Ground Support

Just like full sized aircraft, R/C airplanes require ground support equipment. Every engine needs fuel and a pump to put the fuel into the fuel tank. Engines needs a 1.5-volt battery and a special connector to ignite the glow plug. While many engines will start by hand-flipping the propeller, we highly recommend an electric starter and 12-volt battery. The electric starter keeps your hands clear of the propeller and can help get a new (slightly out of adjustment) engine started.

Hobby People offers the two Field Buddy Combos. This set comes with a tote box (built or unbuilt), an electric fuel pump, an electric starter, a 12-volt battery and charger, a glow plug clip, and a power panel to allow the pump and the glow plug to all run off of the 12-volt battery. While this certainly isn't the only way to outfit your tote box, when you visit the flying field, most pilots rely on these same items for their ground support.