RC Airliner Models: Scale EDF Airliners You Can Actually Buy

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Type "RC plane 747" into a search box and you get a strange mix: foam toys with an airliner-shaped fuselage, forum threads about planes that may or may not still be sold, and a handful of articles that quote each other. This page tries to do something less exciting and more useful. It lists the scale airliners whose specs I could confirm from manufacturer pages and documentation, and it leaves out the ones I could not.

One honest note about how this page is built: everything here comes from manufacturer specs, product manuals and maker documentation, not from our own flying. Where a number is a performance figure such as flight time, it is labelled a manufacturer claim. Stock status was checked in October 2026 and can change, so treat it as a snapshot.

The short version: there are two serious, currently listed scale airliners worth a look, both twin-EDF narrow-bodies, and neither is anyone's first airplane. If you are still earning your wings, start with the best beginner RC planes and the best RC trainer planes, then come back. The airliner will still be sitting at the gate.

Quick Picks

The third row is not an airliner. It is here because the maker of the A320neo tells new EDF pilots to fly a simpler jet first, and that advice is worth following.

What I Could Not Confirm

A few things you may have seen in other articles are missing here on purpose.

• Quad-engine wide-bodies (747, A380). HSD Jets has been named as a source of a four-engine 747, but I could not reach a maker spec page or confirm current sale status, and the third-party listings I found disagreed with each other on battery voltage. Until that is settled, I am not putting specs or a recommendation on the page. If you are in that league, get the specs from the maker and a current retailer before you spend anything.
• Toy-tier "airliners." Small brushed-motor foam planes with an A380 or 787 outline exist, but I could not verify a maker page for any of them. They are gifts, not scale models, and this guide does not cover them.
• Claims that a certain brand "does not make" an airliner. Some articles state this flatly. I could not verify those brand claims, so I am not repeating them.

What Makes a Good RC Airliner

Judging an airliner is a different game from judging a warbird or a 3D plane. These are the things to weigh.

Scale presence. The reason to own an airliner is how it looks on the ramp and on approach. Retractable gear, working flaps, and navigation, strobe and landing lights do most of the work. Both models below have all three.

Calm flight character. A good airliner flies like a big, deliberate machine: long approaches, early configuration changes, and no sudden pitch input. Stabilization can make that much easier, which is part of why the A320neo is the friendlier of the two.

A power system that fits the airframe. EDF (electric ducted fan) is the sensible choice for this shape, because a slim nacelle and a turbine-like sound are exactly what an airliner needs. Bigger fans and 6S power mean more thrust and more current, so charging gear and batteries matter more than with a small prop plane.

Honest skill requirements. Both models below are sized and powered for pilots who already fly EDF jets. A twin-engine foam jet at roughly 3.3 to 3.7 kg in flying trim is not a plane to learn on, and a bad landing at that weight is a lot of foam hitting the grass.

#1: E-flite Airbus A320neo Twin 64mm EDF

Search for the E-flite Airbus A320neo Twin 64mm EDF on Amazon

This is the most complete package of the two. Per Horizon Hobby, it is an officially licensed Airbus replica with the E-flite support behind it, and it comes with stabilization built into the receiver.

What is in the box (BNF Basic). The airframe arrives with motors, ESC, servos, retracts and a Spektrum AR637TA+ receiver already installed. You supply a compatible Spektrum transmitter, a 6S battery and a 6S charger. The base white version comes with separate window and other decals, so you can paint or decal it in any airline scheme you like.

Stabilization. The BNF Basic versions use enhanced AS3X+, and an optional-use SAFE Select mode adds pitch and bank limits and automatic self-leveling. Per Horizon, you can bind it normally and use AS3X+ only. This is the main reason the A320neo has the lower skill level of the two.

Thrust reversing. The ESC supports optional motor/thrust reversing to shorten the landing roll. Horizon says this needs a 7 to 8+ channel transmitter, so check your radio before assuming you can use it. SAFE Select also wants a switch, so a six-channel radio will run out of room quickly.

Which version? The BNF Basic is listed at Skill Level 3 and the PNP at Skill Level 4. The PNP has no receiver, so you supply your own, along with your own stabilization if you want it. If you already own a Spektrum radio, the BNF Basic is the logical choice. Both were listed in stock when I checked.

A warning from the maker itself. Horizon's page says outright that this is not a suitable first RC model, and not a suitable first EDF either. It names simpler jets such as the Habu SS as the place to learn. That is blunt advice, and it is correct.

#2: Freewing AL37 Airliner Twin 70mm EDF

Search for the Freewing AL37 Airliner Twin 70mm EDF on Amazon

The AL37 is a generic narrow-body shape rather than a licensed airframe, and it is bigger than the E-flite. Freewing describes it as its largest EDF to date. It is sold as a PNP, which means the electronics for flying are your job.

What is in the box. Per the listing, the airframe comes with retracts, motors, EDFs, ESCs and servos installed. You supply the radio and receiver, the 6S battery and a 6S charger. The listing says assembly takes about an hour, using screws for everything except the foam fuselage.

Features worth knowing. There are 11 pre-installed LEDs, a flap system, a steerable nose gear, removable winglets and nacelles that come off with three screws. A ribbon-wire control board links the wing and fuselage so the wing can come off for transport. Main wheels are 70 mm and the nose wheel is 45 mm, which Freewing says helps on grass.

Flight time. Freewing claims a maximum of about 10 minutes with a 6S 5000mAh pack and careful throttle use. That is a manufacturer claim, and it assumes you are cruising at well under full throttle.

No stabilization listed. Nothing in the listing's included items mentions a gyro or stabilization system. If you want one, you would add it yourself, and that is an extra decision and an extra setup job. This is the biggest practical difference between the AL37 and the A320neo.

Two versions. The standard PNP comes with tail and wing decals applied, while the window, door and airline decals still need to go on. The Base White version has no decals applied, but the full set is in the box. The standard PNP was listed as available when I checked; I did not confirm stock for the Base White.

The Step Before: E-flite Habu SS 70mm EDF

Search for the E-flite Habu SS 70mm EDF Jet BNF Basic on Amazon

This is the jet Horizon points to as a stepping stone. It is a single 70mm EDF sport jet with AS3X and optional SAFE Select, a wingspan of 1029 mm and a weight of 1.11 kg without a battery. It runs on 4S to 6S packs (3200 to 4000mAh recommended) and the maker rates it Level 2. It has no flaps.

The BNF Basic was listed in stock when I checked, while the PNP version is listed as discontinued. If you are curious about the broader jet scene before committing, the best RC jets guide and the RC EDF jet guide cover what is on the market and how EDF power works.

RTF, BNF and PNP: Which Format Fits an Airliner

The two airliners here are sold as BNF or PNP rather than RTF, which fits the experienced pilots they are aimed at. Here is how the formats map to the two models above, and the RTF vs BNF vs PNP guide has the full explanation.

• BNF (Bind-N-Fly). The plane comes with a receiver installed. You bring a compatible transmitter, a battery and a charger. The A320neo BNF Basic is this format.
• PNP (Plug-N-Play). The plane has the power system and servos but no receiver. You choose and install your own. The AL37 and the A320neo PNP are this format.

The practical rule: if you already own a Spektrum radio, the BNF Basic spares you a receiver decision. If you fly another radio brand, a PNP lets you use what you have, as long as it has enough channels for gear, flaps and any extras.

Power and Batteries: What 6S Really Means

Both airliners run on 6S LiPo packs, which means 22.2V nominal. Before you buy the airplane, check three things.

1. Charger. You need one that charges 6S packs and a balance lead that fits your batteries. Not every starter charger does.
2. Connectors. The A320neo spec lists IC5 with EC5 also acceptable, and the AL37 lists EC5. Adapters exist, but a mismatch you only notice at the field is a bad way to start a flying day.
3. Battery count. Flights are short, as they are for most EDF models, so plan on more than one pack. The RC plane LiPo battery guide covers selection, storage and safe handling.

Treat any 6S pack with respect. A damaged or swollen pack is not a flying pack, and a LiPo bag costs very little compared with the plane it is powering.

Flying an Airliner: General Habits

This is general advice rather than anything from a spec sheet, so take it as club-field wisdom and not a promise.

• Plan the approach early. Heavy EDF models carry speed. Set up a long, straight final and use flaps if the plane has them.
• Be gentle in slow turns. Narrow-bodies with swept wings can drop a wing if you pull hard at low speed. Keep your turns shallow and your speed up near the ground.
• Check the CG every time you change battery size. Both makers publish a CG range, and a different pack can move it. The A320neo lists 150 mm (140 to 170 mm) and the AL37 lists 185 mm from the leading edge of the wing root.
• Use a long, smooth surface. Retracts and shock-absorbing struts help, but a rough field is still hard on gear.
• Mind the neighbours. An EDF jet is loud. Fly at an established field, not a residential park.

Related Reading

Airliners are one slice of a much bigger hobby, and a few other guides on this site give useful context.

• The VolantexRC planes guide is a good look at budget foam planes with stabilization.
• The FMS complete brand guide covers a wide range of trainers and warbirds.
• The Yak-54 and Yak-55 comparison shows how one scale subject can be built in several different ways.
• For amphibious flying, see the ICON A5 guide.
• If fighter jets appeal more than passengers, the F-22 Raptor models guide sorts hobby-grade EDF jets from toy-grade foam.

Which Airliner Fits You

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