Topic
Troubleshooting
Guides and reviews focused on troubleshooting, filtered directly from the article feed.
RC Plane Crashes: Common Causes and How to Fix Them
Why RC plane crashes happen and how to fix each root cause: signal loss, wrong CG, motor cuts, reversed controls, battery sag and pilot error, step by step.
RC Gas Engine Won't Start: A Fuel, Spark and Compression Checklist
A gas engine that turns over but will not fire is short of fuel, flooded, missing spark, or has a mechanical problem. Here is how to tell which, and in what order.
RC Plane Won't Climb or Feels Underpowered: A Test-First Fix Guide
A plane that will not climb is rarely just a weak motor. Work through battery, radio, propeller and balance in order, with a test before every replacement.
Swollen LiPo Batteries: Warning Signs and What to Do
A swollen LiPo is a safety problem, not a cosmetic one. This researched guide follows manufacturer, AMA and recycler guidance on what to do right away, how to dispose of a damaged pack and how to keep packs from puffing in the first place.
RC Nitro Engine Won't Start: A Troubleshooting Order
An ordered, manual-backed checklist for an RC glow engine that will not start: the four conditions O.S. says an engine needs, how to clear flooding without bending a rod, plug and driver checks, fuel delivery, needles and cold starts.
How to Repair a Crashed Foam RC Plane
A post-crash routine for foam RC planes: battery first, then glue and tape choices backed by maker documents, field versus bench repairs, and the powertrain checks that prevent a second crash.
RC Plane Failsafe Not Working: How to Set It Up Correctly
When you switch the transmitter off and nothing happens, the receiver is usually doing exactly what it was told. This guide walks through what five radio brands do by default, how each one is set, and how to test it safely.
RC Plane Servo Flutter: Causes and Fixes
Flutter only shows up in the air, at speed. A researched guide to what causes it, how to tell it from bench jitter, what to do if you hear it, and how to cure it with tighter linkages, better servos and mass balancing.
RC Plane Not Responding? Bench and In-Flight Fix Guide
A plane that ignores its transmitter is either a bench problem or an in-flight problem, and the two have almost nothing in common. This guide splits them and works each in order using the makers' own documentation.
RC Plane Crash Diagnosis: Causes and Prevention
A symptom-first guide to RC crash causes: setup mistakes, center of gravity, brownouts and ESC protections, flutter, vibration and wind, with the checks to run before you blame the radio.
RC Plane Motor Cutting Out Mid-Flight: Causes and Fixes
The most useful clue after a motor cutout is whether the control surfaces kept working. This guide follows that fork through ESC protections, battery sag, connections and settings, using what the maker manuals actually say.
RC Plane Won't Arm? Troubleshooting Signal and Bind Issues
A plane that refuses to arm is usually doing what it was designed to do. This guide separates bind problems from arming problems and walks through the checks the maker manuals actually publish.