E-Fest Airplane Show - World's Top Indoor RC Show!
The Great Planes E-Fest airplane show is the one indoor model airplane show you simply have to attend!
Next E-Fest will be held on late January/early February 2011 at University of Illinois Ubana-Champaign, at the Armory Track and Field Facility - will announce date as soon as it is decided!!
E-Fest airplane show electric motor demo cage
The Great Planes E-Fest airplane show indoor electric festival, held every year in late January/ early February at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Armory Track and Field Facility, is the one indoor electric RC model airplane event you really must attend.
Armory interior, host for E-Fest airplane show each February
Scale RC airplanes, micro RC planes, pylon races, park flyers, lots of ParkZone aircraft and combat contests are all on display at E-Fest airplane show! You will also have a chance to see the latest control gear, to include a large showing of Spektrum radio systems.
Great video of the 2009 E-Fest show!
Enjoy some pictures below of the 2006 and 2008 E-Fest airplane show
Sig Bleriot E-Fest airplane show electric RC airplane
Very nice model of the Sig Bleriot at left, from the same Sig Manufacturing Company "Pioneer of Flight" series of indoor RC model airplanes as the RC airplane kits Demoiselle. A great looking and superb flying scale RC airplane. You can see several examples at the E-Fest airplane show. The Bleriot was flown at the same time as the RC plane plans Blackburn Type D monoplane.
Bleriot open cockpit and dummy radial engine at the E-Fest airplane show
Close up at right of the Sig Bleriot scale RC airplane at E-Fest airplane show. Note two servos, with fishing line control cables to tail surfaces, the dummy three cylinder radial engine, and unique landing gear arrangement. Design is evocative of the RC plane plans Chickadee.
Pilots had a rather clear view of the world in these early, open cockpit aircraft!
Sig Demoiselle plane at E-Fest model airplane show
At left is a great example of the RC airplane kit Demoiselle electric powered indoor flying RC model at the E-Fest airplane show. The Demoiselle is a unique kit of this remarkable aircraft. The plane flies exceptionally well, is fully maneuverable, and flies at the pace of a fast walk.
Sig produces a complete kit, with a very clear set of building instructions. For intermediate level builders, do give it a try.
Electric powered Wright Flyer at E-Fest airplane show
One of the key advantages of electric powered model airplane flight is the fact you can install radio control systems in very small, lightweight models due to the lack of vibration from the small electric motors.
Aircraft such as the Wright Brothers "Flyer" would be very difficult to power with conventional gas powered engines. Note that the tiny pusher electric motors powering this model of the Flyer are ideally suited for indoor flight.
Electric powered model airplanes from F-86 Sabre to a Spad XIII fighter
As you wander around the E-Fest airplane show, you can view some truly original airplane design and construction methods. The world of electric powered indoor flight opens up all sorts of new and innovative construction techniques, as the electric motors are lightweight and produce no vibration. This is some difference from the early days of model flight as discussed in radio control plane primer.
Innovative lightweight foam aircraft construction at E-Fest airplane show
The airplane at right uses "standard" construction techniques of ribs, formers and stringers. Yet these are all made of foam material, covered in clear plastic. The result is a model that seems to literally "float" as it makes its way around the flight line at the E-Fest model airplane show. You will see many examples of original modeling at the E-Fest airplane show. These models are ideal venues to see the latest Spektrum radios and the new DSM2 Bind-N-Fly radio technology.
Indoor RC plane Cessna 210 and Citabria RTF micro flyers
There is always a great sampling of the well known ready to fly ParkZone aircraft ready to fly micro models at E-Fest. See for yourself how well these remarkable aircraft fly. You will also see several examples of the ParkZone Ember and ParkZone aircraft Sukhoi at the E-Fest airplane show. As they are on the interference free 2.4 GHz frequency band, consider showing up and flying one yourself!
E-Fest Airplane Show