often not enough of a factor. There is the pure fun of running a nitro RC plane running flat-out at 230 mph however.
